May 10, 1999
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PAVILION END The First Challenge Surprise tactics should see India through to Super Six. By Anshuman Gaekwad
Our arrival in England was met with unfriendly weather and we silently gave our thanks to the BCCI for providing us thermal clothing. We had a long fielding session on the first day on a ground that was wet and soft. The second day it rained and we were confined to indoor nets, something we have to get used to in England. Nevertheless, we are hungry for practice and have arranged some additional warm-up games besides those scheduled by the English cricket board. The players are in good heart. It was good to see Azhar mixing around more than he usually does and Jadeja taking the initiative and bowling more. Now, we begin planning for our league matches, especially our first match against top contenders South Africa. After watching videos it is clear we have to bowl well and pick up early wickets against the Proteas. The first overs will be crucial. We don't want to concede extra runs because when our batsmen go in their fielding will not let us score easily. Most of all we have to be careful of run outs. We also need to keep them guessing about our combination and strategy. They have a good all-round side like us, though their fielding is an advantage. Whoever applies themselves better will win. Zimbabwe will be no cakewalk. Again every player contributes and their fielding is excellent. The good news is that we won the one-day series in Zimbabwe, something England and Pakistan couldn't. They tend to bat and bowl well but in crunch situations give it away. That's where we have to keep the pressure on. It's important for the league position for us to win this. The Kenyans are the most inexperienced side in our group. They strike the ball well but their bowling is a trifle inadequate. It could be a match where we may make a few changes -- Amay Khurasia and Nikhil Chopra may get a look in here. We know the Sri Lankans well and it will be interesting to see how Jayasuriya and Muralitharan play, considering they're coming back straight after injury. Our advantage is that we have beaten them recently. Still, we need to plan well against their batsmen -- fortunately our bowlers have worked out their limitations. Our batting has always handled their bowling and our fielding is superior, which makes the equation tilt in our favour. We have beaten England twice recently but that was in Sharjah. Luckily we are playing them last in the league and will know how they are playing and what we need to do. We are far more experienced than them -- Azhar himself has played half as many one-dayers as their entire team. We have to bowl well to Knight and Fairbrother, their most effective players. Maybe Kumble might bowl early to frustrate Knight. England play orthodox cricket so once again we have to surprise them. We are in the stronger group of the World Cup, perhaps that's good for it won't allow us to relax. We have to win three games to qualify for the Super Six which shouldn't be a problem. After all, we didn't come here to qualify but to win the Cup. (Anshuman Gaekwad, coach of the Indian
cricket team, will be writing a weekly column |
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Whenever we leave India, the customs, the police and
the immigration people at the airport are extremely helpful. There was no difference this
time either when we left, except one. "Bring back the Cup," they all said, the
hope gleaming in their eyes. 
