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‘Royal Challengers will test the rest’

Principal Correspondent

Bangalore: South Africans Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher emphasised that Royal Challengers Bangalore will test the other teams in the forthcoming DLF Indian Premier League tournament.

Reacting to a query on the perception that Royal Challengers with its bevy of proven Test players, lacks the flamboyance of the other teams, Boucher said: “On paper we have a side that has a lot of good Test players but that’s a bonus.

If you can play Test cricket, you can play any form of the game. If you look at those players called Test players, they have also played some unbelievable innings in one-day cricket.

I would rather have a couple of guys who can see off the new ball and post a competitive total than have guys who can smack the ball and also get out.”

The duo, key members of the Rahul Dravid-led Royal Challengers team, spoke to the media on Tuesday afternoon. Kallis, who is also part of the team’s core group of experienced players, stressed that their age is not a factor to worry about. “With the amount of training we do and with the kind of schedules we have, the players are a lot fitter than in the past. It is only 20 overs and we can give it all. Age doesn’t really come in at all. Our team is a good blend of youth and experience and we can go all the way in this competition,” Kallis said.

Boucher however was quick to clarify that playing for the nation ranks higher though he wished that the ICC would create space for IPL. “International cricket comes first and to my eyes the league will always come second. It’s up to the ICC to see that the IPL happens when not much cricket is happening around so that the players are free.

We are reading through the media that the ICC is trying to fit in the IPL in the calendar which is great for the players and everyone. The way forward is to go ahead with the IPL and cut down the number of one-dayers,” Boucher said.

Kallis meanwhile added that the South African Board and the domestic franchises released him and Boucher to play in the IPL. “It was a tough couple of weeks playing Tests and then we were told that we were going home and now we are staying back. Eventually the Board released us from our franchises. Probably there are six to seven guys who play for our franchise — the Cape Cobras — back home. And instead of keeping all the internationals back home, they have released Mark and myself,” Kallis said.

On being dropped from the South African squad for the Twenty20 World Cup at home last year, Kallis said that the episode is behind him. “I had a few issues with our (cricket board) president back home. They have been sorted out and we have moved forward and hopefully we won’t have that problem again, not only for myself but with the future players as well,” Kallis said.

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