The Hindu : Sport : Batting is the key: Kumble

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Monday, Dec 17, 2007
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Batting is the key: Kumble

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: On the eve of the Indian team’s departure for the four-Test series in Australia, the Indian captain, Anil Kumble, said at the Cricket Centre here on Sunday that his middle order had an aggregate in excess of 30,000 and once they put up a substantial total on the board, he could deploy the bowling resources to take 20 wickets.

Responding to team manager Chetan Chauhan’s prediction that the team would stop Australia’s 14-Test winning streak and create history, Kumble said: “That will be the aim. We were pretty close to it the last time we visited Australia. We play one warm-up game and have ten days before the first Test and we have to adjust in this time; it’s one of the pre-requisites for any international team. We have experienced players and I don’t see any problem in adjusting to the conditions and pitch. We should be able to handle that.”

Aggressive cricket

Kumble said that the best way to give a good account in Australia would be to play good, aggressive cricket and talk cricket and demonstrate the right attitude and body language. “Australia’s cricket structure is such that it produces good and tough cricketers. Perhaps the same applies to other sports. But I am not concerned with the Australian team. We have the strengths to do well in pursuit of victory. We beat Pakistan in the one-day and Test series and hence the lead up to the series in Australia is good. We have to take that confidence there, adjust and play well.” On the recall of Virender Sehwag, he said: “I don’t have to tell him too much to encourage him and give him the confidence. The very fact that he is in the Indian team is in itself a statement of confidence in him. We have good batsmen and it is good to have a healthy competition.” Chauhan said:

“We have a young, experienced and a fit team. In 2001, I was the manager of the Indian team when we stopped Australia’s 16-Test winning streak. We lost in Mumbai, but beat them in Kolkata and Chennai. The Indian team’s endeavour will be to stop Australia winning streak now. I am sure we will create history this time.”

Each Indian team member has been insured for $2,50,000. The team, will leave for Sydney on Monday morning.

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