The Hindu : Sport : Motivation is India's biggest challenge

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Dec 10, 2004

Sport

Sport

Motivation is India's biggest challenge

By Sanjay Rajan

READY FOR THE GAME: While Virender Sehwag has been in top form his senior partner Sachin Tendulkar will be looking to get into stride. - Photo: V.V. Krishnan

DHAKA, DEC. 9. For India, the challenge in the two-Test series against Bangladesh, beginning at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Friday, is not the opposition, but in motivating itself to stay focused on the job. In a match-up of this kind, where one side is third in the ICC Test table and the other is yet to record a win in its 32-Test history, it is easy for the established side to lose interest.

Particularly so for India, which, in the last two months, was involved is a gruelling four-Test series against world champion Australia and two more Tests against South Africa - all at home, with mixed fortunes - and is gearing up mentally for the series against Pakistan in February.

Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has said that his side is not going to take the host lightly. He reiterated it during the unveiling of the Videocon Cup on the eve of the first Test. "Bangladesh is still finding its feet, but you cannot take any Test team lightly," said Ganguly, who led India for the first time in Test cricket at this very venue four years ago in what was Bangladesh's inaugural match.

`Give them time'

"We have to give Bangladesh time, like any side which has just started playing Test cricket. I think we will have to be patient, specially the people who are involved with cricket in Bangladesh. It has definitely gone forward as a team," added Ganguly.

The Indian captain continued: "I remember the one-off Test. To be honest, we were in a spot of bother after the first three days. Bangladesh scored 400 and we were 236 for six at one stage. We managed to get the first innings lead and thereafter won the match."

Bangladesh's Australian coach Dave Whatmore echoed Ganguly's view saying, "This is not a short-term fix. This is a slowly-slowly, get the right combination type of thing. We have a good domestic competition right now that needs to be nurtured to get a good crop of youngsters coming through. All the ingredients for the cake are there - it will take a little time to get the right mix and have it baked really nicely. But along the way, we need to stretch the opposition as well. You cannot forget about now."

Whatmore continued, "We have moved in the right direction, although there have been a couple of dips. But you'll never get a progression that is completely in a straight line. So, those dips are only to be expected. Overall, we're pointing our nose in the right direction. Good performances against teams like India will go a long way in showing us that we are on the right track."

Typical wicket

Speaking about the pitch for the first Test, Ganguly said, "It looks like a typical Dhaka wicket. A bit damp though, I'd say."

Bangladesh skipper Habibul Bashar hoped the pitch would aid bounce and not seam. "We are used to bounce now, that is what we get abroad, but are still not equipped to handle quality seam bowling," said Bashar, the host's most accomplished batsman with 2079 runs at an average of 35.84, with three hundreds and 17 half centuries, from 30 Tests. Bashar, wicketkeeper-bat Khaled Mashud and left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique are the only survivors from the team that played the inaugural Test.

Insufficient light could also cause a few problems. The mist and fog were so dense, the floodlights had to be turned on when the teams practised on Thursday morning. Bashar indicated the 12 when he announced that Talha Jubair was not in contention for a slot. The toss-up is between all-rounder Mushfiqur Rahman, who bowls medium-pace, and young batsman Aftab Ahmed. It depends on whether the host wants to play an extra seamer or not.

Bangladesh's strength is its bowling and fielding. Tapash Baisya will share the new ball with Mashrafe Mortaza. It has specialist spinners in left-armers Md. Rafique and Manjural Islam and a few support bowlers. Batting is its weak link, especially the top-order which is brittle. But opener Javed Omar, Md. Ashraful, Mashud and Rafique have scored a Test century each and are capable batsmen.

No changes likely

India did not announce its 12, but Ganguly said it would more or less be the side that defeated South Africa at Kolkata.

Anil Kumble is just a scalp away from becoming India's highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. The leg-spinner recently equalled Kapil Dev's record of 434 wickets. Sachin Tendulkar is one ton short of levelling Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 Test centuries.

"You cannot go into a Test match thinking about these things," said Ganguly. "If things happen in the due course of the game, then they do. We have two guys in the team close to records - Anil and Sachin - so if it happens, it will happen."

Whatmore added, "We are very pleased that India has come to Bangladesh with its full side. For us, every Test match is tough, maybe with the exception of Zimbabwe."

Whatmore felt his side had displayed grit and the ability to fight during the one-day series against New Zealand. "It's a definite trend and a positive note coming out of that (New Zealand series). Particularly the last few one-day internationals. There was a lot more fight when we bowled and fielded. It's encouraging and warming to feel the crowd respond. And I think that is just a taste of what is to come if the team starts to be more consistent," he said.

The teams (from): India: V. Sehwag, G. Gambhir, R. Dravid, S. Tendulkar, S. Ganguly (captain), V.V.S. Laxman, K.D. Kaarthick (wk), I. Pathan, A. Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Z. Khan, M. Kaif, M. Kartik, Gagandeep Singh & S.S. Paul.

Bangladesh: J. Omar, N. Iqbal, H. Bashar (captain), R. Saleh, M. Ashraful, M. Rahman, K. Mashud (wk), M. Islam, M. Rafique, T. Baisya, M. Murtaza, T. Jubair & A. Ahmed.

Umpires: A. Dar (Pak) & J. Lloyd (Eng). Third umpire: K.S.M. Akhtaruddin (Ban). Match referee: C. Broad (Eng).

Hours of play: 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., 12.10 p.m. to 2.10 p.m., 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.

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