India arrive at Harare on a confident note
Determined to break a 15-year jinx on
foreign soil, a 17-member Indian team arrived in the Zimbabwe
capital today on a 45-day tour involving a two-Test series and
a triangular one-day tournament with West Indies as the third
team.
The Indians, on a high after a 2-1 Test triumph over
world-beating Australia in March, will open their tour with a
match against Zimbabwe 'A' in a three-day tie at Mutare on
Monday. They will leave for Mutare on Sunday morning.
Saurav Ganguly, who has won four of the six Tests he has
captained so far losing just one, feels the team has the
nucleus to break the hoodoo this time.
"The team is shaping up well...we are well prepared," the
skipper said.
India, who were the first opponents of Zimbabwe way back
in 1992, enjoy a slight advantage over the hosts, having won
two of the five Tests played between them and lost one at
Harare by 61 runs in 1998.
But India did not do well in 1992 here - barely avoiding
the follow-on and drawing the Test. In 1998 they failed to
chase a modest target of 234 runs and lost.
India's lack of rhythm in this African country is
reflected in the batting form of its trump card Sachin
Tendulkar who has made just 41 runs in three innings in two
Tests.
Mail Cricket Editor
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