We won't mind Aussie's niggles, jokes Dada

[DesiChap]

Kolkata, February 24: Sourav Ganguly on Saturday supported the inclusion of little known sides in the World Cup, saying that the experience of playing against stronger teams would put them in good stead. "It is the duty of stronger teams to support these teams to do better. If you do not play against these teams, they wlll not get exposure," said Ganguly. Ganguly did not agree that the presence of sides like Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands would rob the World Cup of its lustre. "I don't think so. We are playing these teams only in the preliminaries," he replied. Ganguly said India too had gone through the same stages of development as these sides taking part in the coming World Cup. "We (India) also went through such phases when we started," he said. Ganguly also felt that the established sides would not be lacking in motivation when they square up against the minnows. "The event World Cup itself is enough to get motivated," he said. Ganguly expressed confidence that India would do well in the World Cup. "We have chances of performing well. We have a good team. We were in great form in the home series opposite the West Indies and Sri Lanka. But what you do in these six or seven games is important." Asked about the injury to Irfan Pathan, Ganguly said, "From the media I got to know there is a bit of a question mark on Irfan Pathan. Hope he gets through. We need him." Asked about the injury problems faced by Australia, he said in a lighter vein, "We won't mind their niggles." On Brett Lee missing the World Cup, Ganguly said, "He is their strike bowler. Obviously Australia will be affected."