The Hindu : Hughes' advice to Indians

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 05, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Hughes' advice to Indians

PERTH. FEB 4. Former Australian captain Kim Hughes has asked India to forget worrying about its batting or bowling problems and concentrate on the basics of one-day cricket ahead of the tri-series final.

``Indians have some deficiency in one-day cricket,'' said Hughes, who played in 70 Tests for Australia and captained in 28 of those in the 1980s.

India's batting inadequacy was exposed on the bouncy WACA pitch against Australia last Sunday, and its bowlers have so far found no answer to the powerful Australian batting line-up.

Hughes, however, felt India has to rectify its weaknesses in the limited-overs game, if it nourished hopes of beating Australia in Australia.

``They are not the best of runners between the wickets and their fielding can lag. At best it is average,'' he said.

Hughes picked V.V.S. Laxman and skipper Sourav Ganguly as two batsmen who were not the best of runners between the wickets.

``Laxman and Ganguly are not good runners between the wickets. That's their deficiency in one-day cricket, though I must admit Laxman remains my favourite batsman. I would go anywhere to watch him bat.''

Hughes felt, though the Indian batsmen's technique was exposed at Perth over the two final league games, they should be back to their best on the friendlier tracks at Melbourne and Sydney.

``Well, certainly their techniques were exposed here against some real pace. They were not going back and across on this strip where the bounce was good,'' Hughes said.

``But Indians are going back to wickets they have liked this summer. They have been very good batting wickets and have not deviated too much.

``Australians would have hoped they were a bit harder and quicker and force the players to go right back. They would have been disappointed with a few wickets which were prepared this summer.''

Hughes said India had the potential to be a power in world cricket given the strength of its batting and the quality of the up and coming fast bowlers.

``Irfan Pathan is very, very impressive. Few can do what he does and he is just quick enough. You don't have to be (bowling at) 150 or 155 kmph. If you do not do enough with the ball, most fellows would hit you for fours. Brett Lee has shown that.

``Pathan is between 135 and 140 and pushes the ball across the right-handers or lets the ball come back in as a left-arm bowler. There will always be a chance to nick it.

``It doesn't matter who you are if it lands in the middle and starts to go towards the off, you would struggle.

``When Harbhajan and Zaheer come back from injury, and with Pathan and Balaji showing their wares, India will have a very good bowling line-up.''

Hughes could not help but rave about Test openers, Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag, early on the tour. — PTI

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