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Reaching final not enough, we must win: Ganguly
Johannesburg, Mar 22: Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly today said his team was not content with just reaching the final of the World Cup and determined to win the title tomorrow.
Johannesburg, Mar 22: Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly today said his team was not content with just reaching the final of the World Cup and determined to win the title tomorrow.
"We have played well to reach thus far. But at the end of the day we need to be on the winning side tomorrow," Ganguly said on the eve of the final against defending champions Australia.
"It would be a big sporting achievement for a nation and its team and no different for me," said the skipper. Ganguly, who will play his 100th one-day match as captain tomorrow, said his team was quite hopeful of halting Australia's world record winnings streak of 16 matches.
The Aussies, under Steve Waugh, had won a record 16 test matches in 2001 before India broke that run in Kolkata.
"I hope it's the same case tomorrow," Ganguly said. He exhorted his teammates, especially the younger members, not to get nervous by the big occasion and keep themselves relaxed.
"There is need for us to be relaxed and do the things which has brought us thus far. We need to stick to the basics. I hope there are no nerves. We have come thus far and we need to give more than 100 per cent to pull it through," he said.
Ganguly said vice-captain Rahul Dravid was recovering well from his finger injury and in most likelihood would play tomorrow.
Dravid hurt his finger during the semi-finals against Kenya in Durban earlier this week.
Virtually ruling out the possibility of veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble playing tomorrow's game, Ganguly said he was not contemplating any change in the team.
"The way our fast bowlers have bowled, it's difficult for us to leave any of our fast bowlers out of the eleven," he said.
He also did not see any reason to reshuffle the batting order until the situation demanded otherwise tomorrow saying, "I don't see a change in the batting order because we have stuck to a formula and it's paying."
Remembering India's only World Cup triumph in 1983, Ganguly said most of the players had vivid memories of that win and felt inspired by the heroic performance of the Kapil Dev-led team.
"It definitely meant a lot in India after the 1983 World Cup. I remember to have watched the match as a 10-year-old and remember everything of it. There is no doubt it brought great interest in the game," he said.
Ganguly also paid tributes to the Australian side, saying they had raised the standards of competition. "They have played well to be where they are at the moment and there is no point for other teams to crib about. In a way, it should help teams to perform better and improve the standards of world cricket," said the Indian skipper.
Bureau Report
"It would be a big sporting achievement for a nation and its team and no different for me," said the skipper. Ganguly, who will play his 100th one-day match as captain tomorrow, said his team was quite hopeful of halting Australia's world record winnings streak of 16 matches.
The Aussies, under Steve Waugh, had won a record 16 test matches in 2001 before India broke that run in Kolkata.
"I hope it's the same case tomorrow," Ganguly said. He exhorted his teammates, especially the younger members, not to get nervous by the big occasion and keep themselves relaxed.
"There is need for us to be relaxed and do the things which has brought us thus far. We need to stick to the basics. I hope there are no nerves. We have come thus far and we need to give more than 100 per cent to pull it through," he said.
Ganguly said vice-captain Rahul Dravid was recovering well from his finger injury and in most likelihood would play tomorrow.
Dravid hurt his finger during the semi-finals against Kenya in Durban earlier this week.
Virtually ruling out the possibility of veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble playing tomorrow's game, Ganguly said he was not contemplating any change in the team.
"The way our fast bowlers have bowled, it's difficult for us to leave any of our fast bowlers out of the eleven," he said.
He also did not see any reason to reshuffle the batting order until the situation demanded otherwise tomorrow saying, "I don't see a change in the batting order because we have stuck to a formula and it's paying."
Remembering India's only World Cup triumph in 1983, Ganguly said most of the players had vivid memories of that win and felt inspired by the heroic performance of the Kapil Dev-led team.
"It definitely meant a lot in India after the 1983 World Cup. I remember to have watched the match as a 10-year-old and remember everything of it. There is no doubt it brought great interest in the game," he said.
Ganguly also paid tributes to the Australian side, saying they had raised the standards of competition. "They have played well to be where they are at the moment and there is no point for other teams to crib about. In a way, it should help teams to perform better and improve the standards of world cricket," said the Indian skipper.
Bureau Report