Team India can repeat 1983 show, win Cup again: Kambli

Chennai, Feb 26 (UNI) Former star cricketer Vinod Kambli today said team India can repeat the 1983 performance of winning the World Cup again in the coming edition in the West Indies if they play as a well knit unit.

''This time the team is confident. I wish it plays well as it has the best wishes of the entire country, which is looking forward for a great performance from the team'', the Mumbai dasher, who came to limelight along with master blaster Sachin Tendulkar in a world record stand in school in 1986 and went on to represent India, said.

Kambli, who was here as brand ambassador of Microsoft's ''X-Box Good luck India'' signature campaign for the 2007 World Cup said, as in the 1983 edition when India played as a team, this time too the team must not depend on any one player.

''I am sure captain Rahul Dravid and coach Greg Chappel will ensure this'', Kambli observed.

Asked how he would compare the 1983 Cup winning team with the present squad, Kambli, who had played a heroic role in the semi- finals against Sri Lanka at Kolkata in 1996 edition before the match was abandoned due to disruption and awarded to Lanka, said the 1983 team had legends with every player contributing his bit.

''Everybody in that team played well'', he added.

''It is important to play as a unit. Only this helped our great show in 1983'', he said, adding ''it is not one player. The entire team has to play well.'' Answering a question whether he thought that Virender Sehwag should open the innings, Kambli said personally he was for Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly to do the job.

''They can demolish any attack. A good start is very important so that the other key batsmen can take over after them'', Kambli said.

Kambli said the present squad must also not take any team lightly, including Bermuda and Bangladesh.

''They should go all out from the first match and fall into the winning vein'', he said.

Asked if the defending champion Australia would be able to retain the Cup, in fact, complete a hat-trick of wins in the wake of the team's loss to New Zealand, Kambli said the Aussies can come back. They had played without five good players against the Kiwis, he added.

UNI