Coach Greg Chappell has expressed confidence that star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, currently recuperating from a shoulder surgery, will come back refreshed and will have a key role to play in the World Cup.
"I have no doubt that Sachin will come back refreshed, like he did after his elbow injury last year. Just how, when and where is yet to be seen and it will depend on his body and on his mind," Chappell was quoted as saying in The Times on Wednesday.
"Knowing when to stop is a much more difficult decision for a modern player. When the money was not there, it was much easier to move on. But Sachin won't need anyone to tell him when to go.
"He still has a role, especially as a mentor. Over the past few months he has been very helpful that way."
In fact, Chappell said, Tendulkar had the operation -- on his right shoulder after the Test series against England -- done so that he could be fit in time for the World Cup in the Caribbean in March-April, 2007.
"We want to get everything from him in whatever time he has left. I know the World Cup is a target," the former Australian captain said.
"That is why he had the operation when he did, and it was just as well because the problem was more serious than we thought.
"In the meantime, it has given us a chance to look at Suresh Raina, which just shows the silver linings you find."
Since Chappell took over in June last year, India have won 21 out of 30 one-day internationals, including a record 15 in succession batting second.
Chappell said blooding in youngsters was key to India's turnaround.
"From experience, I know you ignore youth at your peril," Chappell was quoted as saying.
"A team can become too fixed and individuals become stale. I am not a selector, but I know the way I want to go.
"If I worked it out I would probably know nine or ten of the side for the World Cup, but I don't want to think like that and get ideas embedded in my mind."
Under Chappell, the team has also seen Irfan Pathan develop as an all-rounder, Mahendra Singh Dhoni take over as the poster boy, Yuvraj Singh mature into one of the best limited overs batsmen in the world, the newspaper noted.
"We identified the players we thought could become all-rounders. So while Yuvraj has worked on areas of his batting, his bowling has also come on."
"Pathan was another with that ability to offer more. Now he is in serious danger of being a good batsman as well as our opening bowler."
Chappell said Dhoni, when fully mature, could be India's answer to Aussie finisher Michael Bevan.
"There is a lot more depth to him than the facade and the brawn might suggest," the coach said.
"He has a unique style of play and we don't want to lose that, but he can also knock the ball around when he needs. By the time we get to the World Cup we think we can have a batsman there a bit like Michael Bevan of Australia."
Chappell also said the players were learning to balance their off-field commitments with their game.
"All cricketers nowadays have to make sure they don't overdo the commercial side. The difference is that no other country has a billion people supporting them," he said.
"The money is huge and it is great on the one hand but dangerous on the other. Like any era, it is all relative and the better players will cope."
