India in Australia, 2007-08
I want to be a better Test batsman, says Yuvraj
Cricinfo staff
December 15, 2007

Yuvraj Singh: "We want a quiet series and our focus is on playing good cricket. But if we are pushed around too much, there will be something from our side too" © Getty Images

Fresh from a glorious 169 in the Bangalore Test against Pakistan, Yuvraj Singh is looking ahead to what he hopes will be an equally successful tour of Australia. The pitches will be bouncier, and the quality of the opposition bowlers will be a lot better, but Yuvaj is confident he, and the rest of the Indian team, will cope well.
"Right now, I am practising with hard plastic and synthetic balls in order to get used to the pace and bounce of the Australian tracks," Yuvraj told the Times of India. "I'm generally happy with the way I'm striking the ball. In fact, the time has come for me to concentrate harder in order to emerge a better Test batsman."
Since making his Test debut more than four years back, Yuraj has only played 20 Tests, thanks mainly to India's experienced and star-studded middle order, which has ensured few vacancies. He has generally done well when given the opportunities - scoring hundreds on two previous tours to Pakistan - and his century in Bangalore means he has an excellent chance of being part of the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
The team has only once practice game before that match, but Yuvraj was not unduly bothered by that. "If you are playing international cricket, you have to be prepared to play in any condition. Yes, we played the series against Pakistan on wickets that were low and slow but we are ready for the faster tracks in Australia."
Australia's recent one-day series was marred by plenty of verbal confrontations, suggesting that India's tour could also be a heated one. Yuvraj said India did not want a verbal warfare with Australia but warned they would respond if pushed. "We want a quiet series and our focus is on playing good cricket. But if we are pushed around too much, there will be something from our side too. We are not going to take anything lying down."
Yuvraj felt if the batsmen can post big scores, the bowlers could be effective in Australia. "Injuries have bothered some of our key bowlers recently. Right now, most of them are fit and raring to go. If we can put some good scores on the board, bowlers like Zaheer Khan, RP Singh and Irfan Pathan are quite capable of taking the wickets."
He picked Sourav Ganguly, along with Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, as a key figure in the upcoming series. "He [Ganguly] is very positive and is showing the desire to stay at the wicket. He has changed his mindset."
Yuvraj was also effusive in his praise of Anil Kumble's captaincy. "He has been a very good captain with plenty of experience. His first win as Test captain must be very special to him. He is very aggressive and hungry for success."
India play four Tests against Australia, starting December 26 in Melbourne.
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India in Australia, 2007-08
'I'm essentially a bowler who can bat' - Pathan
Cricinfo staff
December 15, 2007

Irfan Pathan: "The results might not show that, but I know for sure that I'm bowling well. If I'm able to continue the good work, the wickets will come." © AFP

Irfan Pathan has said he can be good allrounder but he sees himself as a bowler who can bat. "I'm happy to be able to contribute with the bat," Pathan told the Times of India. At the end of the day, if you have scored runs for your team, it helps your bowling to a great extent. I'm grateful to God for giving me the chance to score that hundred against Pakistan. I really cherished the moment."
"An allrounder takes wickets and scores runs regularly, so it is important to be consistent with the bat. As of now, I have to work harder on my batting to be called an allrounder."
Pathan was happy with his bowling form and was confident that the wickets will come soon. "I'm a very confident bowler now. The results might not show that, but I know for sure that I'm bowling well. If I'm able to continue the good work, the wickets will come. It is important to know your strengths and weaknesses. Once you know your limitations, you are in a good position to analyse your action. My one-day form has helped my cause."
Pathan said he is looking forward to play in Australia, where he made his Test debut in 2003 in Adelaide. "You can say that I grew up in international cricket in Australia ... that series helped me understand the nuances of bowling at the highest level. I know how the Australian wickets will behave. In Australia, I just need to pitch the ball in the right areas. When it is new, the Kookaburra ball swings more than the SG ball. But you need the right grip and technique to move the ball effectively."
He lauded the contribution of the bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad. "He is of great help, not just to me, but to everyone in the team. He boosts our confidence every time we take the field. Most importantly, he has played a lot of cricket for India and his knowledge is very useful. He analyses everyone and discusses nitty-gritty with the bowlers. We are glad to have someone like him with the team."
Pathan was hopeful of India's chances in the upcoming series. "We have a balanced team. Our batting is strong and our bowlers are capable of taking 20 wickets. All the Australian batsmen are aggressive. I enjoy playing against them and there is no particular batsman I see as a threat."
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'We have the potential to upset Aussies'

Rajdeep Sardesai | CNN-IBN
Anil Kumble has tasted success in his very first stint as Test captain of India, taking his team to a 1-0 win over Pakistan in the recently concluded Test series. CNN-IBN's Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai sat down with captain Kumble for a chat.
Anil Kumble: Captaincy has definitely given me a shot in the arm in terms of the enthusiasm. And it is definitely a motivation for me at this time in my career. And it's come at a time when probably it's right. So, I've enjoyed it so far, and there are tough tours ahead.
Rajdeep Sardesai: Anil, let's look more seriously to the challenges ahead. Australia is going to be a tough, tough tour. Do you really think we can beat the Australians?
Anil Kumble: Yes, we can. We have the potential, because we have the batting line-up to put the runs on the board. If we can put the runs on the board, I've always believed that we have the ability to get 20 wickets.
Rajdeep Sardesai:You actually think that beating Australia in Australia, is that the final frontier really? Is that the Mount Everest of cricket today to beat Australia in Australia?
Anil Kumble: It is, in a sense, to do well against Australia, is everybody's challenge, because they are the top team in world cricket. And to do that in their home ground is something very special.
We came very close to doing that in 2003. We had our opportunities which we didn't take. Maybe this time around, if we repeat the performance in terms of our batting abilities there, I'm sure we can do that again.
Rajdeep Sardesai: Your opponents also fear you. I asked this to Adam Gilchrist, and he said the one cricketer he feared playing on Indian wickets was Anil Kumble. They are terrified of you.
Anil Kumble: It's a compliment coming from someone like Adam Gilchrist. I hope that fear continues for the next four Test matches.

India will be scared of Tait: Akhtar

Press Trust Of India
Melbourne: Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar has urged the Australians to pick Shaun Tait for the upcoming Test series against India as the slinger would be a scary proposition for Anil Kumble's men on the quick tracks here.
"The Australians must pick Shaun Tait. I'm telling you, the Indians will be scared of him. They're not comfortable with pace at all," Akhtar told the Sunday Telegraph.
Tait, whose action was questioned by the visiting New Zealand team in the ongoing Chappell-Hadlee series, could make the cut for the series against India if the selectors opt for an all-pace attack.
India take on Ricky Ponting's men in a four-Test series starting December 26 here and Akhtar felt the hosts will need to prepare quick and bouncy tracks to shake up the formidable batting line-up of the visiting side.
"If the Aussies make nice quick pitches, they will be jumping all over the place," he said.
Akhtar, who was rendered ineffective in the recently-concluded three-Test series against India due to ill-health and placid tracks, felt the game was loaded heavily in favour of the batsmen and called on the administrators to give a thought to the bowlers' plight.
"Cricket has become so boring. I don't like the regulations in the game. Too many rules. You can't bowl like the days of Bodyline," he said.
"The bowlers do not have enough power in the game. We can't bowl as many bouncers as we'd like. People want to see a good fight between bat and ball. This is very important for the health of cricket," Akhtar added.
The flamboyant Pakistani bowler felt that even average batsmen were piling up runs due to batting-friendly pitches.
"Why can't we give batsmen a hard time? Cricket now belongs to the batsmen. India scored over 600 against us the other day. It's boring.
"I see average batsmen getting huge scores and so many guys are getting 6000 and 7000 runs in Tests," he complained.
On Australia grooming Michael Clarke as a future captain, Akhtar felt the left-hander still had miles to go before being a worthy successor to Ricky Ponting.
Akhtar said promoting Clarke ahead of vice-captain Adam Gilchrist was unfair on the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman.
"For me, he (Clarke) still has a lot to prove in the Australian side. They keep mentioning him as a future captain but it is nonsense to announce him like this," he said.
"To make him captain over Adam Gilchrist in the Twenty20 game, this can irritate the senior players. Adam is entitled to be angry," he added.
The pacer also said that the burden of captaincy may actually end up ruining the left-hander's career.
"There is too much pressure on Clarke. He's having to act like a captain but he's not a captain. What happens if he struggles as a batsman in the next 10 Tests and is dropped, what then? I think Gilchrist deserves more respect," he said.

'He's not close to the class of Warne and MacGill'
Harbhajan wants Hogg to play at MCG
Cricinfo staff
December 17, 2007

Harbhajan Singh, who faced up to Andrew Symonds in India, says "if somebody gives it to us, we will give it back" © Getty Images

Harbhajan Singh has taken aim at Brad Hogg by saying he believes there are no quality spinners in Australia behind Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill. With India due to arrive to prepare for the Boxing Day Test, Harbhajan has landed an early verbal blow as Australia consider whether to employ four fast bowlers or look to Hogg.
The Indians would love Hogg to be picked for the MCG. "From our point of view, we would be happy to see how Hogg would go against the best players of spin in the world," Harbhajan told the Sydney Morning Herald. "It would be a big test for him, and we all know how he bowls."
Harbhajan said Hogg was "not close to the class of Warne and MacGill". "If they play Hoggy, I will wish him all the best because I have nothing against him, but I would be happy to see him bowl at our batsmen."
Hogg has been a major weapon for Australia in one-day games, but he has not appeared in a Test since the Zimbabwe series in 2003. He has played only four Tests and was part of the squad for the first match against Sri Lanka in November. MacGill was due to be the No. 1 spinner after Warne's retirement, but that changed when he had surgery on his wrist in the hope of correcting carpal tunnel.
Geoff Lawson, the Pakistan coach, said Australia would be better off not using Hogg on Boxing Day. "It depends on how the pitches are looking, of course, but India doesn't have a problem playing spin," he said in the Herald. "Hogg has been great in one-day cricket but I think ... Australia should use four quicks." Lawson said Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds could chip in to provide the slow bowling.
Lawson, whose team lost a series to India last week, warned the Australians they would not take any physical or verbal backward steps. "They will stand up to whatever is thrown at them," he said. Harbhajan agreed with Lawson's view.
"We're not just going to take it," he said. "If somebody gives it to us, we will give it back. We have the quality in our side, and if we all stick together we can give the Australians a good fight. We respect their team and the kind of cricket they play, but we don't fear them."
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neither is bhajji lol

We can win in Australia - Ganguly

Many observers belive Ganguly is playing the best cricket of his career

Sourav Ganguly believes the absence of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath could see India clinch their first ever Test series victory on Australian soil. Fresh from victory over Pakistan, India travel to Australia this week hoping to improve on their 2003/04 series draw.
"I think we are the two best sides in the world," former India captain Ganguly told BBC World Service Sport.
"We did well in 2003 but without McGrath and Warne, I'm sure that will make a difference."
Australia have played just one series since the retirement of McGrath and Warne - who boast 1,271 Test wickets between them - at the end of the Ashes series last January.
Ricky Ponting's side are currently well clear at the top of the ICC Test rankings, while India are one of four teams vying for second place.

They are a very strong team - probably the best in the world - so we will really have to raise our game Sourav Ganguly

Captained by Anil Kumble, India begin a three-day a warm-up match against Victoria in Melbourne on 20 December, with the first of four Tests starting in the same city on 26 December.
Ganguly, currently India's fifth-highest overall run-scorer in Tests, admitted a trip to Australia is the hardest tour in cricket but claimed India are full of hope.
"It will be a massive series in their backyard, they are a very strong team - probably the best in the world - so we will really have to raise our game if we are to compete," he said.
Ganguly, who in the past year has make a remarkable return to international cricket after being dropped from the national team in early 2006, says spin bowling could prove crucial.
While India have Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, Australia may have to look to one-day specialist Brad Hogg and first choice Stuart MacGill is recovering from wrist surgery.
"All good Test teams have good spinners and for Australia to lose Warne is going to make a difference," Ganguly continued.
"For us, [pace bowler] Sree Santh will definitely be missed.

606: DEBATE This is our last great chance for a few years to win a Test series in Oz. Can we do it? mange1991bcfc

"But at the same time we have two quality spin bowlers. And out of the four Test matches we are playing at three venues - Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide - which spin."
"Definitely if we can put runs up on the board that will be the key and put us in a position to get them out."
While denying that Australia "fear" India, Ganguly insisted the home team will know they face a tough challenge.
"I spoke to some of the other players when they were in India, and they feel we are the only team which competes with them," he said.
"They have probably beaten most other teams quite easily, apart from the Ashes in 2005, so it is for this reason it will be a tightly-contested series.
"We just want to do well in the four Test matches and take one match at a time.
"Obviously if we can win the series, that will be fantastic. But we know we will have to play really well to do it.
"It's not impossible."

BBC

But Tait is tempting
Waugh cries for Hogg on Boxing Day
Cricinfo staff
December 18, 2007

Steve Waugh says if Brad Hogg is not picked now he might never get a chance © Getty Images

Steve Waugh has backed the traditional line-up of three fast bowlers and a spinner for the Boxing Day Test against India. Despite a surge in popularity for Shaun Tait over the past two weeks, Waugh believes Brad Hogg should take the spot left by Stuart MacGill when he had surgery on his wrist.
"It's probably 50-50 right now, but Hogg deserves a chance," Waugh told the Daily Telegraph. "He has never let Australia down. He has proven one of our best one-day players in the last four years."
Hogg has appeared in only four Tests, the last coming in 2003, while Tait was called twice on the 2005 Ashes tour. Waugh said if Hogg was not chosen now he might never come back.
"Tait is probably ready to go and there would be a temptation to play him," he said. "Hogg deserves a chance. If you don't give him a chance now, he will probably never get a chance. If it doesn't work, you can always make a change for the second and third Tests.''
Tait's limited-overs speed against New Zealand has been fierce and he has proved his right elbow has recovered from surgery. However, Waugh would prefer Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Mitchell Johnson in the side if three fast men were picked.
Waugh said India were more comfortable against spin than pace. "If they can get stuck into their top order with some short stuff and be very aggressive, it's a bit of an ageing batting line-up, too," he said. "There are a few question marks over India although on the other side is that they have a lot of experience."
India start their tour with a three-day game against Victoria at the Junction Oval on Thursday and Ian Healy felt they had arrived too late to adjust to the conditions. "Another fortnight might have been perfect," he told the paper.
"They are coming off some hard cricket of late, but hard cricket in totally opposite conditions. That's not good. I just think they are going to have to cram too much, too quickly at a time when they really need to be spot-on for Melbourne and Sydney because Perth could be dangerous for them.''
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