AUSTRALIA'S PITCH MIGHT SUIT DAZELING LOOKING YUVRAJSINGH
Yuvraj Singh can do no wrong these days. He creates magic everytime he strides out to bat and his gorgeous 169 in the Bangalore Test against Pakistan only highlighted what many experts have been saying for some time — that Yuvraj must play for India in all forms of the game. Now, as the Indian team embarks on the toughest assignment in world cricket — a trip to Australia — Yuvraj has an opportunity to cement his credentials as a reliable, high quality Test batsman. Yuvraj, though, is hardly deterred by the challenge and is eyeing to make a mark when it will matter the most. The stylish left-hander opens up in an exclusive chat with TOI :

So, a series win over Pakistan in India after 27 years and it coincided with your birthday. How did you and your team celebrate the feat?

The series win was very special. We had a small get-together where our captain Anil Kumble acknowledged the contribution of all the players. Everyone played his part in the victory and I'm sure it will raise our confidence level for the Australian series. As for my birthday, I had a quiet party with my close friends in Mumbai.

Did the team believe that they could have actually made it 2-0 against Pakistan?

It was a good day in office for all of us. The Test actually became very interesting at the fag end before bad light stopped the match. Yes, we were confident of wrapping up the Pakistan innings in a few deliveries. But under the circumstances, we couldn't have done better.

You seem to have got wild after getting Misbah-ul Haq's wicket...

Misbah had a tremendous run in the series and when I got through his gate, I felt as if I had bagged a five-wicket haul. I was very excited and we started sniffing victory. Whatever happened in the end is part of the game and we have nothing to complain about.

Do you think that Pakistan lacked grit to stage a fightback?

You can never underestimate Pakistan. They have very talented cricketers. Misbah was exceptional in the series. A player like Younus Khan is a braveheart. The way he motivated the guys was amazing. As a batsman, he can dominate any attack in the world. So, it's not fair to say that Pakistan lacked grit.

You must be relieved at the way the Bangalore match went for you?

It's really satisfying to score a hundred against the arch-rivals. And I'm generally happy with the way I'm striking the ball. In fact, time has come for me to concentrate harder in order to emerge a better Test batsman. To tell you to the truth, the other day when I went to the crease, I was a bit nervous because we had lost four early wickets. It was important for me to stay at the crease then. Thankfully, our gameplan fell into place and Sourav and I were able to bail the team out of trouble.

What are your observations on Sourav Ganguly's terrific recent form?

He is very positive and is showing the desire to stay at the wicket. He has changed his mind-set. In the forthcoming Test series against Australia, he is going to be a key figure along with Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman.

How is your preparation going for Australia?

I prefer to bat on a wicket where the ball comes easily onto the bat and Australia wickets are like that. I've always enjoyed playing there. Right now, I am practising with hard plastic and synthetic balls in order to get used to the pace and bounce of the Australian tracks.

India team plays only one practice game before the first Test at Melbourne. Is the team okay with it?

If you are playing international cricket, you have to be prepared to play in any condition. Yes, we played the series against Pakistan on a wickets that were low and slow but we are ready for the faster tracks in Australia.

Are you looking to engage the Aussies in verbal warfare?

We want a quiet series and our focus is on playing good cricket. But if we are pushed around too much, there will be something from our side too. We are not going to take anything lying down.

How do you rate the Australian attack without Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne?

Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson are capable bowlers but if McGrath and Warne had been around, it would have been more difficult. But again, you cannot take anything away from the current lot.