Suresh Raina asks critics not to underrate India’s victories against West Indies
India’s stand-in captain, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SK-Raina-c2539, has asked ‘cricket pundits’ not to underrate his team’s success in the first two One Day Internationals (ODIs) against West Indies.
The Indian skipper expressed that even though everyone has the right cite the weaknesses in the Caribbean side, due credit should be given to the Indian team for producing an excellent all-round performance in the last two games.
"Earlier you termed us http://www.senore.com/Cricket/A-Young-c41367 (second-string) side. Now you are terming the opposition too weak. "The fact is that we all have played too well. Someone or other has put his hand up and we have prevailed," said Raina.
The Indian ODI squad includes mostly http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harishachar-Vinay-Kumar-c61519, who stormed into the national side after demonstrating an impressive performance in the recent
fourth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
With some big names missing the tour, the series was considered as a huge opportunity for the hosts to put their cricket back on the right track.
However, the young Indian side dashed all of their dreams to ground, notching two comprehensive triumphs in the previous two ODIs.
The Men in Blue are now scheduled to meet the Windies in the third ODI at Antigua, today, June 11, 2011.
Raina stated that the fans have huge expectations from the Indian side despite the absence of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SO-Tikolo-c2546 in the line-up.
The skipper, meanwhile, aimed to wrap up the series 3-0 despite conceding the fact that the home side will look to make a strong comeback.
The newly-appointed Indian coach, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Duncan-Andrew-Gwynne-Fletcher-c54742, also described that the side is leading the series by 2-0, due to their fantastic show with bat and ball and not because of poor performance by the West Indians.
"I don't think it (the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760) is a bad side. It's an international side. It has players who have performed well in the past," clarified Fletcher.
The coach further made it clear that the two consecutive victories depicted the class and the skill the Indian side has in its junior ranks.
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