India's tour of England

India captain Sourav Ganguly called on his players to show more mental strength as they pursue their first Test series triumph outside of the subcontinent in 16 years.

"We would like to win a Test series outside of the sub-continent. We've had opportunities over the last year which we could not hold on to," said Ganguly.

"I hope we are mentally tougher in this series and do our best. I think it is more in the mind than in the actual game.

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VVS Laxman is confident he can reproduce the form that brought his magnificent 281 against Australia to lead India to their first Test series win outside the subcontient since 1986.

"Such a performance is a once in a lifetime thing. There's no pressure but additional motivation.

"If I can do it once against the best in the world then I can do it again."

"Let's hope he doesn't do it again on Thursday," said England captain Nasser Hussain as he announced the decision at the Wisden Cricket Century awards.

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Yorkshire cricket chairman Bob Platt believes Darren Gough was rushed in his return to the England team and claims the fast bowler should have played more first-class cricket.

"We tried him out in one of our second-team games at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, but he broke down,” Platt told the Yorkshire Post.

"In my view it was too early to get him back into our first team and it was always a huge risk.”

Miscellaneous

South African opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs says he is determined to move down the order and make the number four batting position his own.

Gibbs said, "I would really like to move down the order in the Test side, I think it would allow me to play my natural attacking game."

Gibbs, who has played the majority of his Tests at the top of the order went on to say, "Gary and I battled up front in the away series against Australia, and the guys coming in down the order were always on the back foot - I still feel slightly guilty about it.

"But opening the batting has never been my forte."

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Karnataka seam bowler Venkatesh Prasad is determined to break back into the Indian ODI team and appear in his third World Cup in February in South Africa.

"It is difficult to motivate myself, especially after being ousted from the national team over and over again - despite having performed," Prasad explains. "I sometimes wonder why I am training or practising, when the selectors have shut the door on me.

"But the World Cup comes right into my eyes, beckoning me to pursue my dream of playing my third Cup," Prasad asserts.

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Lancashire have confirmed they are interested in signing Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for the 2003 season.

The club's chief executive, Jim Cumbes, told BBC Sport Online that Lancashire have already asked whether Harbhajan will be available next summer.

Cumbes said: "He would certainly be in the frame depending on whether the manager decides he's going to go for a batter or a bowler."

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Sunil Gavaskar believes India are an all-rounder short of winning the World Cup in South Africa next year.

"This year's team doesn't have the same attack - it has one missing ingredient and that is Kapil Dev," said Gavaskar.

"If they could find somebody a fraction as good as him to come in at six, seven or eight is would give Sourav Ganguly the flexibility he needs."

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