‘England have the best spinners in the World Cup’ - Vaughan

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You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 live. Well, hello, welcome to Mumbai. I'm Henri Moran and welcome to the Test Match special podcast and Happy Holi as well. It is the Indian festival welcoming spring. You might be able to hear some of the festivities in the background as we sit here on a warm morning just a couple of days out from the T20 World cup semi final. Will it be England in? Will it be India heading to the semi final to join either South Africa or New Zealand? You're listening to the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 live. Well, sitting with me in the sunshine as the music plays and the festivities take place, Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, and also Prakash Wakanka. It is a very colorful scene, I have to say. As we went to breakfast this morning, Michael and I were daubed in paint powder. Prakash, you arrived a little late on parade for breakfast, so dare I say Michael and I are looking a little holier than thou. Tell us what Holi's about first and foremost.

Well, you know, this festival is actually, as you said, it marks a change of season primarily. But there are two very interesting and different legends associated with it. One is on the previous night. That's Last night, in the north of India and the north central part of India, you would have had a fire being burned with old things, wood, but all the old stuff that you want to throw away. So it's about rejuvenation, it's about burning all the evil, getting rid of all negativity, all of that stuff. And in that part of the country, that fire then settles, and in the morning, some of the ash is taken as sort of an offering, if you will, mixed along with all the other color and things that are used for the play. And then people play with it. And now, of course, because of Bollywood, even in parts of southern India where Holi was never really that big, it's become a festival like everything else. I mean, you know, anything that Bollywood does becomes national, maybe even arguably global. So there's a huge amount of attraction to Holi for people both within India and elsewhere, and people just have a great time. The traditional drink, by the way, and this will interest you, is a type of. Well, I don't want to use the word, but it's a type of thing that helps you get a little bit high. It's rolled into a little ball and in almond, in infused milk, it's kept overnight. And then you have copious quantities of it during Holi, so that you just, you know, you're in a state of semi. Semi consciousness, if you want to call it that. And so it goes from just the pure flowers at one end, which is purest, to all the way, where you have a certain amount of, you know, heavy heads, if you will.

Well, there you go, Voorni. I feel educated.

Well, I feel like I've been let down because I've not had one of those dreams.

It's called pan and we should get

you some over at the celebrations and just have a look to see where the drinks are. But it's such a lovely vibe, isn't it?

This is a very posh, very organized, very sensible version of it. Michael.

What Henry hasn't let onto is that my colorful place came from entering breakfast, where I was greeted by three lovely young ladies putting all the colour on my face. Henry actually got his doing his park run this morning.

I went on a holy park run for, you see, down below Drive, and there was a group of people, they just finished, they were having some snacks, samosas and things, and they absolutely bombarded me with that, with the paint powder. So there we go. So I tried to wash it off without much success. But, yeah, what a place, what an occasion. And we build up to what should be an incredible couple of semi finals. I mean, we'll get on to England against India at the Wankadi shortly, but South Africa against New Zealand. Naifil again, South Africa have been brilliant. Seven out of seven.

Yeah. I mean, they're a high quality side. They obviously got to the final in the Caribbean. They were close to beating in during that final in Barbados. Didn't quite get over the line, but they look ready. I think the World Test Championship final victory has just given their cricket more. So what's happening here, Prakash? Seems to be more noise. What's going on there?

Oh, they're now throwing flowers in colour from the balcony upstairs.

Nice, Chris. The party's off and running and will continue, no doubt throughout the day. But the South African side, to me they look ready. You know, whether they'll do enough to win two games to win the trophy. But I do think that World Test Championship final victory at Lords against Australia is just giving them that boost. They've got the first major trophy. You know, you look back to India when they didn't quite get over the line in the 50 over World cup here in India, they played the pure game right to the final, had one blip and didn't quite get the trophy. And that's the only fear, I think, for South Africa is that in T20 cricket you're only really, what, three or four, five overs away from having a poor night, but also three or four, five overs away from having a good night. It's that close. T20 cricket. I would say that New Zealand will have to play a little bit better than they did against England in Sri Lanka, but completely different pitch. I looked at the game India vs the West Indies at Karl Kutta just a couple of nights ago and I think the toss was hugely important. I think chasing clearly is a great option and it could come down to who wins the toss and chasing could win that game.

Yeah, it's going to be fascinating. And the winner will play England or India. Prakash, come on. We've had a couple of days to digest what we saw in that game

against the West Indies in Kolkata.

We've made the journey to here in Mumbai. I mean, what's the feeling about this game on Thursday?

Henri, we've had this conversation so many times, my answer is going to be very predictable. You know, the reality is, can India win it? Yes. What does the record for say? There's nothing between England and India in T20 World Cups and in overall T20. So one match separates the two teams in terms of wins. And losses both places today, India just with their nose in front with one game and therefore it's, it's going to be a absolutely brilliant game in my view. I, I worry about 1987, way back when Gooch swept us out of the World cup. That was the 50 over World Cup. But of course the reality is also that playing at the One Car Stadium, so many of these England players, Joss Butler in particular, who's not been in good form, but this could be the day when he finds that form and that small ground, they know the conditions well, they know all the teams know each other very well because of all the IPL cricket they play. So I think there's going to be no mystery in it. In Mumbai the due can be a factor but at this time of year I'm hoping it won't be as much and therefore I think it will be a very, very close game. It just comes down to, like Michael said, are there going to be a couple of big overs here, a couple of bad overs there and that will decide who goes through Michael.

The Joss Butler question. England will play him, there's no doubt about that. But his form has been wretched.

Yeah, I mean you look at his record over the last four ICC events, I think he's now 26 innings and just 150 and that 50 came against the USA. You know a return of those numbers for such a great player is remarkable really. But the one thing I'd say about Joss Butler is a big game player and if you were ever going to back a player to come back into form, there's two things. I mean, big game players. So he'll have that mindset of knowing that he's done it in big games before. And also the Wankedi has been a good ground for him. You know he's had some great scores here, whether it's for England or in the ipl. So he's going on to a pitch that should suit his style of play. I've watched him back closely and I just think he's playing too technical. I can see that he's looking at his stance and clearly you always look at your technique when you're not kind of feeling as good as you have done. But you know, I always think Joss is better when he's just a hand eye player. You know, just stare at the ball right in the middle of the ball and just react to the deliveries and the shots that he hasn't been playing so far in the World Cup. And it's probably because of the pitches in Sri Lanka are the ramp shots. And I think when Josh retires, whenever that may be in a few years time, I think if you say, oh, you know, what is the Josh Butler shot, we'll all go play the Scoops and the Rams. I think this pitch will suit that shot. And I think if there's ever a ground where he can bring out a ramp or two early to the seamers and get himself up and running. Because the one thing I'll say about that shot is to play that shot you have to stare at the ball right onto the middle of the bat. So that means he's really studying the ball onto the middle of the bat. I always look at Jos and think when he's playing well, he brings those shots out early, he gets fielders behind the wicket and then it opens up more opportunity down the ground. From what I've seen so far, he's been thinking about down the ground first and behind the wicket second. I think he's a better player when you think behind the wicket first and then down the ground because it opens up more avenues of success. So a big, big game for Joss. But I think it's been proven in this World cup that it's almost been a World cup where the opening partnerships for all teams have not been as important in the past because most teams are packing the bat until number eight. So the opening partners have all been sent out to go ultra aggressive to try and get off to a flyer and lose a couple of wickets. They generally have an insurance policy and then they have more depth to the batting with players that can come in at 8 or 9 and strike. So I wouldn't be saying that England desperately need an opening. It'd be helpful to get an opening stand obviously, but it won't be the necessarily difference between winning and losing because they've won so many games in this World cup without that opening partnership flying. But you think to win a semi in a final and someone like Butler or Salt will have to have at least one or two innings between them in the next two games.

You would think. Prakash. I wonder if India are going to be more worried about Will Jacks, who's the leading middle order run scorer in the tournament. And as Michael says, it's teams down the order actually that have been have been doing the damage. Will Jax has scored 191 runs in the middle order across seven matches at a strike rate of 180 or so.

4 Player of the Match awards already for the performance he's had and I think yesterday he said something really, really lovely. I enjoyed reading it in the papers this morning he said if I don't have to do anything in the semi final that'll be perfect because that means, you know, we won the game. He has been remarkable and I think you like Michael said so many of these performances come around 786-789 where the fag end of the batting innings have suddenly been a boost. And of course Jax with his bowling is also bringing stuff in. Who knows, maybe if India still play with two left handed in the top three, maybe he's got a job to do up front as well. Who knows?

What would India want in terms of England's batting lineup? Would they want to see Butler in the side?

Oh yeah, I think they'd be wary of Butler, you know, absolutely. I mean, you know, I think Indian players have seen enough of Butler to realize that he can have a moment, he's only 10 or 12 balls of finding a little bit of rhythm, a little bit of form, a few boundaries and we've seen Butler so many times he can get you an 80 off 30, 35 balls which can win you a game of cricket. So yeah, they'll be wary of Jos Paul. I look at India and think, you know what will they go with their bowling attack because someone like Kuldeep Yadav has had so much success against England in the past and he hasn't played yet. Will they think of playing Kuldeep Yadav and potentially dropping Shivam Dubi who's their insurance policy down the back end and playing one extra bowler funnily? I mean and I don't think it's happened too many times practice in the history of England versus India but I think England have got a better spin attack than India have. Chakrabar has been got in this World Cup. Axa Patel is a very consistent left arm spinner but in Dawson Rashid and Will Jacks you would say that that trio has been the best trio in the tournament in terms of spin. And I'll be very interested to see what the pitch is at the Wanker. Generally it's a good pitch but the pitch against the West Indies wearing a loss, the West Indies spin has caused a bit of damage to the England batters. So it's kind of a funny situation that we find so that England batting you would want to target them with some spin. But have India got the kind of the temptation or the bravery to play a kulit yalla for either one of their batters or dare I say it was Something like Arshit Singh. It'd be intriguing for me at the toss to find out what the combination. England I know will probably bring in Jamie Everton for Rayhan Ahmed here at the Wanker, even though Rayyan did so well in the last game. I think they'll go back to Essima on this kind of service. But it's more the debate of what India will go with rather than what England will go with. I think England's kind of in the bank. Well, India, I still think there's a debate of whether Kuldeep plays or not.

We've all seen. Seen the Indian coach, isn't it? If he could have his way, he'd have 11 batters in the team, you feel because he just wants to pack the batting all the way down. And as it is with Bumra, Arshdeep and Varun, the bottom three aren't really going to do much with the bat if they're ever asked to do so. I suspect that like you're saying, V, it's going to be a toss up between. Are they going to go with just Bumrah and Hardik in terms of scene and then God help India if Shivam Dubey has to bowl much. But, you know, we'll have to wait and see. I can't see Kuldeep playing much as I would love to see him play. It's the big mystery. We talked about it in the Test series all the way through in England. England seem to not like to see him play and India seem to oblige every time. I don't see it very different in the semi final.

I would play coolie, get up against England.

I know I really would. Maybe you gotta give Gautam a call.

I stand got his number, but I just think he's, you know, he's a wonderful bowler who has had so much success against England in the past in the semi final, you know, surely you'd want someone that could damage. You know, you look at Harry Brook who is the major threat for India, he's in fantastic form. And that move to number three, many were crying out for him to face more balls. Why he was wasted and leaving himself at number five was beyond me. But now he's at number three. He's the one player that I look at for. He's got genius in him. That innings that we saw against Pakistan was spectacular and he can win a game on his own. He'll want to score, he'll want to play in the way that he's telling his team to play, which is this fearless approach, go out there and really take the opposition on. And at number three, he can dictate that and he can lead the way for the rest of the players. This is the way that I want you to play under pressure in a big semi final. His first few deliveries are going to be intriguing because if he can come out and play one or two of those, I mean, that shot that he flicked over mid wicket against, was it off? Matt Henry was absolutely a joke of a shot. If he can get a couple of shots away, particularly against someone like Jaspit Bumra, that is going to be a big play in the semi final.

Well, of course it is the size that have won the last two editions of this tournament with India winning in the Caribbean 2024, England winning in 2022, beating India comprehensively. 10 wickets in Adelaide in the semi final. And England's player of the tournament that year was Sam Curran. In just a moment, we'll be hearing from the England all rounder, the TMS podcast from BBC Radio 5 live. Right then, couple of days out from the T20 World cup semi final involving India and England here in Mumbai. Let's hear from the England all rounder, Sam Curran. He's been chatting to Matt Henry from BBC Sports.

Sam, we're two days out from a World cup semi final against India in Mumbai. See by the smile on your face, what are the feelings? Is that excitement? Is it nerves? What do you think before that? Yeah, excited. What an opportunity to play. I guess the hosts in their home ground, obviously Wang Kedi, a very iconic stadium. We're extremely excited. Obviously a couple days training now, so yeah, kind of what dreams are made of, really. Semi final, World cup against India. I guess it doesn't really get that much bigger. I guess it's. Hopefully we turn up on the night and have a great game. Yeah, it could be loud. The team prepared for that. Do you talk about that sort of thing? It's not going to be quiet. I think it's pretty obvious that the crowd's going to be epic and what an opportunity for us to kind of come out here. And we've played a lot of cricket in India as well, so we can expect. We know what to expect from them and I guess a really good team. There'll be pressure all round, so I guess, yeah, huge opportunity and hopefully it comes good for us. Yeah, England have played India in the last two T20 World cup semi finals. Is that something you speak about as a team? Not massively, I don't think. Obviously it's A new tournament. We've come, obviously, a different journey. This World Cup, a couple of, I guess going to Sri Lanka and a bit in India as well. So we've managed to win games from scenarios that we probably shouldn't. And then there's also games that we've just had really good, everyone just chipping in. So hopefully we can come with that semi final, that almost perfect game when we need to. And I guess, yeah, we've had success against India, they've had success against us as well, so it should be a cracking game. Yeah, that 2022 semi final, you beat India by 10 wickets and Adelaide, you'd let in a better England performance than that. Well, I guess if we're searching for a perfect game, I guess that's something we could hopefully model our game on. Obviously, that time when we chased down, I think it was 180 odd in Adelaide was great memories, I guess. Then obviously they beat us in the West Indies. So, yeah, I guess we take confidence. We've been playing really good cricket and finding ways to win and hopefully, I think everyone's been, I guess, saying that we haven't played our perfect game and what an opportunity to do that on Thursday night. What are your memories of that night in Adelaide? Just winning by 10 wickets, to be honest. I think we obviously were bowling first and the way Josten Halesy played was. Was amazing. And we took huge confidence from that and ended up winning the tournament. So it's T20 cricket. We know come Thursday night, it just takes a couple guys and a strong fielding performance. Couple guys with the ball, couple guys with the bat, and we know what we're capable of, so that's why we're extremely excited. And like I said, when you're a young, young kid and you think of where do you want to play? It's probably in a stadium like this against India in front of the world. So what a great time to be involved in this team. And fingers crossed, it's our evening. Yeah. As you've said, you've played in India a lot, you've played against India a lot. What are the keys to beating India In India, I guess in T20 cricket, there's obviously, I guess, staying nice and calm. We know the crowd's going to be huge. The pressure is going to be there for both teams. I think we both know how we play, so it's kind of like we play a lot with the Indian guys in the ipl. They play with us. So I guess that's a huge opportunity. Within South. They've obviously had a similar, well, a different journey to the World cup semi final than us. We played in Sri Lanka and I guess surface are a little bit different. We've also played here, so whatever surfers gets thrown at us, hopefully we, we, I feel like we are very, we've been adapting extremely well in terms of what the conditions are and I think against India you've got to adapt pretty well. We know they're a very strong side, so. But on the night and I guess with our, with our plans and the way we're going to be nice and nice and positive and I guess hopefully it's enough to beat them and they will also have their plans against us. So I think two huge teams and two a lot of good T20 players in those sides. So yeah, like I said, it's just a lot of excitement in our group. Does it matter or is it a worry that you've been in Sri Lanka, India? I've been in Sri Lanka once in this tournament but I've had a good run in India. Now is that a concern? No, I think it's a positive. I think like the surfaces we've played on have been so different. We've played on some really good ones. Some turners, some bit of Jew. No Jew. So I think we've covered most of our kind of challenges and kind of everyone's been saying we haven't played that perfect game and I think the main thing we all care about is that we've managed to win and we're in a semi final, three from three and that's Super 8. So we very high on confidence and I guess it's semi final cricket, it's kind of there's no going back now. It's kind of we turn up on the night and give it everything and hopefully it's enough. Yeah. And you've mentioned all those close finishes you come through. Do I sense that you take confidence from that rather than being concerned that you'd let it get that close? Yeah, I think winning as a habit in T20 cricket, I firmly believe that and I think it's almost quite exciting that we haven't played that 225 with the bat and bowling a team out for 60 kind of thing and there's a lot of guys in our team, such dangerous players of if we can all come good on that night, we'll be extremely dangerous side to beat. So we're hugely confident. It's one of those nights where you go out, give it everything and hope that it's enough and I think we fielded really well. I think we've jawed as a group, bowling group and batters as well. So, yeah, we're very confident and obviously very excited to be taking on the hosts in their own home country. Yeah. If it gets tight again and you're bowling last, it could be you personally at the death, couldn't that you've taken those death overs. Is that something you look forward to? Yeah, massively. I guess it doesn't get any bigger and hopefully it doesn't come down to the 10 off 6 to defend and hopefully one nice and easily. But if it does, obviously be first time to put my hand up and try and win the game for my country. So that's extremely exciting. But I think for it to get to that stage, we've got to play that perfect game and whether that's putting a big score on the board or chasing something down, I think we've got our plans. We're going to train really well the next couple of days, afternoon and evening session. So yeah, I guess let's get our preparation right and get excited. Yeah. What are your processes when it gets tight and tetchy? We had it here against Nepal, didn't we? You bought that last over 10 off 6, as you mentioned. What processes do you try and go through to get through that situation? I guess it's. For me, it's probably just visualizing, I guess, some of the players that I'll be coming up against. I've played against all of them in the IPL and things like that. So in terms of that, there's no unknowns about what to expect from the Indian team. We know their team extremely well and I just train as though I'm in those situations. And same thing what you do at the bat. You think about which bowlers you're going to face and just kind of visualize and put yourself in those scenarios and then I guess, yeah, just be. I'm very excited. I'm kind of sat here with a lot of excitement. I played in World cup semi final and to be playing India, like I've already said, is pretty special. So I guess whatever happens, I'm just hoping that we. We get that one run more than them on the night. And Harry, what's he like in those situations? You had the one here, the one in Italy. I think it was penultimate over, wasn't it? You got a couple of wickets there. What's he like when it gets really tight in those situations? Yeah, really calm book. He's been great. Obviously new to the role in T20 stuff. And there's a lot of senior players around him that are helping him. And extremely calm, lets the bowler decide where he feels comfortable, field sets, things like that. So he's been great. And I'm sure on a night like Thursday night, when it's extremely loud, it's going to require a lot of calmness and kind of being very clear on how we want to attack them. And, yeah, Brookie backs his bowlers and I guess that helps when you're at a captain who gives you that backing and belief that you can be the man. So, yeah, he's been great. Have you spoken to Joss at all about. You mentioned him earlier. Such a big part in 2022. He struggled in the last few innings. Single figure scores. Is he someone that you would ever feel the need to go and give a tip to, or is he not that sort of person and you just let him sort it out himself? Yeah, I'm very close to Jos, obviously. Chatted with him quite a bit around, I guess, the way the tournament's gone and things like that, there's no doubting his ability. Such a quality player and there's no question he would love to have scored more runs. But I guess I'm a firm believer. I'd much rather him and my team on Thursday night than in the Indian team because when you've got quality players like that, they're bound to come good. So whether that's. Even if it's not on Thursday night, we still. I'd still much rather Joss Butler be in my side than another team. So we firm belief that we'll come good and him and Salty, the top of the order can come and fly out the blocks here. It's normally a great wicket and, yeah, I think we've got full faith in Joss and hoping that Thursday will be his night because we just know such a quality play has been for us. Yeah. Confident you can win. Absolutely.

That was the thoughts of Sam Curran. Could be a very key player for England, Prakash, and somebody that knows the IPL well. And this is another point, though, isn't it? All of these players know these venues. It's not going to come as a surprise what it's all like.

Not at all. And I think we've talked about it often through the. Through the last few weeks, Henry. We know that Sam Karan and India have an amazing equation. He performs brilliantly against India and in India, whether it's IPL or any other form of cricket. So he will be a key, key Part of it. I just feel that because England have found a way in difficult situations to consistently take that one extra step and get over the line almost every time, they are better for it. They haven't sort of just, you know, blown everyone away like in some way South Africa have or India did in 20 or India did in 2023 in a 50 over World Cup. India have had the blip as well that one terrible day in Ahmedabad. So I think both teams will fancy their chances. They both know there's nothing to choose really. It's about the performance on the day, the matchups, who's going to come out and play that inspired innings on either side or two. And that will determine who goes through. But I suspect the 12th man, which is the crowd. If England are able to, as Shukri Conrad said the other night in Ahmedabad, we are there to silence that crowd. If that happens and if the crowd goes silent, I think England has done the game.

Yeah, I mean, I don't know whether it's because of the drink I'm about to have for celebrating Holi, but I've just got a funny feeling about England. I have a feeling that they're on this nice ride from Sri Lanka. You know, you get a Sri Lanka early and play a few games before a World cup in those conditions. Preparation was good. It surprised him that. And they played quite well. But we don't want to go back a few months, do we? But I just got a funny feeling about this England side. They seem to have found a way of winning and that's really important. I think winning close games. I think the win against Noos, even though it was a bit of a dead rubber to win in that chase, needing 43 off the last three overs and for them to get over the line quite convincingly in the end was a great effort. Clearly they're going to have to play well and cope with the crowd and cope with the expectation. But you know, I just look at this Indian side, whether they are just not playing great or they're waiting for this moment to put in their best performance, time will tell. But I thought their fielding against the West Indies was as bad as I've seen it. And England's fielding has been absolutely exceptional. Hopkinson, the fielding coach has come and done a wonderful job from what I can see. They just look really alert in the field. England, the Indian side were really poor in the field. England's running between the wickets has been exceptional. So just small kind of percentage things that you can control yourself, which is fielding attitude Running between the wickets, England seem to be doing very, very well. And if they can bring that on Thursday here in Mumbai and they get one or two of their firecrackers playing. A Harry Brook, a Josh Butler, a Phil Salt. I like England's bowling. I look at the bowling, the tag, and think they've got everything covered. They've got great combinations, great variables, and I don't know why. And as I said, maybe it's happy Holy. But I just got a funny feeling that England can get the job done here in Mumbai.

Prakash, take us inside the Waingkadi Stadium and what it'll be like on Thursday night.

It'll be shaking, it'll be throbbing, that you can be sure. I mean, even for neutral games. We saw the Nepal game, for example. Boy, did those supporters come out and really shake that stadium up. It'll be an absolute riot. In terms of people, they know if India do win or lose, this is the last time the Mumbai crowd is going to see India in this tournament. Much to the disappointment of many who don't want the big final to be in Ahmedabad, but want it to be in Mumbai or Calcutta or Chennai. But that's for another time. I think there will be a lot of support for India. But to Michael's point about fielding, India actually have three, dare I say, almost passenger, like folks in that squad, right? Jaspreet does the job with the ball. I don't think he's electric in the field. Varun Chakravarti, I think he's just got to get his head sorted out. He doesn't seem to be himself at all. And Arshmi isn't exactly flash on the field either. So in a T20 game where every run is so critical, those three guys are going to be a handicap that India are going to have to make up with some brilliance somewhere else.

You think about that West Indies game. West Indies, a number of balls that went through, legs on the boundary edge, number of wires that were bowled. They could easily have won that game. West Indies.

Oh, yeah, they were poor. I mean, you know, India have a good day in the field. I reckon they restrict the West Indies to 160, and I guess that's the threat for England if India come out and bowl the way that they did. I thought they bowled nicely against the West Indians who just didn't feel well enough. But India have got the skill set and the capability of blowing any team away, and that's the worry. You know, you go back to many other games. You go back to a game here A year or so ago when Amsterdam got a big 100, got over 250, won by plenty. So you know that India have that in the locker. But this England side just seem to be in T20 cricket. You look the they made the last five semi finals. So England know how to play T20 cricket at the highest level and they've got a group of players that have played a lot now. I mean the selection's been really good. You go back a year ago in the Champions Trophy, similar conditions when Sam Curran wasn't there, Liam Dawson wasn't there. They went with all right arm pace bowlers, you know, just the major spin of Adel Rashid and nothing else really. They've got selection right. I think Sam Curran's been exceptional. I think Liam Dawson just under the radar, rock solid performer, you know, he's just delivering. He bowls in the power play, bowls in the middle, bowls near the back end. He just knows his own game and he's a player now that I think will be around the white ball team for a while. He's fit. There's no reason why he can't play obviously until the 50 over World cup in 27 and beyond because he's, you know, doing a nice job. He's dirt balling those under spinners, just skinning the ball onto the right hander from around the wicket perfectly and he's got the game awareness of what's required. So I think England have got the selection right. It's just a performance and he can. Can they get a performance? I don't see India performing as badly in the field as they did against the West Indies.

No.

And I don't see them performing as badly as they did against South Africa with the bat. I think they've got their batting sorted. I think they've almost had that blip. So England will have to play a good game of cricket. But I do think England have got enough good players playing well enough to. I guess it'd be a shock, you'd have to say at this stage, Prak, that India would be just favourites because it's in Mumbai, home territory. India have just started to play a little bit better, particularly with the bat in hand. And I think that's where India will think that they can win more so than with the ball actually. I think they know that this powerful batting lineup that they have, it can really blow any seam in the world away on a given day. So that's the real fear for England.

Win the toss, presumably you want to chase.

I suppose both teams would probably Want to chase is my guess. Unless of course England have a view of runs on the board, big semi final. That logic, I think conditions and the prediction of due will play a factor for sure. If at all there is going to be any due, we'll know in the next couple of days when we see the ground in the evenings.

I wouldn't be worried about buying first uprak because. No, because you know the West Indies, they got 195 against England and won quite easily. There was a bit of tweak. I go back to that 50 over World cup here where you know England I think against South Africa won the toss and started to bowl in the afternoon and South Africa got four and so batting first you can actually get a big, big number. The pitch might get a little bit if you get back first you can easily get a 225, 230 score. That can obviously put you massively in the game. I agree. I think chasem will be the way that both captains want to go. But you, I don't think here is a venue that you lose the toss, you lose the game. I think you can still win the game batting first.

Yeah.

It's a memorable day that against South Africa. Not least because Joss Butler when he won the toss and elected to field first said afterwards I didn't realise how hot it was going to be despite being out there when it was very hot at the toss. But it was a World cup that did not necessarily go England's way in so many ways. But who knows what it's going to be like on Thursday. One thing we do know is it's going to be noisy, it's going to be colorful, much like the rest of the day here in Mumbai. Prakash, we're not far from Marine Drive and all the celebrations talk us through what the rest of Holi is going to look like around this.

Well, I mean look where Holi will now be played is in two areas basically. One in these large housing complexes where all the residents get together and it's just an absolute ball that they have. And then on the streets, depending on where you are, if you go into the old city to the crowded areas of central Mumbai, you will get drenched, you will get fed things, you will get things given to you which you drink at your own risk if you want to. But you know it's just going to be a day of festive fervor. Tomorrow morning you will see people going to work looking very different from what they were than previous evening, that I can assure you because sometimes some of these colors don't come off that easily.

Yes, as I discovered this morning trying to get the red paint off my face in the shower. So we'll wait and see. We'll wait and see what the day brings us. And the next couple of days indeed with with the semi finals Both getting underway 01:30 UK time. First up on Wednesday it is the game between South Africa and New Zealand in Calcutta and Eden Gardens. Full commentary of that on BBC Sounds and 5 Sports Extra. And then England against India on Thursday. We're not expecting any rain, there are reserve days available but we, we don't think that that will be a factor. So we will wait and see what occurs. Who will be heading to the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday. My thanks to you Michael and to Prakash and thanks so much for listening. Don't forget to subscribe on BBC Sounds to the Test match special podcast to make sure you never miss an episode. Thank you so much for listening. Let's go and find one of those drinks.

Thanks Michael.

Thank you Prakash.

See you later.

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