Team India captain Sourav Ganguly dons protective gear during nets at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday, the eve of the first Test against Australia. (AFP)

Bangalore: The countdown to what promises to be a down-to-the-wire series has begun and Team India captain Sourav Ganguly is bound to be a key player. Despite the pressure of time, Sourav spoke to The Telegraph at some length ? looking back and ahead ? on Tuesday afternoon.

The following are excerpts

Q How pumped up are you just a few hours from the start of yet another big series?

A I?m excited... The adrenaline is flowing... The next few weeks are going to be very demanding and I?m confident we will be up to it.

Is confidence alone going to be a huge factor?

(Almost interrupting) It?s the keenness... The boys want to do well against the Australians because they represent the best and, really, nothing is more satisfying than being right up there versus the No.1 side... Confidence merely gives that boost.

But hasn?t Sachin Tendulkar?s non-availability come as a blow?

Yes, but he should be fit for Chennai (second Test)... Till he returns, we won?t only miss his batting, but bowling too. On wickets where there is turn, he is as good as any specialist spinner.

What have you been telling Sachin?

Get back soon.

Ricky Ponting, of course, is out for the first two Tests. Has that neutralised Sachin?s absence?

Sachin?s impact on a game, to my mind, is greater than Ponting?s... So, Sachin?s absence is a bigger loss for us than Ponting not being there for his team.

Given Ponting?s form in the last series (706 runs), his absence has made it easier for you...

Not necessarily...

For now, the who-will-open question has been settled. Surely, the balance is right when a specialist is at the very top?

I?ve got no problems with Choppy (Akash Chopra) opening. With Sachin?s absence providing a vacancy, he?s an obvious choice for the XI.

Is there something we?ve learnt from the last series (in Australia) which ought to be kept in mind?

(After a pause) That we have to take it session by session... The Australians play hard and are so competitive that one session could change a Test ? as, for example, happened at the MCG last December. Bottomline is that the quality of our cricket must consistently be of a high order.

What, then, will make the difference?

Runs on the board... That?s the best way of putting Australia under pressure. If we do that, then Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh are going to be a huge factor. As captain, I?m delighted both are around ? that wasn?t so either in the 2000-01 series at home or in the last three Tests during the 2003-04 series in Australia.

How much of the series will be a battle of the mind and nerves?

Quite a bit... Indeed, today, that?s how cricket is played ... The tougher one is in the mind, the better the chances. In fact, this holds true for all sport.

Ian Healy feels you are Steve Waugh?s successor where playing mind games is concerned...

Has he said so? Well, I don?t put on an act... What you see of me is what comes naturally.

You?ve already had a meeting. What did you tell the boys?

Asked them to relax... To enjoy the challenge and to retain the body-language of the past few days... The more positive we are, the better the results are going to be. As captain, I expect the best from everybody. After that, one just hopes for the best.

Fair enough, but is there a worry that three of the six batsmen (Virender Sehwag, V.V.S.Laxman and Yuvraj Singh) haven?t been contributing in recent international engagements?

No... In any case, Veeru and Yuvraj came through beautifully in the practice match here last week... As for Laxman, he has never been short on motivation when it comes to taking runs off the Australians... He has done so many times in the past, beginning with that blazing 167 at the SCG (1999-2000) and it shouldn?t be any different this time.

Will Matthew Hayden be the most prickly thorn?

The Australians have many outstanding players... I?m seeing them collectively, not as exceptional individuals.

How must we handle the Glenn McGraths and Shane Warnes?

By playing every ball on merit... Even somebody like Jason Gillespie... He?s going to be bowling on flatter wickets and, therefore, the adjustment has to come from him. (Again, after a pause) We?ve got big runs against all the bowlers and there?s absolutely no reason to get overawed.

Have you set yourself a target?

(Laughs) To win the series...

What will the wickets be like?

Good to start with... The turn, however, is going to be there.

One can?t but avoid talking of that epic 2000-01 series...What, for you, is the most abiding memory?

Victory at the Eden... Following-on and, then, creating history... That won?t ever be bettered... To me, nothing will ever mean more.

You?ve ?grown? in the last three-and-half years...

Experience, attitude, mental toughness... On all counts, I?m a better cricketer and captain. I?ve learnt from situations, learnt from mistakes... Right now, I?m confident of handling come what may.

It?s for the first time in a Test series since you?ve been captain that Steve won?t be around. Are you going to ?miss? him?

His retirement certainly brought one era to a close... I?ve always been a Steve admirer... Have seen him as a role model.... Respected his never-say-die attitude... Without him, yes, it will be a bit different.

The final question: With Sunil Gavaskar as consultant, isn?t Wright?s position going to get diluted?

Why should it? John remains the coach... What?s the doubt?