Ravi Sankar: ravis@hpsgns1.sgp.hp.com: I wish Mikey Holdings predicition comes true. Agreed that individually the team is brilliant. But unless all of them come good at the same time, all the time I doubt if India can repeat what it did 16 years ago.

Deepak Mittal: deepak@vsnl.com: Well India have lot of talent in their team ,but the aggression and killer -instinct is missing Even now they depend on Sachin Tendulkar in batting, and that is not a good sign Any team can win world cup in team effort . This was proved every time .A team work lead to victory for India in 1983 against giants West Indies and Sri Lanka won it last time against Australia.

Nandakumar: subhananda@prodigy.net: Mikey may be justified in the sense as individuals the indian stars are good and productive but when it comes as a team they OBVIOUSLY lack the team spirit and killer instinct, which i think we ought to learn from Pak who inspite of n number of internal squables play as a team with huge killer instinct on the field.

Ramesh K SIstla: rksmiles@hotmail.com: what Holding says is nothing new. We have always boasted of having the world's best batting line up but they have rarely delivered. The whole strength of a batting line up boils down to having Sachin Tendulkar in the team and more importantly he getting runs. this is not a pessimistic opinion but one that we have been a witness to since some time. I for one will be immensely happy if they prove me wrong. Good luck 'boys'!!

srivatsan.s: chellnir@hotmail.com: I think Mikey has gone overboard in overestimating the Indian team. With their current performance in the INdian Sub Continent I do not hold any hope for India reaching the finals. How I wish that michaels prediction comes true.

Sajid Bhombal: sajid@loxinfo.co.th: ya, I think Holding is justified in his optimism. As they say - "Ummid pe duniya kayam hain".

Surjya B.: bul42@hotmail.com: I think Michael Holding is too optimistic about India's chances of winning the world cup. India's much talked about talent is till now only on paper and always a miracle like the Prudential Cup in 1983 can help the team. However I agree that sooner the team familiarise with the English conditions is better.

Neeraj Rawat: n_rawat@mailcity.com: Yes, Mikey is very correct and Indian lads should leave for England to get used to the playing conditions..... India is a strong favourite... With Kumble, Sachin, Azhar, Jadeja, Srinath, Dravid, India can do wonders if Agarkar stays fit.....we will, we will rock the Lords....

Parvez Balooch: zevrap@hotmail.com: Mikey sounds more Indian than anything else.But i must agree that if India plays to its potential then its the team to beat in the World Cup!

Rajesh Komarla: rajeshk@sasi.com: Mikey, some how has become my favourite commentator. I had not read much about him in his hey days, but now is just my favourite. The comments of his quite justifiable.But, though people talk positive about Indian team, but we do not keep up to the comments [positive] made by the writers. This what puts me off. They [Indian Team] do not exploit the potential. Anyway, i would like to wish my country the very best and hope to see them in India with the Winner's Trophy. I Love My India. Mera Bharath Mahan [My India is Great]

Sameer: taporitanna@hotmail.com: No, with recent showings in pepsi cup, I think india doesnt seem to be probable winner

Tarun GAur: mosaic@vsnl.com: Great words Holding, I totally agree with all what you have said. India really needs good exposure to English conditions, which will be opposite to what we will be having here. The have to work hard really hard, put all their resources and expereience at stake and work to win the world cup. I hope our youngsters do well and make us proud by being sucessful. Long live Indian Cricket. Love & Wishes TARUN

niraj shah: nirajshah@cyberzoneindia.com: i think india is one of best team & 99world cup will be of india. Thank you Niraj

Chinmaya Pande: cpande4@hotmail.com: Michael Holding is talking through his hat. Much as i respect this man for his crickeeting skills, I think he has got this one terribly wrong. What he forgets is that this Indian team, for all its talent, lacks killer instinct, much needed in today's environment. In my opinion, they are a bunch of higly paid individuals, with their respective egos to pamper. A captain with a cavaliar 'chalta hai' attitude and a dull coach in Anshuman Gaekwad, who like Azhar, is just a drifter. They would rather wait for things to happen than make them happen. Lets face it, the Indian 'team' is not a team at all. They'r 11 individuals. In spite of these stark, cold facts staring at us in the face, I fervently hope I'm proven wrong.

Chinmaya Pande: cpande4@hotmail.com: Michael Holding is talking through his hat. Much as i respect this man for his crickeeting skills, I think he has got this one terribly wrong. What he forgets is that this Indian team, for all its talent, lacks killer instinct, much needed in today's environment. In my opinion, they are a bunch of higly paid individuals, with their respective egos to pamper. A captain with a cavaliar 'chalta hai' attitude and a dull coach in Anshuman Gaekwad, who like Azhar, is just a drifter. They would rather wait for things to happen than make them happen. Lets face it, the Indian 'team' is not a team at all. They'r 11 individuals. In spite of these stark, cold facts staring at us in the face, I fervently hope I'm proven wrong.

The Michael Holding column:
Vivek Mahajan: vickumahajan@yahoo.com: I think that like Mikey,millions of other fans would like to be optimistic.But,let`s be realistic.India doesn`t have that cutting edge in it`s bowling,the feilding has nothing to boat about,and the batting is known to develop cold feet in the English winter.We might have a legendary batsman who is also a genius with the bowl but we woefully lack in support ammunition in the form of genuine all-rounders.Yes,India might reach the super six stage but in my opinion are certainly not the favourites to progress beyond that.

biswajit padhi: pbiswajit@hotmail.com: i feel holding's optimism is misplaced. i sincerely hope i'm proved wrong. if you guys remember, in '83 west indies were pre-tournament favourites. india beat them in their first game of the cup. this time around south africa are pre-tournament favourites. again india's first game of the cup is against them. if they beat south africa in their first game ... well, who knows ...

panu bhattacharyya,calcutta: partha@ganashakti.co.in: Although india has talanted crickter but all are not hundred percent fit.At the same time india has match winner in batting line-up but not in bowling.Team spirit is not also high.So i doubt about india's chances in world cup.

Syed Zaidi: syed@freedom.usa.com: India has got the team, but not enough hunger to win,unfortunately. So I think he is over optimistic.

Srihari: sri41@hotmail.com: Ya, he may be right, but the Indian team has rarely lived up to the high expectations people have about the batting order it has. Good luck to India.

Kumar: kums76@hotmail.com: As Fans we do accept the optimism. But Fans don't win matches. Cheer Up India Do it.

anurag: anu_asc@yahoo.com: i m agree with holding's view if india play with full potential and some luck also with indian team india can repeat 1983 victory.

nikhil ved: v@vsnl.com: yes, mikey does seem justified in his optimistic views, but as is known in recent times India needs to find that elusive hunger for winning.On a given day if the team decides to win i am covinced not even a world XI would be able to alter their plans, but the " WILL " needs to be found. ALL THE BEST TO INDIA.

NITIN: ashnit@hotmail.com: I THINK MIKE IS FULLY JUSTIFIED IN SAYING THIS. BCOS INDIA IA A VERY TALENTED SIDE. WITH ATLEAST 4 WORLD CLASS BATSMEN & 2 WORLD CLASS BOWLERS. ON PAPER THEY R THE STRONGEST SIDE & SHOULD BE THE FAVOURITES. BUT ONLY PROBLEM IS TEMPERAMAENT & THE KILLER INSTINCT. I HOPE THEY OVER COME THAR

R. Vasudevan: vasu@neato.org: Yes, for the most part. However, in his views about India, he may have missed the lack of the intangible "zeal to win," which Pakistan has shown.

Mok: Mok@rediffmail.com: well,i am a diehard india fan and i don't see it w(h)ining though, simply 'cause their is a board which thinks all about itself, a captain who thinks all the world is a fool and indian cricket is a job requiring no motivation,team bonding and rest of the 'stupid stuff' and a coach who puts all the defeats behind without learning from them and loses again and again due to same things. All we have is one guy who tries to play hercules all the time,how LONG?

Pramod Deshpande: copernicus21@ameritech.net: My Dear Michael ! Indian Team always looked formidable since ages. But the sad part about it is that it looked formidable ONLY on paper. When on the ground, they are the sissies and the most unpredicatable team you would EVER find. With all due respect to your authority in cricket, I must say that they are yet to learn how to fight till the last drop of the blood. I have lost my hopes long back, after consistent poor performance by them. And I am sure, so will you. It hurts me to say this, but it's better to be realistic than hypothetical !

Rajesh: rajesh@netscape.com: Naah..Wish as much as I might, India have gotten to a stage where the only thing that's certain about their form is the complete uncertainty. And for whatever talent we may possess, we've never seen the dedication and discipline of a World Cup wining squad in this bunch. Call me a pessimist, but I'll be pleasantly surprised if we even make the Super Six.

Parimel: parimel@hotmail.com: Absolutely true.The only fact that he failed to mention is that the Indians lack the team spirit and the most important killer instinct and for the skipper Azar it doesn't seem to be a vital one for international cricket. One more important thing is that lack of "believe-in-yourself" which is the key factor of in international cricket and South Africa have been showing what it can do for you. If Sachin gets out the entire team seems to think that they cannot make a match of it.This problem continues from the 1992 Bensen & Hedges series in Australia. I would suggest an aggressive coach can set right things. Gaekwad has been a sleeping coach since his appointment.Someone like Kris Srikkanth or Kapil Dev will do a far better job than him.Yet again the politics come into picture and every cricket follower in the country knows about it.

Ravindra Paste: rpaste@unforgettable.com: He is right in his optimism. But then one mustn't forget that India is as unpredictable as Pakistan when it comes to performing on ground.

Subramanian R. Iyer: anusriram@hotmail.com: Mike seems to be too optimistic about India. I am not pessimestic, but wud like to add that if India does not buck up from all ends they don't stand a chance in the six. We already have a uphill task to play SA in the first match. India has to win this match to build up the confidence to complete the tournament in style. Secondly UK, SL are very good one day sides, with good allrounders. The Indian team for a change shud apply themselves rather than put too much pressure on Sachin Tendulkar. The way India played on the Pepsi Cup, they don't deserve to win any tournaments.

Shashank Bhushan: shashankbhushan@usa.net: Watching India perform disastrously against Pakistan, I doubt if the Indian batsmen are upto playing other top class bowlers like, Donald, Klusner and party. Moreover in the recent times, fielding has gone from bad to worse.

Rajesh Joshi: r-joshi-apc-vn@hcm.vnn.vn: Since Srilaka is not in best form, chances of India, making in SUPER-SIX are certainly bright, but after that SUPER-SIX will be a tough proposition, and it will depend upon team that plays best in all depts on that day, and in case of India, will depend entirely how Sachin performs, on that day, as almost single-handedly, he only can turn fortune in India's favour, as we have seen in recent tournaments in India, minus Sachin, is almost impossible for India to register a win.so in my opinion, Mikey's optimism also more revolves around Sachin , and deceptive bowling of our slow medium pacers in English conditions.

Sreenivas Punna: punna@rediffmail.com: When was this column written? before or after Pakis beat India black and blue that too in India?

H N Srihari: hns0@orica.com.au:

Hariharan Thantry: thantry@iastate.edu: I think Holding's confidence in Indian tem is a bit misplaced. I would never dream of backing such a poor outfit as India. They are remarkable as individuals, but collective effort is really found wanting. They lack killer instinct and our board isn't the most imaginative either. Plus we have a captain who might well be captaining India for the last time All makes up to a very poor challenger.. My money would be on South Africa. Do I need to say why???

H N Srihari: hns0@orica.com.au: He is justified on the basis of potential. I certaily look forward to India's success.

Bobby Philips: bobphil@hotmail.com: Classic opinion. I absolutely feel that Michey's observation is to the point and Indian team management MUST look into thsi aspect very seriously. All the best for the Indian team and may God bless you.



Bharat: bharat_j@hotmail.com: No. I think he is just saying all this coz most of your readers are Indian and it will make us feel good. Looking at the recent performance of India, (infact throughtout most of the history of Indain cricket) our team has never had a steady good performance, with wins coming and going like hiccups. Very few of our players are mentally strong enough to be real quality one-day players. One-daycricket is as much about handling pressure as it is about playing talent. And in that aree India is definitely amont the bottom half of the list of all participating teams. I am as big a India fan as can be, but how cong can one sustain the spirit on hopes which have no real grounds to stand on. And of course, the BCCI's activities aint helping much either.

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