Date:02/04/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/04/02/stories/2003040201301900.htm

Sport - Cricket

With seniors seeking a break, selectors have a job on hand

By Vijay Lokapally

NEW DELHI APRIL 1. The National selectors have a task at hand when they pick the Indian team for the tri-series to be held in Dhaka from April 11. For the first time in many years, the selectors will have a wide canvas to explore and the emphasis shall be on grooming the youth.

Thanks to the overdose of cricket for almost 18 months now, the seniors in the team have decided to take a much-needed break, with Sachin Tendulkar showing the way by informing the Board of his desire to rest. If a player like Tendulkar, who even today has to be dragged out of the `nets', is forced to think of taking a break from the game, it only reflects on the cruel and crazy scheduling of matches by the Board which can only think of cricket in terms of financial returns at the cost of players' fitness.

The list of those wanting to rest has increased by the day. Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra, Anil Kumble... .. all wanting to stay away from the Dhaka tournament for various reasons. Do not be surprised if Zaheer Khan joins the list because his body too needs rest as much as the others.

Dravid needs to rest and also nurse his finger injury; Srinath wants to take a break in order to decide on his future in the game; Nehra is set to undergo an ankle surgery in South Africa before returning fresh for the winter; Kumble obviously is too shocked at the ill-treatment meted out to him and needs time to recoup his confidence; Tendulkar's is a clear case of too much cricket and too much load on his shoulders. The expectations from him grew with every match in the World Cup until he collapsed in the final.

That leaves us with Sourav Ganguly, who probably has far more reasons to back his claims for a hard-earned rest. As captain, he has gone through the most eventful journey of his career and grown in the esteem of his colleagues. Sleepless nights and tense moments on the field have added to the grey in his hair and Ganguly would do well with a break from the game.

Captain material?

The selectors do have an indication of Ganguly's desire to just play the final of the tri-series, assuming that even a third-string Indian team would be formidable enough for Bangladesh. So, the task would be to identify the man for the hottest seat in Indian cricket. It comes with a few privileges, especially if the team happens to be doing well, but plenty of brickbats in the event of poor show.

Rarely has a selection committee been presented with a situation the kind of which confronts them now. In normal circumstances, V. V. S. Laxman could have been an ideal candidate for captaincy, considering his pleasant personality and his reading of the game. But then the same set of selectors dumped him in favour of Dinesh Mongia who has hardly done any justification to his selection. To expect this set of selectors to repose faith in Laxman now would be out of place. Laxman not only had a poor tour of the West Indies as captain of India `A' but is also reportedly nursing an injury.

If Ganguly too opts out of the tour to Dhaka, the selectors would be compelled to pick a young captain from the likes of Virender Sehwag, Mohammad Kaif or Yuvraj Singh. According to one of the selectors, Sehwag's poor communication skills could prove a big handicap and the fact that Yuvraj is a cricketer who plays more by instincts might swing the job in favour of Kaif.

The Uttar Pradesh batsman, who made a few strides during the World Cup, is acceptable to most because of his cheerful nature. Few would have expected this unassuming Allahabad lad to rise thus far but then the reality of the situation is that Kaif is very much in the reckoning to be saddled with captaincy, provided the selectors are given the free hand to pick a replacement for Ganguly.

There are indications that the selectors may not be inclined to plug for Kumble, given the leg-spinner's relationship with Ganguly. There is no love lost between the two and it would be tragic if Kumble is to be removed unceremoniously. The veteran has won many a battle for India and a fitting farewell in the form of captaincy for just this tournament would not be a bad idea but the selectors, at this juncture, are not inclined to offer any such favours to this trusted match-winner. I am sure the cricketing fraternity would agree that Kumble deserved better treatment than what came his way during the World Cup.

From the team that went to the World Cup, those who pick themselves are Kaif, Yuvraj, Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Parthiv Patel, Sanjay Bangar, Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer. The selectors are having second thoughts regarding Dinesh Mongia, who looked out of place when the situation became demanding. The captain's obsession with this Punjab left-hander was intriguing, especially when it became clear that Mongia, at number seven, was more of a luxury at the cost of Bangar, Agarkar or Kumble. So, Mongia would be lucky to retain his place for the Dhaka tournament.

One understands from the selectors that they would like to treat the tournament as an opportunity to groom a few youngsters. A blend of youth and experience would be the motto and it could well mean a well-deserved chance for a few young faces.

Delhi opener Gautam Gambhir is tipped to make it as an opener even though Akash Chopra is the one who has made an impact with his compact game. Gambhir has made runs in all conditions and his strokemaking abilities push his case strongly. Chopra is being considered for the India `A' tour to England this summer but a trip to Dhaka could be part of the incentive for his excellent batting in the West Indies. Baroda left-hander Connor Williams, Tamil Nadu strokeplayer S. Sriram and Maharashtra middle-order batsman Abhijit Kale would also be in the reckoning.

In the absence of Srinath and Nehra, the selectors would like to test the skills of Avishkar Salvi, the Mumbai fast bowler with a bright future, and L. Balaji, the energetic quick bowler from Tamil Nadu. Two more seamers in contention are Irfan Pathan and Rakesh Patel, both from Baroda. Ajit Agarkar is expected to go to Dhaka but there are doubts if Zaheer would be motivated enough to go through more grind after the gruelling time at the World Cup, where he was asked to bowl with the same intensity in matches and at `nets' too. If Zaheer requests for a break, he deserves it as much as the rest.

Railways left-arm spinner Murali Kartik has made himself available, having recovered from a thumb injury he sustained during the `A' tour to the West Indies. He has informed the selection committee chairman Brijesh Patel of his recovery. If the selectors decide on picking three spinners, Haryana's Amit Mishra would be an ideal candidate to support Kartik and Harbhajan.

The selectors may also be tempted to pick A. T. Rayudu, the batting sensation from Hyderabad. Even though former selector Ashok Malhotra spoilt Rayudu's case by terming him as "raw,'' it would not be a bad idea to select the young lad and allow him pick lessons by watching the seniors from close. He would win a place on the basis of his outstanding fielding. "Electric'' as one of the selectors remarked.

For obvious reasons, the Board is keen to send its best team to Dhaka and a compromise of sorts might be reached by requesting the seniors to fly out for the final. Which means Tendulkar and Ganguly may have to take a short break from their family, a possibility that looks bleak at the moment. As far as the selectors are concerned, they would love to pick a young team and identify the men for the future, with a new captain backing his own set of players.