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[kban1]

"SG was the right captain for Pakistan tour"

From ABP (Translated)
4th February 2006
http://www.anandabazar.com/4khela2.htm





Interview with Shahid Afridi

Q: Views abt ODI series
A: We have more match winners in our team, we should win and not just a win, but one that will be convincing.

Q: Peshawar is your hometown
A: That’s the problem, so much pressure

Q: Pressure on you ? Your batting does not suggest that
A: public wants runs from the beginning, that’s the pressure. In Karachi and Peshawar the crowd demands are even higher. Have to entertain plus score runs, that’s the pressure.

Q: We saw in faislabad how a big crowd came to see you watch and left as soon as you were out
A: yes, like I said. I realize the pressure in a home series with India as opponent.

Q: But the risks you take, you could be dismissed early
A: I get a few loose balls anyways, and with the Indian bowling that problem is even less.

Q: Lot of criticism of SRT, even Pak former players are advising him to step aside graciously
A: Big fan of SRT. I feel he will still play big innings even if he is not as good as before. Problem is with the Indian media –you have put him on such a pedestal that even as great a player as him cannot cope with such expectations. And then you hurl him to the ground. Once the “aasmaan”, once the “zameen”. Media pressure has made it impossible for SRT.

Q: but it is not our media, it is the pak media which is saying
A: But you are the guys publishing it. You have hyped Irfan to be Akram and Dhoni to be Gilchrist. Let them play a while –whats the hurry ?

Q: In the ODI series, who are you guys considering as main threats
A: 2 big match winners –VS and YS compared to 7 / 8 for Pak

Q: Dhoni ?
A: yes, also Dhoni, sorry, sorry.

Q: What was the real difference in Karachi ?
A: our bowlers were ahead, especially shoiab whocan generate great pace off a dead wicket. Besides your bowlers bowled poorly in the 2nd innings in Karachi.

Q: Whats the difference between the 2 teams
A: We have more brave guys in our team

Q: How do you understand that ?
A: “pata chal jaata hai kitna dil se khel raha hai, dimak mein kya chal raha hai” (You can understand how much heart they have in the game, whats on their mind). You can make out on the field of play.

Q: Indians have complained that Shoiab and you have been crossing the line in your efforts to play “dil se”. Even the match referre has paid attention to this
A:  This is a strange statement – where does the match referee come in ? The other name of cricket is aggression. Even the match referee will agree, he will not disagree with the synonym or the idea

Q: 2 years ago, India beat pak on their own soil in tests plus ODI’s. Why the difficulty for India this time around ?
A: That was a pak team in the process of being built. Inzi was in the process of putting things together and Woolmer was not here either. Wollmer is the one who brought me back. Besides you had a different captain –Ganguly, who is the right captain for playing against Pakistan. “Uska alag josh tha” – that is the josh missing in the Indian team this time.

Q: Well, Dravid is an attacking captain ?
A: look, Dravid is an extraordinary batsman and his wicket is very important for us. Lekin captaincy – who cheej nahi hai usme”

Q: That’s a pretty big and bold statement ?
A: Bilkul (of course)!! Ganguly was the right captain. Dravid, I notice loses heart the moment a few balls are hit for 4. I see from up close and on the field, I would know, wouldn’t I ?

[dextrous]

Afridi will be a bold captain someday, like Greame Smith!

[sudzz]

Afridi will be a bold captain someday, like Greame Smith!

Like he says. Even this interview is with Jigar...nicely said...but I dont agree with his statement on Dravid. This is clearly a case of one who has been fed on a personality culture to one who is getting away from it.

[dextrous]

Yeah, but it's good pre-match build up. Other sports do it, cricket will start to, eventually. Post-and pre- game stuff.

[feverpitch]

Certainly a lot of the comments coming from Pakistani ex and current cricketers including Afridi in their praising of Ganguly, will have to do with their attempt at 'psychological disintegration' of the Indian team [except that now that SG is not there, if the accusations of divisiveness made by GC about SG were true -- this banter could and should also have a spurring effect on the Indian team, translatable into positive results]. However, it has to be said that going by some of the observations they add about on-field attitude, it is not simply banter -- there is a level of adulation and respect as well. And that is imho well deserved by Ganguly.

As for observations about our bowlers and players with 'josh', well, that is a bitter pill that I guess we'll have to accept.