Cheteshwar Pujara, the captain of India 'A', says that individual
players concentrating on their personal goals will help the team
ultimately. Here are some excerpts from the pre-match press conference.
On Zaheer:
I think he played a game after a long time. I think he's getting his rhythm. He's worked hard on his fitness in the nets and he has a lot of experience. This wicket looks like it will have some help for fast bowlers. His experience and his guidance to the young bowlers will help.
To be honest, we played well in the last game. We gave a lead but it was not a huge lead. See, many players were playing a game after a long time. It was important for us to click. We still could have got around 450 runs. Anyway all the batsmen got some runs so that was a positive for us.
Any changes in the team?
Generally I don't prefer to reveal the team before the day of the play. So I don't want to comment on that.
On personal gains from these games:
Things didn't go according to my plans. I didn't perform the way I personally felt I should have in the first two games. You learn from your failures. It's good that I'm feeling this before the Test matches. There is one more game. I am working hard and I'm hoping to perform in the crucial game.
On the overseas tour in the year ahead:
All these matches will have different conditions. If the South African tour is there then I've played two Test matches there. I know how the conditions are and how to score runs. I know what kind of changes I have to make in my technique. I haven't been to New Zealand but I've heard there is a lot of wind there. Whatever matches we will be playing abroad, I'm very excited about it. Its always important for a good player to perform in overseas conditions. I'm very positive because I've been to Australia, UK and South Africa. I've done reasonably well in the domestic matches. So I'm hoping I'd do well for the Indian team as well.
I love playing in different conditions. Even in India, when you are playing in different wickets, you learn from it. In the first game here, the wicket was slow but you need to learn many things. You might even face such wickets in the international level also. Whenever you play on different wickets, you learn things. I've personally learned a lot of things from these two games.
On his recent failures:
Rather than affecting me, it motivates me. I'm a very positive person. As I said earlier, you have to learn from your mistakes. Cricket is such a game where you can't have success all the time but you at least learn something out of it (failures) to become a good cricketer.
On the challenges, as a captain, of balancing various requirements of players and trying to win games:
Ultimately whenever an individual wants to do well, it is going to help the team. For example if Viru bhai or Gauti bhai, if they score a hundred, it is ultimately beneficial for the team. We don't have to worry about what their individual goals are. They are experienced players. They've played for the country for so many years. They want to perform individually but ultimately their role is to help the team win the game. They are aware of it and they give a lot of inputs too. They have been talking to the youngsters on how to handle the pressure. A lot of these players have not played for India 'A' before and they want to play for the country also. So the kind of preparations needed and the challenges of playing in different conditions help us.
On the hypothetical situation of declaring when a set batsman is reaching a milestone:
I don't think such a situation will come in this game because all the batsmen bat at the top of the order. However, in case it comes up you will have to take call based on the team's benefit.
On Sehwag's batting position:
Lalchand Rajput:
He will be batting in the same position. That is what he has told the selectors. So he'll be batting at No. 4.
For the tourists, Kieran Powell said that the fact that West Indies 'A' will not lose the series is a huge positive. More excerpts below.
Kieran Powell:
On the recent team selection affecting the dressing-room:
Well that shouldn't affect the players. Some of the guys would have known before the tour started that they won't be on that tour. So it's a good practice for the guys. Getting used to the conditions in India.
Gains of the tour:
To win the first game and come up with a draw in the second game, it's been very good for us. Obviously, we won the one-day series and to be in a position like this in the four day series - the worst that could happen to us is that we draw the series. So it's looking good for us and is good for the team.
On wasting the starts he got:
I've wasted two starts so far. Obviously, runs have been very lean from me so far. I'm just looking to get in and carry on. I've not got many runs on this tour but having said that, I'm just coming back from a finger injury. So it's just a matter of time. If I stick to the basics, everything will fall into place.
On his strategy against spin:
I like to be positive against spinners. I like to impose myself on the spinners. Obviously, I tried to go over the top but didn't execute it well but if you look at the last game, a lot of the other guys came down the track to hit the spinners. It's just a matter of execution.
On Fidel Edwards:
Junior Bennett:
He sustained a back injury in the last game. He went for some scans but it's not looking too great.
On Zaheer:
I think he played a game after a long time. I think he's getting his rhythm. He's worked hard on his fitness in the nets and he has a lot of experience. This wicket looks like it will have some help for fast bowlers. His experience and his guidance to the young bowlers will help.
To be honest, we played well in the last game. We gave a lead but it was not a huge lead. See, many players were playing a game after a long time. It was important for us to click. We still could have got around 450 runs. Anyway all the batsmen got some runs so that was a positive for us.
Any changes in the team?
Generally I don't prefer to reveal the team before the day of the play. So I don't want to comment on that.
On personal gains from these games:
Things didn't go according to my plans. I didn't perform the way I personally felt I should have in the first two games. You learn from your failures. It's good that I'm feeling this before the Test matches. There is one more game. I am working hard and I'm hoping to perform in the crucial game.
On the overseas tour in the year ahead:
All these matches will have different conditions. If the South African tour is there then I've played two Test matches there. I know how the conditions are and how to score runs. I know what kind of changes I have to make in my technique. I haven't been to New Zealand but I've heard there is a lot of wind there. Whatever matches we will be playing abroad, I'm very excited about it. Its always important for a good player to perform in overseas conditions. I'm very positive because I've been to Australia, UK and South Africa. I've done reasonably well in the domestic matches. So I'm hoping I'd do well for the Indian team as well.
I love playing in different conditions. Even in India, when you are playing in different wickets, you learn from it. In the first game here, the wicket was slow but you need to learn many things. You might even face such wickets in the international level also. Whenever you play on different wickets, you learn things. I've personally learned a lot of things from these two games.
On his recent failures:
Rather than affecting me, it motivates me. I'm a very positive person. As I said earlier, you have to learn from your mistakes. Cricket is such a game where you can't have success all the time but you at least learn something out of it (failures) to become a good cricketer.
On the challenges, as a captain, of balancing various requirements of players and trying to win games:
Ultimately whenever an individual wants to do well, it is going to help the team. For example if Viru bhai or Gauti bhai, if they score a hundred, it is ultimately beneficial for the team. We don't have to worry about what their individual goals are. They are experienced players. They've played for the country for so many years. They want to perform individually but ultimately their role is to help the team win the game. They are aware of it and they give a lot of inputs too. They have been talking to the youngsters on how to handle the pressure. A lot of these players have not played for India 'A' before and they want to play for the country also. So the kind of preparations needed and the challenges of playing in different conditions help us.
On the hypothetical situation of declaring when a set batsman is reaching a milestone:
I don't think such a situation will come in this game because all the batsmen bat at the top of the order. However, in case it comes up you will have to take call based on the team's benefit.
On Sehwag's batting position:
Lalchand Rajput:
He will be batting in the same position. That is what he has told the selectors. So he'll be batting at No. 4.
For the tourists, Kieran Powell said that the fact that West Indies 'A' will not lose the series is a huge positive. More excerpts below.
Kieran Powell:
On the recent team selection affecting the dressing-room:
Well that shouldn't affect the players. Some of the guys would have known before the tour started that they won't be on that tour. So it's a good practice for the guys. Getting used to the conditions in India.
Gains of the tour:
To win the first game and come up with a draw in the second game, it's been very good for us. Obviously, we won the one-day series and to be in a position like this in the four day series - the worst that could happen to us is that we draw the series. So it's looking good for us and is good for the team.
On wasting the starts he got:
I've wasted two starts so far. Obviously, runs have been very lean from me so far. I'm just looking to get in and carry on. I've not got many runs on this tour but having said that, I'm just coming back from a finger injury. So it's just a matter of time. If I stick to the basics, everything will fall into place.
On his strategy against spin:
I like to be positive against spinners. I like to impose myself on the spinners. Obviously, I tried to go over the top but didn't execute it well but if you look at the last game, a lot of the other guys came down the track to hit the spinners. It's just a matter of execution.
On Fidel Edwards:
Junior Bennett:
He sustained a back injury in the last game. He went for some scans but it's not looking too great.
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