India will not bother playing in front of a full house of antagonising fans when they take on hosts Bangladesh in the Asia Cup final today, said team director Ravi Shastri on Saturday.
Indian fans outnumber their counterparts almost everywhere in the world with Bangladesh being one of the few exceptions where they get exactly an opposite taste.The Indians will find a strong opposition from the boisterous home crowd that is expected to back their team with all their hearts out throughout the match.
The severe ticket crisis persisted in and around Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium only indicated that the stadium will be full to the brim to make things tougher for them.
Speaking in team’s pre-final press conference Shastri said they are immuned to this noise.
‘We’re used to noise,’ he said. ‘Let there be 100 per cent. Who cares?’ he said.
‘When you play at that level, you are immuned to that.
‘You can use it to your advantage as well. You can be more geed up and show that you can play,’ he said pointing it as a motivational factor instead.’
Shastri said that he is also not concerned with the green top wicket that they found to be difficult to adjust as Tigers bowling force is dominated by pace bowlers.
Bangladesh dominated their group match against India at the initial stage thanks to their pace bowlers before Rohit Sharma turned the fortune to Indian team’s favour.
‘Pitches are not in our hands,’ said Shastri. ‘I was asked before the start of the tournament that you are going to get a green top. So be it. So whatever track is on offer we are ready to play.
‘Our job is to go play in whatever conditions we are offered. Because you realise very quickly that it is not one team playing there, both teams have to play on that surface. So it is fair play.’
Shastri said India are confident about them as they were able to bounce back despite being pushed in the back foot by Bangladesh in their opening game.
‘If you look at it Bangladesh was a very good win to start of the tournament. First game, we were under pressure and in the last ten overs we bounced back.
But every game is a tough game. It’s at the end of it how you balance things out in batting and bowling department.
‘I thought we did an excellent job. But the first game was a tough game,’ he said.
-With New Age input
