The forthcoming India-Pakistan cricket series may be a goodwill series but that does not dilute the intensity associated with a cricket series involving the two countries. That was the message from Saurav Ganguly who, while answering questions today at the end of the three-day conditioning camp held at Eden Gardens, clearly had one eye on mistakes of the past.Previous breakthrough tours of Pakistan (in the 1950s and then in the 1970s) have focussed on the importance of spreading goodwill. Often, as those who took part in those matches say, at the cost of a winning edge.Ganguly is clear where his priorities are. ‘‘I don’t think the series will lose its intensity because this trip is supposed to be a goodwill trip. Because but at the end of the day it’s cricket you are playing,’’ he said.He’s aware of the enormous pressure on the team but dismissed any extra significance. ‘‘There’s always pressure, whether you play against Australia, Pakistan or World Cup. And, in the India-Pakistan scenario, it’s expected. When India and Pakistan play it’s always different because it’s viewed differently by those who are interested in the game,’’ the captain said.Looking calm and composed despite the enormity of the next six weeks, Ganguly also asserted that the team was capable of rewriting the record books by becoming the first Indian team to win a series in Pakistan. ‘‘We will change all that this time’’, he said, adding that it was a ‘‘good sign’’ for Indian cricket that the team was going into the series as favourites.Coach John Wright echoed those sentiments. ‘‘It will be Pakistan which will be under pressure because they are playing at home. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain from this series. We cannot wait any longer to go there,’’ the coach said.One area where India may be considered weak is the bowling department, but even here Ganguly was not prepared to concede ground. ‘‘It depends how you look at it. If you think having sheer pace is strength then we are weak. But if you think picking up wickets, containing a side and winning matches is strength then we are of course strong,’’ he said.He also dismissed the Shoaib Akhtar threat. ‘‘The little bit that we played against him we have done well. He is a good bowler and he has pace, that’s all,’’ Ganguly said.Ganguly’s own bowlers have been, for these three days, under the tutelage of Kapil Dev. Despite the admittedly short stint, it helped, Ganguly said. ‘‘Obviously he could not do much about their bowling action but he really worked on their thought process and mind set and that helped the bowlers.’’The team has a hectic schedule even before it boards the plane tomorrow afternoon. First up tomorrow morning is a briefing by officials of the Ministries of Home and External Affairs about the do’s and don’ts while in Pakistan. They then meet Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee before boarding the flight, at 1-30 p.m.
