Centurion Ganguly eyes big Indian win

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By Thomas Kutty Abraham

AHMEDABAD (Reuters) - Indian captain Saurav Ganguly is looking to end New Zealand's feeble resistance in the first test with early wickets in Friday's opening session.

Ganguly struck an unbeaten 100 and Rahul Dravid a career-best 222 as the home team made 500 for five in their first innings before paceman Zaheer Khan left the Kiwis gasping for breath at 41 for three on the second day.

"We'll have a very good chance to win even if we restrict them to 300," Ganguly told reporters.

"It's still early for the spinners, but the wicket will start turning perhaps by tomorrow evening. Zaheer is a class bowler, he's shown that time and again over the last year. If he can get us quick wickets, we'll be in with a very good shot."

The Indian skipper's century, his first since Headingley last year against England, came despite a painful groin infection.

"I wasn't fit yesterday, that's why we had to send (Vangipurappu) Laxman up the order. I wouldn't have been able to bat."

He was visibly in pain towards the latter half of his four-hour knock in hot conditions.

"I was struggling to run while batting, and especially while fielding. But it's good to start the season with a century."

Ganguly said he had been toying with the idea of piling up 600 before inviting the Kiwis to bat, but decided against it because he wanted to give his bowlers more time on a flat pitch.

"We would have had to bowl for the next three days on the trot which would have been pretty difficult, especially since we're playing just four bowlers."

New Zealand had thrashed India 2-0 at home in December last year on lively pitches favouring fast bowlers.

"It's fair cricket going on now," Ganguly said. "During our tour of New Zealand last year, whoever won the toss won the match. It was loaded too heavily in favour of the bowlers."

Kiwi wicketkeeper Robbie Hart said his team would battle to get out of the hole they had dug for themselves.

"We had a lot of planning," he said. "But the Indian batters showed they were capable of upsetting any plans."

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