Sport - Cricket

Indian fielding under scrutiny
By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, MARCH 21. The Indian cricket team's fielding ability came under the scanner in a panel discussion on the occasion of the 6th International Ceat Cricket Rating awards, featuring ICC Match Referee Dennis Lindsay, ex-India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar and former Test player Yajurvindra Singh among others.

Lindsay talked about improving the outfield quality on secondary Indian grounds where a major chunk of matches are played, before expecting players to develop the confidence to improve fielding skills.

Summing up the discussion on India's 2003 World Cup prospects on Thursday, former Australia skipper Ian Chappell, the moderator, said: ``If India is going to fire in the World Cup, fielding will have a lot to do with it. Captaincy is another issue which came up, with the panelists of the opinion that it had to resolved early. ``I think self-belief is another important factor, but it has to come from within.'' Manjrekar felt India needed a traditional leg-spinner in the Laxman Sivaramakrishnan mould to succeed on South African tracks.

About Ricky Ponting's appointment as Australia's captain in place of Steve Waugh, Chappell felt the Australian selectors were planning beyond the World Cup. ``If Shane Warne or Adam Gilchrist had been chosen to lead the team, then I would think the selectors had the 2003 World Cup in mind. Ponting's appointment is a sign that the ACB expects him not only to lead the team to victory in the World Cup, but beyond. At 27, he has got five more years of cricket in him and if he can be a good leader then his promotion is part of a long-term plan.''

Two other participants in the panel discussion were Ayaz Memon, the Times of India Sports Editor and Piyush Pandey, ex-Ranji player and Group President of Ogilvy & Mather Advertising.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

Billiards & Snooker

• Dhruv does his reputation some justice
  
  Chess
  
• Aleksei Aleksandrov joins leaders
  
  Cricket
  
• Dinesh Mongia, Jaffer, Ratra get the nod
• Pray, what sin has Nayan Mongia committed?
• East Zone takes 51-run lead
• Ponting's Australia readies for the one-day battle
• Indian fielding under scrutiny
• Nayan Mongia's bat does the `talking'
  
  Football
  
• Ameachi adds to Goan folklore
• Osumanu's goal puts Churchill on top
  
  Golf
  
• Vijay Singh to play in India
  
  Hockey
  
• Task ahead is arduous, indeed
  
  Sports : General
  
• West Bengal girls take team title
• Sports digest
  
  Tennis
  
• Bopanna cruises into semifinals
  
  

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu