The Indian coach meets the press

CricInfo's roving reporter Anand Vasu reports from the Indian Team's camp at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

The Indian team will leave on the 20th of August to take on Sri Lanka and Australia for the AIWA Cup. A four-day preparatory camp got under way in Chennai today. At the end of a routine practice session the Indian Coach Anshuman Gaekwad spoke to the press in an informal setting. The atmosphere was relaxed as Gaekwad spoke about how ``the boys'' were enjoying a well deserved rest after a gruelling season of One-day cricket.

When asked about the purpose of the camp, the coach said that four days hardly constituted a camp. Gaekwad said that the camp was designed to get the team together and forge a winning combination. When asked about the team's morale after a somewhat disappointing World Cup showing, Gaekwad said that the World Cup was a thing of the past and that it was a forgotten matter. He added that the Indian team had not done all that badly in the World Cup. He felt that all they lacked was consistency.

Gaekwad said that he looked forward to the forthcoming tours of Sri Lanka and Singapore. ``The team's morale is high and the bowling is shaping up well,'' he said. Gaekwad added that the balance of the team was just right for a One-Day tournament. He suggested that it was unlikely that there would be any change in the batting order, as there was no need to change a settled combination.

When asked whether Vinod Kambli's return to the side was a sign that Tendulkar had a greater say in the team selection, Gaekwad was quick to respond with a resounding ``No.'' He added that such a line of thought was not right, as Kambli had been a part of the side even at Sharjah recently. Gaekwad said that it was only injury that kept Kambli out of the side.

All in all, the mood in the Indian camp is very upbeat. The coach exuded confidence, and the players all seemed very relaxed through their exercises.