We had to prove a point by winning : Kumble

[DesiChap]

News One of the best wins of my career: Kumble PTI PERTH, January 19: Indian captain Anil Kumble on Saturday described the sensational victory in the third Test against Australia as 'one of the best' in his career and said it was a remarkable effort from his team after the traumatic events in Sydney. "It was one of the best Tests in my career. Nobody gave us any chance in Perth. But we batted brilliantly, Sachin (Tendulkar), Rahul (Dravid), (Virender) Sehwag, (VVS) Laxman... even at the lower order MS Dhoni and RP Singh," Kumble said after winning the match by 72 runs. "We had tough times. After Sydney, it was important that we got together, back Harbhajan (Singh) and win this game." "After Sydney there were two options. One was to go back home and the other was to show that we are capable of winning. I am glad the team has got together to prove that (beating Australia)," he said. Kumble said unlike the Sydney match both the sides played the third Test in true spirit of the game but India dominated the Australians. "The two teams played in right spirit. But here we did well and if see we did not give one session to the Aussies to come back," he said. The Indian captain said his team was focused to win the fourth and final Test as well and draw the series. "We need to get the confidence from this match to Adelaide and finish the series level...but the Aussies would not give up," he said. Comparing rookie pacer Ishant Sharma to former pace ace Javagal Srinath, Kumble said the young speedster notched up a superb performance. "He was brilliant. He looks like what Srinath was in his early days. He showed a great attitude." About Sharma's extended spell, which earned the crucial wicket of Australian captain Ricky Ponting, Kumble said, "Viru (Sehwag) is the Delhi captain. So he told me that Ishant is used to bowl longer spells. I asked Ishant if he can bowl one more over and he said yes. Since Ricky was there it was important." Kumble also singled out Sehwag (2-24), who he brought in as a change bowler, for his outstanding performance causing the Australian collapse. "Sehwag does something special. It was special to get Gilly (Adam Gilchrist) at that stage," he said and added "in fact, everyone chipped in to contribute to the win in some way or the other." The 37-year-old legspinner, who also achieved his personal milestone of crossing the 600-wicket mark here, gave credit to his team for utilising the conditions here better than the hosts. "It was a brilliant effort from our boys. It is really special. No one gave us a chance before the match but we utilised the conditions better." "It was a brilliant effort from young pace attack, it also showed in their body language." Rival captain Ricky Ponting tried to be graceful in the defeat by expressing the disappointment but offering no excuses for their below-par show. "It is disappointing but no excuses for the defeat," Ponting said after Australian team was deprived of a record 17th successive Test win by the Indians. Ponting, however, admitted that his team needed some bigger partnerships and more runs in the first innings which could have made their run-chase easier. "We could have scored better in the first innings and we also needed some good partnerships. It would have helped our cause in the run-chase. But India's young bowlers really bowled well because of which it was not possible," he said. Man-of-the-match paceman Irfan Pathan, who picked 3-54 in the fourth innings and also contributed 46 runs with the bat in India's second innings, said things were looking better for him from here. "It's pretty good. I'm pretty happy with the way I batted and the way I bowled," he said. He admitted that he was not bowling well last year but the return of swing in his deliveries had again made him effective. "If a player has a stint of 10-12 years, bad times are bound to happen and that happened with me also. I worked at the MRF Pace Foundation and with our bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad. Things are looking much better for me now," he said. On his all round performance, he insisted "I have mentioned that I am a bowler first and would also like to contribute to the team with the bat". http://cricket.indiatimes.com/One_of_the_best_wins_of_my_career_Kumble/articleshow/2713777.cms

[beetle]

Dravid hails Perth victory January 19, 2008 16:51 IST Former captain Rahul Dravid [images] is elated that the Indian team, written off after back-to-back defeats in Melbourne and Sydney, finally upset the Australian applecart in Perth on Saturday. "Nobody gave us a chance to win the Test but we showed what we can do," a beaming Dravid said after India's 72-run win over Australia. "It was a team effort, and I am happy for Kumble and the boys that we came up with a remarkable win," he added. Dravid, who top-scored in India's first innings with 93, however, refused to be dragged into the debate on whether it was India's greatest Test triumph abroad. "We had some other wins outside India earlier and it is difficult to pick which one was the best. But it was a sweet win for us, as it came against the Australians and after we were 0-2 down in the series," he said. The right-hander was all smiles and relieved that his dismissal at a crucial stage in the first innings did not prove costly. "I thought I had messed up in the last half an hour of the first day by getting out at a crucial stage for the team. "Fortunately, the bowlers performed fantastically and Laxman came up with a fine knock in the second innings. So it has sort of removed my regret," he added. Assistant coach Lalchand Rajput said after trailing 0-2, the team was determined to prove a point by winning the Perth Test. "We were 0-2 down and lots of things had happened (on the tour). The boys desperately wanted a win. We wanted to give the Aussies a run for their money," he said. http://ia.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jan/19dravid.htm

[beetle]

Great comeback by the team: Zaheer Harish Kotian in Mumbai | January 19, 2008 16:20 IST Fast bowler Zaheer Khan [images] congratulated the Indian team on winning the third Test in Perth and said he is proud of the way the team performed despite all the problems going into the match. "It is a historic win," Zaheer told rediff.com on Saturday. "It is a great thing for Indian cricket. I am really proud of the way the team played in the Perth Test match. The Australians were on the verge of their 17th consecutive Test victory and to stop them from achieving it is really special." India beat Australia by 72 runs on day four of the third Test to snap the world champions' record 16-match winning streak. Zaheer, who was ruled out of the Test series after playing the opening match due to an injured left heel, admitted that he missed being part of the victorious Indian team. However, he added: "It is something that is not in my hands. My leg is in a cast and I am out injured. And when you are not part of something you will always miss it. But I watched the full match and supported the team throughout. It was a great Test match." The 29-year-old described how tough it was for the team going into the Perth Test and said the team deserves special praise for coming out trumps. Anil Kumble [images] and his boys were not only reeling from poor umpiring which robbed them of a possible win in Sydney, but they also had to fight for Harbhajan Singh [images], who is fighting to clear his name of racist allegations against Andrew Symonds [images]. "I was tough for the team right from the start of the tour. First we went into the first Test at Melbourne with not enough practice. We had just one practice game before the first Test which I don't think is enough. "And then the problems in Sydney and we came into this match 0-2 down, so it was a great comeback by the team and I am really happy for the team." India were 0-2 down in the series after losing the opening Test in Melbourne followed by the controversial loss in Sydney but managed to outplay the hosts in Perth. The left-armer believes credits the turnaround to India's batting display in the first innings of the second Test, when they posted in excess of 500. "The way we batted in Sydney I think we pulled things back a bit and that is when we started put pressure on Australia. I always believe that for us to do well our batting has to click as a unit and our team has to click as a unit," he said. Zaheer also showered praise on fellow left-armer Irfan Pathan [images] and said he deserves special mention for making such an inspired comeback. "Being a fast bowler in sub-continent conditions is not easy. It is really tough to bowl on these pitches and you go through a lot of ups and downs including injuries and poor form in a long career. It is important how you come out of that and keep your focus on the game and become a better bowler. "The way Irfan has come back it has been an example of this. His performance in this Test has been great and I congratulate him on his success." Zaheer also seemed thrilled with the performance of youngsters RP Singh and Ishant Sharma, who took vital wickets in both the innings. He said the future of India's fast bowling is bright and it is heartening to see youngsters deliver when it matters. "I have been saying his for a long time now that it is important to have a good crop of young fast bowlers. There are quite a few young talented fast bowlers around the country and whenever they have got a chance they have stood up to the challenge and delivered the goods. In the last 5-6 years, it has been incredible to see these young bowlers come through and we now have good bunch of fast bowlers in India." Zaheer said he will call up his team mates and congratulate them on his famous win. "I will let the team savour this moment. I will call them later on and I am sure the night will be long today. I am sure they will have a big celebration and enjoy this victory," he said. http://ia.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jan/19zaheer.htm

[Chandan]

We had to prove a point by winning : Kumble We had to prove a point by winning Against the backdrop of all that happened in Sydney, it was really creditable to pull off a victory. It was important we regrouped, be- lieved in ourselves, kept faith. We kept telling ourselves that and it helped. ANIL KUMBLE, India skipper On winning the WACA Test Everything begins somewhere and I'd have to say that our win in Perth began with the toss. There was a lot of talk about how visiting teams invariably come here and field first, but I wasn't convinced. The wicket looked a good batting surface and I believed that it was important that we stuck to our plans and executed them. The plan was to put runs on board and put the Australians under pressure. Whatever might have been written or said outside, I had complete confidence in the ability of our batting line up to handle whatever the pitch had in it. And that's exactly what they did, so all credit to our batters, beginning with the start Viru and Wasim gave us. Those 50 runs or so made a big difference and was really the start of the series for us. As a bowler, it was one of those wickets where you knew it would be tough to control the flow of runs. You had to be patient, even if you were going for five to six runs an over. There was always a chance of getting a wicket. Against the backdrop of all that happened in Sydney, it was really creditable to pull off a victory. It was important we regrouped, we believed in ourselves, kept faith. We kept telling ourselves that and it helped. Our young bowling attack did su perbly to reduce Australia to 60-5 and from there on, we just had to en sure there would be no repeat of Sydney, where their tail wagged. That 118-run lead was very crucial. I have to mention here that I've been asked whether, after winning here, I ever thought about the events of Sydney and wondered, ‘if only'. Well, I didn't. I didn't look back at all. I always believe it's important to look ahead and that's why we're now looking at Adelaide. Staying positive We're going to go and do what we spoke about in Sydney, go ahead and level the series. We decided we'd take things a day at a time and that's exactly what's working for us. Here, some things must be mentioned. The return of Sehwag and Irfan was important as they came into this game without practice and played exceptionally well in both departments. Viru did very well in whatever was asked of him and so did Irfan. It was important to give Irfan the new ball, given his ability to swing, especially in Perth, where there is carry . They also brought a fresh approach and a positive influence to the team. Mention must also be made of Ishant, who is improving everyday, every time. His eight-over spell in the second innings was one of those where you can easily end up with 4-5 wickets on another day . But it was great to watch. He is a quick learner with a great attitude. He will understand the nuances of how to get people out very quickly and that augurs well for India. At 19, he is doing everything he was asked to do. Actually, he reminds me of Sri (Javagal Srinath) in the early days. The pace, the height... Towards the end, when we were obviously thinking of finishing the game, that 73run stand between Johnson and Clark was a bit frustrating. It was one of those things… I had had a long bowl, bowling literally from just before lunch to an over after the first drinks break post-tea. It was 17 or 18 on the trot. Unfortunately again, I had a wicket off a no ball, and then there was a dropped catch, some airy shots that landed in no man's land. Still, there was never a negative body contributed when the chips were down. Rahul and Sachin's stand in the first innings, Rahul and Laxman lat er, Dhoni and Laxman, R.P. Singh's cameo, R.P's bowling too was excep tional in both innings… and all the rest I'd mentioned. There was something from everyone. A special Test Personally, it was also very special for me to cross the 600-wicket landmark. The Symonds wicket was very important at that juncture and when I look back at Perth, it will be so special at many levels. On another final note, before we move to Adelaide, it was really nice to have Lee and Gilchrist come in after the game and sit and chat with us in our dressing room. It was a reflection of the spirit in which this game was played for the most. But it was played hard of course. To beat Australia in Australia was really tough. You have to play really well and I think India have been the only team to have matched up consistently over the last 10 years. Out of 21 games, we have a 10:8 ratio; with other teams, it's way off balance. I think we've shown time and again that we can compete on equal terms and that feels very good. It was important to win here and have people finally realise that we are good enough. And now, on to Adelaide to complete the job. ---------------------------------------- Well done skipper. And he also explains why and how tailenders could carry on for 70+ runs.