JOIN US“We would look to replicate this standard of fielding in our coming matches. Today, we were desperate to win. This kind of fielding helps the bowler to be a bit more confident and gives the skipper much more confidence to dictate the game. We need to keep improving in that area. We were embarrassed with our fielding in the last game and we were desperate to make the difference,” Fleming said at the post-match press conference.
Fleming admitted that his team was 15 runs short of the par-score. “We knew it was a below par score. Since our best players were struggling on that track, we felt it would be a tough score to attain.”
The former New Zealand captain said that his boys were successful in increasing the pressure as the match progressed. “We knew we had to bowl and field well. We increased the pressure on the rival batsmen as the match progressed. When they were scoring at six runs an over, we knew we had a good chance to win the match.”
Jesse Ryder’s wicket was the key as if the Kiwi batsman would have got a few big hits, it would have set the platform for Yuvraj to consolidate. “If Jesse Ryder got going that would have created a platform for Yuvraj. Then it would have been difficult. Our idea was to take early wickets and the fielders complemented the bowlers well.”
Fleming termed Ravichandran Ashwin as a transformed bowler after his stint with the victorious Indian team. “He has always been a match-winner for us. He is always a confident bowler and transforms himself well as he takes wickets. He is working hard on improving his strengths. The last four months in international cricket had really made him more matured. Ashwin is an asset. His variations always help him like the manner in which he dismissed Jesse Ryder with his arm ball today.”
Fleming defended Murali Vijay who has often failed to convert his good starts during the tournament. “Vijay is in a situation where he is providing us the platform to push the pace. He understands the situation pretty well. Vijay is one of our key players. He needs to get big score and we have faith in him that he will get a big score.”
Not interested
He is among the most talked about possible candidates for the Indian cricket coach’s job, but Fleming does not even want to discuss the prospect of taking up the post left vacant by Gary Kirsten.
“I enjoy my relationship with all the Indian players and Dhoni is a special player I am involved with. He is a captain with free space. I have been working with Suresh Raina and others as well. Just about time that I do not want to be talked about as a potential Indian coach,” Fleming said.