Saurav's take on the wicketkeeper issue

Mumbai, Aug 17: Indian cricket captain Saurav Ganguly yesterday said it is very good that the team will be playing three one-day international matches at Holland and another three in England before the ICC Champions Trophy from September 10 to 28. Speaking to reporters before the team's departure to Amsterdam via London, the Indian skipper said "though we have not played in Holland, we know we will be playing world champions Australia and Pakistan before taking on England in another three one-day match series (September 1-5) and it is a good preparation before a major tournament like Champions Trophy."

When asked about the wickets in Holland, the stylish left hander said "we have not played before in Holland but I am sure it will be an easy paced wicket and the stadium might not be as big as one you see in other cricket playing nations". "However, I am sure it will be a very interesting series specially with Australia and Pakistan in the fray as these two are the biggest and the most dangerous opponents. "Agreeing that the team did not played well at all in Sri Lanka where they lost to the hosts in the final of the Asia Cup recently, Ganguly said it was a poor tournament for them. "In fact, nothing went right for us in Sri Lanka. We have to pick ourselves up to perform better in the forthcoming tournaments. We have the potential only thing is that we have to play according to a set plan."

Stressing the point that his deputy Rahul Dravid needs to keep wickets as any top level team needs the depth in batting, Ganguly said "we have won matches in the past with seven batsmen and Rahul keeping the wickets". "Even though Irfan Pathan has come a long way and has been contributing with the bat and Ajit Agarkar is back in the side, I still feel Dravid has to keep wickets so that we can have an additional batsman in the side", Ganguly said. If you see Australia or South Africa or for that matter even Sri Lanka, they play seven batsmen and sometime you see two wicketkeepers in the side just to strengthen the batting which is the right tactics in a one-day match", he said.

"Even in the past, the sixth and the seventh batsman have won us the matches and I am sure even in future we can depend on them", the Indian skipper added. "I know we have many wicketkeepers but the issue here is not about the wicketkeepers as such but about the keepers who can deliver as batsman. We have picked Dinesh Karthik (the new keeper in place of Parthiv Patel). I am told that he has been scoring heavily in domestic matches and I hope he will get a chance to prove his worth", Ganguly said. When asked about the strategy for the Champions Trophy, Ganguly said, "we need to lift ourselves in all departments. Get our mindset right and try to tighten up our fielding and bowling".

Asked whether the team will miss Zaheer Khan, who is sidelined due to injury, the elegant southpaw answered in the affirmative and said Zaheer should get himself fit first to serve the country for a longer time. About Mohammad Kaif fitting into the scheme of things, Ganguly said Kaif has done well in the past. "Judging his form will not be fair as he goes down the order when there is hardly any assistance from the other end. If he gets 30-40 odd runs and stops another 20-25 on the field, he will have done his duty." When asked about Sachin Tendulkar's rather sedate batting in the recent times, Ganguly said "Yes, the team management has asked Sachin to phase his innings according to the situation of the match as both Virendra Sehwag and Sachin are attacking batsmen. It is better one of them slow down and try to play full 50 overs". (Agencies)

Published: Tuesday, August 17, 2004

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