The number one ranking in ODIs is well within the grasp, but, to attain it, India have to overcome a strong challenge from Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the tri-series later this month.
Ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh though is optimistic that the team will triumph in Sri Lanka and emerge the top-ranked team in the 50-over format of the game.
If you look at the statistics you will agree, because since January 2008, India have been virtually unbeatable in ODIs, having beaten top sides like Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies in their own backyard.
What excites Harbhajan most about the upcoming tour to the island nation is the opportunity to catch with the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan, who he says has helped him with regular tips.
Not that Harbhajan needs any help. Having claimed 330 wickets in 77 Tests, at an average 30.42, and 210 wickets in 189 ODIs, at 33.06, he is among the leading spinners in the game.
In an exclusive conversation with Chief Correspondent Harish Kotian, the off-spinner discusses Mahendra Singh Dhoni's style of captaincy, why ODI cricket is suffering and what makes India the top side in the world.
India has made it to number two in one-dayers and now has a chance to take the top ranking in Sri Lanka. Taking that huge leap to number two in the last two seasons was not easy, but don't you think taking that one final step to No 1 is going to be more difficult?
I am sure it will not be difficult. We have the team to get to number one. We have been there and we have been very close to it. Now we just have to play well and not look at whether we want to be number one or two, but win all the games that we play; I think that is more important. If we do that then we will automatically become number one.
The tri-series in Sri Lanka will also be an interesting battle between the leading spinners in the game today. Sri Lanka has Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis; India have you as the frontline spinner, while New Zealand has Daniel Vettori. How do you look at it?
It is always very nice to play against or with Muralitharan. I have interacted a lot with him; whenever I meet him we talk about bowling. It is good that we will meet up again and play against each other; it will be good to compete with each other. It also gives me another opportunity to interact with him and learn a few things about bowling and how he puts pressure on the batsmen. I am looking forward to playing in the tri-series in Sri Lanka.
Would you say the seeds of this successful Indian team were laid under Sourav Ganguly's captaincy? How much credit does he deserve for the achievement?
Sourav, obviously, should get credit for wherever we are today, because all this started under his captaincy. I think all the boys who played some part during this period, starting from Ganguly's captaincy till now, deserve the credit. They have contributed towards India's victories. It is a team sport and we should give credit to everyone, because picking a few guys and leaving out the rest will not be fair. I would say it was a collective effort; some player or the other has contributed at some time or the other.
What about Mahendra Singh Dhoni's style of captaincy? How was he able to bring out the best from every player in the last two seasons?
Dhoni is a very calm guy. He never tells anyone you have to do this or you have to do that. He tells everyone you know your game and I want you to play to the best of your ability. He always backs his players, whether seniors or juniors. Whenever a player needs his captain he is always there, especially for the young guys. It is always difficult whenever a new, young guy comes into the team, because he is a bit nervous; but Dhoni has done a great job with the youngsters by supporting everyone.
He has given everyone a free hand. He says do your best; do whatever you can that will help our team win the match. That is one great thing, I believe, Dhoni has done. He has given the players the responsibilities of performing at their best, whichever way they want to.
We have done well in Tests and ODIs last season, but what was striking was our failure in the Twenty20 World Cup despite all our players having competed in the second season of the Indian Premier League. Was exhaustion a problem? What was the reason?
It is difficult to point out what exactly was the reason four our failure. We know we did not play as well as we wanted to in the Twenty20 World Cup, but these things are bound to happen. You can't really play well all the time; you will struggle at some stage or the other. But, unfortunately for us, our bad time came during the Twenty20 World Cup. I thought we had a team capable of winning the tournament but that didn't happen because we didn't perform.
You learn a lot even from failure; we also learnt a lot from our failure in the Twenty20 World Cup. That tournament is gone now and we are looking ahead to the future -- looking to win all the games we play.
With the popularity of Twenty20, people are saying Test cricket is dying. Test cricket has its hardcore fans while the young, or new fans, want Twenty20. Don't you think the popularity of One-Day Internationals is declining since the advent of Twenty20?
Yes, I agree that interest in One-Day Internationals is coming down. Even in the West Indies, when we were playing the ODI series, there was not much interest, which you otherwise see. The charm that we see in ODIs is clearly lesser than before. So, to protect this format, I think they need to do something about it.
Australia lost to India last year and now they have lost the Ashes. Would you say the Australian era of domination under Ricky Ponting is over?
I don't remember when they dominated last after the retirement of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. They only dominated when they had good wicket-taking bowlers. They are quite a reasonable side now and are losing a lot of matches; their time of domination finished long back. Australia are very much a beatable side nowadays.
What are your emotions when you enter a cricket field to play against Australia. Is it anger or pure passion that always sees you being charged up when playing against the Aussies?
Everyone says that Australia is the best team and they have beaten everyone around. There's no doubt that they were a good side and dominated for a few years. So when you play the best side in the world you want to perform to the best of your abilities. That is why I always want to do well against them.
I used to tell myself that this is the best team in the world and if you do well against them you will be recognised as a bowler everywhere.
They play tough cricket and they always put a lot of challenges ahead of them, so it is fun playing against them.
Have you spoken to Andrew Symonds after that Sydney Test match, perhaps during the IPL or elsewhere?
No, I have not spoken to him.
New Zealand opener Mark Richardson recently said Muttiah Muralitharan chucks the ball. Being a fellow off-spinner how do you react to his claims?
Who is Mark Richardson? Tomorrow someone else will stand up and say something else; we should not get so excited. Muralitharan is a great bowler and has taken a lot of wickets. These guys should think twice before saying something against a legend like Muralitharan who has achieved so much in the sport.
Just because Mark Richardson has played a couple of games it does not mean that he can say anything about Muralitharan.
Photograph: Reuters
