West Indies captain Kieron Pollard believes that they are no clear favourites in the series with India as he pointed out that India was recently whitewashed in the 3-match ODI series in South Africa.
India struggled in white-ball cricket recently as apart from the ODI series loss, they also were knocked out in the group stage of the T20 World Cup which was held in UAE last year. On another side, West Indies came here after beating England by 3-2 in the 5-match T20I series. However, they lost a 3-match ODI series against Ireland last month. But Pollard stated that both teams would start on the same level.
“As you mentioned they (India) didn’t do too well in South Africa, and with all the other things on the outside, they will have their work cut out. But as I stated earlier for us, it is about focusing on what we can do. They will have their challenges, we will have our challenges,” Kieron Pollard said.
“The good thing is that when we start the game tomorrow, there is no advantage or disadvantage. We start on a level-playing field and whoever plays better cricket on the day will come out on the top,” he added.
Pollard also lauded Rohit Sharma’s leadership skills as he was appointed a full-time white-ball captain for India. Pollard played under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma for Mumbai Indians in IPL.
“Being a full-time captain is a completely different job altogether”- Kieron Pollard
“Obviously, Rohit, you know, a good person, he knows how to lead, but having said that he will be coming up with his own plans and the way that he wants to play, wants the team to sort of play, so that will be a learning for them (India) as well,” Pollard opined.
However, he warned that a full-time captaincy is a very different job as compared to when you lead the side on odd occasions here and there.
“Because, yes, you have captained a couple of games but when you are a full-time captain, I think that is something sort-of different,” he concluded.
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