Team must stay focused: Tendulkar

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar said it is important for the Indian team to remain focused and start the Asia Cup cricket tournament "with a bang" in order to extend their good form into the new season.

"India will try hard to start with a bang in the Asia Cup, beginning in Sri Lanka from July 16. It is a fresh season," Tendulkar told a press conference, held to launch Maruti's Baleno Rally car in Chennai on Thursday.

The star batsman said the players, who had a "nice and useful" camp in Bangalore, would try to remain focused on the job at hand just as they had been during the tours of Australia and Pakistan.

"We had a nice and useful camp in Bangalore and we will take it forward to be focused in the limited-overs tournament in Sri Lanka."

The highest run-getter in one-dayers, Tendulkar said the Chennai camp, to be held from July 3 to 8, is important as "the weather condition in Sri Lanka is akin to what we have here".

Praising the selection of probables named for the tournament, he said, "The probables announced after the Bangalore camp are excellent and the team for the Asia Cup to be selected here will also be strong and excellent."

He described as noteworthy the changes brought about by physical trainer Gregory Allen King to improve the fitness levels of players, and pointed out that each player had been given a specific fitness programme.

"We were made to play kho-kho as this sport requires a lot of physical fitness," Tendulkar said and expressed hope that the Chennai camp would also have such a regimen to help the team achieve optimum fitness levels.

Asked about the number of pace bowlers to be included in the team for the Asia Cup, Tendulkar said, "It is the selectors' job but the team's combination would be decided on the kind of wickets that are prepared.

"Pitches in the Emerald Island are good. When we go there, we will get to know whether they will suit fast bowling or spin or batting," he said.

Asked whether there is a need for a specialist wicket-keeper in the one-dayers, he said, "There is no point in holding a debate on this. Fifteen players will give different opinions. It is the selectors who are the best judges and I will leave it to them.

"It would not be prudent to sit here and make an assessment and plan things in respect of the composition of the team and specialist wicket-keeper."

Asked to specify his considerations before he endorses a product, Tendulkar replied: "World Tel looks after my endorsements. They look into various considerations before they advise me for the final say."

Asked whether he prefers motor sports to cricket, he said: "Cricket is my life. I will not sleep if I do not perform. But motor sports will not dampen my spirits and affect my life."