India aim clean sweep, Windies to play for pride

West Indies have oscillated between bad and worse against a young India side and now trailing 0-3, they've nothing to gain from the remaining matches except some pride. The fourth ODI between the two teams will be played at the Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday and the hosts will have to come up with something better than what they've dished out so far to stop the confident Indians.

Darren Sammy, it seems, has been lacking the vision of a leader and the authority that comes along with it. For someone who has to lead by way of example, Sammy's own performance in the field and his ordinary bowling has not helped the team's cause. Last week, the skipper spent most of his energies signing press releases that said how local media had been showing him in poor light for not attending a particular awards function recently.

Cricket, somehow, doesn't seem to be the primary focus and that's been showing in the team's performances.

There have been flashes of brilliance, like that of Andre Russell's 64-ball 92 in the last game, Devendra Bishoo's attacking leg-spin and Ramnaresh Sarwan's two timely half-centuries. However, the players have not been able to convert these good performances into match-winning ones.

India, on the other hand, have stuck to their gameplans well, and maybe the West Indies will have to take a leaf out of the India's book. While India intend to go into the game with wholesale changes in the squad, it is unlikely if the West Indies will try any such thing. Instead, they'll want the Pollards and Sarwans and Bishoos to come forward with something extraordinary.

Chris Gayle's participation in the ODI series now is completely ruled out, especially because he's yet to meet with the officials of the West Indies Cricket Board. The home team will have to make do with the resources they already have and come up with something special.

India's captain Suresh Raina, meanwhile, lauded India's bench strength and hinted that now that the series had been won, more youngsters would be given opportunities. The remaining two ODI might see players who've been warming the bench so far – R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, R Vinay Kumar and Wriddhiman Saha – getting into the action.
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Dhoni and Co ready for review system

Feb 3rd, (Mail Today) With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) refusing to use the Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) so far, one would have thought that the UDRS would catch India by surprise when it makes its World Cup debut this time around.

But India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni made it clear on Wednesday that the Indian team was prepared to handle the system. "We are ready for the UDRS. We have done background checks and won't be caught unawares. Some captains have supported the UDRS and like it, but it would be interesting to see their reactions when the decisions go against them," Dhoni said at a promotional event here.

Dhoni said his team wouldn't be bogged down by the expectations of the Indian fans and would like to give it their best shot. "We don't call it the pressure of expectation anymore. We call it added responsibility. Whenever we play a match, the expectation factor is there. We knew that this time the World Cup would be played in India, so we were mentally prepared. We have players who have played for eight to 12 years so I am sure that they will be able to handle the pressure," he said. "We believe in each other's abilities and have a great team spirit. We are intent on performing well and if we can play to our potential, we will do well. We want to win the World Cup although I am not keen on predicting if we will. As of now, we are looking to take the opening game against Bangladesh seriously."

Commenting on the cliche that every Indian player wants to win the Cup for master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, Dhoni said: "We all love Sachin and practically this will be his last World Cup - although we would love him to play one or two more - so we want to give him the biggest gift.

Even though England star Kevin Pietersen slammed the scheduling of the showpiece event, Dhoni feels it will help his players. "I like the format and I feel that the scheduling is perfect for us. I think the gap in between matches work in our favour as some of our players are carrying niggles. So the time in between matches will help them recover," he said.

While the form of Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and Dhoni has been a cause for concern, the skipper feels it is just a matter of time before the trio gets going. "Form is just a matter of time. One good innings can brings us back into form. So I am not overly worried," he said.

Although India have a problem of plenty in selecting the batting order, Dhoni feels it is a blessing in disguise rather than a headache. "Having more in-form players during a crucial tournament like the World Cup can never be a headache. On the contrary, I feel it will stand us in good stead. If we have more players in form, we can pick a suitable playing XI," he said.

Commenting on the lack of express fast bowlers in the team, Dhoni said: "We haven't got express bowlers in the team, but we have guys who can bowl at a decent pace and know the conditions really well. Our bowling also has a lot of variation."

With Eden Gardens missing out on the match between India and England, Dhoni is disappointed. "Eden is a special ground. It is a joy to play in front of so many people. But there is nothing we can do about the cancellation. Hopefully the remaining three matches will take place," he said.

Commenting on the camp that will take place in Bangalore, Dhoni said: "It will be a short camp and we will look to utilise it in the best possible manner. We will start either on February 8 or 9." ...more