Important is to win games than being strong on paper: Yuvraj

Saumojyoti S Choudhury

Bangalore, Feb 11 (PTI) Senior middle-order batsmanYuvraj Singh feels that it won''t matter how strong the team ison paper if they don''t win matches. The southpaw also refusedto draw comparisons with the 1983 World Cup winning side.

"Irrespective of everything, our team has been winningmatches and that is very important. The 1983 team was asuccessful team and if we have to prove that we are a goodteam then we have to win matches. It doesn''t matter how strongthe team is on paper. More important is to win games," Yuvrajsaid during an open media session here today.

Asked about his responsibility in the side, 29-year-oldsaid,"The key is to bat well in the middle overs and assessthe situation. What situation are we in, whether we need toconsolidate or we need to build partnerships. It is just whatI have been trying to do in the last couple of years."

The memories of the disastrous 2007 World Cup campaign isstill fresh in the minds and Yuvraj feels that a good startwill definitely set the ball rolling in the right direction.

"We have definitely thought about the 2007 World Cup inWest Indies and the reasons for not qualifying. It''s past nowand we have made a new beginning. In the last World Cup, wedidn�t have momentum going. So, this time around it is veryimportant to get the momentum. We have to prepare well andsee how we start the tournament," he said.

The dashing batsman said that they have prepared well forthe tournament.

"We are preparing very well and are charged up and raringto go in the first game (against Bangladesh). We have a lot ofexperience in our bowling and batting department. If we canfield well consistently, it will definitely help us in theWorld Cup," he added.

The batsman however didn''t wish to comment on the formatthat even Tournament Director Ratnakar Shetty has admitted tohave been tweaked to favour India''s qualification in theknock-out.

"I am ok with the format. I have no issues. My job is toplay whatever the format is."

The approach towards batting Powerplay, which is animportant aspect in ODIs should also be looked at verycarefully, feels the veteran of 265 ODIs. .