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NEWS Cricket World Cup 2007> Ganguly best captain of recent past: Dravid 04th Mar 2007  10.02 IST By Agencies   Sourav Ganguly was the best captain of the Indian team in the recent past, skipper Rahul Dravid has said of his predecessor as the Indian team reached the West Indies Friday for the World Cup. "Yes, he (Ganguly) was, if you look at the numbers that were produced during the past five years and the games we played during his captaincy. In that sense he was the best captain, and we had the best team," Dravid told a TV channel in an interview. Dravid said: "We are happy that he’s come back and that he is playing well... At the end of the day, the team wants players who are playing well and performing well." When asked what his contribution to Ganguly's come back has been, Dravid was categorical. "The credit for going through it (his exclusion from the team) and coming out of it goes to him... He’s worked hard... he’s leaner, meaner and fitter... he’s playing well. He’s been fielding well... and we hope he can repeat that performance in the World Cup...." Dravid said that defending champions Australia would be the favourites to win the title again. "I think there will be eight teams that will be looking to be in that final. I think Australia will start as favourites but not by much... that gap is closing. It’s going to be a tough World Cup," he averred. Dravid was confident that India would also attempt to win the World Cup, beginning March 11, and that India’s performance in the recent matches bore ample testimony to the team’s form. The Indian team, which reached Montego Bay, Jamaica, Friday morning, will play their first match against Bangladesh March 17. The final is on April 28 at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Also View In-Depth Coverage: Cricket World Cup 2007 Team Page: India Team Page: West Indies

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