251 in 40 overs was a stiffer target than what Zimbabwe set you.
Yes. But we had a good chance. All we decided was to go out there, forgetabout the pressures, to just go hit the ball. At one stage, the required runrate was 5.5 and we had six wickets in hand. But they took some good catches.
You have started playing your old game now.
Yes, the only chance we had was if I went after the bowling in the first 12overs. What I told Rahul was to hang around till he felt confident of hittingthe loose ball. It wasn't that all the time we were getting loose deliveries.Sometimes we took calculated risks.
Rahul Dravid really batted well.
He has a bright future. It wasn't easy for him also. He had to open, gosix down, one down, everything.
Any regrets?
We were so near at one stage. But aside from the fact that we didn't win,I am very happy with the effort. We went down fighting. This team of ours, justgive it a year or two and it's going to be a world-beater.
Do you plan to play the same way in Zimbabwe?
We have to just go and do it. When I see the initial target, it reallyinspires me to go after the bowling. It isn't easy to bat first all thetime.
Your century against Zimbabwe was fantastic. Were you feeling like it whenyou went out to bat?
Yes, the knock was good. But again it wouldn't have been that importanthad we lost the match. It was good and important because we won. I just went outthere with the attitude that I'll play my natural game. I felt I had done itbefore and I would give just two or three overs to get myself in before goingfor the bowling. The first couple of shots I played I felt my timing was back.
After you got out that day, did you feel apprehensive at any stage?Particularly, when Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh were taking time to settle down?
It's difficult for anybody to just go out there and play shots. I toldthem to take their singles as the field was spread out and wait for the loosedelivery. There would be at least one in an over. Fortunately, they came good.
Your own form during the entire tour has been cause for concern, except forthe 100 at Cape Town in the second Test.
I am trying, I always try. But everything takes time.
Before the finals there was talk that the old Sachin is gone, the fizz islost. You're more into building an innings, sticking there, curbing your game.It's like a big attitudinal change.
I advise my players to play their natural game 95 times out of 100. I wantto do that myself, but do you think it's easy? You make it sound so easy whenyou say that. But when you're out there, sometimes you are telling yourselfyou have to stick there, not lose your wicket.
Have the captaincy pressures affected your batting?
What people don't realise is that even the captain takes time to settledown. Unfortunately, my lean patch coincided with my taking over as captain. Sopeople have started saying captaincy is affecting me. I'm not superhuman.I'm still on the learning curve. As I said earlier, everybody takes time tosettle down.
A re you happy with the way Azharuddin's been playing in the Tests? Hiswhole attitude?
(Pause). Well, he's been getting runs. It's also certain the way he'sbeen playing he can get out very early.
But are you happy?
(Pause). Yes, I guess I am happy with that.
With the West Indies tour coming up, aren't you concerned that your strikebowlers, Srinath and Prasad, have been bowled to the ground? Do you plan to restthem for the Zimbabwe one-dayers?
Srinath definitely. He can't even throw the ball on the field. I've decidednot to bowl them in first class matches at all unless they are out of rhythm orsomething. Then I would have to give them a bowl.
Whose performance have you been happy with on this tour?
Of course, Rahul Dravid has been excellent, Saurav Ganguly has been good.Also Nayan Mongia. The two opening bowlers, great. I see this side of mine asworld-beaters within two years. All we have to concentrate on is to sort out ourproblem of opening batsmen and the third seamer.
And this whole thing about not being able to adjust to overseas pitches? TheIndian batsman's alleged 'general incapacity' to cope with fast, bouncypitches?
That's another problem I have with you guys. If the South African batsmencan't do well on our tracks, we blame the pitches. If we do badly here, youblame the batsmen. You don't blame the pitches. We had just one first classmatch at Port Elizabeth before we were pushed into the first Test at Kingsmead.It wasn't easy at all.
Do you think pitches back home have to change for you to do well on foreigntours?
If we change the pitches back home, we will stop doing well there too. Thesolution lies in holding camps on fast, bouncy tracks before coming over. Likethe one at Valsad in Gujarat.
Do you think too much cricket has affected the team's performance?
Definitely. We've been playing continuously for seven months now. Youcan't maintain your form over that long a period.
How do you keep motivation levels high for such long tours? After all,they're just matches.
The players have to realise that you are playing for India and not a clubside. Playing for India is a different feeling.
Any players you would want to include for the West Indies tour?
I would not want to go into that. That's a sensitive issue. But, one thingI would like to say is that if we don't have a say in selection, we'll keephaving dismal performances like on this tour. Also, discussing the West Indiestour is not going to be a 10- minute process. We have to really sit down andplan in all departments. It would be unfair to ask batsmen to make their debutthere. For seamers it would be okay.
Have you discussed the tour with anybody?
Yes, with Gavaskar. He tells me not all pitches are bouncy and pacy. Just afew.
It's said that a batsman's real test is in the West Indies? In yourcareer you will probably tour there twice. How do you look at it in terms ofyour own career?
Personally, I would like to really perform there. But (laughing) notevery-body is a Gavaskar.
The UCBSA is thinking of allowing players' families on entire tours. Whatdo you think of that policy with regard to the Indian team?
We are playing so much cricket, living out of a suitcase and everything,that to stay for long without family is torture. You should be allowed to havewhom you want for as long as you want and not just for certain legs of the tour.
Any South African youngsters you see coming up?
Jacques Kallis. He is good.
About the whole side?
They are not as unbeatable as they are sometimes made out to be. It's justthat we didn't click and the matches that we did, rain helped them.
