The Hindu : Sport : Selectors keeping the doors open

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 27, 2006

Sport

Sport

Selectors keeping the doors open

Sanjay Manjrekar

It's going to be a tough outing for India in Lanka in testing weather conditions

STAKING HIS CLAIM: Anil Kumble's perseverance has put him back in the reckoning for one-day cricket. — FILE PHOTO: AP

Twenty to go... This is how the Indian team would be looking at its one-day cricket from now on. Twenty matches to go before the World Cup. And when the time comes to play that first World Cup game, India should feel that it has looked at all the available options and has the best 15 players that gives it the best shot at the Cup.

I would like to think that the selectors are still looking and their net is still spread wide out, to catch players, showing either sparks of talent or strong performances.

At the end of the 20 matches, the Indian team should culminate into a unit that has been formed after a genuinely exhausting exercise that has lasted for more than a year, after tapping various alternatives. The team that goes to West Indies for the World Cup then should be a team that has in ir each player worth his salt. Then it does not matter whatever his age, his past or his experience.

Fair selection

Based on these thoughts, I believe there should not be too much scrutiny of the team selected for the tri-series in Sri Lanka. Dinesh Mongia, who played in the last World Cup, is back in the Indian team after a long absence. Whatever could be the stories floating around his selection; I look at it as maturity on the part of the selectors.

They have showed that although youth is an important consideration in their planning they are not going to be obsessed with it. This selection is on pure performance, interestingly though on English county performances.

Suddenly county cricket performances have become more and more relevant for Indian cricket selections. This also means that Indian players who do not play county cricket are somewhat at a disadvantage. Mongia clearly would not have been back in this Indian team if not for his contract with a certain county in England.

With India playing around the year and having international commitments now in June, July and August and with our domestic season finishing much before that in April, there are no match opportunities for fringe players to make a strong case for selection, unless he is influential enough to get a county contract. A situation that the BCCI could make note of.

Zaheer's case

So here we have Mongia's performances in England been rewarded, while Zaheer Khan's have not. But it seems not for long, as Zaheer keeps sending these strong messages to the Indian selectors, through the only way you should, by outstanding performances.

Anil Kumble's unbelievable perseverance as a bowler has got him back in the reckoning for one-day cricket, a possibility that was almost ruled out two years back as focus had shifted to youth and energy in the field.

Though he is not picked in the team for Sri Lanka, you can quite clearly gauge that he is a strong candidate for the World Cup. By not selecting him in the team but keeping him well informed about their long-term plans with him, the selectors have shown the virtue of communication.

Motivated Kumble

Kumble today is not in the India team but he is not unhappy or hurt, for he has been motivated by the words passed on to him by the men in charge. This contact between players and selectors help to keep the harmony in the dressing room, so vital for winning performances.

And really Kumble has reached a stage in his career where he does not need one-day match practice, to excel if he has to, in the more important one-day matches later.

Finally, needless to say, it is going to be a tough outing for India as it takes on South Africa and Sri Lanka in testing weather conditions. Even after the 4-1 loss in the last one-day series in West Indies, there is no denying the fact that India is still a very good one-day team. And unlike in West Indies, it would be hoping that this time, it returns with some answers and not, more questions. — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport