The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Ganguly's men mean business

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 16, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Ganguly's men mean business

By Sanjay Rajan

PRIZED CATCH: Sachin Tendulkar's wicket may turn out to be a windfall for any UAE bowler (should they get it). They have been promised $1000 for the most sought-after wicket in the game. _ Photo: V.V. Krishnan

DAMBULLA, JULY 15. Sourav Ganguly can be very articulate if he chooses to be. It is not often that he speaks his mind.

On Thursday, one realised immediately that the Indian cricket captain meant business when he said, "I don't believe in tags like favourite or underdog.

It's how you play on the particular day that really matters. Winning in Pakistan or playing well in Australia has no relevance to this series. It's how we play in the next two weeks that really matters and we've got to start from tomorrow, coming as we are, from a lay-off."

India starts favourite in the six-nation India Oil-Asia Cup 2004 limited-over competition, which gets going on Friday with contests between India and UAE (Group `B', day/night) at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium here and a Group `A' day match between Bangladesh and Hong Kong at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.

Pakistan is the defending champion. It won the seventh edition in Dhaka in 2000 in an authoritative manner. But India, a four-time winner, took the tag of favourite after its triumphs in both forms of the game on the recent tour of Pakistan.

India, UAE and Sri Lanka form Group `B' while Group `A' consists of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong. The four Test nations shouldn't find it a problem to qualify as the top two teams from each Group while the India-Sri Lanka match (d/n) at this very venue on July 18 will decide the topper in this group.

The return of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and leg-spinner Anil Kumble to the one-day squad and that of medium-pacers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra to peak fitness provide Ganguly with bowling options.

"We started winning overseas because of our bowling strength. Of course the batsmen have put up runs on the board, but the bowlers are the ones who win games for you. We haven't been in full strength in a long time. I'd say this has also increased expectations from us," said the left-hander from Bengal.

This being the season opener for India, following a near three-month lay-off, there is a possibility that the lack of match practice might show. "We played four practice games. Our focus is to get into a rhythm early," the skipper said. "We need to maintain the winning streak, the winning form of last season. That's how we can remain a good side. Consistency is the key."

Dravid to don the gloves

During the practice match against Sri Lanka Cricket Academy at the Nondescripts Cricket Club on Wednesday, Vice-captain Rahul Dravid and Parthiv Patel took turns to keep wickets. However, the chances of Patel donning the big gloves even against lightweight UAE are remote, considering that Dravid could do with the practice.

One needs to be appreciative of Dravid, who is doubling up as a 'keeper-bat in the shorter format to lend balance to the side. In doing so, he has displayed a high level of fitness and commitment. But it is important for India to have an option in the event of an injury.

It is unlikely that Ganguly would change his successful formula of seven batsmen and four bowlers. At the same time, one cannot really predict who the four bowlers would be for the opening match. "I haven't seen the wicket. I'll decide tomorrow," Ganguly said.

It is a good batting strip. And Ganguly might just decide to test both his spinners. If that's the case, then it might be a toss up between left-arm pacers Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan and Ashish Nehra as to who will partner L. Balaji.

India's principal rivals are Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Pakistan, laid low by internal squabbles, has the ability to bring back into its cricket the fierce commitment that always made it an unpredictable but feared and mercurial force in the international arena.

Led by Inzamam-ul-Haq and coached by Bob Woolmer the men in green are in full strength. It has firepower in the form of Shoaib Akhtar, Md. Sami and Shabbir Ahmed, quality all-rounders in Abdur Razzaq and Shoaib Mallik and a strong middle-order batting line up in vice-captain Yousuf Youhana, Younis Khan, Haq and 'keeper-bat Moin Khan. It's a question of commitment, really, for them. Pakistan opens its campaign with a day match against Bangladesh at the SSC on Saturday.

Sri Lankan team arrives

Sri Lanka returned this morning from Australia after the two-Test series. It's a dangerous side at home. Both its Asia Cup crowns have come as host. Can it do it again? Only time can tell.

UAE's coach is the former India Test cricketer Syed Abid Ali. "We have five good batsmen.

Our aim is to bat 50 overs and give India a 100-over game. Bowling is a worry. But I told skipper Khurram Khan and the boys not to get worked up if India scores 300-plus, because Sourav and boys knock up 300-plus against top teams," said Abid, who has been coaching UAE for quite some time now.

UAE comes back into the international arena after the 1996 World Cup while Hong Kong is making its debut.

The teams:

India (from): Sourav Ganguly (capt.), Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid (vice-capt.), V.V.S. Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Md. Kaif, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Irfan Pathan, Laxmipathi Balaji and Parthiv Patel. Coach: John Wright.

UAE (from): Khurram Khan (capt.), Arshad Ali, Abdul Rehman, Ali Asad Abbas, Asghar Tabassam, Asim Saeed, Fahad Usman, Md. Tauqir, Md. Faward, Ram Veera Rai, Naeemuddin, Rizwan Ahmed, Sameer Zia and Syed Maqsood Ahmed. Coach: Syed Abid Ali.

Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WI) and Ian Howell (SA).

TV umpire: Gamini Silva (SL).

Match referee: Mike Procter (SA).

Hours of play (IST): 2.15 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. and 6.30 p.m. to close.

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