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New-look India hope to begin in style

PTI | ByIndo-Asian News Service, Dambulla (sri Lanka)
Jul 29, 2005 08:55 PM IST

Although the absence of Sachin and Sourav will pinch, there are enough reasons that provide the young side a note of confidence.

With a brand new team management comprising captain Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell in place, India will strive to begin a new cricket season by winning the one-day triangular series beginning here Saturday.

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Although the absence of Sachin Tendulkar (elbow injury) and Sourav Ganguly (serving a ban) will surely pinch India, there are enough reasons that provide the young side a note of confidence.

For instance, the players have prepared the hard way at a three-phased camp at Bangalore, and Chappell will have some new ideas after replacing John Wright who served as coach for four-and-a-half years.

If India look at rivals Sri Lanka and the West Indies, the other two sides in the July 30-Aug 9 tournament, they will have some comforting feeling.

For a start, the Shivnarine Chanderpaul-led West Indies are essentially a second string side, with experienced players boycotting the tournament following a payment dispute with their board.

So the real challenge for India - as well as the West Indies - will be to overcome a confident Sri Lanka. Marvan Atapattu's home team has just completed a 2-0 rout of the Caribbeans to prepare ideally for the shorter version of the game.

India picked two new faces for the rather soft season-launching tournament - Uttar Pradesh all-rounder Suresh Raina and Andhra batsman Venugopal Rao while VVS Laxman has been recalled to bolster the batting weakened by the absence of Tendulkar and Ganguly.

Chappell has already hinted that he would rather like to look forward, preferring to encourage youngsters. It seems that he prevailed upon the selectors to pick Raina and Rao who performed creditably in the 2004-05 domestic season to stake claims for national berths.

After his good performance in one-dayers against Pakistan at home in April, it looks like hard-hitting Mahendra Singh Dhoni will continue to open with vice-captain Virender Sehwag, though talk is on that Laxman could well be made to open by the team management.

The rest of the batting positions are settled.

The bowling is in the experienced hands of left-armers Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan and Ashish Nehra and the lone right-armer Lakshmipathy Balaji.

But it will be crucial how the opponents, especially the Sri Lankan batsmen, tackle spinners Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, who will bowl the middle overs.

Recalled all-rounder Jai Prakash Yadav could handle the third pacer's overs if the management wants to play both Kumble and Harbhajan.

Without doubt, Sri Lanka will be the team to beat as they go into the seven-match tournament with enough match practice, while Indians are fresh after a long layoff barring Pathan and Harbhajan, who played in the English county season.

The West Indians too have been playing international matches and so they are in sync with the match situations.

Off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will be the most dangerous Sri Lankan for both India and the West Indies.

With 549 Test wickets and 369 one-day international scalps in his kitty, Muralitharan is set to test the skills and patience of the likes of Dravid, Sehwag and Laxman.

India first played at the picturesque Rangiri Dambulla Stadium - the venue of the first four matches - during the Asia Cup last year.

Nestled in the middle of forest land - the stadium has no concrete stands, barring the ultra modern pavilion - which helps pacers swing the ball appreciably. It will be a real test for the batsmen, also because all the matches will be day-night affairs lending the breeze do its bit in the evenings in the open arena.

Action will shift to Colombo Aug 6 with a Sri Lanka-West Indies match. In all, three matches will be played here, including the final on Aug 9. Here also, all matches will be day-nighters.

Squads:

India: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Kaif, Jai Prakash Yadav, Suresh Raina, Venugopal Rao, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Ashish Nehra and Lakshmipathy Balaji. 16th member: Sourav Ganguly.

Sri Lanka: Marvan Atapattu (captain), Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara (wicket-keeper), Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana, Muttiah Muralitharan, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Lokuhettige, Dilhara Fernando, Farveez Maharoof and Lasith Malinga.

West Indies: Shiv Chanderpaul (captain), Denesh Ramdin (wicket-keeper), Daren Powell, Ricardo Powell, Omari Banks, Kerry Jeremy, Deighton Butler, Sylvester Joseph, Narsingh Deonarine, Dwayne Smith, Tino Best, Jermaine Lawson, Xavier Marshall, Runako Morton and Ryan Ramdass

Schedule:
July 30: Sri Lanka vs. India, Dambulla (Day/Night)
July 31: India vs. West Indies, Dambulla (D/N)
Aug 1: Rest/Reserve Day
Aug 2: Sri Lanka vs. West Indies, Dambulla (D/N)
Aug 3: Sri Lanka vs. India, Dambulla (D/N)
Aug: 5: Rest/Reserve Day
Aug 6: Sri Lanka vs. West Indies, R Premadasa Stadium (D/N)
Aug 7: India vs. West Indies, R Premadasa Stadium (D/N)
Aug 8: Rest/Reserve Day
Aug 9: Final, R Premadasa Stadium (D/N)
Aug 10: Reserve Day for final

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