The Hindu : Ganguly optimistic

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 10, 2002

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Ganguly optimistic

Wellington Dec. 9. Indian captain Sourav Ganguly was optimistic after his team's indoor training session in Wellington on Monday. And he was unfazed at the prospect of a green Basin Reserve pitch awaiting the Indians in the first Test, beginning here on December 12.

``We expect fast and bouncy pitches when we play abroad, and we are prepared for it. The conditions will be the same for both the teams,'' he said. The skipper was confident that the Indian top six would deliver on what is expected to be a hard, seaming wicket, prepared by curator Trevor Jackson.

Ganguly noted that while Virender Sehwag had notched up a hundred as an opener in England, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid had plenty of matches and runs behind them.

He agreed though that in a two-Test series, a good start was essential, for it would be extremely difficult for a side to bounce back in case of a setback in the first Test - "we have to seize the initiative early on.''

On Indian bowling, Ganguly revealed that pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, recovering well from a knee injury, would be fit for the first Test, and expressed happiness over the performance of paceman Ajit Agarkar in the three-day game against the Central Districts at Napier.

The Indian skipper felt that New Zealand would miss explosive all-rounder Chris Cairns, and added fast bowler Shane Bond would be the one to watch out for in the Kiwi attack. — Our Special Correspondent

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