Brickbats part of the game, Saurav's bat needs to talk: Bedi

KOLKATA, Apr 4(UNI): Bishan Singh Bedi today said Team India skipper Saurav Ganguly should be prepared to take the brickbats when his performance is low, but was confident that he was capable of coming out of the rut with some solid performances from his bat.

Talking to reporters here, the former Indian captain said, "We all know the pressures we play with.

We also know that the public mind is very fickle.

If you are ready to take the boquets, you should be prepared to take the brickbats also.

There is no reason to get emotional." "Saurav should not lose his focus.

He needs to have a cool head and let his bat do the talking for him.

He is capable of coming out of the rut with good support from his bat.

One or two big innings and the people will forget all about it," he said.

Asked if it was justified that Saurav was still the captain of the side when his performance level had dipped, he said, "A player should be able to perform and Saurav like all of us here knows he is not perfoming.

Now is the time for Saurav to back himself." On his captainship, the legendary leg-spinner said, "I have no comments on that.

The statistics say that he is the most successful captain.

He has had some outstanding support from players like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tndulkar, Virender Sehwag and Anil Kumble.

But I would like to compliment him at the way he has kept the side together for the last three to four years.

All the players have contributed to making this side.

But he also played a significant role." Asked if he as a captain had failed to achieve that when he had several superstars in his side, a stumped Bedi said, "Yes, we had good players.

But there may not have been perfect cohesion.

But there was reasonable cohesion.

However, one of the big reasons is the hype cricket has nowadays and the back-up team.

India now has a backup team led by John Wright that is excellent.

Over the last few years he has done a tremendous job with the side and once he leaves the void will be felt." Then asked whom did he favour to replace Wright as a coach, he said, "I feel we don't need any foreign coach.

We have enough talent in India to do the job." So was he contradicting the fact that a foreign coach did a good job? "I have no answer to that," Bedi replied.