Danny Morrison backs India for World Cup glory, but wary of Pakistan threat

In the first episode of a new cricket podcast from DafaNews called ‘The Spirit of Cricket’, former New Zealand pace bowler turned TV presenter Danny Morrison shared his views on a range of topics, while assessing who he thinks has the best chance of winning the 2023 ODI World Cup.

 

Excerpts:

 

On India’s chances at the World Cup

 

“It’s challenging for India, but at the same time, they won the last World Cup in 2011 at home. It was a long time between drinks, but of course, they have a certain thing called the IPL that’s been going on for some time. They’re used to, if you like, even those not so experienced guys. But Virat and Rohit, they’ve played in front of big crowds, they know the expectation. Yes, there’s pressure to win at home but for me, they have to be in the mix.  There’s just no doubt because you’re used to playing on those pitches, those stadiums, the crowd, the noise in there. And yeah, look, a lot of them are up and down, but look at Yuvraj Singh, when he was player of the tournament back in 2011, he was a guy that really wanted to go out on a high. Sachin, they felt that he was the demigod that needed to have this in the bag, if you like. Virat Kohli was in that side, he was a youngster, but Virat’s not been in a winning side of the IPL, he’s not won a big ICC event for a while. It’s the thing that will motivate him, there’s no doubt.  And same for Rohit and those older guys. I don’t see a problem with them. Hopefully, Jasprit’s going to be firing a little bit better. But when I look at that mix and just getting off the fence early, I think India are good.”

 

On Pakistan’s chances

 

“Don’t underestimate Pakistan. The balance of their side, again, in those similar conditions, I like the look of them. The key is to stay fit, that’s always a key issue. They’ve squeezed a lot of Shaheen Shah Afridi in the last few years. He’s had a few leg niggles, understandably. Then there’s Naseem, he’s hungry, very keen. And Haris Rauf. A lot of these guys – which is really what the Indian pacers don’t have – is that they get to play in these foreign leagues, so they get to experience and go overseas. And they gain that experience, which I think

is really worthwhile.  Whereas, of course, the Indian players don’t get that. And so that’s why I like their well-roundedness and having played in other conditions and becoming just more well-rounded and hardened international players. I also like them in my mix because of Babar, Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed. These guys at the top of the order have experience but knowing how to play long innings too, that’s the key where perhaps some of the other sides just possibly fall off that a bit, because they’re so used to T20 all the time. That just mindset.

 

“So, I think there’s a really good opportunity for Pakistan to play really well, given it’s in the subcontinent and given it’s in India where they’re not allowed to play. Pakistan players can’t play on the IPL and so that adds another dynamic to it. And of course, India and Pakistan only play each other at ICC events. There’s a lot of things, I think more so for the green machine on that world stage. It means a lot because it is the big world stage.  And given that opportunity, the players want to do well. They’re looking a very, very fine team because of those three fast bowlers and Babar.”

 

On defending champions England’s chances

 

“You’ve got to like the look of England, the defending champs. It will be no doubt more challenging, that is for sure. A couple of different guys have come and gone, but they’ve had so much development. A lot of these guys around the UK have played in different conditions. They’ve developed and matured as players. They’ve got Ben Stokes back, because Jos and the others really did want him to come back. And you’ve got that experience and that dressing room and that inspiration, if you like.  I do think it will be tough. West Indies is the only side who have gone back to back, defending the 50-over World Cup in ‘75 and ‘79. No one else has done that and it just shows you how challenging it is. The dynamic is different for England with some players gone and some nearing the end of their careers, so it will be challenging for England to defend their title given that it’s in the subcontinent. But they’re in the mix, no doubt, given their variety and those players that play Test cricket and 50-over cricket, and can score quickly and are brave and play 360 around the clock. A lot of those guys have played at IPL, so it’s not unfamiliar to them, that environment and that noise and atmosphere. A very good team with experience.”

 

On New Zealand’s chances

 

“New Zealand tend to punch above their weights at World Cups. I know they hate saying that now because they’ve been in the last two finals. But they’ve got a lot of experience in that mix. It’s a big deal, isn’t it? It’s a World Cup. Kiwis want to get out there and compete on the big stage and have a go. In white-ball cricket you’ve got a couple of different nuances, some different characters come along, a couple of really good players, and that can ignite a team. And if you get an inspirational captain – I think we’ve had some very good inspiring leaders in the past – that helps a lot. Just wanting to foot with the big boys on the big stage. Very cool. Kane Williamson’s back with fitness. Apparently, he’s right and ready to go.  He’s got those ACLs, passed the fitness test. So that’s a big part of the jigsaw for the Black Caps.”

 

On the state of ODI cricket and challenges to survive

 

“It is at the crossroads, and I think the ICC in all their wisdom have tried, you know, to sexy things up in the 50 over games a few years ago. They’ve talked about it being 40 overs and condensing it even more, and even trialing it by splitting it up into 25 overs … you bat 25, we’ll bat 25 … and split it over four innings. But when I look at it, the hard thing is that it feels a bit long. And that’s the case of I think the modern era and encapsulating the viewer to want to stay and be engaged in it. So, the hard thing is really trying to find a scenario where it’s not too long. Fifty overs is long, and look how long the World Cup lasts. So, T20 is powerful, a franchise game, the ICC T20 World Cup, there’s only so much of a window. But at the same time, the other great thing about it is that it gives an opportunity to other guys that are coming in to perhaps play for their countries and get a bit of a taste of white-ball cricket and then see where that leads to. So, it’ll be fascinating to see where it goes, in terms of World Cups and, and the dynamic of it. I mean, 50 overs, television rights, they love it. We know the advertorial, they love it, the sponsors, they love it. But it is at a real crossroads and I believe that something will give a little bit in the near future.”

 

On whether bringing back the tri-series and quadrangular could help

 

“I like that idea. You think about the tri-series in Australia for a long time. And then there was one, I think quite a few years ago in about ’94-95, and that was the four sides in Australia. The Aussies had an A and a B side and there was England and Zimbabwe. But you could still squeeze a different country. You don’t have to have an Aussie A side. But yeah, look the numbers and trying to make it interesting … they’ve got to try and find a solution to make it a little bit more stimulating for fans to go along. The tough thing about that was always if you’re holding it in one country, those non-Aussie sides, for instance, it was England or Zimbabwe, or England and New Zealand in a tri-series, you wouldn’t quite get the same numbers in terms of the crowd. And so that’s where that started to get tiresome. It’s a challenging solution to try and find, really.”

 

On the club vs country debate

 

“Simple fact, isn’t it? New Zealand haven’t got a big talent pool. And you’re talking about a world-class talent that is Trent Boult. Look at Chris Gayle, who has played over 100 Test matches and move 150 ODIs, all before, really, the IPL was born and there was this massive shift of ‘cricketainment’ becoming a country rather than country versus country. It’s just the way it’s shifted. And look, the sun comes up the world turns, the planet changes, and we have to adapt. So now, in the case of Trent Boult, it’s a scenario where you’ve got a very experienced guy at the twilight of his career. I was at the inaugural MLC in the United States in July, and he had his three boys and his wife there, as well as his Mum and Dad, so it was beautiful to have a holiday and have all the kids here. It became a family event. And you can’t begrudge that the guys have been great servants, and have served the game well. And again, we’re talking about a nation with a very small talent pool, you’re not talking about England or Australia or India in terms of sheer numbers. You’re talking about teams from New Zealand and West Indies, who just don’t have that talent pool.

 

“I don’t begrudge that at all, and I don’t think that players on the peripheral trying to make it are begrudging that either. It’s just the nature of the beast. You want to pick your best players. Look at Ben Stokes, who has come back for the World Cup and there’s all this furor around poor Harry Brook. Does he miss out? Does he sit in the wings and get a crack? There’s only so many seats at the table, and so when you get X factor guys that are box office, and quality, you can’t blame each country or the captain. Joss Butler said, ‘okay, let’s bring him back in, I want to get Ben Stokes back in because of dynamic that he brings to the 50-over game’.”

 

On the Bazball effect

 

“Yeah, you speak to Brendon McCullum and he hates Bazball, he doesn’t like the term. [chuckles] He’s saying it’s a style, it’s a statement, it’s a strategy we’re going with. It’s the modern game. You look at the Aussies, about 20 years ago, and it was the game speeding up. Bats starting to change and that sort of thing, much like tennis where your equipment changes and the technology changes. When I look at all that, and the game speeding up, I’m not surprised, given that McCullum played that inaugural IPL game back in 2008. He smashed it for the Knight Riders at the Chinnaswamy Stadium and got 150-odd, right? His style of play, I think, suits the ingredients of the England side. No doubt you have to have the right type of players to buy into it and have a crack at it, and they’re blessed to have guys that can strike it well. They’ve got some big fellas there, who can hit it on the up, there’s Harry Brook, who has that extra reach, Ben Stokes is a big fella. Then you think about Jos Buttler becoming this so called ‘Mr 360’ and look at Joe Root developing his game, turning around and batting left-handed in a Test match. This is what I mean about them breaking the boundaries a bit more, broadening the horizons of the game, and I find it fascinating.”