India have to work hard to win: Ganguly

Terming the visitors as a "good side", Ganguly said India would have to work hard to beat them.

Terming the Pakistani team as a "good side", Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly on Thursday said the home team would have to work hard to beat the visitors in the Test and one-day series next month.

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"Pakistan team is a good side and India will have to do very well on the field to win the upcoming series against them," he told reporters after the East Zone team defeated Bangladesh Board XI in Duleep Trophy match at the VCA ground in Nagpur.

Replying to a query on the team's prospects in the absence of Shoaib Akhtar, Ganguly said, "The visiting team has a lot of good players on their side and (despite the absence of Akhtar) is still a strong side. India will have to do hard work."

Recalling India's series win against Pakistan after a span of 50 years in that country, he said "their hospitality is one of the best in the world" and described it as a good experience to play against the arch rivals.

Talking about his attacking knock of 170 in the match, Ganguly said: "It is very important for me to play in the domestic cricket after a long gap."

"I played for almost five-six hours and that's good enough for me to prepare before the forthcoming series against Pakistan," he said.

"International cricketers hardly get a chance to play in the domestic cricket and I utilised this before leading the side against Pakistan."

On Sachin Tendulkar's fitness, Ganguly said, "He (Sachin) has already said in Hyderabad that he is fit. That means he is fit and (there is) no question of his fitness."

"He is 100 per cent fit," he added.

On coach John Wright, who is reportedly not keen to continue, the skipper said: "He has a family back home and that is his personal thing."

To a query, Ganguly said, "There are no specific directives on preparation for the forthcoming series against Pakistan."