Cricket

The Vital Difference - Sri Lanka with the Independance Cup

I could not sleep for two days - Sayeed Anwar

Santh Jayasuriya
The Master Blaster

Indian cricket witnesses signs of resurgence as utility cricketers come into their own

Two runs off 11 balls. That was Sachin Tendulkar's batting figures in the first match of the Golden Jubilee one-day series in Pakistan. The second essay was slightly better: 21 off 18 balls. The decisive third match confirmed the batting wizard's poor form: 7 off 11 balls. But then, it is no longer Tendulkar versus the opposition. There's Robin Singh, there's Ajay Jadeja, why there's even Rajesh Chauhan. It is the era of the underdog for Indian cricket. Pakistan may have won the grudge series but the members of Indian team return with their heads held high.

After the series was tied 1-1, it was a question of who was hungrier to win. Though Captain Saeed Anwar remarked soon after taking over as captain that people should realise it was only sport not war, nobody was ready to buy that in Karachi or Lahore. Why else would they throw stones when their team was performing creditably? Now that they have avenged the Toronto humiliation, Anwar and Co can walk in the streets without donning helmets.

From the Indian point of view, however, the lasting images of the tournament were those of a proud and smiling Robin Singh returning to the pavilion after hitting the winning stroke and a determined Rajesh Chauhan swinging the first ball of the 47th over beyond the ropes when eight runs off six deliveries were needed for a win.

Without doubt, Shahid Afridi's and Ijaz Ahmed's were class acts in the decider, comparable in quality and abandon to the feats of a Sanath Jayasuriya or an Aravinda De Silva. But what was refreshing about the performance of the Indian players was that they never gave up hope or threw in the towel. Even when Afridi was going hammer and tongs in match after match, they hung on, waiting for the break that would bring them back into contention.

It was this attitude which made them kiss the Sahara trophy besides of course the scintillating form of Saurav Ganguly. In the third match in Canada, Afridi and Anwar made mincemeat of Mohanty and Harvinder when they scored 52 off the first 11 overs faced with a slender target of 182. But India persisted and the rest of the Pakistani batsmen capitulated under pressure. What Madan Lal and Sachin had been stressing so far about the 'winning habit' was not mere lip-service after all.

But only once in a while can a team successfully defend a small total. And, such miracles happen less often in the flat batting tracks of the sub-continent. In the first match as well as the decider, the Indians were about 75 to 100 runs short of a fighting total. If Pakistan stumbled en route to achieving 170 in the opening game, there were no hiccups in the last but only towering sixers. The average Lahorewallah could not have asked for more from Ijaz Ahmed who played the innings of his life by cracking 139 off 84 deliveries.

The sweet victory which the Indians tasted in Toronto has at least removed one of the drawbacks, the over dependence on Sachin the batsman. Ganguly, who discovered his aggressive self in an Asia Cup match against lowly Bangladesh after Sachin went cheaply, has been successfully clearing the in-field in the first 15 overs ever since. Saurav the bowler also became his captain's 'secret weapon' in the North American city.

And in Robin Singh, we have finally found someone capable of playing the role of a pinch-hitter. He has proved Madan Lal's other favourite point, that players should have more faith in their ability. It has taken a while for this 'Trinidad & Tamil Nadu' allrounder to come good but he seems to be improving with age.

India can also take heart from the fact that it is playing without three of its best bowlers: Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble. These chaps are not twiddling their thumbs but training hard to make a comeback. With Debashish Mohanty and Harvinder Singh making an impression in Toronto, finally, we have some keen competition going on for the bowling spots.

Sachin Tendulkar handing over a stone thrown by spectators to match refree Ranjan Madugalle in the Karachi match

We may have lost 2-1 in Pakistan but this is a team with fighting spirit. Sachin may be going through a lean patch as an opening batsman but he is growing in shrewdness as a captain. He is a great motivator. The attitude and approach of the team have undergone a sea-change under him and everyone in the team now wants to be seen as a 'trier'. "Nothing can be changed overnight," he said about the fortunes of the evolving team under his wings. But the first signs of a change were visible when the Indians threw themselves like lions in the field in the Hyderabad match which they lost. "Yes, it was that kind of a situation. We had to get them out somehow," said Sachin.

But this was no ordinary, run-of-the-mill series but one that is expected to revive the cricketing relations between two not-so-chummy neighbours. The last series was eight years ago and that was marred by an ugly incident. So much was expected from Sachin during this series not only on the ground but outside it, too. Did he live up to the expectations? Not always.

It is but natural that people watch every movement, every reaction of the touring team's captain. Based on the person's body language, they form opinions about the team and about the country he represents. That is why a captain's job is so hard. He has to lead by example on and off the field in totally different ways. On the field, he has to fight for the last run and the last wicket but once he leaves the ground, he has to perform the role of a diplomat. No one excelled in this aspect more than Ramiz Raja who led the team which took part in India's Independence Cup.

Central to the role of an ambassador is the ability to remain graceful in defeat. That is precisely why the heartbeat of India's cricket correspondents reached a higher pitch than normal when the Indian captain was hesitant to come out of the dressing room and face pressmen after the defeat at Hyderabad.

But the Pakistani journalists insisted on their customary right to talk to the Indian captain. Someone was heard commenting that perhaps the captain was crying! Finally, when he did come down to the press enclosure, he looked tense and terribly upset. His answers were almost inaudible and journos were asking each other if anybody could hear anything. Someone offered him a microphone but Sachin would have none of that. The less polished among local reporters were laughing derisively.

Not surprisingly, Sachin came in for some fierce criticism in the Pakistani media for leading his team out of the field after the stone-throwing incidents. Pakistan's coach Haroon Rasheed too was highly critical of Sachin's decision to walk out. "Sachin should have shown more maturity in handling such a situation," he said. He questioned the Indian captain's motive and wondered if he had staged the walkout to prevent the Pakistanis from scoring some more runs in the final overs.

Of course, his was a biased view. But Sachin perhaps erred in admitting at the post-match press conference that it was a minor incident and that he did not attach too much importance to it. "I don't have any hard feelings. People do get excited when their team is playing," he said.

That was the stick Pakistani reporters were searching for to beat the Indian captain with. They quoted the crowd trouble in the Indo-Pak quarter-final match of the Wills World Cup held in Bangalore and the bottle-throwing incident in Calcutta during the India-Sri Lanka tie in the semi-final.

In less than a year, he has scored more than 1100 runs, and yet critics demand more from Sachin Tendulkar. He is under scrutiny more now after having taken over the captaincy from Mohammed Azharuddin. He is more intense, more focussed at his job than one would have expected him to in such a short span. but that is how he likes to be, always involved with the game, even when he is not playing. Tendulkar may not have met with the success he was expected to but he makes a valid point that the team has shown improvement over the last one year. "Be patient and you will see good results," he says.

During the course of this interview, Tendulkar expressed his view that he would like to have a vote in the selection maters, a point which he argues well. He also discusses the series, the strengths and the weaknesses of the team, and the steps he would like to improve the standard of Indian cricket.

Question: How would you assess the team's performance in the series against the West Indies?
Answer: I think the series, to may judgement, was nice. We really played well barring those three hours at Barbados which ruined the whole Test match as the result went the other way. We definitely expected a positive result but those three hours messed it up. Otherwise, looking back at the series, we were on top most of the days, more than the West Indies. In my opinion, it was a good performance when playing abroad and being on the top consistently. I think it has been a fairy good performance.

Q: What have been the gains from the tours to South Africa and the West Indies?
A: In South Africa, we came very close to winning the third Test and here too we were close to winning two of the Tests. Those were the games which reaffirmed out faith in ourselves. We had the ability to win. It is just the matter of taking the vital and the last step towards winning which according to me is aggression. It is the most important aspect of cricket. Once we smell victory we have to go for the kill which is very much needed. That is the only thing.

Q: Can you describe this aggression you are talking about?
A: It is like we smell victory, the bowlers should be able to run through the side. The last three or four batsmen should not be allowed to hang on long. At times, this aggression helps when things are not going our way. We have to try a few things in an aggressive manner.

Q: What really went wrong at Barbados?
A: I think it was a combination of good bowling by the West Indies bad batting by us and a terrible track. It was very tough batting in the fourth innings. It was mainly the batting which let us down. I can only hope that such mistakes are not repeated.

Q: Maybe the batsmen were not prepared mentally to take on such a challenge....
A: It was a combination of various factors. We lost all the good work in a mere three hours. It was difficult to overcome the shortcoming towards the last stages of the match because we had lost too many wickets by then.

Q: What about Port of Spain where it seemed the team did not push for a win?
A: We should have got those wickets on the fourth day and not the fifth. That would have put them under pressure. But remember how well Williams and Chanderpaul batted. Had we taken those wickets on the fourth day it would have helped us.

Q: Does India have the attack to win a Test match?
A: Most definitely. Our bowlers have done very well. Abey Kuruvilla has looked very good. Prasad has been consistent. Kumble bowled well and Joshi has provided good support. Ganesh bowled very well at Barbados. We definitely have the ability to win abroad.

Q: Are we still not relying on a few batsmen and a few bowlers?
A: I know. It is very important that all the eleven of us accept the responsibility and perform to the best of our ability. I know it is very hard to be consistent all the time but we have to try our best. We have to have the will to perform. bowlers like Kuruvilla and Joshi have shown a lot of promise and I expect better performances from them. The wickets, barring Barbados, were not helpful to the fast bowlers but I expect better show from Joshi because he has the ability.

Q: Why does not India win abroad?
A: I would have the same answer. It is a matter of patience really. In the last six Test matches in South Africa and the West Indies, we came close go winning on three occasions. When we get the opportunity, we have to grab it. Have faith in our abilities and I am sure it will come with some aggression. We must learn to respect ourselves rather than the opposition which is what we have been doing. I know we must respect the opposition but to a certain extent. We must learn to dominate because the moment you begin to respect the opposition you tend to go into a shell.

Q: Are you rigid in you approach or can you be flexible?
A: I am quite flexible. I decide things according to the situation. There are times when I think twice but ultimately I take my own decision.

Q: The change in captaincy has not made much difference. The team still is not winning abroad. What is your opinion?
A: The main problem at times is we have lot of big dreams. They can't happen overnight. You have to work very hard. One only plays for his country after working hard for years and not days. people should be patient. We have been coming close to winning. That final step is not coming through. I am hoping that things would improve.

Q: How much do you rely on your mates and your deputy?
A: I rely a lot on my teammates. One thing for sure that I think twice before taking any decision and I take my decisions.I am always willing to hear what the mates have to say but the final decision lies with me. I try and do what is right for the team.

Q: How can the Indian team improve its attitude and approach?
A: It has to come from within. I can only suggest but I can't make a player do that. I try and tell him which area needs improvement and it is up to the individual to work hard and improve on that particular aspect. I can't go and play for him.

Q: How much advice do you take from senior players?
A: Everytime I see myself having problems I don't hesitate to go to Mr. Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shashtri. They are always there to help me.

Q: What does captaincy mean to you?
A: A lot. I would say more when I am fielding. I have to take ten wickets with the help of my bowlers and its is important that I keep the side pepped up. I have to ensure healthy atmosphere all the time. When I am batting, captaincy doesn't bother me really.

Q: Would you like to tell us about Madan Lal's role?
A: He is very, very honest. He has been working very hard. he genuinely feels that players should do well all the time. There are few men like him and the best part of him is he is very, very honest.. He is willing to accept his faults if any. It is nice to have him around.

The Indian sat back and watched as the two neighbours slugged it out for the Independence Cup. But audiences in Mohali and Calcutta and those who were glued to their TV sets all over the country were far from relaxed. Most of them did not want Pakistan to walk away with the cup even though it was that country's Independence, too.

At the same Eden Gardens where they threw water bottles to prevent the Sri Lankans from completing the formality of a victory over India in the World Cup semi finals, people egged on the champions from the tear drop island during yet another high-powered batting performance. But is hardly mattered for the one-day master blasters whether the crowd backed them or not. The second successive 300-plus score showed that they had peaked nicely during the finals and it was too daunting a task for Pakistan to chase more than 600 runs in 100 overs in two successive matches. They fell behind by exactly 200 runs showing the nature of the difference between the finalists.

The professionalism of the Lankans ensured that there were no surprises in the finals. In the league stage, however, they had to obey the law of averages when they could not chase the formidable target of 289 posted by Pakistan. Aaqib Javed's superb spell had them tottering at 59 for four after 10.1 overs. Despite half centuries by Ranatunga and Mahanama, the chase was never on. In their next match, they were almost knocked out by New Zealand when a spirited performance on the field saved the day for Ranatunga's men. In hindsight, people would never have got to see such high quality cricket had the Sri Lankans not made it to the finals.

There may be people, especially the cricket administrators, who believe that the pride lies in hosting the cup and that participation is the name of the game. But the cricket-crazy nation craved to see Sachin Tendulkar lift this one during India's 50th year of Independence. Sachin had remarked after the West Indies tour that it was matter of pride that India won this cup. But for the expectant fans, it turned out to be another lesson in tolerance. If in Gwalior, there were slogans of 'Pakistan hai hai', the Chennai crowd displayed admirable patience as the Indian bowlers were cut to ribbons and even gave a standing ovation to Saeed Anwar as he set the world record.

But if people took it in their stride, that doesn't mean that their disappointment was any less this time. They had hoped that the lambs would grow claws and turn into lions when playing on home turf. That did happen in the first match when they defeated New Zealand, helped by a typical Sachin century. But the hopes of a resurgence lasted only till the next match when they could make only 225 after losing the openers cheaply. In the match against Pakistan, they were up against a wall called Saeed Anwar.

Looking back, India's performance was not poor but average. India was the only team to get more than 290 while chasing and this was despite Sachin Tendulkar's early dismissal. But in modern day cricket, average performances are not the stuff of champions.

The absence of a pinch-hitter was felt in the match against Pakistan. Though the target was imposing, India was ahead of Pakistan till about 35 overs. There was nobody capable of going after the bowling. Kambli may have chipped in with a useful innings but trying as he was to get back his place in the side, he was never going to take the kind of risks taken by Kaluwitharana or Afridi. India relies on Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh to push the scoring rate later in the innings but they often looked helpless when even a run a ball was not enough.

The bowlers, as pointed out by Sachin, let the team down. The fast bowlers, especially Venkatesh Prasad, had nothing going for them and the spinners looked out of their depths. Clearly, India has one of the weakest bowling line-ups among all the Test playing nations and the players waiting in the wings--Ganesh and David--do not promise much either. The only ray of hope lies in the return of Javagal Srinath who was genuinely quick in South Africa.

Sri Lanka's biggest asset is that their frontline players not only bat like a dream but can bowl restrictive spells and regularly take wickets. After Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar, we are yet to find a genuine allrounder.

It has been stressed that Indian players were victims of a crazy schedule which allowed them just a day of rest after they landed from Bermuda. They have been playing continuously since last August and it was a common sight to see Indian batsmen tiring faster than their counterparts and developing cramps and pulls.

But one batsman who did not need such excuses was Rahul Dravid. "He is the only one who could tell his captain, 'you go shopping I'll do the batting," said former Indian side. According to Lala, Dravid is ideally suited for the opening slot.

Once again, there is the usual clamour for change of captaincy which follows every bad season. While some want a change because of Sachin's supposedly wrong strategies, others want it so that the premier batsman can play more freely. Both the arguments are flawed.

A captain is only as good as his team. The point is, we have been losing whenever Sachin goes cheaply. He had a good score only once in this tournament and we won that time. Sachin's field placements came in for criticism by experts. But then, how can you set a field to bowlers who stray and spray? As for the second argument, the pressure of being captain is more when he is fielding than when he is batting. "When I go out to bat, I am like the other ten batsmen," Sachin has often said.

Nothing can be more disastrous than a change of leadership at this stage. There just isn't anybody else who is either more experienced or more equipped to lead the side. All that such a step will achieve is to create one more hurdle for the still-evolving team.

Sachin Tendulkar's captaincy was the leitmotif when Lala dropped in at the press box in Mohali just before the Independence Cup first final. After Sachin who, was the recurring question. "When I came back from Pakistan after winning the rubber they dropped me, so what more could be said about the selectors?" was Lala's quip when asked about the wisdom of dropping a captain or a player after a bad series.

That is the difference between the Indian side and the Lankans who ultimately kissed the Independence Cup in Eden Gardens on May 27. The Lankans are a relaxed side whose members do not fear exclusion if they go through a bad patch. Whereas the Indian selectors were planning to meet after the Chennai India-Pak tie to pick the side to play the final, In other words, to review the performance of a team after it defeats Pakistan! Of course, the selectors never had to take the trouble.

It did not affect the morale of the Sri Lankans that the Pakistanis defeated them in the league stage. In fact, it only made them look upon the finals as an opportunity to avenge their defeat and prove who was superier. It was such confidence that enabled them to dismiss Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi cheaply even when their strike bowler Chaminda Vaas was out of action.

Even the lack of form of Kaluwitharana did not bother them much. Attapattu adjusted quickly to the needs of the opening slot and came up with good performances while Kalu contributed a valuable 40-plus in the late order in Gwalior. The strategy of the Lankans was clear: any player should be able to play in any position. Perhaps, 'total cricket' is here to stay.

When told that the Pakistanis have a better pinch-hitter in Afridi and that the Lankans have been beaten at their own game in Gwalior, Ranatunga replied that their blitzkrieg in the opening overs was just one tactic. "If it doesn't work anymore we may come up with another starategy for the next World Cup," said the Lankan captain.

India, on the other hand, is yet to evolve a strategy. For every other game the team has a new opener. Srinath's injury has exposed the vital chink in its armour. There is hardly anyone who can send the ball down without being badly mauled by the new generation batsmen who do not even need time to settle down.

The defeat in Chennai was followed by the usual match fixing allegations against Sachin in a section of the Hindi press. "I don't believe in it because the charges are made only when the team loses and that too after the results come. Why doesn't it come out earlier that such and such a plot is being hatched?" asked former Pakistan captain Asif Iqbal.

"The boards should appoint a commission to take serious note of such charges and action should be taken against either the person who does it or if he is innocent against the person who does it or if he is innocent against the accusers," he added. Another pleasant way to avoid such allegations is to win matches.

As If not satiated by the incredible record breaking 194 at Chennai the flamboyant bat executed his cover drives and pulls at the Mohali nets on the eve of the Independence Cup first final. Even the great master Grafield Sobers was impressed. "That is a beautiful shot," said Sobers to the former Pakistan skipper Asif Iqbal.

But Asif Iqbal goes beyond the beauty of that single shot. He rates Anwar only second to Arvinda De Silva among the top batsmen in the world. "Arvinda de Silva, Saeed Anwar and the other three in which ever order," Asif told . The man who almost made 200 runs in the 50 overs version broke away from his practice to talk about his stupendous innings at Chennai and his future.

Did you ever have a target?
Not really. Whenever I was on 120s and 130s I felt I could make it. But my aim at Chennai was to stay for at least 40 overs. I always regretted getting out at 49 after playing ten overs in the World Cup, in Bangalore, against India. I always felt that our team would have won had I stayed for 20 overs more.

How do you feel to be in an exclusive club that includes Sobers, Gavaskar and Richards?
I couldn't sleep for two days. Whenever I close my eyes the moments at Chennai would recur as if in a dream. I can't even express my happiness. But at times after the match, I feel, if only I had batted for few more overs I would even have crossed the 200 mark. I am grateful to the almighty, my parents, my countrymen and all my well-wishers. The Chennai crowd was superb. It was one of the best crowds I have ever seen.

What is your next goal?
To be the best batsman in the world. To score a triple century in test cricket. I might get that one day.

Do you sympathize with Kumble?
He is a good bowler. He ad a bad day and I had a good day that is all.

You will be expected to perform in a similar manner whenever you take the crease. Are you under pressure?
No. I am a normal players. I enjoy this pressure. But if I become the captain (which I don't want) it would certainly be different. See Sachin's predicament. He is his side's main batsman and the captain as well. The pressure would be tremendous.

Asif Iqbal has termed you as one of the best batsmen in the world, second only to Aravinda de Silva. How do you react?
It is a great honour for me, particularly when a person like Asif pays such glowing tributes.

What gave you confidence that day? What was behind the Chennai magic?
Just before the match began I got 25 phone calls from all over the world. People whom I don't know told me that they are placing their hopes on me. They wanted me to do well. That is the kind of inspiration one needs. Wen so many people egg you on to do well won't you oblige?

The bespectacled Indian coach, Anshuman Dattajirao Gaekwad, is the newest person to sit on the hot seat of Indian cricket. The former India opener and Baroda captain is the third coach to take up the job in two years. Fans remember Gaekwad, 47, for his courageous innings on a dangerous Sabina Park pitch (Jamaica) when he scored 81 before being hit on the head by a Michael Holding bouncer in the 1975-76 series. Anshu, as he is known in cricketing circles, was also the first Indian to score a double century against Pakistan. He has also been a west zone selector for four years.

You are called a thinking coach. Why?
People are saying that, I don't know. It could be based on the way I have been dealing with players. I was a captain for a long time and a selector for four years. So people must have got the impression that I can think. I cannot vouch for myself that I am a good thinker.

How is it being the Indian team's coach?
It is a better challenge than being a selector. But being a selector was a big advantage for me because I know what the selectors have in their mind, how they go about selecting a player and also the players' reaction to the selectors. Now I am a mediator between the players and selectors.

Are you a task master?
No. I am neither soft-hearted nor a task master. I am in between the two. I can be tough when it is required. Otherwise, I am very friendly. With me around I want the boys to enjoy cricket. In this series the Indians, too, were criticised for playing negatively? I don't think we ever played negative. In Mohali everyone kept saying that we played slow. If I am playing with five batsmen and with Nayan Mongia as the sixth, I don't have much choice. Here, I have to get over my deficit first and then (go for) the opposite team's target. I was 160 runs behind and you expect me go and play shots. And if I lose three wickets, it means that I bat on the last day and get pressure on myself? No, that is not cricket. When the time comes we play positive cricket. That is what we have shown at Wankhede.

You are known as a courageous player. How do you motivate the players?
I don't talk about my days. But I want them to be tough. Even if they have small injuries they have to get on with it. They should not sulk and sit back and crib that we cannot bat or bowl or field.

Shouldn't the Indian team have a psychologist?
It is not my cup of tea. It is for the BCCI to decide and think about it.

What changes have taken place after you took over?
I am sure you have found some change in the Indian team ever since I took over. Don't you feel that we have learnt to take the initiative? In this series we have always been in the driver's seat. Moreover, the boys are performing, too.

Do you feel that with the Chandrachud commission report out, the players are a relieved lot?
A lot of things have been said and done. Who has proved these allegations? Lot of stories are floating around. No one will believe in these stories unless they are proved. In the first place the players were under no pressure at all.

What will be your strategy for the Sharjah quadrangular series?
We will play very positively. In one-dayers you can't play negative cricket. We will play to win at all cost.

Will India have an easy time with West Indies in bad form and England sending a second string team?
You will never have an easy time whatever be a team's reputation. It doesn't
matter since it is a one-day game. Limited overs matches are entirely a different ball game.

Shouldn't the coach and the captain have a greater say in selecting the team?
No. Basically what you require is good understanding between the selectors and the players, and the team management. Ultimately all you have to do is to sit down, discuss and make the best team. So where is the question of me having a say or the selectors having a say?

But if you want a particular player in the team and the selectors oppose it?
To be very frank the eleven or the twelve in the team select themselves with their performance. The selectors don't have to select, neither do I have to select or say anything.

Of late, India's one-day record is not good. Why?
It is a just a passing phase. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But we don't have to panic. We have to just keep trying.

Shouldn't the coach be given a longer tenure?
I would say so. I have been saying this ever since Sandeep Patil was the coach and also when Madan was there. I have been saying this for the last two years. Whoever it is they should be given a longer tenure. Both Madan and Sandeep should have been given enough time. If players know that a coach is going to be there for two or three years, they will be more receptive to you. The moment they know that he is going to be there for only six months, their response to you can be different.

Is it correct to announce a new team in the midst of a crucial match as was
done during the Mumbai Test?
It is not right to announce a team when an important match is in progress. But it is strictly a BCCI decision. We don't have a say in this.

But can't you express this to the BCCI?
No, that would mean interfering with their functioning.

Even if it is in the interest of the team?
No, we can't. I don't want to comment on that.

What do you have to say about Sidhu's sudden transformation into a good fielder?
Well, 'Jonty' Singh is fielding magnificently. I used to ask when we were playing together why things were going wrong. But now I ask him how things are going right for you!

Your advice to Anil Kumble after seeing the video tapes of his bowling at the TWI vision room seemed to be working....It is not that I advised Anil to do this or that. He is a senior player. It was just that he was bowling without luck. Anil bowled beautifully on this wicket. I must say that he is back to his old self.

Is Srinath bowling at the same pace as earlier?
Didn't you see that ball which gate-crashed through Lanka de Silva's helmet. That delivery is enough for one to judge that he is the same Srinath one saw before the West Indies tour.

Did Sachin get his calculations right in this series?
Absolutely. Do you have any doubt? He adopted an attacking approach throughout this series. At Wankhede he along with Ganguly took the fight right into the Sri Lankan camp.

How do you unwind?
I just go relax and watch television and write my notes for the day.