United Arab Emirates coach and former India Test all-rounder Abid Ali feels his top six batsmen are capable of making a mark against the mighty Indians in their opening league encounter of the Asia Cup on Friday.
"We have five or six very good batsmen. If they are able to stay for a while, if they are able to last 50 overs, we will be able to do something, Abid Ali told reporters in Dambulla on Thursday.
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Ali is hoping his batsmen will last the overs and the bowlers stay focused in the face of an aggressive Indian batting line-up.
"It is a big test, but if we stick to the basics if we can bat for 50 overs, if our bowlers bowl the correct line and length, we will give a good account of ourselves."
Ali also feels his team has played often enough in recent times to take the confidence into tomorrow's match.
"In January, the Australians brought a team. Then there was the six-player tournament. We played a longer version game with Nepal. We also won the ACC Trophy in Malaysia. Besides, we have really practiced hard in the past 15 days."
Being an Indian, Ali is extremely happy to see Sourav Ganguly and his men raise their performance to a level where they are spoken about in the same breath as world champions Australia.
"Tendulkar is the top Indian batsman I have seen. Men like Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag are all class cricketers.
"If they work on their fitness -- obviously fitness plays 50 per cent part in your cricket -- if they can enhance it, then they could do wonders," Ali said.
Having played cricket in an era that produced champions like Sunil Gavaskar and the famous spin quartet, Abid Ali is inevitably drawn into comparing them with modern legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble.
"Sunny was a little different from Tendulkar. These boys are attackers. They keep hitting the ball and they do it hard.
"Sunny was totally different in that he used to graft himself. He used to look at the situation and play accordingly.
"As for Kumble, well he is one of the greats in the art of leg-spin bowling. But it does not serve any purpose to compare cricketers of different eras."
Ali also gave Ganguly a high rating as a captain.
"Initially I was not convinced (about Ganguly's ability as captain). But he has become a very good captain and has been handling the boys very well. In the earlier stages he could have made mistakes here and there, but now I think he is a calm and cool cookie, really."
Abid, who belongs to Hyderabad, was also full of praise for the stylish V V S Laxman.
"We often keep in touch. He is one of the finest bats India has produced. If he stays at the wicket, he gets a lot of runs. The question of staying at the wicket is very important."
