MUMBAI: Expressing concern over lack of practice matches for the Indian team on the tour of New Zealand, former skipper Sourav Ganguly on Friday said that the visit will test Mahendra Singh Dhoni's leading ability.
"The series will judge Dhoni as a captain as he has led the squad mostly in the sub-continent. But the side did well under him to beat Australia in the ODI's Down Under," Ganguly said.
The left handed batsmen, who led India during the last tour to New Zealand in 2002, said lack of match practice for the squad in tough conditions will only add to the challenges.
"The worrying aspect for the side is that there is no warm-up game. It's tough, especially when you are playing in Australia, England and New Zealand," Ganguly said.
Ganguly said the Black Caps were difficult to beat at home but the Indian side had the necessary quality to perform the job.
"New Zealand is a tough side to beat at home but ours is also a good side," he said pointing out that India had done well in similar conditions in Ireland and England under Rahul Dravid in 2007.
Asserting that the India team will have to bat well, Ganguly said each member of the squad would have to contribute if they were to register the first series win in New Zealand in over 40 years.
"There is no senior or junior in sports. Each member of the team will have to perform if the team has to win," Ganguly said.
The southpaw, who retired from the international cricket last year after scoring 7,212 runs in 113 Tests and 11363 runs in 311 ODIs, said the team's performance during next two years would decide if they could become the number one squad in the world.
"India will participate in many overseas tours in the next two years. Their performance in these tours will decide if the team can claim to be top side in the world. But on the current form, South Africa are the number one team. We should also not count out the Aussies," the 36-year-old cricketer said.
Lauding Gary Kirsten's role as the coach, the former skipper made a veiled attack on former coach Greg Chappell, saying a coach should not try to dominate the team and should work from behind the scenes.
"Gary has done a wonderful job for India. (Like him) coaches should remain behind the scene. A captain is the most important member of the team. It is when that a coach tries to dominate that problems creep in as was the case with Graeme Smith, Kevin Pietersen and for India."
Soruce:http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NZ-series-will-judge-Dhoni-as-a-captain-Ganguly/articleshow/4161839.cms
"The series will judge Dhoni as a captain as he has led the squad mostly in the sub-continent. But the side did well under him to beat Australia in the ODI's Down Under," Ganguly said.
The left handed batsmen, who led India during the last tour to New Zealand in 2002, said lack of match practice for the squad in tough conditions will only add to the challenges.
"The worrying aspect for the side is that there is no warm-up game. It's tough, especially when you are playing in Australia, England and New Zealand," Ganguly said.
Ganguly said the Black Caps were difficult to beat at home but the Indian side had the necessary quality to perform the job.
"New Zealand is a tough side to beat at home but ours is also a good side," he said pointing out that India had done well in similar conditions in Ireland and England under Rahul Dravid in 2007.
Asserting that the India team will have to bat well, Ganguly said each member of the squad would have to contribute if they were to register the first series win in New Zealand in over 40 years.
"There is no senior or junior in sports. Each member of the team will have to perform if the team has to win," Ganguly said.
The southpaw, who retired from the international cricket last year after scoring 7,212 runs in 113 Tests and 11363 runs in 311 ODIs, said the team's performance during next two years would decide if they could become the number one squad in the world.
"India will participate in many overseas tours in the next two years. Their performance in these tours will decide if the team can claim to be top side in the world. But on the current form, South Africa are the number one team. We should also not count out the Aussies," the 36-year-old cricketer said.
Lauding Gary Kirsten's role as the coach, the former skipper made a veiled attack on former coach Greg Chappell, saying a coach should not try to dominate the team and should work from behind the scenes.
"Gary has done a wonderful job for India. (Like him) coaches should remain behind the scene. A captain is the most important member of the team. It is when that a coach tries to dominate that problems creep in as was the case with Graeme Smith, Kevin Pietersen and for India."
Soruce:http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NZ-series-will-judge-Dhoni-as-a-captain-Ganguly/articleshow/4161839.cms
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