The Hindu : Sport : Ganguly has fitted in well: Chappell

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Friday, Dec 02, 2005

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Ganguly has fitted in well: Chappell

S. Ram Mahesh

Sachin Tendulkar eyes the record for most number of Test centuries

HAPPY HUNTING GROUND: Sachin Tendulkar will look to surpass Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 Test centuries at one of his favourite venues.

Chennai: The change from multi-coloured pyjamas to single-toned flannels brings with it the need for adapting to a different rhythm. After a breathless sequence of eleven ODIs — excluding the washout here — compressed in a time frame of little over a month, India takes on Sri Lanka in the first Test of the Videocon Cup series at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Friday.

"It's how international cricket is, there is a lot of change between Test and ODIs. And playing them back to back is a real challenge," said Indian captain Rahul Dravid. "You have to adjust your mind accordingly."

The last three international matches here have been affected by rain, and forecasts of Cyclone Baaz have caused the organisers to dispense with season tickets. The offending weather phenomenon has remained stationary and is expected to cross the southern Andhra coast, north of the city, on Saturday.

What the impending threat of rain has done is curtail the time needed to prepare the pitch. The curator has not risked watering the track as he would in normal circumstances, and the mosaic of cracks suggests it's drier than usual. "It looks a good wicket," said Dravid, "though it will take turn as it progresses."

Lot to watch out for

The match holds many points of interest, not least the effect of Sourav Ganguly's return to the dressing room. Though neither team announced its eleven, the former captain looks set to play. The in-form Yuvraj Singh will miss out unless an unlikely compromise on the opening slot is made.

Ganguly's session in the pace nets after he had tonked the spinners was watched with interest; so was any interaction with skipper and coach. "We will pick the eleven tomorrow and if he (Ganguly) is there, he has an important role," said coach Greg Chappell. "He has fitted well into the groove."

One of the paradoxes of Test cricket is how the first session of the first match (two hours) usually determines a series (up to 90 hours in a three-Test series) despite there being time to pull even. One of India's instruments of manipulating time, wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, will make his debut.

Dhoni, gloved and visored, spent time crouching and powering up to Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble in the nets. Indian spinners get into their act sooner at home, and on a surface expected to crumble, Dhoni's keeping skills will be scrutinised severely.

Injury scare for Sehwag

Virender Sehwag, who had missed Wednesday's practice session, arrived late and swatted throwdowns. Dravid said the opener had a "slight strain in the left shoulder" and his not practising was "precautionary". Sehwag, who caned an ageing but relentless Australian attack for 155 in his last Test here, is expected to be fit.

Sachin Tendulkar returns to one of his favourite cricketing places, a ground where he averages 102 with four centuries from six matches. Tied on 34 centuries with Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar — who doesn't know what it is to lose a Test to Sri Lanka — will look to cross another milestone in his inexorable path to batting immortality.

For the Sri Lankans, without Sanath Jayasuriya, the match will be a stern interrogation of their three dimensions. The islanders haven't won a Test in India nor have they toured here since 1997-98, and skipper Marvan Atapattu admitted to the enormity of the task. His side, crushed in the ODI series, has had a break from the game where it focussed on "getting the white ball away and the red ball in."

In the ODI series, Chaminda Vaas (four wickets at 73 from three Tests in India) didn't strike with the frequency expected of a spearhead, and the Indians chose to play out Muttiah Muralitharan's ten overs. The Indians will look to neutralise the off-spin whiz's (15 wickets at 48.73 in five Tests in India) role of bowling a majority of his team's overs.

"We have thought about him (Murali)," said Dravid. "We have had our fair share of success against him, and remember they have to contend with Anil (Kumble) and Harbhajan (Singh) in tandem."

The teams (from): India: Rahul Dravid (capt.), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Rudra Pratap Singh, Murali Kartik.

Sri Lanka: Marvan Atapattu (capt.), Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Avishka Gunawardene, Lasith Malinga, Sajeewa Weerakoon, Malinga Bandara, Jehan Mubarak.

Umpires: Daryl Harper (Australia) and Mark Benson (England).

Third Umpire: K. Hariharan (India). Match Referee: Clive Lloyd.

Hours of play: 9.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., 12.10 p.m. to 2.10 p.m. and 2.30 p.m. till close.

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