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 Cuttack,
Nov 5: Indian captain Rahul Dravid today said the middle order
batsmen would have to raise their performance by a few notches if
his team hoped to prevail over a "quality opposition" like
New Zealand in the crucial triangular series cricket match here
tomorrow. "Yes, the middle order batting is an area we have to
work on. We have to do better while batting second. We have to
concentrate on excelling in all departments against the Kiwis, who
are a quality opposition," Dravid told newspersons after a
practice session in the Barabati stadium. However, the skipper
attributed India's defeat at the hands of the Australians in an
earlier match in Mumbai to "tough" conditions.
"The
conditions were not easy for a team batting second. They were
tough." In the same breath, he refused to give a categorical
reply to a query whether there were plans to change the batting
order. "Not that I know of. But we have to be as flexible as
possible. I'll assess the situation as the game goes on," the
unflappable cricketer said ahead of the first ever floodlit game at
the venue. Dravid said his side would finalise the playing eleven on
the morrow after taking a hard look at the existing conditions.
"All the 14 players are in with a chance."
 He also admitted
that the New Zealanders had the advantage of batting very deep down
the order. On tomorrow's match, Dravid described the Barabati pitch
as "very good" but added that the ball might keep low as
the game progresses. He, however, refused to attach much importance
to the toss factor saying that it would not be a crucial one. On
opener Virender Sehwag's awful run with the bat in the tri-series so
far, the captain said he was not perturbed.
"He
is a quality player. He is hitting the ball well at the nets. We
hope that he scores runs in tomorrow's game." Dravid said
seamer Ashish Nehra, who has returned to the team after being
sidelined for eight months due to an ankle injury sustained during
the World Cup in South Africa earlier this year, was bowling his
heart out in the nets and stood a decent chance of making it to the
final eleven.
"He is now
fully fit and bowling well. It is good to see him back in the top
14." The skipper also said that he saw a definite role for
left-arm spinner Murali Kartik in the scheme of things. "He has
been in and out of the Indian team for some time now. Hopefully, he
will do well if given the opportunity," he said. Asked about
the floodlit arrangements in the stadium, Dravid said "it looks
good. Yesterday we practiced under lights and found the arrangements
okay," he added. (Agencies)
Published:
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
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