India A Learning Curve

For South African pacer Makhaya Ntini, bowling on theslow Indian tracks is "a learning curve" providing an opportunity tofine tune his skills.

Having picked up 169 wickets in 48 Tests, the27-year-old would be happy to finish with economical figures in the series, ifhe cannot get wickets.

"I'm in India not only to take wickets but also tocontain the run flow. If I finish with an economy rate of two per over, that'llbe an achievement," Ntini said.

Stressing that conditions in India, as also the entiresub-continent, provide a major challenge for pacers, Ntini said "India is alearning curve for me. You have to be on the right track while bowling in India.The wickets do not have much bounce. One needs to do a lot of research."The right arm fast bowler, who finished with figures of 3-139 in the first Testat Kanpur, said his team had practised bowling reverse swing ahead of the Indiatour.

"We did reverse swing the ball in Kanpur. Webowled to a plan. We had practised reverse swing before the trip," he said.

Asked if there would be any change in the bowlingstrategy at the Eden Gardens, Nitini said, "We will do as per theinstructions of the captain and coach." But he added that the grass washard at Eden and the strategy had to be decided keeping that in mind.

On the kind of pitch he expected at Eden, Ntini said, "Whatever you giveme, I'm game". Asked who, according to him, was the world's best pacer, theplayer said "Shoaib Akhtar. He is a machine."

Ntini, who made his debut against Sri Lanka at CapeTown in 1997-98, strongly opposed any selection on the basis of colour.

"If you deserve to play then you should be in theteam not because of colour. I want to be included in the team not because I'mblack, but because I deserve to play. There should be no second policy onincluding people only because they are coloured or black," said the CapeProvince-born cricketer.

Asked whether he was an inspiration for the colouredpeople in South Africa, the bowler said, "I don't go to people and tellthem anything. Those who are interested come to me and ask what to do."

Ntini, who has an action modelled on former West Indiespacer Malcolm Marshall, claimed he has never sledged during his career."But I don't care if I'm sledged at."

Ntini had a harrowing time in 1999 when he was chargedand initially convicted of rape before being acquitted on appeal. However, hemaintains that the episode has made him stronger, though he has lost trust inpeople.

"You have Someone up there. You pray to Him, havebelief in Him, and He gives you strength. The incident has made me stronger. Butnow I don't trust anyone."

PTI