‘Focus’ India’s buzzword as big picture looms

Asked about the threat from the likes of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath, Saurav Ganguly had a pithy response: ‘‘Remember the series in India. We have proved that we are the only team that can stop the Aussies.’’

Indeed, the skipper’s focus on the final began during the semi-final. Aware that the game against Kenya was pretty much wrapped up, Ganguly took off his frontline bowlers and gave the part-timers a turn with the ball. And, for the first time in the tournament, Sachin Tendulkar was chosen before Dinesh Mongia in the spinners department.

Yesterday’s match also showed, again, the complete involvement of every team member, senior and junior in the cause. Yesterday. it was Sachin Tendulkar’s efforts that caught the eye, literally. It was Tendulkar who spotted the lightning and the rain threat when India were still 10 overs short of the 25-over mark — which signifies a complete match under Duckworth/Lewis.

The team tensed up and got a sense of urgency, Ganguly later said, ‘‘after Tendulkar ran to me and told about the lightning he had spotted around the stadium.’’

Indeed, the mutual admiration and respect among senior team members is summed up by the story, perhaps apocryphal, of Tendulkar and his bats. The story deals with Tendulkar’s heavy kitbag, which somehow landed in Ganguly’s room.

Ganguly lifted the bag and, when an embarrassed Tendulkar asked him not to, replied: ‘‘Since you were carrying the expectations of a billion Indians, I wouldn’t like you to be burdened with anything more.’’

When it comes to be sharing batting responsibilities, though, everyone’s pitched in, as the match scorecards will indicate. Ganguly has scored three centuries in the tournament, Tendulkar is by far the leading scorer, Dravid has been Dravid and Yuvraj and Kaif have turned the match-winning cameo into a fine art.

Though many would contend that the skipper’s tons have come against small-fry opposition, they have been vital. Last night, it was the World Cup semi-final; the previous ton against Kenya had come when the Indians were tottering.

However much they’ve impressed the public and the neutrals, though, it’s a brave man who’d bet on India. Not Kenyan captain Steve Tikolo. After playing both Australia and India in four days, he said he’d go for the Aussies.