da supremo： Sourav Ganguly and Dav Whatmore have completely different aims andobjectives for the forthcoming Test series
Anand Vasu in Dhaka09-Dec-2004
Virender Sehwag prepares to take on Bangladesh© AFP
Sourav Ganguly
On Bangladesh’s progress as a Test team
We have to give them time, just like [we would with] any side which has just startedplaying Test cricket. I think we will have to be patient, especially thepeople who are involved with cricket in Bangladesh. They have definitely gone forward as a team but we have to give them more time.On India’s only previous Test against Bangladesh
It was my first Test as a captain. To be honest we were in a spot ofbother after the first three days of the Test. They had scored 400 andwere about 200 odd for six. But we managed to get close to 400 and thenwin the Test. But I thought they did pretty well for their first Test.On the possibility of records tumbling considering the relatively weakopposition
You can’t go into a Test match like that. If things happen in the course of the game, then they do. But you can’t go into a Test thinking about records or about scoring this many runs or taking this many wickets. We have two guys in the team close to records – Anil [Kumble, currently India’s joint leading wicket-taker with Kapil Dev] and Sachin [Tendulkar, one short of Sunil Gavaskar’s 34 Test hundreds] – so if ithappens it will happen.Dav Whatmore
On what Bangladesh need to do
This is not a short-term fix. This is a slowly-get-the-right-combination type of thing. We have a good domestic competition right now that needs to be nurtured to get a good crop of youngsters coming through. All the ingredients for the cake are there – it will just take a little time to get the right mix and have it baked really nicely. But along the way weneed to stretch the opposition as well. You can’t forget about now.On the postives from Bangladesh’s recent series against New Zealand
It’s a positive note coming out of that [New Zealandseries], particularly the last few one-day internationals. There was a lotmore fight when we bowled and fielded. It’s encouraging and warming tofeel the crowd respond. And I think that is just a taste of what is tocome if the team starts to be more consistent.On whether the results are frustrating
It’s disappointing and from time to time it is frustrating. But you alwayshave to assess objectively. We have slightly different goals to most otherteams and if we achieve those goals we’re going to do better and better.On the team’s progress
We have moved in the right direction, although there have been a couple ofdips. But you’ll never get a progression that is completely in a straightline. So those dips are only to be expected. Overall we’re pointing ournose in the right direction. Good performances against teams like Indiawill go a long way in showing us that we are on the right track.On the opinion that some experts have voiced that Bangladesh’s Test statusshould be revoked
Everyone is entitled to his opinion. If you care to dig a little deeperthan the results you will find that Bangladesh has incredible advantagesfor world cricket. Nowhere else in the associate countries do you have theinterest, the population, and the potential big sponsor. We have goodgrounds, good pitch covers, scoreboards … it’s all there. What we needis assistance and positive thinking, not negativity. The future is rosy.On whether one win will turn the tide
One win will always help. But as I said this is a long-term fix. We wouldlike to eventually get to a situation where the team is competitiveagainst many countries over series. One win would be good but we’re moreinterested in a series of good performances.On expectations from this series
We are expecting ourselves to perform to our full potential. We respect theopposition, but at the same time we have our own little goals to achieve.