Herculean task ahead of Bangladesh

SAS NAGAR, May 13: The heat is on and the show quot;mustquot; go on. However, the chasm between the two teams -- even though India has res...

SAS NAGAR, May 13: The heat is on and the show quot;mustquot; go on. However, the chasm between the two teams 8212; even though India has rested some of it8217;s top stars 8212; means that Bangladesh would have perform a herculean task, besides needing India to play abysmally poor, if they entertain any hopes of marking their presence in the day-night three-nation Coca Cola Cup lung opener against the host nation at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium here tomorrow.

Even before a ball has been bowled the Bangladesh team management has conceded that they would be no match for the rampaging Indians, on a recent high after their awe inspiring streak of wins in the Independence Cup in Dhaka, over Australia in the home Test series and the Sharjah Cup. They feel that they are here to play 8212; and of course beat 8212; Kenya and finish at least second.

quot;Being a nationalist I would love seeing Bangladesh win but realism inside me tells me that our players cannot match the Indians in experience or skills. They are too good. Though wewould like to put them under pressure, still, I feel that we will be better off from the experience we gain from playing India,quot; confessed Gazi Ashraf Hussain, Bangladesh team manager.

Their problems have been compounded by an indisposed skipper Mohammad Akram Khan, who is suffering from back pain as well as a finger injury. Since the side came here without any vice captain, an emergency meeting by the team management here with the board members back home, decided to hand over the reins of the team to their most dependable cricketer Aminul Islam.

For the Indians this tourney means little else than an increase in their bank balance or a few records here and there as the lack of relative opposition would do no good to lift their motivational levels. Moreover, the so called experimentation by the selectors, too, might not yield the desired results. A good performance by any youngster would not necessarily entail him a permanent place remember those who are sitting out while a failure here would blot hisfuture, coming against a lowly opposition.

Bangladesh would be aware of the fact that the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad will not be playing. Still the Indians have an embarrassment of riches as far as the batting is concerned. In skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, Saurav Ganguly and Ajay Jadeja India have a fearsome trio for this version of cricket, besides a toss up between openers Gagan Khoda and Nikhil Haldipur. It will also serve as a good platform for Rahul Dravid, snubbed by the selectors as quot;too slow for one dayersquot;.

Considering that the next year8217;s World Cup will be played in the first half of the English summer, when the ball seams quite a bit, Dravid8217;s utility at number three cannot be denied and he will have to start in the right earnest from this game itself.

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Stumper MSK Prasad gets a well deserved look in while all rounder Robin Singh is back after recovering from his injury and with the new found talent of Ajit Agarkar and Hrishikesh Kanitkar,a fierce but healthy competition between the three looks imminent.

TEAMS

India: Mohammad Azharuddin captain, Ajay Jadeja vice-captain, Saurav Ganguly, Gagan Khoda, Rahul Dravid, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, MSK Prasad wicket-keeper, Robin Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Sairaj Bahutule, Debashish Mohanty, Harvinder Singh, Nikhil Haldipur and Rahul Sanghvi. Coach: Anshuman Gaekwad.

Bangladesh: Aminul Islam captain, Athar Ali Khan, Sanwar Hussain, Minhazul Abedin, Khaled Mahmud, Khaled Mashud, Hasibul Hussain, Mohammed Rafique, Morshed Ali Khan, Anisur Rahman, Maharsh Hossain, Enamul Haque and Naimur Rahman. Coach: Gordon Greenidge.