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Former England captain Paul Collingwood believes Rohit Sharma’s India will not lose to Jos Buttler’s brigade in the T20 World Cup semifinal again. Collingwood feels England need to do put on an outstanding display to put an end to India’s unbeaten streak in the tournament.
"Honestly, I can't see India losing this time. England will need something extraordinary to beat them," Collingwood said on Star Sports Press Room.
While Arshdeep Singh is India's leading wicket-taker in the tournament, Jasprit Bumrah has been keeping the batters quiet. He has taken wickets at an average of 8.55. His economy rate of 4.09 runs per over stands out of the lot. England’s first World Cup-winning captain Collingwood says no team has managed to dominate him in these conditions.
"India, with their well-rounded squad, stands out particularly for Jasprit Bumrah's current form. He's fit, accurate, fast, and highly skilled. No team seems to have an answer for him. In a 120-ball game, having someone like Bumrah with his pace for 24 balls makes a huge difference. India has looked confident even in tough situations and on difficult pitches in America.
"Their batters, like Rohit Sharma who played a magnificent innings against Australia, seem to be back in form," he added.
Guyana pitch to work in India’s favour
While England have big hitters in their ranks, Collingwood reckons the slow pitch at Providence Stadium, Guyana may favour India.
"The match-up will be magnificent, with both sides adopting an ultra-aggressive approach. The surface in Guyana will be crucial. On a flat pitch, England has the upper hand with their ability to overpower teams. However, a slow, turning pitch would favour India."
Indian team not conservative anymore
The 48-year-old reckons India have left their conservative approach which led to them getting knocked out from group stages of the 2021 edition after losing to Pakistan and New Zealand.
"The previous plan was to attack India aggressively from the start. However, a team like India can't be surprised by that tactic. In 2022, when India batted first, we knew we could restrict them. Back then, India played conservatively, especially in the first 10 overs, and then tried to catch up later.
"But India's approach has changed. They understand that this strategy won't win World Cups. They need to take risks, be brave, and express themselves freely.
"This new mentality might be criticised if it fails, but to win World Cups, you need to be ahead of the curve and adapt to what other teams are doing globally," he further added.
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