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Ganguly confident of hitting back

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly is confident his team, trailing 2-0 in a seven-match one-day series against West Indies, will hit back with a win in the third game on Tuesday.

The home side, who won the three-Test series 2-0, lost the opening two one-dayers in Jamshedpur and Nagpur last week after their bowlers failed to defend targets in excess of 280.

"Our bowlers haven't bowled well in last two games, but they have done well over the last year," Ganguly told reporters after practice on Monday. "I'm confident they will hit back and bowl us to a win tomorrow."

Spinners Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble, who have just one wicket between them in the series so far, are under the most pressure to perform at Rajkot.

The defeats have been a big blow to India, who are considered as one of the main contenders for next year's World Cup in South Africa after recent one-day series wins in West Indies and England and a joint win at the Champions Trophy with Sri Lanka.

"We are still a good team," Ganguly said. "We're already behind 2-0 in the series and obviously we have to win in Rajkot. There is pressure in every game and it keeps building if you don't win, but that's international cricket."

The Indian batsmen have delivered on both occasions so far in the series, before lacklustre bowling and a fine performance by the visiting batters let the games slip away.

"Our team batted very well in the previous two matches," West Indies coach Roger Harper said.

The former Test off-spinner said the Rajkot match was an opportunity for his team to pile the pressure on India.

"It's a great opportunity here to get grip on the series by going three-up. A series win would put us in good stead for the World Cup but there's a lot of cricket still to be played here."

Harper said the improved performance after West Indies succumbed in the Tests was mainly because of hard work.

"We have applied ourselves, worked much harder, and have been determined to show what we are capable of," he said.

Skipper Carl Hooper did not address the news conference due to a knee injury but Harper said all 14 members of the squad were available for selection.

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