Indian teams started competing in Australia consistently since the 2003-04 series where Sourav Ganguly’s team came back with a 1-1 scoreline. As India get ready for another series Down Under following the debacle against New Zealand at home, Ganguly spoke to TOI about a host of topics. in India, setting the tone early in Australia and the next generation stepping up. Excerpts…
What do you make of the 0-3 drubbing at home against New Zealand?
It was surprising and unexpected. It’s a wake-up call for the team before going into such a big series in Australia. It must have given them a lot to think about and introspect what was lacking in the home series. But the team should always be looking to move forward and not carry the baggage of previous defeats.
How long does it take to adjust to Australian conditions, where there is pace and bounce, after playing on rank turners at home?
I don’t agree with the kind of pitches India played on in India. These square turning pitches serve no purpose at all. We have to believe that our spinners are good enough to take wickets on good pitches. Such pitches bring the opposition into the game. If batters get runs, it will eventually bring your quality spinners into the game at the backend of the match. Batters have not got runs and it’s tough to be in form on such pitches.
The Indian team seems to be slipping in the race for the WTC final…
You can’t go into a big series thinking so far ahead. Australia has always been a tough place to tour. It’s one of the hardest series to play. I suppose they have 10-12 days to train hard for the first Test. If the Indian team isn’t playing any practice matches, they must be focused on the areas they need to work on.
In a way, it’s a good thing that the first Test is in Perth. It is a new stadium but the nature of pitches in Perth are such that the match will be result oriented. India need to think that the result will go in their favour. There will be no half measures in Perth and a draw is very unlikely.
Compared to now, was it different touring Australia in, say, 2003-04?
We used to play a couple of tour games before a series and that gave us an idea of how matches progress in Australia. One must remember we were a team which was doing well consistently overseas for a couple of years, be it the tour of England or the 2003 World Cup. We were a very confident bunch of players and had belief in ourselves. But things have changed now.
These players travel to Australia more frequently. They always have a fresh idea about the conditions. And the majority of the players in this team have played quite a bit in Australia. That’s why even 10-12 days of hard practice along with a clear mind can be enough for these players. One must not forget this is almost the same set of players that won the previous two series in Australia.
How important is it to set the tone early? Will the uncertainty over captain Rohit Sharma’s presence hamper India in Perth?
It’s very important to get off to a good start. It puts you in a great position in the series. I’m not sure about how Rohit is placed with his personal life. But had I been in his place, I would be eager to reach Perth and be a part of the Test if things were under control at home.
Having said that, there are a plenty of senior batters like Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant who can take the responsibility and set the tone. Body language on the field has to be very positive but that shouldn’t be a distraction, especially in hostile conditions. Execution is the key.
This team seems to be in transition. Do you think the young generation is ready to step into a senior role?
I don’t want to get into the talks of transition since I am not privy to what is happening in the system. If you talk about the next generation, then there is already Rishabh Pant who is a proven performer in overseas conditions for some years now. I believe a lot will revolve around him. I have a feeling Shubman Gill and Pant can go to the next level as senior batters at the end of the series.
Talking about a settled batting lineup, I don’t see anything drastically unsettled. There’s Kohli, KL Rahul, Pant, Gill and Rohit who will hopefully join the team as soon as possible. They have toured and played a lot of cricket together. Yashashvi Jaiswal is a very good prospect too.
For this generation of batters who have grown up on IPL, attack is their best form of defence. Do you think true bouncy tracks in Australia will be good for them?
One must acknowledge the game has changed a lot now. These batters have a range of shots and like to play in a certain way. But good players are those who can buckle down and be determined when there is help for the bowlers. That’s why I wasn’t happy with the rank turners in India which gave batters very little breathing space.
There’s some uncertainty about who bats at No. 8 especially when you are not sure about playing two spinners…
There are enough good batters which can take the batting deep. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have shown their ability down the order. Then there’s Washinton Sundar as well. Whether you are willing to play two spinners, keeping the batting stability in mind is a call the team management has to take. Our bowling attack is good. And from what I gather, Mohammed Shami seems to be bowling well for Bengal. I won’t be surprised if we see him at some point of the five-Test series. That will boost the pace attack and then one can take that call regarding No. 8.
