Indian assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has made it clear that the upcoming T20 World Cup remains a distant priority for the team. He emphasized that India's immediate focus is firmly on the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand, which is currently tied at 1-1.
World Cup Takes a Back Seat
Speaking after India's seven-wicket loss in the second ODI in Rajkot, ten Doeschate stated that the T20 World Cup is still a "long way" away. He stressed the importance of not letting World Cup excitement distract from the present series.
"There's a real chance that you're so focused on the World Cup that you think these three games this week just come and go," he explained. "We don't learn anything, and we don't put our best performances out there."
Full Focus on New Zealand Series
Ten Doeschate confirmed that the team is fully concentrated on the ODI series against New Zealand. He noted that every series holds significant value, with individual players having a lot at stake.
"Strategy-wise, I can't see anything we've had to skirt around in terms of prepping for the T20 World Cup," he said. "We are fully focused on this series. Every series is important."
He added that the approach involves building from series to series and developing good habits. The excitement surrounding the T20 World Cup is being kept on the back burner for now.
Managing Player Workload and Injuries
However, ten Doeschate underlined the need to protect players who are part of the T20 World Cup squad. The Indian team has been dealing with a string of injuries, sidelining key players like Tilak Varma, Rishabh Pant, and Washington Sundar.
"We're very cautious or conscious about not doing that," he said regarding over-focusing on the World Cup. "But at the same time, you do want to protect the guys who are going to play in the T20 World Cup, and you are thinking about it."
No Excuses for Performance
Ten Doeschate dismissed any notion that the different player setups for T20 and ODI formats could hinder performance. He asserted that players must be able to apply themselves to both situations.
"Particularly with the two sets of personnel that we have, they're very different," he noted. "So there's no real excuse for not focusing on this."
Reflecting on Recent Setbacks
The second ODI loss highlighted some concerns, as Indian spinners were out-bowled by a depleted New Zealand side. The defeat also brought attention back to India's two Test series losses at home earlier in the season.
When asked if India is no longer invincible at home, ten Doeschate admitted that the Test series defeats to New Zealand and South Africa hurt a lot.
"To come into a team where the home record is as impeccable as it has been for India, it's tough to front up to those two series losses," he said.
Balancing Act in Bilateral Series
He differentiated between Test losses and the current ODI series, noting that in bilateral series, teams sometimes experiment to push the envelope. However, he clarified that losing is never acceptable.
"You're absolutely not saying it's okay to lose," ten Doeschate emphasized. "But they sit a little bit more right than the Test match losses."
He concluded by reaffirming the team's commitment to winning every game while managing medium to long-term prospects. The goal is to restore the fear factor for opponents playing against India at home.
