It was always hard to miss the stocky Arjuna Ranatunga on the cricket field. Under his astute captaincy Sri Lanka lifted the 1996 World Cup and emerged a world-class outfit.
When Sri Lanka played Australia a little before that World Cup triumph, Ranatunga was given a torrid time by the Aussie players. They sledged, fought mental battles on and off the field, and tried everything to distract him, but not once did he flinch or shy away from confrontation. His positive attitude earned him the respect of the cricketing world.
On the eve of the first Test between India and Australia, beginning at the Gabba on Thursday, Ranatunga offered a bit of advice on tackling the Aussies in their backyard.
"You have to give it back to them [the Australians]. I am not saying the Indians should do what I did. But you don't want the Aussies to dominate at any cost, mentally or physically," he said, making an obvious reference to the 1999 one-day series Down Under, when he ordered his team to the boundary and held up play for 12 minutes after Australian umpire Ross Emerson, standing at square-leg, no-balled ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing in a match against England.
But the former Sri Lanka skipper believes India lacks the firepower needed to put pressure on the world champions.
"India does not have the top quality bowlers to challenge the Aussies. They have to play to their strength, and that is their batting which is world class.
"The Australian bowling is by far the best in the world. We in the sub-continent, especially in India, look for quick results, but the Indians need to realize that it will not be possible during the tour. They should be patient. It not going to be easy in the difficult and different conditions in Australia," he said.
While other cricketers have mentioned that India will be lucky to get out of the Test series with a draw or two, Ranatunga insists that without a positive outlook nothing will be achieved.
"The most important thing while on tour in Australia is that you have to look to win. Most teams go there looking to draw matches and just survive their onslaught. But you need to go there looking to win.
"Then you can start taking the tour day-by-day. I like Ganguly as a captain; I like his attitude. He is an aggressive captain and will surely take the fight to the Aussies."
Ranatunga feels "a victory in one Test will suggest that India have had a successful series".
But he is well aware of the weak bowling attack at Ganguly's disposal.
"The seamers are not very good and the spinners are going to struggle in the tough Australian conditions. But the Aussies are weaker against spinners than against fast bowlers."
During the 1996 tour of Australia, the Sri Lankan players were constantly subjected to racial abuse and even deliberate physical contact by their counterparts. Ranatunga's backing of his players during that tour made him a hated figure in the eyes of the Australian crowd. When the team toured again in 1999, the heckling was so intense that Ranatunga declared he would never tour Australia again.
The Indians may not receive the same treatment, but the mental strength of Ganguly's boys will certainly be an issue against the Australians.
Ranatunga's advice for that is simple: "Don't read newspapers, don't watch television. It is best not to get influenced by the media. Concentrate completely on the game. But enjoy yourself, enjoy your game of cricket.
"One team member, preferably the captain, and the media manager should handle the media. That way the rest have more time to concentrate on cricket. Play with all your heart."
Incidentally, the Indian team is without a media manager on the tour.
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