da cassino online： A few hours before embarking on the trip, Dravid made it clear thatIndia were focussing on the current series in hand, with merely an eye onWorld Cup preparations
Siddhartha Vaidyanathan11-May-2006
Greg Chappell answers questions prior to the team’s departure © AFP
You’d trust Rahul Dravid to keep an eye on the future; yet you’d know theimportance he attaches to history. A full tour of the Caribbean, with theWorld Cup less than one year away, provided him a chance for areconnaissance mission; yet Dravid was dead keen on India ending 35 years ofhurt. A few hours before embarking on the trip, Dravid made it clear thatIndia were focussing on the current series in hand, with merely an eye onWorld Cup preparations.”We’re not thinking about the World Cup,” Dravid stated emphatically in thepre-series press conference at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai. “We are lookingto win this series and if we learn a few things along the way that can helpus in the World Cup, well and good. We are keen to improve both as a Testand one-day side and it’s important we keep our focus.”In Dravid’s previous two Test series there, in 1997 and 2002, India stumbledwith the finish line in sight. Seven years back, they were done in by onebad session – collapsing for 81 while chasing 120 at Barbados – while fouryears ago they surrendered the series after going one up. Dravid termedthose “great learning experiences” and wished the current side could makeamends. “I can’t single out one reason for not being able to win there but WestIndies are a very tough side to beat at home. The conditions are tricky andthey play well in front of their crowds. Only Australia have managed to beatthem consistently.”Planning is one thing Dravid is usually not short on and it was quite clearthat he had diligently completed his homework. “I was speaking to AndyAtkinson [the pitch expert] in Abu Dhabi and he spoke about West Indianpitches being recently re-laid.” Had he analysed the opposition? “Thecurrent West Indian fast bowlers might not have big reputations but thereare some talented boys there. They can be nippy and sharp; it’s a greatopportunity for them.”
Will it be third time lucky for Rahul Dravid in the West Indies? © AFP
Any apprehensions about the facilities in smaller grounds? “I spoke to a fewPakistan players at Abu Dhabi and they said the new centres had excellentfacilities.” And the player-fatigue factor? “We have a seven-day breakbetween the second and third Tests. We’d requested for it. Australia had asimilar break when they toured India recently and it worked for them. It’simportant we get breaks to stay consistent over a long tour.”Sitting next to Dravid was someone who had toured West Indies twice – oncefor a Test series, another time for a Packer series – and experienced someserious challenges. On May 20, when India play their second one-dayer atJamaica, Greg Chappell will complete exactly a year as India’s coach. Inthat period, he had heralded a one-day renaissance but did it bother himthat India were regularly stuttering as a Test side? “Test cricket is farmore difficult than one-day cricket,” he said. “One must remember that twoteams that have dominated cricket in the last 30 years – West Indies andAustralia – became good one-day sides before becoming good Test sides.One-day success will give us confidence and an understanding of how to win.The basics are the same. We hope to produce the results soon.”Comparing the current opposition to the ones Chappell faced when he touredthe Caribbean is probably like pitting a heavyweight boxer against a stickdoll. But Dravid will know the perils of underestimation, especially with acertain Brian Lara having a point or two to prove.