12-member Team India squad leaves for Pakistan

     New Delhi: A 12-member squad of Team India led by skipper Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappell today left for its 43-day tour to Pakistan for the three Tests and five One Day Internationals to be played between the two countries. The remaining four members of the team Anil Kumble, former skipper Sourav Ganguly, vice captain Virender Sehwag and Parthiv Patel will, however, leave for Pakistan on Saturday. The four are currently playing in the Ranji Trophy matches for their state associations and will leave for Pakistan after completing their commitments in the domestic circuit.

    Addressing a press conference before leaving for Pakistan, Dravid re-iterated the team policy of not tolerating any players lacking in motivation. Each and every player will have to give 100 percent for the Tests and the ODI series. "At this level if I have to tell somebody that you have to do your best, that shouldn't be the case. When you're playing for the country that is understood. If two-three people in the team are not motivated, they can bring the morale of the entire team down," said Dravid. BCCI President Sharad Pawar who will be travelling to Lahore for the first Test said that the players should remember that they travel as goodwill ambassadors and not just as cricketers. "Cricket has been definitely responsible for the changed atmosphere between the both countries. This is not just a team visiting Pakistan to play just cricket. Each and every player is going on behalf of India as goodwill ambassadors," said Pawar. Former BCCI President Raj Singh Dungarpur will accompany the contingent as the team manager.

Chappell hopes openers will come good in Pakistan

     New Delhi: India cricket team coach Greg Chappell has called on his struggling opening batsman to improve before the start of the away series against Pakistan. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag failed to spark in the previous home series against Sri Lanka, putting pressure on the middle order, and Chappell said he was not happy. "Happy is not the word I would use at the moment. They haven't done as well as we would have liked them to do or as well as they would have liked to do. But we are confident that they would do the job when the time comes," said Chappell on Thursday at a conference before the team's departure on the 45-day tour of Pakistan. India plays three Tests and five one-dayers in Pakistan. The first Test begins in Lahore on Jan. 13. India, who won both the Test and one-day series on their last tour in 2004, are yet to decide on their opening duo. The inconsistent left-hander Gambhir is in competition with recalled Wasim Jaffer to open with Virender Sehwag. The 27-year-old Sehwag, the vice-captain, has also struggled for form and has not scored a Test century since the 201 against Pakistan in the home series last season. Against Sri Lanka last month Sehwag made 36 in the first Test, missed the second due to illness and made 20 and nought in the third.

    Chappell said both Sehwag and Gambhir, as well as Jaffer, were good players and he was confident they would measure up in Pakistan. "Obviously from a batting point of view, the better the starts we get, the better you'd think it would be for the team. As we saw in the last series, we got some low opening partnerships and lost some early wickets, yet we build a good total. It's about applying ourselves to what is required at that time, but I think if we do bat well at the top of the order it should make things easier for us, " he added. Skipper Rahul Dravid, who is leading India for the first time overseas, said a tour of Pakistan was very special to an Indian cricketer. "We are really looking forward to this trip to Pakistan and for an Indian cricketer there are lot of important tours but a tour to Pakistan is always something special. Also there was a great experience the last time when we toured. We are really looking forward to the challenge and the boys are very keen on the tour," he said. Dravid took over the captaincy from Sourav Ganguly in October. India have since defeated Sri Lanka 2-0 in a Test series and won eight of the last 11 one-day internationals. "I am excited that the whole squad is doing well. The two spinners are a very important cog in the wheel. Both Anil Kumble and Harbhajan (Singh) are proven world-class spinners. It is exciting to see them both bowling well at the same time. That gives us a lot of options and confidence," he added.

8000 non-police reporting visas for Indian cricket fans

    Islamabad: The Pakistan government would issue only 8000 non-police reporting visas to Indian cricket fans and 2000 to fans from across the world, to watch the forthcoming Indo-Pak Test and ODI series in Pakistan. The non-police reporting visas mean that those seeking visas need not inform their local police about their visit to Pakistan, which otherwise is the normal procedure for Indian and Pakistani nationals when they visit each other's country. "Eight-thousand visas will be issued (to Indian fans) and another 2,000 will be issued to fans who have purchased tickets through the internet from various countries," the Online News quoted PCB chief Shaharyar Khan as saying. He added: "There is lot of interest in the series but then there is only so much space in a stadium. We also have to look at facilities, comfort and security of the people who come to watch the matches."