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It's Ambrose versus Tendulkar

Nearly seven decades after the Commonwealth Games began, cricket makes its debut here tomorrow with a depleted Indian team squaring off against the Curtly Ambrose-led Antigua.

Despite all the Test playing countries being from the Commonwealth, it has taken all this while, and intense lobbying from India, Australia and South Africa, for the sport to be included as a medal event. Interestingly, England, the guiding spirit of the Commonwealth, is not fielding its cricket team.

Therefore, cricket will just not be cricket, with all the stars engaged elsewhere. In fact, the only Test playing countries which have come with their full-strength squads are Australia and New Sealand.

In the weeks building up to the Games, cricket occupied the centrestage in India, especially on the question of the participation and, more importantly, the composition of the team.

The 'money vs medal' controversy was however set at rest, and a new-look, albeit depleted, team led by Ajay Jadeja and including Sachin Tendulkar arrived here all geared up for the medal-hunt.

Tendulkar's taking the flight to Malaysia instead of Toronto (for the five-match Sahara Cup against arch rivals Pakistan) has bolstered India's hopes for a gold as they are placed in the toughest of the four groups, along with Australia, Antigua and Canada.

In another group 'B' match tomorrow, Australia will meet Canada. The other matches will be Jamaica vs Zimbabwe, Malaysia vs Sri Lanka and Pakistan vs Scotland.

Besides Sachin and Jadeja, the batting line-up includes openers Gagan Khoda and VVS Laxman and the left-handed Rohan Gavaskar, who had a brilliant run during the India 'A' team's recent tour to Holland.

The team has a heavy dose of spin with vice-capitain Anil Kumble leading the attack. The fact that the matches would be played on untried wickets perhaps prompted the selectors to give enough variety in this department. Apart from Kumble's leg spin, Jadeja can choose from off-spinners Nikhil Chopra and Harbhajan Singh and left arm spinner Rahul Sanghvi.

The seam attack will depend on Debashish Mohanty, Paras Mhambrey and the veteran, Robin Singh.

Coach Krishnamachari Srikkanth exudes confidence, saying he is sure to get the best out of the 'talented' bunch of youngsters with the seniors providing the base. ''We are looking for the gold,'' he said.

To compound the worries of Australian skipper Steve Waugh, he now has to lead his side against an India outfit including Tendulkar, the nemesis of the Australians during the early part of this year, without either star spinner Shane Warne or star quick Glenn McGrath in the attack.

Legendary West Indian batsman Viv Richards though is somewhat impatient with all this talk of India versus Australia, and warns that the Antigua side he is coaching should not be taken lightly. With Ambrose as frontline bowler, the side also has former skipper Richie Richardson, Ridley Jacobs, Eldine Baptiste and such in their array.

''We are not afraid of big names in the game,'' coach Richards said.

For India, the goal is obviously to keep its winning momentum going. Thus far this year, the side has won four of its last five tournaments, the only aberration being the defeat against Australia in the Pepsi Cup final at Delhi in April.

The fact that England would not be sending a team to the Games meanwhile prompted former Australian skipper Ian Chappel to say that it was an ''absolute disgrace''. England's players decided not to participate apparently because they would not be paid, and furthermore, with the county cricket season in full blossom, they thought it fit to remain home.

Sri Lanka also cannot be written off, with promising youngsters led by veteran batsman Hashan Tillekeratne forming part of the squad, though most of the main players will not be seen in action.