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Team work was the key, says Azhar

By a correspondent

While affirming that he believed the present Indian team had a strong nucleus for future teams to be built on, skipper Mohammad Azharuddin told the media in Chennai, on his return from Sri Lanka, that the side still had a long way to go.

"It is mainly due to team work that we could win the cup," Azhar said, referring to the win in the Akai Singer Nidahas trophy tournament in Colombo on Tuesday. "However, I would single out the record partnership of Sachin (Tendulkar) and Saurav (Ganguly)."

Declaring that the ultimate goal was to perform to peak at the World Cup in 1999, Azhar reiterated that the side needed to do a lot of work on fielding and bowling.

"Our strength surely is batting, and it was proved by Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh and even Ajit Agarkar is capable of scoring well," the Indian skipper said. "Winning tournaments is important, yes, but we need to be strong physically and improve in fielding and bowling."

Azharuddin diplomatically avoided comment on the umpiring in the final, marred by a couple of clear LBW decisions turned down, as was one caught behind, while one run out was given against Robin Singh despite the fact that Jayasuriya broke the stumps without the ball in his hand.

"I was fielding at midwicket, it is hard to judge from there," the Indian skipper said. Coach Gaikwad, for his part, merely said, "I have no comments to make on the umpiring."

Azharuddin was all praise for Harbajan Singh's bowling, but added a caution that the teenaged player needed to focus more on his batting and fielding.

Azhar said that while the side that played the final provided a good nucleus, he said it was no means certain that this would be the team that would play all subsequent tournaments. "For instance, there is still Javagal Srinath to come in, and in any event, the picking of teams is the prerogative of the selectors."

Praising Agarkar, Azhar said the young fast bowler had put India back into the final on Tuesday by taking out Arjuna Ranatunga just when the Lankans looked ready to run away with the game.

"Sri Lanka could have won, but we got wickets at the right time," Azhar said. "Excellent team work helped us win, we hung in there and kept fighting and that made all the difference."