Wright and Ganguly optimistic about the road ahead

John Wright and Sourav Ganguly have both expressed their satisfaction with the way the Indian squad is shaping up prior to the start of the new season, with the Challenger Trophy in the second week of September. The probables for the Indian squad have just finished a two-week camp in Bangalore, and both Wright and Ganguly were pleased at the way it went.

"It's been a very good camp," said Wright. "We have seen a definite rise in the training attitude and standards of the boys. Greg [King, the new fitness trainer] has done a tremendous job. He's fitted in well and the boys got to know him well while Andrew [Leipus, the physiotherapist] has carried on his excellent work."

"Players came here with certain levels of fitness," continued Wright. "After the camp some are fit and some needed to be fitter. Everyone has improved during the camp, which has been very good."

Ganguly endorsed Wright's comments, saying: "It has been a hot camp and we are a little tired. But our fitness standard has gone up enormously. As a captain it is very satisfying to see the side getting fitter and fitter. Now, we are much fitter than at the beginning of this camp."

"The boys realise the importance of fitness," he continued. "They know what is required to remain fit. At the end of the day, there are two different skills [fitness and cricketing skill], but one helps the other. Once we start the camp to hone our cricketing skills, this camp will help immensely in improving the standard of their game."

Ganguly pointed out that the probables who were not part of the current national side had a lot to play for in the coming weeks. "Obviously, one or two slots [in the Indian team] are open. Let us wait and see how the boys play in the Challenger, Irani Trophy and the side games against New Zealand."

Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif missed out on the camp as they were playing county cricket in England. Wright wasn't worried about them, though. "Dravid has always been a conscientious trainer and the other two, as I hear, too, were training hard. If they have any problem," Wright said, pointing towards King, "we have the man here to sort it out."

Referring to the reports that Harbhajan Singh was not playing in the Challenger Trophy because he was injured, Wright said, "I would like to clear that Harbhajan is not injured. After talking to [the] selectors and Andrew we felt that the best way to deal with Harbhajan would be to introduce him to the season with the longer version of the game instead of going straight into the Challengers. He's ok and he'll be playing in the Irani Trophy."

Virender Sehwag and Ashish Nehra are the other players from the camp who will not be playing in the Challenger Trophy. Ganguly wasn't unduly worried, though. "Injuries are part and parcel of the game," he said. "With the amount of cricket we play, injuries are bound to happen. They are as fit as anybody else and once they recover from injury it will not take much time to return to international cricket."

Leipus, meanwhile, said that both Sehwag and Nehra were recovering fast. "Ashish has come after a surgery [on his ankle] and we've been monitoring his progress. Veeru has been told to rest six weeks - that will be [until] the end of September. The Challenger Trophy is right after the preparatory camp and I didn't want to commit him to a team."