Tendulkar Confident That India Can Retain WT20 Trophy

India’s most successful batsman Sachin Tendulkar feels that his team can retain the World Twenty20 trophy which it won at the inaugural edition in 2007.

The Indian team departed for England yesterday with the hope of defending the World Twenty20 trophy it won in South Africa two years ago.

All members of the current Indian squad were part of their respective franchises for the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL). Both batsmen and bowlers tasted success at the second edition of the IPL.

Except for strike bowler Zaheer Khan, the rest of the Indian unit looks fit and raring to go.

Indian veteran Sachin Tendulkar, who has excused himself from the shortest format of the game, has full confidence of his team winning the trophy for the second consecutive time when the tournament gets underway on June 6.

"I have full confidence in the team. It’s a solid team that has got explosive batsmen and some wonderful bowlers in their attack which looks fantastic," said Tendulkar.

"The team has got some world class players as well.”

Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag were at their explosive best in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa but the flashing opening duo seemed to have lost some steam while representing their franchise, Delhi Daredevils, at the IPL.

However, Tendulkar does not see this temporary dent in form as a harbinger for the World Twenty20 2009.

The master batsman said, "Form can sometimes go down and you may not play well at times. But I believe a world class player is always a threat to the opposition and I’m really glad that we have so many world class players in the side.”

Since the advent of Twenty20 cricket, many purists have criticized this new format of the game as opposed to the longer versions – Tests and one day internationals – which are said to be the best judge of an international player.

But Tendulkar has a different viewpoint on the issue.

"I think it is good for cricket. It generates interests in areas where we don't have major tournaments. It’s fast, exciting and you know the result within three hours.”

"It’s exciting for someone who has just started watching cricket. Maybe it would help him to subsequently graduate to watching ODIs and Test matches as well. That’s why I feel it’s good for cricket.”