'Pathan is getting better with every game'
Sourav Ganguly, on the road to recovery from the fever that kept him off the field for the whole of the third day of the first Test, spoke to the media after India's emphatic win at Dhaka
Anand Vasu in Dhaka
13-Dec-2004
Sourav Ganguly, on the road to recovery from the fever that kept him off the field for the whole of the third day of the first Test, spoke to the media after India's emphatic win at Dhaka.
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On how Bangladesh played
They played well in patches. I thought they bowled well in the first session of the second day. They picked up three wickets, and there were a few dropped chances. It's early days in international cricket for them, so you have to give them time.
They played well in patches. I thought they bowled well in the first session of the second day. They picked up three wickets, and there were a few dropped chances. It's early days in international cricket for them, so you have to give them time.
On this Bangladesh team in comparison to the one he played against in their inaugural Test in 2000-01
This is a pretty young side. When I played them four years ago, they had a few experienced guys. Most of these boys need to be persisted with because there is talent and they will get better with the experience. Experience does matter in Test cricket.
This is a pretty young side. When I played them four years ago, they had a few experienced guys. Most of these boys need to be persisted with because there is talent and they will get better with the experience. Experience does matter in Test cricket.
On how easy or difficult it was to motivate the team against weak opposition
We were pretty motivated. As I said, it is Test cricket after all, and we were in a tough situation at 60 for 3. I don't think motivation is a factor. Every Test series is important. We've done very well in Test cricket in the past couple of years and we need to keep on winning. It's no different here.
We were pretty motivated. As I said, it is Test cricket after all, and we were in a tough situation at 60 for 3. I don't think motivation is a factor. Every Test series is important. We've done very well in Test cricket in the past couple of years and we need to keep on winning. It's no different here.
On whether the reserves would get a chance in the next Test
We have a thought in mind about that. We have some young guys in this team and we will probably look to give them an opportunity in the next Test and also in the one-day series to come. We've not spoken about it because the Test just got over. But that's definitely an option. Because you need to give everybody a go to find out how good they are.
We have a thought in mind about that. We have some young guys in this team and we will probably look to give them an opportunity in the next Test and also in the one-day series to come. We've not spoken about it because the Test just got over. But that's definitely an option. Because you need to give everybody a go to find out how good they are.
On missing out on a hundred
It's pretty disappointing. It's happened right throughout the year. I've got runs but I've not converted them into hundreds. It's pretty disappointing when you are playing well [and not getting a century].
It's pretty disappointing. It's happened right throughout the year. I've got runs but I've not converted them into hundreds. It's pretty disappointing when you are playing well [and not getting a century].
On Irfan Pathan
He's getting better with every game. He's young, he's just 20 and he's got loads of cricket ahead of him. He has to shoulder the responsibility of Indian fast bowling for quite some time.
He's getting better with every game. He's young, he's just 20 and he's got loads of cricket ahead of him. He has to shoulder the responsibility of Indian fast bowling for quite some time.
On Zaheer Khan's batting
I thought he batted pretty well. We were to declare at lunch but he wanted to get a Test hundred. I thought he played pretty well for a No. 11.
I thought he batted pretty well. We were to declare at lunch but he wanted to get a Test hundred. I thought he played pretty well for a No. 11.
Anand Vasu is an assistant editor of Cricinfo.