After a stunning victory, India's dressing room blues have lifted, captain Sourav Ganguly said Saturday, but joined his West Indies counterpart in admonishing their bowlers.
"India's young players are showing a lot of verve and that has fashioned a string of recent victories," Ganguly said Saturday after India's rousing five-wicket victory over the West Indies in the fourth limited-over international.
"We're now back on track and the mood is upbeat," he told reporters. "The feeling in the dressing room is that we can outscore any team."
Chasing the Windies score of 324 for four in 50 overs, India capitalized on its batting depth Friday as it scored 325 for five in 47.4 overs. That brought India to 2-2 in the seven-match series, in which it has witnessed two last-over defeats.
This was the second time in five months India had successfully chased such a big score, having earlier achieved a winning target of 326 for the loss of eight wickets against England in the final of a triangular series at Lord's, London in July.
Ganguly said his team was shaping up well for next year's World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya.
"But we could still do with some fine-tuning, especially in the bowling department," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"But we could still do with some fine-tuning, especially in the bowling department," he said.
{{/usCountry}}West Indies captain Carl Hooper added: "We're very much in the series, but our bowlers need to put in a better effort." For India, the heroes of Friday night's victory were vice captain Rahul Dravid, reinforcing his position as the sheet anchor with a composed 124-ball knock of 109 not out, and all-rounder Sanjay Bangar.
Bangar, better known for his stonewalling knocks as a test opener this year, hit an unbeaten 57 from 41 balls, a knock that captain Ganguly termed "simply smashing."
Dravid also saluted his young batting partner who came in with India tottering in its victory chase, and dominated the unbroken 94-run stand of 62 balls.
"Sanjay's knock was miraculous," said Dravid. Ganguly said his batsmen showed their mettle in Friday's victory chase.
"This Indian team has repeatedly exhibited its potential to chase huge targets," said Ganguly. "Whenever we've been in a tight spot, some one batsman or the other has put up his hand." Ganguly said the bowlers were showing the strain of being on the road for seven months.
He also said two unexpected losses at the start of the current one-day series against the West Indies restricted India's chances of experimenting with the squad.