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Imran is being over optimistic: Sidhu

By Onkar Singh in Delhi
January 08, 2006 17:57 IST
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Navjot Singh Sidhu rejected former Pakistani captain Imran Khan's claim that Pakistan would have a definite edge over the Indian team in the current series in Pakistan.

Indian team led by Rahul Dravid is currently on a 45-day long tour to Pakistan to play three Tests and five one dayers.

"I think Imran Khan is jumping the gun. He is trying to oversimplify the contest between India and Pakistan by saying that Pakistan has an edge," Sidhu told rediff.com on Sunday afternoon in a telephonic conversation.

He refused to pass any judgement when asked which of the two sides is better. "It would not be prudent for me to comment on the outcome. The two sides are evenly balanced. Both have played good series at their home grounds and are currently in good form. Hence any prediction from me would not be prudent," he said.

Sidhu did voice his concern about the statement attributed to Raj Singh Dungarpur that former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is lazy and he has no place in the side. Dungarpur later withdrew his statement after the Board of Control for Cricket in India pulled him up.

"If what is being attributed to him and particularly on the eve of the start of the tour is true than it is bad in taste because it tends to take away the advantage the Indian side had over Pakistan. It should not have been done at all," he said.

Comparing the bowlers of the two sides he said that Pakistan would not provide with green top wickets because our bowlers would be able to exploit them to their advantage. "It all depends upon how the bowlers and batsmen respond during the Test matches," he said.

He agreed with the Indian captain that if some players lack motivation at the Test cricket level than they should not be in the side. "Aggression comes from within and no one can motivate you in this respect. But the captain must lead by example," Sidhu said.

He has not made up his mind whether or not he would visit Pakistan to watch some of the games. "You cannot leave your constituency and go to watch cricket," he said.
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Onkar Singh in Delhi

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