Series moves from five-day soap to action station

Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar put the nail on the head, saying, “What we are looking at is consistency.”

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming, who had played here during 1995 tour game against Board President XI, said familiar ground condition breeds confidence. Another piece of statistics which would have been music to Fleming’s ears is India’s one win and three loss record at this venue. But in the same breath, the mild-mannered skipper confessed Indians are formidable at home.

The Kiwi Black Cap is feathered with a number of home wins and not many have left their backyard with heads high, though India drew their One-Day International series 2-2 before this year’s World Cup. The teams have met once after that squared series — New Zealand winning the inconsequential final game of the Super Six league in England. That made two losses in two games for India and the Kiwis are poised on a hat-trick.

Of the 38 games played this year, India have lost 18, won 18 while two were abandoned.

Figures which would give an Indian fan a good night’s sleep is the home and away record of the two teams. India have won 56 per cent of their home games while the Kiwis have won 29 per cent of their away games. Turning a blind eye to everything else, just this piece of statistic would make India favourites for Friday’s game.

Giving all-round support to India’s cause will be the shorter version super specialists — Nikhil Chopra and Robin Singh. But they, along with Vijay Bharadwaj, pale in comparison to the Chris’. New Zealand’s Harris and Cairns, who have more than 2000 runs and 100 wickets, are considered as the few genuine all-rounder — a species fast becoming extinct.

A capacity crowd is expected for the match and a near capacity turnout was witnessed at the nets. The one-dayer tomorrow coincides with the Pontiff’s landing in India and also the release of a much-hyped family drama by a sure-shot movie director. But for the people of Rajkot, cricket is their religion and the game their cult heroes play the biggest entertainment.

Teams
India:Sachin Tendulkar (captain), Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Sadgopan Ramesh, Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Nikhil Chopra, Vijay Bharadwaj, MSK Prasad, Sunil Joshi, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Debashish Mohanty.

New Zealand:Stephen Fleming (captain), Matt Horne, Craig Spearman, Nathan Astle, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns, Daniel Vettori, Dion Nash, Chris Drum, Shayne O’ Connor, Chris Harris, Gary Stead, Scott Styris, Roger Twose.

Umpires:Hariharan and I Shivram. Third Umpire:M R Singh. Reserve umpire:C K Mohite.

Match starts at 9:00 a.m.

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