'Ponting will break Sachin's records'
The Australian skipper will overtake the Indian batting legend in all Test batting records in near future, Matthew Hayden claimed.
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting will overtake Sachin Tendulkar in all Test batting records in the near future, Aussie opener Matthew Hayden claimed.
Hayden, who arrived in Kochi on a private visit, hailed Ponting as a "phenomenal" figure and an "amazing, exceptional" captain.
When asked by reporters about the contenders for next year's World Cup in the West Indies, the big Queenslander said that other than Australia, England were one of the fancied sides.
He attributed the "hectic schedule" and trying Indian conditions for the poor performance of the English team in the recent seven-match one-day series in India.
Good fielding and utilisation of power plays will have a crucial role in the World Cup, Hayden, who does not find a place in the present Australian one-day team, said.
"If a team scores about 200 in the first 20 overs, then it will be able to score upto 400 runs," he said.
Big hitters like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, England's Kevin Petersein and Andrew Flintoff will be able to change the complexion of a game, he said.
Hayden expressed confidence that Sachin Tendulkar, who had been hit by a series of injuries of late, will make a comeback to the team.
He also hoped that former captain Sourav Ganguly finds a place in the Indian team.
"Indian team with talented young players was doing well under the guidance of coach Greg Chappell and captain Rahul Dravid, who has performed well as Ganguly's successor," Hayden said.