Sourav Ganguly, considered one of India’s most profitable captains, believes that the present Indian group has sufficient firepower to tame Australia when the Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins in Nagpur on Thursday.
While he agrees that spin bowling will play an necessary function as all the time, Ganguly is to see whether or not the group can afford to play an additional spinner on surfaces that will profit the tweakers.
In his taking part in days, Ganguly led India in 49 Test matches and went on to win on 21 events, whereas MS Dhoni gained 27 of 60 Tets that he led, whereas underneath Virat Kohli, India gained 40 of 68 Tests. But statistics apart, Ganguly believes that towards a top-quality Australian bowling line-up, batting effectively would be the key for India.
In a chat with Sportstar, Ganguly talks about his expectations from the collection, the significance of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and what does this collection imply for India head coach Rahul Dravid, who drew flak after India did not qualify for the ultimate of the T20 World Cup final yr.
QYour ideas on this version of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
It’s going to be an excellent collection. You sit up for such collection. As a participant and now clearly to look at. Australia is a terrific facet and has an excellent bowling assault, though a few them are injured firstly of the collection. They nonetheless have sufficient backups, and are batting unit, which is necessary in these situations. But I nonetheless contemplate India to win.
QWith Ravichandran Ashwin main the spin assault and Ravindra Jadeja again within the squad, how a lot of a lift will it’s for the Indian group?
Spin is all the time necessary. Look on the venues the place you might be taking part in – in Nagpur, it is going to supply bounce, in Ahmedabad will supply bounce, Delhi could possibly be a bit flatter floor after which Dharamsala will once more be wicket. It will help the spinners – that’s all the time been the case in India. It gained’t be simple to play Ashwin and Jadeja collectively. I don’t know whether or not they’ll play three spinners, or whether or not they have that luxurious with Rishabh Pant not there. That’s a name Rahul must take. It’s a distinct ball sport to be taking part in in India.
QDo you assume that that is additionally an especially essential collection for India head coach Rahul Dravid, who drew flak after India’s disappointing exit within the T20 World Cup final yr?
He has performed very effectively aside from the T20 World Cup. The group nonetheless went to the semifinals and was only one match away from the ultimate. He will do effectively. You have to offer him time, he has simply had one yr. It’s too brief a time for a coach. He will flip this group round. You can see Shubman Gill rising as an excellent batter and you will note a number of others develop as effectively. There’s Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), who has performed effectively within the shorter format. So, you must give a while to Rahul. He will do effectively.
QIndia has a powerful unit. But what’s that one factor that the group must give attention to earlier than the collection?
They need to bat effectively. I learn someplace in newspapers that will probably be wicket. A very good wicket will begin turning on day three, and people aren’t rankers. It really turns into troublesome – for our batting as effectively.
That’s why you’d see during the last three years, there hasn’t been too many Test lots of due to the floor. I can be wanting ahead to seeing the way it begins in Nagpur and with Rahul on the helm, I’m certain we can play on good wickets.
QAn India-Australia collection is understood for the banters and disagreement between the 2 camps. This time, the construct as much as the collection has been fairly low-key, with hardly any disagreement. Is the ways altering?
I’m certain there can be one thing; let the match begin. Tactics are nonetheless there, in any other case how would you play the sport. We will discover out in regards to the disagreement as soon as the collection begins.
QWhile the main focus can be on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, how a lot of an influence may somebody like Cheteshwar Pujara have on the collection?
He’s taking part in his one hundredth Test in Delhi and that’s an excellent achievement. He would be the thirteenth Indian to play 100 Test matches and he completely deserves it. But he additionally must be at his greatest as a result of after the final three years, even he wants a Test hundred towards good assaults. It can be an enormous collection for him.
QHow has the sport advanced over time?
Cricket has modified tremendously over time. Not simply cricket, each sport has modified. Cricket financially has grow to be sound. Even the standard has improved. I by no means knew high quality and finance may go hand in hand. The nice Sunil Gavaskar would bat towards the West Indies greats with out sporting a helmet.
Now India goes so many instances a yr to international locations like Australia, South Africa and England. Look on the Australian group. They aren’t even taking part in a warmup match earlier than the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This is as a result of they’re accustomed to the Indian pitches. During my time, I used to go to Australia as soon as in 7-8 years.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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