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 Youth gets a chance Weary Indians tackle another one-day tournament
Posted: Saturday September 11, 1999 12:15 PM
TORONTO (AP) -- A weary Indian cricket team limped into Toronto Friday facing their seventh one-day international tournament of 1999, the hastily-arranged three-match DMC Cup against the West Indies, beginning on Saturday. Coach Anshuman Gaekwad, the former Test batsman, sees the three-match series as a good opportunity for the younger players to make their mark. "There are six of the main players who are not here," said the 46-year-old Gaekwad. "But, the game goes on and we have some youngsters who will be making their debut. They will have a chance to perform and prove themselves." Captain and star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Javagal Srinath, Nayan Mongia and Anil Kumble are all absent for various reasons. Tendulkar is seeking medical treatment for a back that has bothered him for eight months, while batsmen and former captains Azharuddin and Jadeja are also rehabilitating. Fast bowler Srinath has been "rested" to recharge his batteries for the Test series against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa over the next six months, while number one wicketkeeper Mongia is also recovering from injury. But Saurav Ganguly, stand-in captain for Tendulkar, was positive that the newer players would respond to the challenge. "We have some youngsters who are hungry for success," said the 26-year-old from Calcutta. Batsman Jacob Martin of Baroda and fast bowler Amit Bhandari of Delhi are the newcomers in the 15-man squad. Ganguly got his first experience as captain against the West Indies in last week's Singapore Challenge where India lost in the final to the Caribbean team. It was yet another disappointing result in a troubled year of one-day cricket for India. The Indians drew 2-2 with New Zealand in January, followed by heavy losses in finals to arch-rivals Pakistan in separate three-nation tournaments in Sharjah and India. The Indians scraped into the Super Sixes in the World Cup but advanced no further, and their woes continued in Sri Lanka in August, where they failed to reach the three-nation final, and recently in Singapore where their only win was against Zimbabwe. The West Indies rebounded from their first round exit in the World Cup to motor through the Singapore Challenge with a perfect record. In the process, they unearthed an exciting new talent in 20-year-old batsman Ricardo Powell. Powell, who only made his first-class debut earlier this year, stamped his mark on the tournament with his explosive hitting. His dazzling 124 with nine fours and eight sixes in the replayed final outshone even his skipper Brian Lara and undoubtedly earmarked him for future stardom. The smallish ground at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club should be to his liking, though the grassy pitch is again likely to bring smiles to bowlers' faces. The three matches here, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday, were arranged to replace the Sahara Cup series, which had been contested between India and Pakistan annually since 1996. Tension between the neighboring nations over the disputed territory of Kashmir caused the cancellation of this year's competition. The West Indies stepped in to fill the void, with the three matches against India followed by three against the Pakistanis next Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
IndiaSaurav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Sadagoppan Ramesh, Amay Khurasia, Robin Singh, Nikhil Chopra, Venkatesh Prasad, M.S.K. Prasad, Debashish Mohanty, Laxmi Shukla, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Sunil Joshi, Vinod Kambli, Jacob Martin, Amit Bhandari.West IndiesBrian Lara (captain), Jimmy Adams, Sherwin Campbell, Ridley Jacobs, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ricardo Powell, Nehemiah Perry, Mervyn Dillon, Courtney Walsh, Hendy Bryan, Reon King, Corey Collymore, Adrian Griffith, Wavell Hinds, Chris Gayle.
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