There could not be more disparate captains. Fiery left-hander, laconic right-hander, one unafraid to cause offence, the other unlikely to stir himself so far. When India plays Pakistan, Sourav Ganguly and Inzamam-ul Haq will face the test of their abilities as leaders, batsmen and spokesmen-for their sports and their countries. Ganguly spoke to Senior Editor Sharda Ugra in Delhi while Haq spoke to Shahid Hashmi in Karachi.

Q. What are you going to say to the team before setting off for Pakistan?
A. Everybody knows this trip is different. The players are mature enough to know that at the end of the day only performance is going to matter. All this hype and shosha (fuss) will disappear once we get there and the cricket begins.

Q. Are there no apprehensions about security any more?
A. We trust what has been given to us in terms of assurances. We knew we would have to tour Pakistan. The way things had been going between the two governments in the past six months, we knew the tour wouldn't be called off. We were worried about security but at no stage did we not want to go.

Q. What do you know of the politics between India and Pakistan?
A. I know ... I understand a bit. I have read about Kargil, about the tensions between India and Pakistan on the border, about Kashmir, but I have never gone into details. What I knew while growing up was that India-Pakistan cricket was always a big game. We play each other less frequently, which probably has made every match bigger.

Q. Is playing more often a solution?
A. Yes, I think it is. When we get to Pakistan we'll have to try to make everyone realise that, that it's just a game.

Q. Is the mental intensity required of an India-Pakistan match different?
A. An India-Pakistan match is always intense. I have been a part of a lot of Indo-Pak games, so I'm used to the atmosphere, know what it demands. I've played them when they came here, but India in Pakistan is going to be different.

Q. Javed Miandad has been saying India didn't win any series in Australia so what's the fuss about...
A. It is good. That's how he has been throughout his career and it is expected. He is keen for his team to do well and knows India is going to come hard. When I became captain, my main aim was to make India into a team. The way we played in Australia, the whole world had stood up and taken notice. It gives the team and me a lot of satisfaction.

Q. E.A.S. Prasanna said all the talk of goodwill on the 1978 tour made the Indians play soft on the field. Is there a danger of that happening now?
A. No, no. That is not going to happen. We had better not let it happen.

Q. Are the sides similar or different?
A. Both are good sides but our overseas record has improved over the past months. On current form, we are playing better, but it's going to be close. We have become a disciplined side with the help of John Wright, Gregory King and Andrew Leipus. That is one area we'll be better.

Q. Does the speed gun factor, that is the lack of a bowler of express speed like Shoaib Akhtar, cost India victories?
A. The speed guns don't matter. It is line and length that matters and if all our players are fit, we have bowlers with enough penetration. Having someone bowling quick is always different but it's not just the pace. Glenn McGrath is said to be the best bowler in the world and he just bowls at 130 kmph.

Q. Have bowlers like L. Balaji and Irfan Pathan come along well enough and quickly enough to front the bowling on such a high-intensity tour?
A. Both of them have done really well on the Australian tour, specially against the batting side. Balaji did well both in terms of the economy rate and wickets. Pathan conceded too many runs but at the same time picked up wickets. I think their experience in Australia will help them in Pakistan.

INTERVIEW | INZAMAM-UL HAQ
"Lack Of A Shoaib Makes India Weak"

Q. Indian experts favour India for this series. Do you agree with them?
A. I think it is difficult to say who is the favourite. We have a better chance in Tests because we have a better and stronger bowling attack. In the one-dayers, it boils down to who performs better on the day of the match. We know India has a strong batting line-up. So we need to put up a big score if we bat first or to restrict them if we field first. We should exploit the absence of Agarkar and Kumble in the one-dayers.

Q. Do you think the two teams are more similar than dissimilar?
A. I don't think there is much similarity. They are a batting powerhouse but their bowlers lack penetration. That is why Indians have been performing well in the one-day matches. Ours is an all-round team and bowling has been our strength. Since the World Cup we have been on the road of transition which I think was nearly completed after our win against New Zealand. Now the team is growing in confidence.

Q. Is the lack of a fast bowler like Shoaib Akhtar a handicap for India?
A. It is a handicap because a bowler like Shoaib can turn the match on its head with a single spell. India has not been known for its pacers. They had Kapil Dev and then Srinath. Now they have these two left-armers, Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan. But Shoaib is in a different league altogether.

Q. What kind of wickets would you like for the Indians in Pakistan?
A. Wickets should be sporting. Until last year we used to have dull tracks but after we hired the services of English curator Andy Atkinson we managed to prepare some good tracks. If you don't have bounce on the pitch even a spinner cannot come handy. With the bounce a batsman too gets the chance to play strokes. So all the pitches should be hard and bouncy and since pace is our strength they should be pace oriented.

Q. Do you follow the politics of India and Pakistan? As a schoolboy, what were you told about Indian cricket?
A. No, I don't like politics at all. I just watch Indian movies. Whatever I know about India is through them, and some of it is very nasty. As my parents are from India, I am told a lot of positive things about the country, the culture and traditions of Muslims in India. I don't remember anything nasty told to me by my parents.

Q. Can the tension between the two teams be lessened by playing more?
A. It is 100 per cent correct that if we play regularly we can ease the tension on and off the field. The players and fans don't get an opportunity to forget a bitter defeat as the matches are few and far between. I hope the revival of the ties is not stopped on political grounds.

Q. What would you like to say to the fans of India and Pakistan?
A. Enjoy the best of cricket in the true spirit of the game. It's just cricket. Win or lose, just support your team because no one plays to lose. The fans' behaviour allows the players to play in a relaxed manner and if they fear a backlash, they will never be able to give their best. I have also told my players to behave properly on the field.

Q. What kind of pressure is there on the home team to win the series?
A. No one can deny there is a lot of pressure when Pakistan and India play, especially with the expectations of the fans at home. Indians are more experienced than us and know about the pressure of the Indo-Pak series. They have not won many matches in Pakistan but it would not hamper their performance.

Q. Have you made any special plans to contain the Indian batsmen by watching their videos?
A. We play the game differently and since our coach Javed Miandad knows how to handle the opponent we rely more on him as he plans things for us. But yes, we have made plans for Indian batsmen and have watched videos of their matches in Australia. The tricks are in the hat.

Q. If a fan, Indian at that, calls you aloo (potato), would you react like you did in Toronto seven years ago?
A. That was done on the spur of the moment. I have mellowed, am now the captain and have to show more responsibility. So I would not react and would tell the fans not to tease the players.