'We Need To Get Big Scores'

Anil Kumble has been simmering. It feels like Australia all over again -- that's what Anil Kumble said two days ago, through his syndicated newspaper column. Kumble is furious that he's being judged too harshly, that the media scrutiny has got too intense. He believes that his failure in the Bangalore Test was just one of those phenomenon, ephemeral of nature, which intermittently blight a sportsman's existence.When he faced the match-eve media inquisition that touched upon his sore shoulder and sorryform, the captain was calm yet resolute, his square jaw set in an expression of defiance, determination that have characterised his career.

Excerpts from his media interaction:

How's your shoulder now? Would you play in the match?

It's better. We will take a call, there are still 24 hours before the match. We will wait and see how it responds. It's a lot better than what it was yesterday. I didn't bowl for one day, took some rest. Today, I did bowl indoors.

What do you make of the pitch at the Mohali stadium?

This looks a very good batting surface. Every time India have played here, we have put up a big score. This is a good opportunity for the batters to get some big runs. We are really looking forward to that. Every batsman looked good in the middle in the last game.

Your newspaper column had an angry tone to it, very unlike the Anil Kumble we've seen.

I don't know what is unlike Anil Kumble. I can only be myself. It is an opportunity for a player, as the captain of the team, to express one's views because we don't get many opportunities to do that. It was not just my view but collectively of the team as well. Whatever I have said, they have backed me in that. I don't think it was unlike Anil Kumble. It is just being me and myself. I think I have expressed what I felt.

Your views on the absence of an experienced spinner in the Australian team?

They obviously miss the quality of a Shane Warne or a Stuart MacGill. On Indian wickets, you definitely need a spinner to come into play, if not in the first innings then certainly in the second innings. That's certainly something we will look to cash in on. Having said that, to win a match, we need to get big scores from the batters and every bowler has to contribute. I am really happy with the way our bowling unit is shaping up and I am confident that our batters will also come to the party.

Sachin Tendulkar is on the verge of breaking Brian Lara's record for Test runs…

Sachin is such a great player. We all want him to get there as soon as possible and I am sure he will get it here. That will be something very special, not just for Sachin but for world cricket and for Indian cricket. To have an Indian up there, right on top, will be a great honour for all of us. To have shared the dressing room and probably seen every run[scored by Sachin] sitting inside the dressing room and sometimes out there on the other side is a fantastic feeling. I am sure it will happen soon, there are a lot of people waiting for that, I hope he goes on and gets a big score.

Your own record here is pretty good, isn't it?

I have certainly enjoyed bowling here. I have a few landmarks here as well. Hopefully my shoulder will be OK to get there. I will have to take a call first thing in the morning about how I feel.

Your thoughts on the wicket?

It looks a good wicket. It has always had something for everyone, not just the fast bowlers. Faster bowlers do enjoy the early half of the match and the batters seem to get a lot of runs because the ball comes on to the bat. And there is enough bounce, not spin though, for a spinner to come into play as well. That is something which always has been the case in Mohali. This time, maybe because of the rains in the last week, it might take a little more time for it to settle down. It might be on the slower side. But having said that, we have done exceptionally well as a team here. We have had two victories against England in the recent past. Lot of confidence going into the Test match.