India are a well-balanced team: Rhodes
Posted on Oct 27, 2008 at 14:16 | Updated Oct 27, 2008 at 14:22
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New Delhi: Watching the Australians struggle gives a lot of teams around the world reason to smile. One of them is former South African batsman Jonty Rhodes, who told CNN-IBN's Roma Khanna that India can pile on the agony on the World Champions by keeping the intensity of their performance up.
CNN-IBN: Australia were in very good position in Bangalore and they somehow quite unlike Australia couldn't finish it off and then the kind of performance they put in in Mohali, does that surprise you?
Jonty Rhodes: I think the first Test certainly was an indicator that if India play good cricket, the Australians are going to be in trouble in the second Test because generally when Australia go ahead in a Test match then not many teams can salvage a draw. And the Indian guys must have got a real morale booster having come out of that Test after being behind most of the times.
And coming up with a draw in the first Test, I think must have given them a lot of confidence. So, I was surprised, as it doesn't happen too often. The Australian team is still very formidable. But it was Shane Warne or Glenn McGrath who used to make sure earlier that once the Australian team was ahead they get a win as a result.
CNN-IBN: What do you make of this Indian side? You have seen the way they have performed in the first Test and then in the second Test under different captain in Mohali. What do you see?
Jonty Rhodes: I India, the Indian team is really formidable. They are a very tough team to beat at home. Now, what they have got is a very well balanced team. They don't have all-rounders but they have got specialists and that is the key. They not only bowl well with the new ball but they also get it to reverse swing. So, that is a huge bonus for a captain. The spinners also bowled superbly.
The batting was really consistent. You have got some great experience in the batting -- Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly. And sometimes like a good red wine you get better with age. And Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly certainly showed that they have the ability and they still have the hunger. So, even though they are getting on years but they are still producing good, which is really good for India.
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