Gundappa Viswanath

Calcutta: Former India captain Gundappa Viswanath feels India have a good opportunity to win both the Test and ODI series in the West Indies this time.

“We have a good chance as we have a very balanced bowling attack this time,” Viswanath said at the Jadavpur University’s Salt Lake campus on Monday. The stalwart is here as a batting consultant for the trainees of the zonal cricket academy.

Talking on the prospects of Team India, Viswanath felt that India do have good new ball bowlers who could turn things around in India’s favour. “Apart from the mediumpacers, we also have top spinners,” he said.

He, though, seemed worried about the opening slot. “If you have to do well there your openers must deliver, otherwise the pressure will be on the middle order,” he said, adding that wickets have slowed down a bit in the West Indies compared to those in 1976.

He toured there for the last time in 1975-76 and played four Tests.

Rating India’s ODI performance as “fantastic”, Viswanath admitted that India have to improve their performance in the longer version of the game.

“India will also have to work out a winning formula in the Tests and the trip to the Windies will surely be an acid test for the side,” he remarked.

On the International Cricket Council’s move to make more use of technology, the former Match Referee said: “These are all experiments, and I don’t think this will last long like the super sub rule?” he opined.

Terming Steve Bucknor’s allegation of doctoring images by television crews as “serious”, he said: “Bucknor must have experienced that? Otherwise a man of his calibre wouldn’t have made a comment like this.”

Viswanath said the “rotation policy” was the answer to the burnout issue. “Now you have a strong reserve bench”. Viswanath also hoped that Sourav Ganguly will make a comeback in the Tests but chances are dim for him in the shorter version.

“He hasn’t announced his retirement and if he performs in the first class matches the selectors will have to pick him.” He added that a player of Sourav’s calibre doesn’t need to prove himself after scoring over 10,000 ODI runs and 5,000 Test runs.In his 91 Tests, Viswanath scored 6080 runs at an average of 41.93.

Viswanath also felt that veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble deserved a place among the probables for 2007 World Cup but was not sure about VVS Laxman.

“I’m not sure about Laxman, but Kumble should be there,” he said.