11 December,2018 07:33 AM IST | | Subodh Mayure
Chandu Borde
Former captain Chandu Borde, who led India in the opening Test of the 1967-68 Australia tour in Adelaide, was delighted to be proved right about the present Indian team's victory in the same city yesterday.
Borde was the second captain in line after Lala Amarnath [in 1947-48] to lose an opening Test in Australia. "I was watching this game on the opening day with my friends at Poona Club. Looking at the turn the pitch was taking, I told my friends that we are going to win. Today too, I was confident that our bowlers would dismiss them to win the Test," Borde told mid-day from Pune yesterday.
'India better than Australia'
Borde, 84, who served as a national chief selector too, wants the Indian team to capitalise on the hosts, who are weaker than other Australian teams. "The Indian team's confidence level must be very high after this win and it will undoubtedly help us when we play at Perth. The Indian team are much better than the Australian team as they are playing without star batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner. Our batting is much stronger and this is the best opportunity to win a series." said Borde. However, Borde, who was manager when the Rahul Dravid-led Indian team beat England 1-0 on the 2007 tour, is concerned over Ishant Sharma's no-balls.
Ishant was in the 2007 squad. "Ishant was bowling plenty of no-balls then and it was difficult to select him in the Test team. During a tour game, he bowled around six no-balls in one over.
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Ishant's no-ball problem
"Even in Adelaide, we witnessed how he struggled to overcome this issue. He has developed well otherwise and gets good reverse swing, but needs to sort out his no-ball problem," Borde said of Ishant, who claimed three wickets in Adelaide.
Borde recalled the 1967-68 Test in Adelaide where he led because MAK Pataudi suffered a leg injury. "I was given out LBW to leg-spinner John Gleeson for 68 when I had stepped out to play a shot. Even ex-Australian captain Lindsay Hassett, who was commentating during that match, found it a strange decision. We had a chance to win, but we lost [by 146 runs]," said Borde.
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