India set off as underdogs to England

New Delhi, June 18: Indian cricketers left Tuesday for an arduous tour of England with thin bowling resources and hoping to avoid yet another overseas humiliation.

The tourists will play four Tests against England after a triangular one-day series, also involving Sri Lanka, on their 83-day tour.

India's away record is so disappointing that even die-hard fans have begun to question their team's competence to succeed in foreign conditions.

They have yet to win an away Test series under Sourav Ganguly's captaincy in two years, having settled for a 1-1 draw in Zimbabwe and losing in Sri Lanka, South Africa and the West Indies.

India's last series win outside the sub-continent came in 1986 when they beat England 2-0 under Kapil Dev's captaincy.

"It's going to be a tough tour. England enjoy home advantage and our task is cut out," skipper Ganguly said recently.

India were beaten 2-1 in a five-Test series in the West Indies last month, after being undone by their age-old failing against pace on pitches having a little bit of bounce.

Ganguly's team won the second Test at Port-of-Spain in Trinidad before succumbing to the West Indies pace attack in the third match at Bridgetown in Barbados and the fifth at Kingston in Jamaica to lose the series.

The Indian captain has conceded that mind problems rather than ability is letting the team down.

"We've the ability to win an away Test series, but I don't think we've the mindset. That's the main reason we've never done well abroad."

India's problems are exacerbated by having to take to England unsettled openers and inexperienced wicket-keepers and seamers.

Pace spearhead Javagal Srinath's unexpected retirement after the West Indies tour means the new ball will be shared by left-arm seamers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, who have a combined experience of just 24 Tests.

Srinath served his team commendably well for nearly a decade, having grabbed 232 wickets in 64 Tests.

"We've an inexperienced pace attack. Of all the quicks, only Ajit Agarkar has the experience of playing in England," said Ganguly.

Agarkar has figured in just 11 Tests and Tinu Yohannan, the fourth seamer, in two.

"England have a more experienced new-ball attack and there's the challenge for us to do well in both Tests and one-dayers," said India vice-captain Rahul Dravid.

Opening an innings remains a problem without a solution. India tried three different pairs in the West Indies, but failed to find the right combination.

Shiv Sunder Das was out of form as he contributed just 124 in eight Test innings without a half-century, while Sanjay Bangar made nine and 16 in his only match.

Wasim Jaffer scored two half-centuries in three Tests, but is yet to establish himself.

India have included two promising, but inexperienced, wicket-keepers in Ajay Ratra, 20, and newcomer Parthiv Patel, 17.

India could also rely on Dravid, who kept wicket in the one-day series in the West Indies.

"I think I'm improving with every match in my new role as a wicket-keeper in one-dayers. I'm enjoying my new job," said Dravid.

India will look to their famed middle order, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Venkatsai Laxman, to spare them the blushes in Tests.

They will have to overcome a mental barrier in order to win the triangular series, for Sri Lanka are no pushovers.

Moreover, India have earned the dubious reputation of choking under big-match pressure after losing nine finals of the one-day tournaments involving three or more teams since April 1999.

Indian squads:

For one-dayers: Sourav Ganguly (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Venkatsai Laxman, Dinesh Mongia, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Ajay Ratra, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Ashish Nehra, Tinu Yohannan.

For Tests: Sourav Ganguly (capt), Rahul Dravid, Shiv Sunder Das, Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar, Tinu Yohannan, Ajay Ratra, Sanjay Bangar, Parthiv Patel

Coach: John Wright.