September 28 Saturday 2002
India can win World Cup: Tendulkar 

COLOMBO: Sachin Tendulkar feels India have both the talent and desire to win next year's World Cup in South Africa. Asked the question, he responded: "Yes, our side is very strong, very talented. It is also very hungry, that is the key." 

As India prepared for the ICC Champions Trophy final, he told reporters on Friday: "This side is producing good results. The World Cup is still five months away. So it is important we continue to retain form up to the event and throughout the World Cup."

The 29-year-old said it would be a huge advantage that most of the players had already played on bouncy South African pitches. India have recently won a one-day series in West Indies as well as a tri-series in England coming into the Champions Trophy, mainly due to the batting of their younger players and their improved fielding. 

The team is aiming for its maiden title after losing to New Zealand in the final in Nairobi two years ago. On Sunday they will play either world champions Australia or Sri Lanka. 

India's progress in Colombo has been marked in particular by the feats of young batting trio Virender Sehwag, Muhammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, the last two also contributing through their athletic fielding. 

Tendulkar played down comments by former West Indian batting great Vivian Richards that India would be drastically weakened without him.

Safety-first England would struggle to win a Test on their upcoming Ashes tour against Australia, said Tendulkar.

"It's going to be tough. England will have to play positive cricket and Australia have always done that. It's not going to be easy for England to go out there and win a Test, get 20 wickets and score runs. Australia are a serious side."

Australia have won the Ashes seven times in a row since 1986.

Tendulkar suggested England skipper Nasser Hussain would not have the enterprise to challenge the Australians, saying that he had expected England to be more positive in the recent series against India when the sides went into the fourth and final Test at The Oval on level terms. The Test ended in a tame draw after both sides piled up more than 500 runs in their first innings.

Tendulkar said if England had been more positive a result could have been possible. He also refuted Hussain's recent comments that India, rather than his injury-hit side, must be disappointed by the outcome of that Test series. "We won the Test series at home and drew the one-dayers. Then we went there and won the one-dayers and drew the Tests.

"So we are actually two up, not just one up, on England."