Indians looking for inspiration from venue

The Indian cricket team is hoping that the Queen's Park Oval, the venue of the second Test, where it has recorded both its victories in the West Indies, will inspire it to achieve greater heights.

"India has won twice here [Port of Spain] and we were very close to winning here on our last tour as well," skipper Sourav Ganguly said on Wednesday. "I hope the venue inspires us to produce something out of ordinary."

"The last time we played here, they [West Indies] needed to bat out one-and-half-days or almost five sessions to save the game. Clearly we seem to do well here," Ganguly added.

Of course, the fact that India have also lost three games at this venue, twice on the 1961-62 tour and then in 1988-89, when they suffered a 217-run defeat, has conveniently been forgotten.

Optimism obviously stems from a rather decent showing in the first Test in Georgetown, where despite conceding a huge total the Indians were able to fight their way back, and the likely return of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh who has been declared fit.

Harbhajan, who missed the first Test due to an injury to his bowling shoulder, would in, all probability, be included in the eleven for the match though the pitch has sent confusing signals.

"We had a look at the wicket. It is pretty dry but they might water it because of heat. If it is dampish, we might look to make our attack pace heavy and in that situation we need to choose only one spinner," Ganguly said.

There is, therefore, the possibility of left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra being included in the side at the cost of one of the spinners, most likely Anil Kumble, as Ganguly did not foresee a situation where India might go in with five specialist bowlers.

"I think [Sanjay] Bangar is doing a pretty good job [as the fifth bowler] and we can't change the balance of the side," Ganguly said.

The skipper was quite impressed with the 69-run knock of V V S Laxman in the first Test and felt criticism of the Hyderabad batsman was unfounded.

"Laxman looked in very good nick in Guyana. He averaged 45 last year and hence the criticism on his so-called indifferent form is unjustified."

Meanwhile, West Indian skipper Carl Hooper is hoping rains do not play spoilsport in this Test too.

"Provided the rains stay away, there should be a result here," Hooper said.

"In the last few years, we always had a result here. Last year against South Africa, we needed to make 200 but couldn't do it. There has always been a result here, as it is in Barbados, but more likely on this pitch.

"The wicket at Queen's Park Oval looks flat but has a reputation for inconsistent bounce which makes batting a difficult job," he said.

Hooper said his bowlers need to exercise much more discipline and desist from bowling on the pads.

"They [Indian batsmen] are very good with the drive and are strong off the pads. Our bowlers have to be consistent in whatever we are doing and make sure fewer 'four-balls' are bowled," he added.

Mail Cricket Editor