The game is still open, says Chauhan
Staff Reporter - 28 February 2001
The Indian team manager Chetan Chauhan said that the game was still
open and the Indian team would continue to be positive in their
approach after two days of the first Test at the Wankhede stadium. He
added that a lot depended on the three best batsmen of the team, two
of whom were at the crease and the third yet to come.
Speaking to the press at the post match conference, the former Indian
opening batsman added that the Australians batted well and they should
be given the credit of doing well on a turning wicket. "We had
Australia in a corner at 99 for five. They batted well and the two
batsmen who scored centuries attacked the bowling and were successful.
But he added, "We think they were also lucky. We dropped a few catches
and that is why they could get that score and take the lead."
The manager said he was highly impressed with Harbhajan Singh and he
thought that the offspinner could have got a few more wickets in the
innings. He was of the view that the Australians would find it very
difficult to score even 150 runs batting last on this wicket. At the
same time, he stated confidently that the Indians would score 300 runs
in the second innings.
The 53-year-old Chauhan said that Javagal Srinath had fractured his
right index finger while batting in the first innings. He added that
Srinath did bowl with a fractured finger at the Australians throughout
the day. However, he added that the Karnataka fast bowler would bat
and bowl in the second innings. On Srinath's inclusion in the second
Test, he added that it was too early to say if he would be fit for
that game. He said there was time before the Test and it was still to
be seen if the fracture healed before that.
The other worrying factor for the Indian camp was the injury to Nayan
Mongia. The wicket-keeper was sent in as a night watchman but failed
to counter a short ball from Jason Gillespie that lifted sharply and
struck him on his right thumb. Chauhan added that Mongia had gone for
an X-ray to the hospital and no clear status of the injury could be
ascertained as to the nature of his injury.
The manager mentioned that the team had chalked out plans to counter
the Australian bowling attack in the second innings.
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