India arrive at Harare on a confident note

Determined to break a 15-year jinx on foreign soil, a 17-member Indian team arrived in the Zimbabwe capital today on a 45-day tour involving a two-Test series and a triangular one-day tournament with West Indies as the third team.

The Indians, on a high after a 2-1 Test triumph over world-beating Australia in March, will open their tour with a match against Zimbabwe 'A' in a three-day tie at Mutare on Monday. They will leave for Mutare on Sunday morning.

Saurav Ganguly, who has won four of the six Tests he has captained so far losing just one, feels the team has the nucleus to break the hoodoo this time.

"The team is shaping up well...we are well prepared," the skipper said.

India, who were the first opponents of Zimbabwe way back in 1992, enjoy a slight advantage over the hosts, having won two of the five Tests played between them and lost one at Harare by 61 runs in 1998.

But India did not do well in 1992 here - barely avoiding the follow-on and drawing the Test. In 1998 they failed to chase a modest target of 234 runs and lost.

India's lack of rhythm in this African country is reflected in the batting form of its trump card Sachin Tendulkar who has made just 41 runs in three innings in two Tests.

Mail Cricket Editor