Tepid welcome for Indians in Hyderabad

Teams spent time at nets at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium at Uppal soon after arrival. But the Indians also had the responsibility of attending the launch of the Hyderabad 10K Run Half Marathon.

Sachin Tendulkar is an ambassador for the 10K-Run Foundation.

For Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly will go to bed on Thursday night knowing that their departure from this city now will have to be after a do-or-die effort, one that will restrict the Australians from rubbing further salt on the injury.

Selection issues remain topmost, but it will also be India’s performance between the 30th and 50th overs, as captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni points out, that will be critical.

India have performed exceedingly well at home in recent years and their performance against Sri Lanka, South Africa, England and the West Indies show it. Hence there is also a bit of face to save for the new bunch.

The common logic doing the rounds, now even being whispered among selectors, is that “if India have to lose, then they might as well let the youngsters get a chance.” This, in other words, also means, with the big three around, there needs to be a better effort shown than the Kochi outing.

Dhoni hit out against his slow bowlers’ performance after the Kochi match, but the pitch here has not really developed a record worth going back on.

The stadium was constructed in 2004 and Friday’s encounter will be the second ODI here. South Africa beat India in November 2005 in the previous game staged here.

That isn’t enough data to fall back on for Dhoni’s men. Hence it would only be in the interest of the country for the seniors to take guard.

The youngsters are sure to follow.

All tickets for the ODI have already been sold out, and security is high, the authorities looking back at the late-August blast that killed many.