The Hindu : Sport : Criticism of middle order inevitable: Dravid

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 27, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport

Criticism of middle order inevitable: Dravid

Special Correspondent

Nottingham: The Indian captain Rahul Dravid said the criticism of his famed middle order was inevitable: it was a sign of the times, for modern-day international sportsmen are constantly judged.

“We’d like more runs,” said Dravid. “We’ll have to do a lot better, but, if you remember, we were in the same situation last time we toured (2002), when we lost at Lord’s and didn’t score many. We turned it around in the second innings and that sort of set us up for a very good summer.”

The innings Dravid referred to saw Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly scoring 115, 92, and 99 respectively. It set the scene for all three to score centuries in the next Test at Headingley, which India famously won.

“There’s some quality there,” added Dravid. “It’s time for that quality to turn into performance.”

One of the men in question, Sourav Ganguly, had suffered a back strain, but Dravid said the left-hander was “progressing” and feeling better.

Same eleven

Dravid announced the same eleven that played at Lord’s would take the field on Friday — Yuvraj Singh, in the twelve, would be pressed into service should Ganguly be unavailable. But, with rain forecast, the teams might not make the field on Friday.

Dravid dismissed suggestions that the chatter between the sides on the final day at Lord’s had crossed the line. “It happens when a game goes down to the wire, when two teams are giving it their all, but I think the game was played in excellent spirit.”

On the Lord’s result, Dravid said, “A draw is never really good. But the good thing is we came away with positives. Our bowling was very good, and we can take the confidence of not having gone down 1-0.”

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

Sport