Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has heaped praise on current India captain Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa and wished that India can win the title this time. He also spoke about Shivam Dube’s place in India’s starting XI against South Africa.
Rohit Sharma has been leading India from the front and is the team’s leading run-scorer in this tournament so far. The veteran opener has scored 248 runs in 7 matches so far at an average of 41.33 and a strike rate of 155.97. His last two fifties came in the last two matches against Australia and England.
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Sourav Ganguly praises Rohit Sharma for making India a formidable team
During an interaction with reporters, Sourav Ganguly felt that India is a very strong team and reaching two World Cup finals in seven months is no mean feat.
“At the beginning of the tournament I made a suggestion: that they play freely because this is a T20 format and they have done that. They are a very strong team and I also said that at the beginning. Reaching two World Cup finals in seven months says a lot about the ability and strength of the team,” Ganguly said when asked about India’s second consecutive ICC final after the ODI World Cup final in 2023.
Ganguly also backed India to go with the same team despite Shivam Dube’s continued streak of low scores. This time he backed Rohit Sharma to win the title.
“They won’t make any changes in the team and this is Rohit Sharma’s leadership style. It will be the same team…Hopefully they win tomorrow,” Ganguly said.
‘He’s a once-in-a-lifetime player’ – Sourav Ganguly on Virat Kohli’s poor form
Ganguly backed Virat Kohli after his poor run in the 2024 T20 World Cup. He hoped that Kohli would have saved his best for the final.
“Let’s not even talk about Virat Kohli. He is a once-in-a-lifetime player. He is human. He will have three or four bad games, but I will keep my fingers crossed for him in the final,” said the former Indian captain.
Ganguly also praised India head coach Rahul Dravid for his successful stint as India head coach and hoped that he could end his coaching stint with an ICC trophy.
“He (Rahul Dravid) is a great player. He has played three World Cups with me and was also the vice-captain when I was the captain of the team. We have been part of some great Indian victories in Pakistan, Australia and “And in England he was the coach when India reached the World Cup final last October. I hope I win this time,” said the former India opener.
Asked about India’s next head coach, Ganguly backed Gautam Gambhir to do the job. “I think he will be the next coach (of Team India). I wish him all the luck,” Ganguly said.
India will take on South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Bridgetown, Barbados. The match is likely to be a high-intensity affair as both teams are unbeaten in the tournament so far.
