'I Am A Better One-Day Player Now'

A team-man to the core, Indian vice-captain RahulDravid says that he is a better one-day player now, having "adjusted"to his new position in the batting order which demands strokeplay.

With skipper Saurav Ganguly batting at number three inthe World Cup, the technically-solid Dravid has been pushed to the number fiveposition where he generally has no choice but to go for his shots. But thestylish batsman is not complaining and sees some positives in going down thebatting order.

"I am a better one-day player now. Earlier Ibatted at number three and the instruction to me was to bat 50 overs. Now I batat number five or six and many a time, I just have to go for my shots."Dravid, who batted for the most part of his career at first down, gave the spotto Ganguly as the team management decided to allow Sachin Tendulkar and VirenderSehwag open the innings during the World Cup.

Dravid has not only adjusted in his batting slot butalso in other areas to help out the Indian team. He said seniors in the sidelike him should guide the young guns to work hard.

"As a senior you basically like to set an idealexample for the youngsters in the side. You have to show everyone is prepared todo the hard rounds. We as seniors have to put our hands ups." Despite allhis efforts, at times Dravid gives the impression that he is struggling toaccelerate the scoring.

"It really depends on a lot of factors. There aretimes when the ball hits the middle of the bat then there are times when youstruggle. One can't really explain this. Even Sachin Tendulkar wouldn't behaving as great a day as he had against Pakistan all the time.

Showering praise on the three pacers -- Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and AshishNehra, Dravid said keeping wickets to the left-arm seamers was a big challenge.

"Srinath is like a father figure to Zaheer, Nehraand Agarkar. Initially we were a bit worried but the left-arm pacemen have beenbrilliant. Keeping to them is both a pleasure and challenge." Speaking onthe angry reactions of fans after a poor start by the Indians at the World Cup,Dravid said only a few "crazy idiots" were responsible for whathappened back home.

"It were just a few idiots out of a billionsupporters. Indians are the most supported cricket team. Even the media wassupportive. It's only a few crazy idiots who do such sort of things."Dravid was undecided on the need for a psychologist in the team but advocates aphysical trainer and physio for every state side at the domestic level.

"I am not sure on a psychologist. I feel thereshouldn't be a psychologist just for the sake of it. He should be available whena cricketer needs him.

"As for a trainer and physio, that's the way tolook ahead. We should have men like them in domestic cricket. Since the nationalteam benefits from the domestic structure, youngsters should benefit from theservices of such experts.

Commenting on Australia's performance in the World Cup, Dravid said the only wayto beat the defending champions was to put them under pressure.

"They are playing great cricket and seem to haveanswers to any problem thrown at them by the opposition. Everytime they are introuble, they find someone to pull the team through.

"One guesses the only way to put them underpressure is what New Zealand and England did against them." Dravid, whorated Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan and ShaunPollock as the five toughest bowlers in the world, said his most memorablemoments in one-day cricket came recently.

He said India's drubbing of England and Pakistan in theleague stage of the World Cup was the most memorable game of his career whilehis best one-day innings came against England in the first match at the NatWestTrophy in England last year.

"I made 70-odd in the game. We were four down forvery little and we were chasing 280. Yuvraj (Singh) and I saw the team through.I really enjoyed that knock.

PTI