Charged up India face new season

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="left" style="position:relative; left: -2"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="left" border="1" width="32.1%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/732063.cms" alt="/photo/732063.cms" border="0" /><br />Sourav Ganguly & John Wright</div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal">In the past one year, Team India has reached a new threshold.From being labeled chokers in the big matches to also rans in overseas tours, India now can take pride in packing a fierce punch against top opposition. <br /><br />The next step for the rejuvenated Indian team after the splendid tours to Australia and Pakistan is to reach a level of consistency like the Australians.<br /><br />The Indian outfit at present is what coaches and managers dream and pray for - a well balanced combination of raw talent (the likes of Irfan Pathan, L. Balaji) and the veterans led by a skipper who seems to have hit upon the winning formula - controlled aggression and a positive approach.<br /><br />The Indian selectors who in the past used to rejuvenate dead careers in the hope of winning abroad now have the problem of plentiful. Earlier the side picked itself and the selectors more or less signed on the dotted line. The paucity of good players was heart-wrenching. Now the Indian selection panel has the luxury of debating whom to leave out instead of struggling to fill berths.<br /><br />The rich bench strength which used to be the prerogative of sides like Australia and South Africa has now become a reality for India with players under pressure to perform all the time to retain their places.<br /><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />Yuvraj Singh might get the nod to open but there is talent lurking around in the shape of Akash Chopra, S S Das and S Ramesh. The pace battery is also fully charged with Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Irfan Pathan, L Balaji and Ajt Agarkar competing for berths. <br /><br />One of the main factors for the new look Indian team has been the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly and also coach John Wright. <br /><br />Ganguly has backed his players to the hilt, thrown them at the deep end (Irfan Pathan, L. Balaji, Yuvraj Singh) and prospered. The confidence and self-belief to attain success that Ganguly has been able to nurture in the team has buoyed his men to snatch wins from the jaws of defeat and always come back at the opposition.<br /><br />John Wright along with the team physio has worked wonders with the team in the gym, the training sessions, in team meetings and in strategising their energies to achieve optimum results. <br /><br />The only question now to be asked is: Is the present euphoria going to last and will India flatter only to deceive once again? On the face of it, Team India seems to have got into the winning habit and the coming season should underline the fact that India is right there at the top.<br /><br /><a href="http://cricket.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-690232,right-1.cms"><img src="/photo/732064.cms" alt="/photo/732064.cms" border="0" /></a></div> </div>