The Hindu : Sport : `I will learn and get better'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 16, 2007
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`I will learn and get better'

Special Correspondent

S. Sreesanth. — Photo: AFP

Port of Spain: For S. Sreesanth, India's tour of the West Indies last year was a major phase in his evolution as a fast bowler. He has improved further since, most noticeably in Test cricket.

But, aspersions were cast on his ability to adapt to the one-day version. Sreesanth, in his last few outings, has shown he can, though he hasn't nailed his spot in the starting eleven just yet.

Sreesanth spoke to newsmen here on Wednesday.

On making the squad: I expected to be in the squad and I hope to be in the final eleven as well. That's my dream. Hopefully, it is going to happen soon.

On the Opening Ceremony: It is really nice. Last time in South Africa, it was much more colourful. It was fun, nice walking with the team and getting into the big picture.

On his World Cup goals: Every individual has a team goal as well and the team gives you goals to achieve throughout the tournament. That is what I have been working on individually. I think it is going to help the team.

On the team motto "We will win together": Together, we will. It says together, we want to win the games.

The idea is that whatever we do outside the field and on the field, we will do it together. We are going to work as a unit.

On what he was doing during the 2003 final: We were having a Plate final against Karnataka in Bangalore. There were these big screens at the KSCA, which were showing the match live. We were also losing the Plate final, and we were telling each other, wish the Indians could win there.

The start was very bad, and even when we batted, while wickets were falling, Viru bhai was playing very well.

On whether he has discussed the 2003 final with Zaheer Khan: We haven't discussed the final. We speak about what to do on the field and on practice days.

Pressure is more on individual goals. If everyone achieves his individual goals, we will definitely win the World Cup.

On his struggles in one-day cricket: A person who struggles is better off than a person who never attempts. I will struggle, I will learn and get better.

On not playing all the one-day games at home: It is a part of a lot of experiments and getting the combinations right.

Whatever works for the team, I am very happy. I am very fortunate to be even in the fifteen. I should take it as an opportunity to learn and be with the team.

On varying his length for the one-day version: Especially in the last warm-up game, I hit a little bit of a back of a length, which is what the one-day length is.

Even in the last two ODIs against Lanka, that was exactly what I was trying.

I am sure if I can bowl well in the Test matches, it is just a matter of adjusting to one-day cricket. Munaf can bowl 150 kmph but bowls 130 kmph and gets wickets. Anything for the team.

On what his lessons were from last year's tour of the Caribbean: What I learnt is that these are slow wickets and you have got to be really patient to get wickets, but the wickets come.

You have to work really hard as a fast bowler on the slow pitches. More than bowling fast, if you use your common sense, and you will be successful.

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