×

Indian batsmen will do well in Australia: Dilip Vengsarkar

Vengsarkar believes Australia pitches are more suited to Indian batsman than English pitches.

Related articles

Dilip Vengsarkar recently won the © IANS
Dilip Vengsarkar recently won the © IANS

Dilip Vengsarkar was, on Tuesday, named the 22nd recipient of the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award for his “unparalleled contribution to Indian cricket on and off the field”. The former India skipper tells G Krishnan that MS Dhoni & Co. have it in them to successfully defend the World Cup. Excerpts from an interview…

G Krishnan (GK): What does this award mean to you?

Dilip Vengsarkar (DV)This is the best cricketing award in India and I am very proud. I am also very thankful to the BCCI for choosing me. It’s a big honour and I feel privileged.

GK: How do you look back at your career?

DV: To be honest with you, I don’t look back at my career. I always look ahead.

GK: You are one of the best batsmen produced by India; you captained the country and also served as chairman of selectors. Which role did you enjoy the most?

DV: I enjoyed every moment in cricket. Right from Bombay schools to Bombay University to Indian varsity, playing for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy, West Zone, India and World XI — I enjoyed every moment in cricket. There is nothing that I did not enjoy in cricket. Cricket has been my life all along. That has been my passion and oxygen.

GK: You will always be remembered for the three consecutive Test centuries at Lord’s…

DV: As I said before, I don’t look back at my career. That is all in the past. I don’t talk about my achievements in cricket. Every moment has been special. I am just living the moment and enjoying myself.

GK: Let’s talk about the present. What’s your take on Indian cricket?

DV: We did extremely well against Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka are a very good side. Indian cricket is looking up, definitely. They will do well in Australia. I am very positive about it.

GK: Before the England tour early this year, you doubted the Indian bowling unit’s ability to take 20 wickets, and that showed in the end result. Do you think we have the bowlers to pick up 20 wickets in Australia?

DV: It depends on their fitness. India will be playing three medium-pacers and you need to bowl 90 overs a day. Every fast bowler will have to bowl at least 20 overs a day. The four Test matches will be followed by a tri-series and, then, the World Cup. It’s a long tour.Australia have hard pitches and huge grounds. How the bowlers remain fit will hold the key to Indian team’s performance.

GK: Do you think our batsmen are equipped to play on Australian pitches?

DV: Our batsmen will do well in Australia than the way they did in England because they are used to playing on hard pitches. They are very good when it comes to playing square of the wicket, be it the cut, pull, hook and upper cut. They are good in those areas. They will do better.

GK: Your thoughts on Virat Kohli the captain. He will lead in the first Test in MS Dhoni’s absence…

DV: Kohli is a smart cricketer. He is intelligent and has good cricketing sense. He is a good captain too. He is being groomed as the future captain. Of course, Dhoni is now the captain and, once he quits, Kohli will take over.

GK: Do you believe we can defend the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand?

DV: We have an excellent chance to retain the World Cup. We are a good ODI outfit. We are good in that format. I am positive we will do extremely well.

GK: Your last international series was the 1991-92 tour of Australia. Personally, you did not have a memorable series, just two half-centuries in five Tests. How difficult was it for you?

DV: I remember Sachin’s hundreds in Sydney and Perth. They were among the finest knocks. I also remember Ravi Shastri‘s double hundred in Sydney. I do remember them fondly. That was a bad tour for me. After I came back, I announced my retirement. That tour hurts me. Everyone wants to do well against Australia in Australia, against England in England, against South Africa in South Africa. Everybody is very keen to do well on these tours. If you don’t do, then it is disappointing. But it is part of the game.

GK: What’s your advice to the Indian team leaving for Australia on Friday night?

DV: Just keep the belief, which is very important. They have to believe in themselves. If they play to their potential like they did against Sri Lanka, they will do extremely well.

(G Krishnan qualified as an umpire from Tamil Nadu Cricket Association in 1997 before making sports journalism as a career. His other interests include wildlife and reading. Krishnan is Principal Correspondent of DNA, where this article first appeared)

trending this week