Big-game jitters may take to India’s belly
By Ashish Shukla
Friday, March 21 2003 16:35 Hrs (IST)

Johannesburg: Not even a single player in the Indian squad knows what exactly it feels like to play in a World Cup final but skipper Saurav Ganguly and his men are determined not to be overwhelmed by the big occasion.

The Wanderers Stadium, reverberating with thousands of throaty fans, and a lifetime occasion of a World Cup final are certainly enough to unnerve the best but the Indian side, playing in the World Cup final for the first time in 20 years, is keen to overcome all odds and upset the applecart of Australia in the title clash on Sunday.

Ganguly has exhorted his men to show spirit and a do-or-die approach but a World Cup final could still bring a few nerves to the fore, more so when nobody going into the Sunday's game would have the experience of a stage as big as that.

Sachin Tendulkar and Javagal Srinath are the only two of the Indian eleven who have come closest to such a feeling, having taken part in the semi-finals against Sri Lanka in Calcutta during the 1996 World Cup.

But such a curriculum vitae means little when compared to the Australians who have as many as six players with the experience of playing in the finals.

Ricky Ponting, Darren Lehmann, Glenn McGrath, Adam Gilchrist and Michael Bevan all played key roles while Damien Martyn was hardly used by Steve Waugh during Australia's 1999 World Cup winning campaign in England.

Australian coach John Buchanan believes experience could play an important role in his team's quest for the title as well as the ability to relax before a big game. "It is nice to have experience of finals but the special thing is to enjoy and soak up the atmosphere and not to hide from it," he said.

"It is a special time but there could be a churning over that one," said Buchanan.

The Indian team also understands the importance of relaxing before a big game and on two occasions the team members have been given breaks of two days at a stretch to get away from cricket.

The Indians have religiously followed the practice of having no nets on the day after a match and there has not been any change in the plan even when they are faced with final now.

The Indian team was at complete liberty after the final league game against Pakistan and the third and last Super Six tie against New Zealand before re-focussing its attention on cricket.

The Indian cricketers also flock to a volleyball game before each practice session and coach John Wright says it has improved bonding within the team.

"All the boys look forward to a game of volleyball before the nets. Since the team enjoys it and it builds camaraderie, we hold it regularly," said Wright.

Buchanan also is all for a relaxed approach and would rather have players relish the atmosphere of a final rather than lock themselves away in a hotel room and brood over the big game.

Unbeaten in 10 matches in this tournament and buoyed by a world-record 16 straight One-day International victories, the Australians' relaxed approach has been pivotal in their winning surge.

"I think that has been one part of it. It is certainly part of what we have been trying to do -- to play each game, deal with it and then get over with. Then come back and train and prepare for the next, and really try to treat one game at a time," Buchanan said.

This approach is in direct contrast to the stance South Africa adopted.

The hosts went into a private pre-tournament camp and were on the edge throughout their ill-fated campaign. "The more people that you talk to who were associated with them, either from hotels to security people and so on, they were not a very happy bunch," Buchanan said.

"They were quite a non-relaxed group, so obviously there were lots of issues going on within the side, that are just coming out now, that would have made very difficult for a team to be relaxed," he said.

PTI

Extras:
I always knew we had the side to come back: Ganguly
Ganguly believes that India can hold the Cup aloft