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| April 3, 2006 | Monday | Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1427 |
Dravid seeks better
GOA (India), April 2: India captain Rahul Dravid is hoping his side can improve on their form to maintain a winning momentum in the third One-day International against England on Monday. The hosts hold a 2-0 lead in the seven-match series but the home captain believes better performances are required if India are to go on and clinch the series.
“We are very happy to have won the first two matches,” Dravid told a news conference on Sunday.
“But we are hoping that once a batsman gets set, he carries on to make a good score,” he added, referring to the top-order collapses.
India won the first one-dayer in Delhi by 39 runs and the second in Faridabad by four wickets, although both matches were close and the tourists held dominant positions each time.
India’s misfiring top-order has been a cause for concern.
In the second match, the hosts were struggling at 92-5, chasing 227 for victory, before young Suresh Raina (81 not out) bailed the team out with a 118-run sixth wicket stand with Mahendra Dhoni (38).
“We have the option of trying out different things,” said Dravid, hinting at a possible change in the batting order.
“But I thought the openers (Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir) gave us a good start in the last game (a partnership of 61), but we would have liked them to carry on like Raina did.”
Dravid, who has won 14 of the 18 one-dayers he has taken charge of since taking over as captain late last year, expects the Fatorda pitch to be conducive to run-making.
“It is a newly-laid wicket, looks a good one. I’d say a 250-sort of wicket,” Dravid said.
“The first two games have been low-scoring. They have been on tough wickets and both teams have struggled with their batting on them.
“These things happen, but the guys are working hard. It’s a seven-match series and we hope to get it right.”
Dravid feels the high humidity level in the coastal city will post a challenge.
“It will tough for both the teams, it will be an interesting day’s cricket,” Dravid said.
India have failed to win any of the three matches they have played at the venue, a statistic Dravid hopes to amend.
“Unfortunately we never won here. It feels great to come to a football-crazy city and play cricket. It will be nice to get a good result for the people who obviously love their game.”
Dravid said paceman Munaf Patel was now available for selection after the tall youngster, who made a positive impact in the Test series, had recovered from a virus.—Reuters
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