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Jaideep Marar
SINGAPORE, SEPT 3: Since that disgrace at Grace Road in the World Cup, the Indian cricket team has been fluctuating between the sublime and the ordinary. Of late, the swing has been more towards the latter.
However, the presence of Zimbabwe, who wrecked India's mid-summer dreams in England in May, should provide enough motivation to stake their claim for the Singapore Challenge. Revenge would be uppermost on the Indians' minds when they take on the African nation on Saturday.
Skipper Sachin Tendulkar too has some unpleasant memories of the encounter which he was forced to skip following the demise of his father. So, it wouldn't be surprising if the Indians come out all guns blazing.
But for that to happen, the Indians would have to click as a team. Problems for Tendulkar begin with choosing the combination. At his disposal are at least two players -- Anil Kumble and Vinod Kambli -- whose confidence have been dented by short-sighted national selectors who dropped the duo for the forthcoming Toronto tripeven as they had embarked for the present assignment. Besides encouraging the twosome, Tendulkar would also have to strike a right balance in the team.
Eight players -- Tendulkar, Sadagopan Ramesh, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Debasis Mohanty, Venkatesh Prasad --are automatic choices, leaving the other seven to battle for the remaining three spots. In all likelihood, the toss up would be between Amay Khurasiya and Kambli, Sunil Joshi -- who replaced Javagal Srinath -- and Kumble and Nikhil Chopra and Laxmi Ratan Shukla. With rookie wicket-keeper MSK Prasad yet to prove his worth, the Indian think-tank would be tempted to ask Dravid to don the gloves again.
Tendulkar's problems don't end with the team combination. He has to weather the climatic conditions too. Yesterday, it was hot and humid, but a sudden downpour this morning and an overcast condition has led to a rescheduling of the practice sessions of both teams.
Rain-affected games tend to be as deceitful as Indianpolitical alliances. In such an instance, the Indian skipper would have to bank upon his luck and ensure he gets up from the right side of the bed tomorrow. Last but not the least, is a problem that has afflicted Tendulkar for nearly six months -- back pain.
Though he is fit enough to play, this story would turn upside down if the ailment flares up again.
Similar is the dilemma of Tendulkar's opposite number, Alistair Campbell. Key strike bowlers Eddo Brandes and Heath Streak are nursing injuries which leaves Zimbabwe with an attack as weak as Pakistan's defence of the Kargil intrusion. The Zimbabwean captain, however, would be looking to put psychological pressure on the Indians by playing erratic medium-pacer Henry Olonga, who was carted all over the park by the West Indians yesterday. The bowler's claim to fame thus far had been claiming three Indian wickets in a last over burst which paved way for a three-run victory for his team in the World Cup preliminary phase.
The batting appears healthy asevident on Thursday with Campbell leading from the front. Then there are the Flower siblings -- Andy and Grant -- the World Cup wonder all-rounder Neil Johnson besides the big-built Craig Evans to activate the run machine. And Campbell would once again be looking to this department to take the bulk of the workload.
``It is a must-win game against India,'' Campbell had remarked after the loss to West Indies last evening. Whether Tendulkar's team lives upto the challenge would form the contents for tomorrow's story.
Teams (from)
India: S Tendulkar (captain), S Ramesh, R Dravid, S Ganguly, A Jadeja, A Khurasiya, R Singh, M S K Prasad, A Kumble, N Chopra, S Joshi, L R Shukla, V Prasad, D Mohanty, V Kambli.
Zimbabwe: A Campbell (captain), N Johnson, G Flower, M Goodwin, S Carlise, P Strang, A Flower, C Evans, C Wishart, A Whittall, D Viljoen, A Blignaut, M Mbangwa, H Olonga.
Umpires: Rudy Koertzen (SA) and Darrel Hair (Aus).
Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SriLanka).
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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