Sreesanth credits Ganguly for turnaround

[King]

'I told myself that I would be myself rather than think too much about the game and try too hard, said the young Indian pacer after a haul of 3-67 in England's first innings. More... Sreesanth credits Ganguly for turnaround Harish Kotian in London July 21, 2007 10:48 IST Last Updated: July 21, 2007 11:13 IST S Sreesanth [Images] is not the typical Indian cricketer; he is very different. Moody, aggressive and, in his own words, very passionate. Yet, on Day 1 of the first Test against England [Images] at Lord's on Thursday, all these traits were missing. Nerves took over and suddenly his bowling was pedestrian and the English batsmen carted him all around they ground like they would to any other club-level bowler.

But come the second day, after a three-hour rain delay, and there was the real Sreesanth. There was pace, swing and, most of all, the aggression was back. Not surprisingly, he took three quick wickets to trigger an England collapse that saw them being bowled out for 298 after starting the day at a healthy 268 for 4. Asked what caused the turnaround, the Kerala [Images] pacer credited the revival to Sourav Ganguly [Images]. "I was standing at fine leg yesterday after my first spell and I saw Sourav Ganguly bowling, and it really inspired me because he was just hitting the right areas. He got the first wicket and he showed us the way. I am thankful to him, to be really honest," Sreesanth said at the end of second day's play. He claimed the wickets of Matt Prior (1), Chris Tremlett (0) and Monty Panesar [Images] (0), all leg before, to give India the upper hand. "I think the main thing was that the confidence level was much higher today. I took it very simple. I told myself that I would be myself rather than think too much about the game and trying too hard. I said I would just keep it simple and bowl in the right areas," he said, admitting that nerves had got the better of him on day one. The 24-year-old also thanked bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad for helping him out after the team's mediocre bowling performance for most part of the opening day of the Test. "Yes, Venkybhai [Venkatesh Prasad] always helps us. He is someone who gives us the report as to where you have to bowl and where you are going wrong. He is doing a great job and it really helped me. Even this morning, during the delay, he was telling me not to lose the focus, be up there and keep coming hard. There was a controversial moment during the second day, when Kevin Pietersen [Images] walked back after being given out caught behind. Just when he neared the boundary ropes that he was asked to return to the crease after television replays showed the ball had touched the ground before wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni [Images] caught it off Zaheer Khan's [Images] bowling. "The reaction was very simple. If we got him once, we were very sure we will get him twice. It is simple, if you can get someone out once, you can get out twice also," Sreesanth declared confidently. His bowling partner Zaheer also staged a remarkable comeback claiming 2 for 62 to give him good support. "Yes, the conditions were different today. There was more moisture in the air and I think there was a bit of difference. But I think the main thing was that we both hit the right areas and that made the difference," Sreesanth said. The Kerala pacer said the problem with his poor showing yesterday was he was trying too hard. "I started bowling like Sreesanth, the moment I bowled the seventh over; that is the first over of my second spell. The only thing I focused was on hitting the right areas, making the ball move and trying to take it away from the batsmen. That is exactly what I followed even today," he said. Sreesanth, who loves dancing, summed up the three wickets in his inimitable style. "I want to thank God for the three wickets. Getting the first wicket at Lord's was very important. Then when I got the first wicket I was happy; then when I took the second I was happier. And finally when I claimed the third wicket, I was the happiest!" he said before signing off.

[King]

The title is a bit misleading but whatever works.