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Kaif attributes good show to England tour
Ashish Magotra in Chennai |
October 16, 2004 20:16 IST
Mohammad Kaif attributed his fine showing on Saturday in the second Test against Australia to his recent performances in the NatWest Challenge and Champions Trophy in England.
The dashing all-rounder, who staged a comeback to Test cricket after three years, scored a brave 64 on day 3 as India went on to take a 141-run first innings lead.
"I got couple of half centuries in England, which made me feel better and provided the required confidence."
Kaif said the pitch is getting slower and batting will be tough for India if it has to chase a target in the fourth innings.
"It is going to be hard to bat in the fourth innings under humid conditions, but we are looking to chase a target of 100 to 130 runs," he said, after the third day's play in Chennai on Saturday.
He said Sunday's first session will be crucial, as couple of quick wickets will give India a firm grip on the match.
He lauded the showing of the Indian bowlers, saying, "Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan bowled well today.
"The wicket of [Adam] Gilchrist was vital since he is capable of turning the tide. We require two-three quick wickets tomorrow morning."
On taking ill during the match, Kaif, who did not return to the pitch after lunch because of cramps in his feet but came out to bat later with a runner after India lost its ninth wicket, said, "I did not drink enough water. I also had a viral fever in Bangalore. It is a combination of these two. I am feeling quite weak now; I will have to assess my fitness tomorrow."
He said his run-out was "funny". "Probably it was due to weakness. I lost control of my mind. It was also tough for anyone to play in this heat. I was sweating a lot and I took a long time to reach my 50."
He described his 102-run partnership with Parthiv Patel as very crucial, adding he wanted to stay at the wicket longer and get more runs.
On the lower order batsmen clicking for the second time in the series, he said, "Pathan batted well in the Bangalore Test. If we get more runs it suits us, especially against teams like Australia."