Relaxed Ganguly all set for Mohali Test
Sourav Ganguly was relaxed on the eve of Mohali Test, aloof from the hype and the pressure associated with an India-Pakistan series
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I don't think that's a problem. Its good that all the guys are in good form, having played domestic cricket. So it helps picking up an eleven that suits the conditions.
Although we beat them in Pakistan 2004, that was a year back. This time around they will be a young competitive team and we'll have to play to our potential to win the series.
It's a very balanced side, having been together for quite some time. Almost all the cricketers in this squad are at the peak of their game, but at the same time this game is never played on paper; its how we turn into perfomances in the next three Test matches which would decide the outcome of the series.
We have picked out twelve - Yuvraj Singh and Ashish Nehra were left out - and tomorrow morning we will decide the final eleven.
I haven't got a hundred from the last one in Brisbane on the 2003-04 Australian tour, but I still averaged over 50. But, yes, it's a criteria to get a Test hundred; I was close a few times - the next time when I get near to a hundred, I will try and convert it into a big score.
India-Pakistan series is big and that was the case in the past and that will continue to be in the future. In terms of attention, in terms of people turning out and in term of people follwing the sries, its probably bigger than the Ashes contests between Australia and England.
Cricket has changed over the past four years with lot of results in Test matches which has got to do a lot with one-day cricket that is played a lot. The game is being played at a faster rate in the longer version, too, which helps in the decision-making. When the captains walk into a Test they know there's going to be a result unless you play on an an absolute flat belter. There is no point playing for a draw.
That was one-day cricket. In the one-day series in Pakistan, when Javed Miandad was the coach, it was pretty close: we were 2-1 down and came back to win the series 3-2. Test cricket will be different. We do understand that Bob is a very capable coach, but it depends on the players what they do in the middle.
I watched them in Australia and saw a few overs of the Dharamsala game. And having played them last year we have taken our points that we will work out during the game.
I said that during the one-day series as we were losing quite a few one-dayers. I have been in difficult situations in the past - the 2003 World Cup, the away tour to Australia series and the 2004 Pakistan tour. Those tours were much tougher. They will help in lifting our confidence. As for my status as the captain I've been appointed as skipper for the series, so I will take it as it comes.