Press Trust of India
NEW DELHI, 24 AUG: India will sorely miss Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan in next month's tri-series in Sri Lanka but the presence of match-winners and the balance of the team still make them the tournament favourites, said Harbhajan Singh. Meeting reporters after unveiling the Compaq Cup 2009, which will be given to the winner of the tri-series, also featuring New Zealand, Harbhajan conceded it would not be easy to replace Sehwag and Zaheer but said the team could still pull it off.
“Sehwag is a key player. Any team in the world would miss a player like him. But now that he would not be playing, we would have to do well without him,” Harbhajan said.
He said the return of veterans Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid would offset Sehwag's loss.
“We are a strong team and it's a balanced side. Besides, we have a number of match-winning players in our ranks. We have the youngsters and then you have experienced players like Dravid, Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh. If we play to our potential, we would return with this lovely trophy,” he said after unveiling world's first digital
sports trophy.
Like Sehwag, Zaheer too underwent shoulder surgery which ruled him out of the tri-series and the subsequent Champions Trophy but Harbhajan seemed to have faith also in the other Indian pace bowlers. Asked if he felt Australia had missed Andrew Symonds, he said: “See, Symonds, as long as he was part of the team, did well for Australia. He is a very, very good player. But I think more than Symonds or even (Adam) Gilchrist, Australia sorely missed Warne and McGrath,” he said.
Harbhajan said the Oval had offered enough turn and Australia made a mistake by leaving out off-spinner Nathan Hauritz. “There will be a lot of pressure on me as I am the most experienced bowler in the team. But I love responsibilities and there is nothing better than performing well when there is pressure on you. My job will be to motivate the other bowlers and get the best out of them,” Harbhajan told a sports website. Given that Ishant Sharma and RP Singh found the going tough in the West Indies on India’s previous tour of the islands, Harbhajan is aware it would help if the duo returned to form as early as possible.
"A good performance in the tri-series will help us a great deal in the Champions Trophy. Our bowlers have to put up their best in Sri Lanka and perform, keeping in mind the Champions Trophy,” Harbhajan said. His spinning partner will be Amit Mishra. Mishra, who has supplanted Pragyan Ojha in the squad, has not played one-day cricket since 2003. But Harbhajan was unfazed, saying: “Amit is an experienced bowler which will help us in the tri-series. His performances in Tests have been
impressive."
Players’ revolt may end
The players' revolt Sehwag has led against the Delhi and District Cricket Association may end soon as the DDCA president, Mr Arun Jaitely, has promised to redress their grievances. Mr Jaitely met Sehwag today to discuss the unrest which had rocked the DDCA. Sehwag, along with Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma, have not been attending Delhi's pre-season training camp for the Ranji Trophy tournament. Gambhir and Sharma rejoined the camp today after Mr Jaitely's assurances. Sources said Mr Jaitely had told Sehwag the players' complaints against the DDCA's sports committee would be considered. The Indian opener is likely to meet Mr Jaitely tomorrow again.
Sehwag has been leading the revolt alleging corruption and nepotism in Delhi's selection system. His charges were endorsed by the DDCA vice-president and selection committee chairman, Mr Chetan Chauhan.
Source
NEW DELHI, 24 AUG: India will sorely miss Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan in next month's tri-series in Sri Lanka but the presence of match-winners and the balance of the team still make them the tournament favourites, said Harbhajan Singh. Meeting reporters after unveiling the Compaq Cup 2009, which will be given to the winner of the tri-series, also featuring New Zealand, Harbhajan conceded it would not be easy to replace Sehwag and Zaheer but said the team could still pull it off.
“Sehwag is a key player. Any team in the world would miss a player like him. But now that he would not be playing, we would have to do well without him,” Harbhajan said.
He said the return of veterans Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid would offset Sehwag's loss.
“We are a strong team and it's a balanced side. Besides, we have a number of match-winning players in our ranks. We have the youngsters and then you have experienced players like Dravid, Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh. If we play to our potential, we would return with this lovely trophy,” he said after unveiling world's first digital
sports trophy.
Like Sehwag, Zaheer too underwent shoulder surgery which ruled him out of the tri-series and the subsequent Champions Trophy but Harbhajan seemed to have faith also in the other Indian pace bowlers. Asked if he felt Australia had missed Andrew Symonds, he said: “See, Symonds, as long as he was part of the team, did well for Australia. He is a very, very good player. But I think more than Symonds or even (Adam) Gilchrist, Australia sorely missed Warne and McGrath,” he said.
Harbhajan said the Oval had offered enough turn and Australia made a mistake by leaving out off-spinner Nathan Hauritz. “There will be a lot of pressure on me as I am the most experienced bowler in the team. But I love responsibilities and there is nothing better than performing well when there is pressure on you. My job will be to motivate the other bowlers and get the best out of them,” Harbhajan told a sports website. Given that Ishant Sharma and RP Singh found the going tough in the West Indies on India’s previous tour of the islands, Harbhajan is aware it would help if the duo returned to form as early as possible.
"A good performance in the tri-series will help us a great deal in the Champions Trophy. Our bowlers have to put up their best in Sri Lanka and perform, keeping in mind the Champions Trophy,” Harbhajan said. His spinning partner will be Amit Mishra. Mishra, who has supplanted Pragyan Ojha in the squad, has not played one-day cricket since 2003. But Harbhajan was unfazed, saying: “Amit is an experienced bowler which will help us in the tri-series. His performances in Tests have been
impressive."
Players’ revolt may end
The players' revolt Sehwag has led against the Delhi and District Cricket Association may end soon as the DDCA president, Mr Arun Jaitely, has promised to redress their grievances. Mr Jaitely met Sehwag today to discuss the unrest which had rocked the DDCA. Sehwag, along with Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma, have not been attending Delhi's pre-season training camp for the Ranji Trophy tournament. Gambhir and Sharma rejoined the camp today after Mr Jaitely's assurances. Sources said Mr Jaitely had told Sehwag the players' complaints against the DDCA's sports committee would be considered. The Indian opener is likely to meet Mr Jaitely tomorrow again.
Sehwag has been leading the revolt alleging corruption and nepotism in Delhi's selection system. His charges were endorsed by the DDCA vice-president and selection committee chairman, Mr Chetan Chauhan.
Source
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