Zimbabwe in India; hope for a turnaround

Zimbabwe, strengthened by the return of former captain Alistair Campbell, arrived in India early on Wednesday hoping to turn things around after a 3-0 thrashing in Sri Lanka last month.

Campbell was dropped from the side last October and missed the visit to Sri Lanka when they were humbled by off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who took 30 wickets en route to becoming the youngest and fastest bowler to eclipse 400 test wickets.

"The Sri Lankan tour was disappointing, but we're looking forward to the challenge of playing in India," the team's coach Geoff Marsh told reporters.

"We have to work hard, be competitive and try to win."

The team, who play two tests followed by five one-day internationals, will be led by batsman Stuart Carlisle with former skipper Heath Streak as his deputy.

"It's very hard playing India in India but we'll try our best," Carlisle said.

Despite the difficulties of beating India on home soil, Carlisle said his side had taken comfort from England's recent tour of India, with the visitors only losing the Test series 1-0 and drawing the one-day series 3-3.

"England's performance has been as inspiration for us," Carlisle said. "We'll try to pick up from them as much as we cam in order to do well."

Zimbabwe will rely heavily on batsman Andy Flower, who scored 540 runs in the two-test series with a double century and 183 not out, in their last tour of India in late 2000. The home side won that series 1-0.

The visitors said the main threats to them would be batsman Sachin Tendulkar and the spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble.

"Kumble and Harbhajan are terrific and Sachin is a class player. We'll have to make sure we can combat them," Marsh said.

Zimbabwe travel to Vijaywada later on Wednesday for a three-day game starting on Friday against an Indian Board President's team led by Rahul Dravid, who missed the England one-dayers due to a back injury.

The first Test starts in the western city of Nagpur on February 21.

Mail Cricket Editor