Selection over, team is more relaxed - Dravid

The agonising wait is over, the World Cup squads are out and the players can all get on with life. Rahul Dravid, the Indian captain, said that with the selections out of the way the players could now focus on the World Cup. "Yes. In some ways there's a slightly relaxed atmosphere," Dravid said at the pre-match press conference here today. "I don't think the boys were worried about selection; they were focused on performances. But it's good that it's out of the way and we know what the squad is going to be."

For Sri Lanka, the announcement was just a matter of fact as their line-up has been stable for the past year or so. "We were pretty relaxed from the word go. It was a difficult decision for a couple of players but we were sure about the 14 places. We have been planning our team for 12-16 months now and we are in very much control of it," Tom Moody, the Sri Lankan coach, said.

India, obviously, haven't enjoyed the same luxury, with their team having gone through a complete face-lift from the last time they had come to Goa. Some of the experienced players, out in the cold for that series against England, have made a comeback while some of the youngsters who looked promising then are struggling and some have been dropped.

However, the relief will be replaced by the tension that inevitably accompanies the lead-up to the World Cup. Sri Lanka have an impressive record of late and will start as a dark horse in the West Indies. Moody sounded pleased with the team but also said tougher challenges laid ahead. '"It's pleasing that we have done well in England and New Zealand. We have still got some things to achieve and improve on and we will continue to do that. We are going to increase our workload to make sure that we are playing our best cricket in the Caribbean. This side has been growing constantly and I would be disappointed if it doesn't continue to grow in the next six months," Moody said.

An example of their growth as a team was shown in the way they won at Rajkot when India were well on their way to a successful chase. "The key was that we had a lot of character and pride. We have come back from tough situations before too. To me as a coach it is a terrific sign that they can come back from difficult situations," Moody said.

He was at pains to underplay his own role in the team's revival. "The guys have been honest about the areas that they need to improve on and getting out of the comfort zone. We have tried to challenge players in every aspect and they have responded well to the challenges."

Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan captain said this series was a tough one and a good preparation for the World Cup. "It's a good challenge before the World Cup. We got across one hurdle and tomorrow will be one more. I am sure the guys are pretty focused," Jayawardene said. He also praised Sanath Jayasuriya who at 37 who is still one of the most dangerous openers anywhere. "I think he has been playing to the best of his ability. He has a game plan and knows what to do. Now it's not just about hitting the balls but also grafting his innings and he can be dangerous to an opposition on any day," he said.

The Indian team, though, will still be licking their wounds from the way they conceded the last match. "We were in control till the 93rd-94th over. We won't make the same mistake again. We learnt a few lessons from that match and won't repeat them again," Dravid said. The World Cup, right now, may be a distant thought, and as Dravid says, they are taking "one game at a time".