Sehwag fit from shoulder injury..

Virender Sehwag, India's vice-captain for the World Cup, has said that he is "fully fit" for the tournament that begins on February 19. Sehwag missed India's five-match one-day series following the Tests in South Africa to attend to a shoulder injury, but says his recovery is well on track.

"I was feeling some pain in my shoulder," Sehwag told Indian news channel CNN-IBN. "So [I thought it was] better to quit the South Africa one-dayers. I didn't want to get injured in South Africa tour and miss the World Cup. So I came back and went to Germany to see a couple of doctors. I got a couple of injections and now I'm fine.

"I am going to the National Cricket Academy [in Bangalore] and will spend a couple of days there, to check everything - if I can bowl and throw also but if I can't, then I'll let them know. But yes, at the moment I'm fully fit."

Sehwag is wary of the opening game against Bangladesh, who had derailed India's 2007 World Cup campaign with a shock win. "Because we're playing the opening game against them in Bangladesh, Bangladeshi people are expecting them to beat us again. But this time we have to prepare well … You can say it is a revenge game for us and we won't take the game lightly. We will give our best shot and we will come hard on Bangladesh."

Sehwag was confident of India's chances against the other major teams in Group B - South Africa, England and West Indies. "When we played against England last time, we won 5-0 and against South Africa we did well in South Africa and we have done well; when Sachin Tendulkar got the double hundred [in Gwalior], we won the series. West Indies have good players like Pollard and Gayle, if they click then maybe it's difficult for us but India also have very good players."

Virat feels world cup would be the best gift for Sachin

New Delhi: Talented batsman Virat Kohli feels that it would be the best gift to Sachin Tendulkar if the Indian team can win the cricket World Cup which will start in another two weeks time.

"What he (Sachin) has achieved in his entire career, I don't think anyone else will be able to achieve that. So it will be a great thing if we can win the World Cup not only for our fans but also for Sachin who is a special person," the youngster said.

The U-19 World Cup winning captain feels that the biggest challenge during the cricketing extravaganza will be to keep the external pressures not affect their game.

"Playing World Cup in itself is a huge pressure. There will be people who would expect us to do well. The biggest challenge will therefore be not to get distracted by that and concentrate at the job on hand," the 22-year-old Kohli said.

The player who has four centuries from 45 ODIs and enjoys a fantastic average of around 47 said he just tries to keep things simple.

"I just try to play according to my strength and not do anything special. With experience of having played international cricket for the past two years, I have learnt that if one tries too hard for something special, one might just spoil the ability to do things that come naturally. It's hard not to make mistakes but with time you learn from them and the key to success is not repeating the same mistakes over and over again."

Kohli dismissed the notion that injury management has been a problem with Indian players of late as the likes of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Praveen Kumar have all been injured in the lead up to the World Cup.

"No player likes to get injured. But when you are playing so much of cricket, the body tends to get tired and thus injuries happen. You may be the fittest guy around but suddenly you can twist an ankle and be out of action for six months."

But Kohli admitted that the injuries happening to key players ahead of the showpiece event is unfortunate. "It is definitely a bad time to get injured. No one gets injured intentionally and this is unfortunate that some of our players have sustained injuries."

Asked about the teams which can do well, Kohli named South Africa, Australia and England as the three sides to watch out for in the competition.

When a scribe asked whether India would like to face Australia or Kenya in the final, the cocky youngster replied, "We would like to play in finals. Any opposition is fine with us."

Talking about the ODI series in South Africa where he was the only other player apart from Yusuf Pathan to score two half-centuries, the player said, "I am lucky that I have been able to pull it off pretty well. The bouncy South African pitches suit my style of play. I like to play a lot upright and the ball came on nicely to the bat. Also when you have the confidence to attack the quicks, it helps."

That he is confident can be gauged from the fact that he felt that he could have pulled off the ODI against South Africa in Port Elizabeth where he was unbeaten on 87 as India lost due to Duckworth-Lewis method.

"I don't know but whenever I played under lights, I felt even more confident. I play well under lights. I was talking to Harbhajan Singh during our partnership I felt I could have pulled it off."

Although his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is sceptical about the use of Umpires' Decision Review System (UDRS), Kohli said it hardly makes any difference. "I don't think too much about these things. All I know is that if opposition has three referrals, it's same for us."

Australia, India, SriLanka will be strong contenders for WC 11 -Steve Waugh

Steve Waugh, who led Australia to victory in the 1999 World Cup, has said Australia are in with a chance to defend their World Cup crown despite inconsistent results since the start of 2010. He claimed India and Sri Lanka will be strong contenders but didn't rule out Ricky Ponting's team. "Australia have an outside chance because they have matchwinners," Waugh said at an event in Mumbai. "I don't think this is a weaker Australian side.

"It's tough decision (to predict a winner). There are seven sides capable of winning but the side that has the momentum going into the quarter-final will be good. India are the slight favourites, as they know the conditions well and will have fantastic support. Sri Lanka have a very good chance too."

It might come as no surprise for Waugh to back the defending champions on a day when Australia pulled off their highest chase in ODIs, against England in Sydney. Australia had pocketed the seven-game series last week, and their dominant form in the ODIs after a humiliating Ashes drubbing only made Waugh confident about his countrymen. "Australia are still ranked No. in the world. In [Shaun] Tait, [Mitchell] Johnson and [Brett] Lee, they have the potential matchwinners. Their batsmen are also on top. Ricky is coming back from injury. Australian players are best when faced with adversity," Waugh said.

Austrlia's winning percentage in 2010 in ODIs had taken a beating: of the 25 matches played, spread over seven series, they won 16 and lost eight including the series defeat to Sri Lanka at home. But the return to form of seniors like Michael Clarke and Lee, along with the matchwinning capabilities of Shane Watson, makes Australia a dangerous opponent. Waugh, a two-time World Cup winner including one as captain in 1999, said Lee would be the lynchpin for Australia. Lee returned for the England series after sitting out from October 2009 due to lingering elbow injury. But Lee has not compromised on pace and so far is the highest wicket-taker in the series with 11 wickets at an average of 24 in the six matches. "Lee will be my impact player. He has amazing resilience, he is bowling back at 150kph and he loves touring India" Waugh said.

Yusuf Pathan can turn the game around for India in world cup : Kapil Dev

Mumbai: The Indian batting order may be filled with explosive players who can take the game away from the opposition, but 1983 World Cup winning skipper Kapil Dev feels all-rounder Yusuf Pathan's role in the lower-middle order could swing the team's fortunes in the mega event.

"(Yusuf) Pathan can turn the game around for India coming at 6-7. He has the

capability to win matches from losing situations," the legendary all-rounder said 

when asked about the one player who can turn the tide in the February 

19-April 2 tournament.

"As long as he is at the crease, the opposition cannot breathe easy," he said at a

promotional event for Idea Cellular here.

On whether the Baroda bomber should bat up the order, Kapil said, "After the 

advent of Twenty 20 cricket, there is no specific number for a batsman. It (T20) 

has changed the game. Any batsman can bat at any number. Better to leave it to 

the captain."

Even as Indian cricketers have expressed their desire to win the World Cup for 

Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil sang a different tune saying the event was not only 

about the batting maestro.

"Sachin is not (the only one) playing cricket. It is India that is playing. 'Jitna 

important jitna unke liye hai, utna hi important doosron ke liye bhi hain' 

(Winning the World Cup is as important to others as it is to him).

"Yes, he is a great player and he has served the country the most. But by placing 

him above the team, you are insulting the other 14 members in the squad," 

Kapil said.

Dhoni confident India would handle pressure well in WC

   MS Dhoni, the India captain, has said performing under pressure has become India's strength and that will hold them in good stead for the World Cup where he admitted expectations will be high.

"What we have done in the last three years is that we have changed the meaning of pressure to responsibility and we take it as an added responsibility," Dhoni said. "Cricket is the biggest sport in India and it is widely followed. Everybody wants us to do well and we take that in a positive way. We just stick to the basics, prepare well for the game and at the end of the day we know we have got the potential to do well on the field."

One of the questions facing the India team, who play their first match on February 19 against Bangladesh, is how they will deal with the pressure of being tournament hosts along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. India have failed to get past the semi-final stage in previous World Cups played on home soil. But Dhoni said he was concentrating just on the preparation. "I am ready to prepare well for the World Cup and that is what is in my hands right now."

Dhoni dodged the question of whether India were favourites for the tournament by saying: "For a change we won't be considered underdogs." He stuck to what has become almost a mantra for him in his time as captain in saying "processes" would take precedence over results. "I never predict much when it comes to cricket. We believe in each of us, and the support staff members are also there to help us. We believe in doing the process, so I have no prediction about the World Cup and we will just give it our best shot."

Tendulkar key to India's World Cup success: Sandhu

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar would be crucial to India's success in the upcoming World Cup and the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side was far ahead of the history-making 'Kapil's Devils' in terms of talent and experience, feels member of the 1983 Cup-winning side Balwinder Singh Sandhu.

             Sandhu said apart from Tendulkar the present Indian team has 

plenty of match -winners in Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and skipper 

Dhoni, who are capable of turning things around from a losing position.

            "Tendulkar would be totally focusing on this World Cup. He 

knows this is his last World Cup as four years later he may be mentally 

fit but may not be physically there. He would give more than 100 

per cent and would be very keen to perform. The man is known to 

prepare well. His work ethics are superb. Others will get inspired 

by his presence," Sandhu said on Monday.

            "The guy(Tendulkar) will not allow the team to 

be complacent,like Sunil Gavaskar did in 1983. There are also 

brilliant players like Yuvraj, Yusuf and Dhoni who can bring the 

team back from a losing position," the 54-year-old former pacer 

said. Comparing the current team to the 1983 World Cup-winning side, 

Sandhu said, 

            "In our days we (bowlers) had to think on our feet, 

be good observers. We had to study the rival batsmen by watching 

other matches where they played and form a strategy. Now this is done 

by the support staff with the help of the video analysis and the 

players have to implement the strategy. "Talent wise today's team 

is way ahead. For example, in terms of ODI experience, a player like 

Sachin Tendulkar has alone played more matches than all of our team 

members put together."

            Sandhu was also of the opinion that smart thinking was 

needed to make the best use of batting powerplays and India should 

field only one frontline spinner in Harbhajan Singh.

"Teams should be smart in using the batting powerplays which can make 

a big impact. If there are too many spinners in the side when the 

powerplay is taken, the team will be in trouble.

"I expect India to field three seam bowlers along with Harbhajan Singh 

as the alone spinner with the remaining 10 overs shared among floaters 

like Yuvi and Raina," he said.

Harbhajan -> World Cup is fresh start

Harbhajan Singh has said that India's performance during the recent South Africa series will have little bearing on their World Cup campaign. India drew a Test series in South Africa for the first time, won the only Twenty20, and an under-strength one-day side led the five-match series 2-1 before losing the final two games.

"From my personal experience, I can tell you that our good show in South Africa may give us a bit of confidence but that's about it," Harbhajan . "Doing well in bouncy pitches in South Africa and playing in the World Cup is a different ball game altogether."

He gave the example of the 2003 World Cup, when India reached the final on the back of a forgettable tour of New Zealand. "If you remember, we had a disastrous tour of New Zealand where we lost in both Test and ODI series," he said. "But when we played in the World Cup, it was a different story. We dominated New Zealand and went on to play the final. That's why I feel that a bilateral series can never be an indicator to a team's performance in a big event."

India go into the World Cup starting next month as one of the favourites, and Harbhajan said the form of the youngsters in the team would be a big factor in how far India progress. "I have loads of expectations from guys like Virat [Kohli], Yusuf [Pathan] and [Suresh] Raina. They have had enough exposure in international cricket and I am really hopeful that they would come up trumps.

Kevin Pietersen slams World Cup schedule

England batsman Kevin Pietersen has blasted the Cricket World Cup schedule, saying that the six-week fixture is too long and playing matches with six-day intervals is "ridiculous".

"It's far too long. How can the England team play once and then in six days' time play again, and then in six days' time play again?" Pietersen asked.

"It's ridiculous but there's nothing we can do about the schedules," he added.

The outspoken cricketer also slammed England's hectic schedule leading up to the World Cup, starting on February 19 in the sub-continent.

England fly out for the showpiece tournament just three days after arriving back from the current tour of Australia, which began back in October last year.

"It's ridiculous but there's nothing we can do about the schedules," he added.

The outspoken cricketer also slammed England's hectic schedule leading up to the World Cup, starting on February 19 in the sub-continent.

England fly out for the showpiece tournament just three days after arriving back from the current tour of Australia, which began back in October last year.

"Our schedule is ridiculous going into this World Cup. It has been for England teams for a very long time and that's probably why England have not done well in World Cups," Pietersen told 'Sky Sports'.

"I wouldn't say we're going to be knackered because it's going to be the World Cup and we all want to win this World Cup. I know what I'll be doing (in the three-day break) - lying on my couch."

Pietersen, however, would not skip the Indian Premier League which begins immediately after World Cup. Should England reach the April 2 final in Mumbai, the players would have been away from home for all but three days in five and a half months.