The Hindu : Sport : Dravid picks Australia as slight favourite

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 12, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport

Dravid picks Australia as slight favourite

S. Ram Mahesh

'We have the team that can perform on any kind of wicket against any opposition'

GRIPPING AMBITION: Rahul Dravid believes India has the wherewithal to go the distance and regain the World Cup.

Montego Bay: With South Africa, New Zealand, and England — the only serious contenders apart from India to enter the World Cup victorious — suffering reverses in the warm-up games, much material has been added to the case dossier for Rahul Dravid's men being the form team.

Dravid, typically, isn't buying into it. "It is open on paper but Australia are slight favourites because everyone else has had mixed results," he said on Saturday before taking off with the team for a spot of submarine travel off Montego Bay if the intrepid photographer that tried to follow suit can be believed.

The two sides

What then of the convincing wins in the two warm-up games? "There are advantages and disadvantages in performances like this (the nine-wicket win over the West Indies). Some of our guys didn't get to bat and the spinners didn't get to bowl," said Dravid.

"But what that has done to the spirit as a group is very important. The plus points are just the confidence it builds, especially given that we struggled against the West Indies the last time we were here. I don't think we can draw too much, but it is a pointer. A big event is a big event," added Dravid.

Tetchy reply

Predictably there was the question on Virender Sehwag's form; Dravid's reply was uncommonly tetchy, introducing as it did the rhetoric characters of Bloggs, Ramdin, and Ramakdin: "I get asked this question why are you supporting Sehwag.

"Anyway my supporting Sehwag, it is not like I'm supporting Joe Bloggs, some Ramdin or Ramakdin or something.

"He is a kid who has got 300 runs (India's only Test triple-centurion) and he has done things in international cricket. People also just need to hang back and let him play his cricket."

An issue to deal with

That Sehwag hasn't made the runs an anaemic Netherlands bowling attack and a mindless West Indian batting collapse allowed, condemns him as the fall guy newsmen, on a strict diet of good news, crave.

"Whenever some of the players are not in form, there is an issue to deal with," admitted Dravid.

"It could be Sehwag, x or y; I truly believe we have a 15 here. Irrespective of what their names are, the eleven that plays for India should be able to win a game against any team." The other problem selection, Irfan Pathan, has managed success.

Observers, however, point out that he's well below pace, and, despite the merest hint of in-swing to the right-hander, has hardly looked the cutting edge.

"Wickets are good and help the confidence," said Dravid of the left-armer. "The important thing is he is trying very hard."

A good team

Has the threat perception of Bangladesh altered after the side defeated New Zealand in a warm-up game? "They are a good team," said Dravid, surprisingly not slipping in his favourite caveat about not being too fussed with how the opposition was doing.

"Our group is probably the best contested. They have beaten Australia and us in the past. They have the belief. In some ways, our group is probably the toughest. On these wickets, they can probably be a handful. We are not going to take them lightly."

Speaking of wickets, how are they turning out? "In some ways, we just want to forget about the wickets," said Dravid. "We don't talk much about wickets in our meetings. We have only spoken about flexibility and depth. We have the team that can perform on any kind of wicket.

"There are going to be six, seven tight games. Performance on the day will matter. Once you can navigate and get into the semifinals, then anything is possible."

500-plus not on

Anything? Even the preposterous 500 that some Australian cricketers believe will soon be achieved? "I don't think 500-plus will be possible on these wickets," said Dravid.

India will probably meet with sports psychologist Dr. Rudy Webster later in the tournament, said Dravid.

Dr. Webster, who currently isn't well, worked with India during its tour of the Caribbean last year. Incidentally, Sehwag admitted to have benefited from Dr. Webster's one-on-sessions after scoring a Test hundred at St. Lucia.

Does the team have some grandiose three-word motto for the World Cup? "We have mottos but we don't want to talk about it," said Dravid. India takes on Bangladesh in its first match on April 17.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport