SPORTS

Batsmen will fire in Australia, says Ganguly

By Harish Kotian in Bangalore
December 10, 2007 19:54 IST

Former captain Sourav Ganguly on Monday said despite playing on flat wickets India would not find it hard to adjust to pitches in Australia during their forthcoming tour.

"We will get used to the conditions. We have the players who have performed in England, West Indies and South Africa and we have gone from these conditions always. There is a lot of batting talent in this team with Rahul [Dravid], Sachin [Tendulkar], myself, [VVS] Laxman, Yuvraj [Singh] and Wasim Jaffer. There is so much of batting ability in this team and I am sure they will all adjust. They have done it before and they will do it again," he said.

India lead the three-match series 1-0 and have scored 600 in back to back matches, including the ongoing third and final Test in Bangalore.

If the batting looks in top gear for Australia, the bowling department poses a bit of worry as the frontline pacers are down with injury. Zaheer Khan, RP Singh and Munaf Patel have been ruled out of the third Test against Pakistan because of injuries but hope to be fit for the tour Down Under. Kerala speedster S Sreesanth, however, looks set to miss the four-match Test series with a shoulder injury.

"I think RP Singh and Zaheer [Khan]

will be fit for Australia, but I don't know about S Sreesanth. But it has also given Irfan Pathan and Ishant Sharma an opportunity and I thought Ishant bowled very well today. And if he can bowl the way he has done in this Test match he can do well in Australia too. It is good to see Irfan run in and bowl after the way he has batted. So it has given the selectors to have a look at the new boys. Obviously Irfan is not a new boy but he is coming back," he said.

"In terms of injuries, the other three, Zaheer, RP and Munaf [Patel] I think, they should be fit for Australia," the left-hander added.

The veteran also gave full backing to Yuvraj Singh, who played a smashing knock of 169 in the first innings in Bangalore. Ganguly believes the left-hander has the potential to be a regular in the Test side in the years to come.

"He is a quality player and I am sure he will be part of the Test team consistently," Ganguly said.

India will play four Test matches during their tour of Australia starting later this month. It will be followed by a triangular series, involving hosts Australia and Sri Lanka in February next year.

Harish Kotian in Bangalore

NEXT ARTICLE

NewsBusinessMoviesSportsCricketGet AheadDiscussionLabsMyPageVideosCompany Email