By IANS
Melbourne : A confident Virender Sehwag Saturday reiterated that Australians were scared of India, sounding a note of warning on the eve of the fourth one-day international between the two teams here Sunday.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting and fast bowling spearhead Brett Lee had said the world champions were taking Sunday’s match as a crucial encounter in the triangular Commonwealth Bank series and Sehwag’s comments of the “hosts being scared” come for the second time in the series.
“The only team that came here and defeated Australia at home is India. It has happened in the last series and this time as well. They are pretty aware of this fact that India is the only team that can beat them at home and if we win tomorrow (Sunday) we will be through to the final. That’s why they are scared of us and saying that Sunday’s match is a big game for them,” said Sehwag after practice session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The first match of the series between India and Australia was called off due to rains in Brisbane, but the match also exposed the inexperience in the Indian batting line up.
Sehwag said it was the lack of practice that affected their performance in the first match of the tri-series in Brisbane.
“We have practised hard. Brisbane we were done with due to lack of practice. We have good talented young players like Rohit Sharma and Manoj Tiwary, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, who have the potential to perform well. But they need some experience and have to go out and perform,” he said.
He supported the selectors’ decision to go for a young side at the expense of experienced players like Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid. “The selectors have done a good job keeping in mind the 2011 World Cup. The seniors also know that they won’t be available for the World Cup.”
Sehwag was also concerned about India’s poor record in Melbourne but added that good performances in the past by him and by Sachin Tendulkar will stand in good stead for them.
“It is a big ground and that is why it is not good for India. The outfield is slow that’s why India didn’t do well here. But if you look at individuals, I had a good score here and Sachin had century here last to last time. But in one-dayers here we haven’t done well but we will try to do well here tomorrow (Saturday).”
On fast bowler Lee’s brilliant form in the series, Sehwag said: “Lee is a good bowler and is in a fine form but we can’t give him easy wickets. There will be pressure on the Australian team if we don’t give them quick wickets. And it will become easy for us to score runs.”