Sourav Ganguly, one in every of India’s most profitable captains, believes that the present Indian group has sufficient firepower to tame Australia when the Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins in Nagpur on Thursday.
While he agrees that spin bowling will play an necessary position as all the time, Ganguly is to see whether or not the group can afford to play an additional spinner on surfaces that may profit the tweakers.
In his taking part in days, Ganguly led India in 49 Test matches and went on to win on 21 events, whereas MS Dhoni received 27 of 60 Tets that he led, whereas beneath Virat Kohli, India received 40 of 68 Tests. But statistics apart, Ganguly believes that towards a top-quality Australian bowling line-up, batting properly would be the key for India.
In a chat with Sportstar, Ganguly talks about his expectations from the collection, the significance of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja and what does this collection imply for India head coach Rahul Dravid, who drew flak after India did not qualify for the ultimate of the T20 World Cup final 12 months.
QYour ideas on this version of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
It’s going to be an amazing collection. You stay up for such collection. As a participant and now clearly to observe. Australia is a terrific aspect and has an excellent bowling assault, though a few them are injured at the beginning of the collection. They nonetheless have sufficient backups, and are an excellent batting unit, which is necessary in these circumstances. But I nonetheless take into account India to win.
QWith Ravichandran Ashwin main the spin assault and Ravindra Jadeja again within the squad, how a lot of a lift will it’s for the Indian group?
Spin is all the time necessary. Look on the venues the place you might be taking part in – in Nagpur, it should supply bounce, in Ahmedabad will supply bounce, Delhi might be a bit flatter floor after which Dharamsala will once more be an excellent wicket. It will help the spinners – that’s all the time been the case in India. It received’t be simple to play Ashwin and Jadeja collectively. I don’t know whether or not they’ll play three spinners, or whether or not they have that luxurious with Rishabh Pant not there. That’s a name Rahul should take. It’s a unique ball recreation to be taking part in in India.
QDo you assume that that is additionally an especially essential collection for India head coach Rahul Dravid, who drew flak after India’s disappointing exit within the T20 World Cup final 12 months?
He has accomplished very properly aside from the T20 World Cup. The group nonetheless went to the semifinals and was only one match away from the ultimate. He will do properly. You have to provide him time, he has simply had one 12 months. It’s too quick a time for a coach. He will flip this group round. You can see Shubman Gill rising as an excellent batter and you will notice a couple of others develop as properly. There’s Surya (Suryakumar Yadav), who has accomplished properly within the shorter format. So, you need to give a while to Rahul. He will do properly.
QIndia has a robust unit. But what’s that one factor that the group must give attention to earlier than the collection?
They must bat properly. I learn someplace in newspapers that will probably be an excellent wicket. A very good wicket will begin turning on day three, and people usually are not rankers. It truly turns into troublesome – for our batting as properly.
That’s why you’d see during the last three years, there hasn’t been too many Test lots of due to the floor. I can be trying ahead to seeing the way it begins in Nagpur and with Rahul on the helm, I’m certain we will play on good wickets.
QAn India-Australia collection is understood for the banters and confrontation between the 2 camps. This time, the construct as much as the collection has been fairly low-key, with hardly any confrontation. Is the ways altering?
I’m certain there can be one thing; let the match begin. Tactics are nonetheless there, in any other case how would you play the sport. We will discover out concerning the confrontation as soon as the collection begins.
QWhile the main target can be on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, how a lot of an influence might somebody like Cheteshwar Pujara have on the collection?
He’s taking part in his a hundredth Test in Delhi and that’s an amazing achievement. He would be the thirteenth Indian to play 100 Test matches and he completely deserves it. But he additionally must be at his greatest as a result of after the final three years, even he wants a Test hundred towards good assaults. It can be an enormous collection for him.
QHow has the sport developed through the years?
Cricket has modified tremendously through the years. Not simply cricket, each sport has modified. Cricket financially has turn into sound. Even the standard has improved. I by no means knew high quality and finance might go hand in hand. The nice Sunil Gavaskar would bat towards the West Indies greats with out carrying a helmet.
Now India goes so many instances a 12 months to nations like Australia, South Africa and England. Look on the Australian group. They usually are not even taking part in a warmup match earlier than the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This is as a result of they’re accustomed to the Indian pitches. During my time, I used to go to Australia as soon as in 7-8 years.
Source: sportstar.thehindu.com