The Hindu : Sport : Exploit Bangladesh's inconsistency

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Thursday, May 10, 2007
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Exploit Bangladesh's inconsistency

Mohinder Amarnath

Heat and humidity will play a major role in the series, writes Mohinder Amarnath

As they begin their tour of Bangladesh, the Indian players face a dilemma. If they do well they will receive little credit, but if they fare badly, the criticism will be intense and harsh.

And the problem is compounded by the fact that this is hardly the right time to play cricket anywhere in the subcontinent. As earlier, the cricket season in this part of the world should end in April and resume in September or thereabouts. So when the ICC announced its Future Tours Programme, I think India should have asked for a schedule that did not oblige the team to play under the current conditions.

The Indian team will also be under some pressure to prove that the loss to Bangladesh in the World Cup was a one off incident. That does not mean that India will take Bangladesh lightly, but I would expect the boys to approach the series in more charged up fashion.

There is no denying that Bangladesh has improved considerably over the years as a one-day team in particular, but consistency has eluded it thus far. I would expect India to exploit this factor.

I think we will probably see no more than one upset in the one-day series, and none in the Tests.

However, there is also an air of uncertainty within the Indian team. As of now, they have experienced personnel at the helm in the form of Ravi Shastri, Venkatesh Prasad and Robin Singh, but all these are temporary appointments.

There is also an air of compromise about much of the team selection.

There were reports in the media on Wednesday of some selectors revealing behind-the-scene details of what went on in the Indian dressing room during Greg Chappell's tenure, but I would pay little attention to these reports if I were an Indian cricketer, and concentrate instead on matters on the field. Such controversies are needless and avoidable, and are thus best ignored.

Granted, this is not as important a tour as the forthcoming one of England, but it is still a series that will see the introduction of a few new faces in the team. It is a good opportunity to shape the future of the Indian cricket team as the seniors approach the twilight of their careers. Sachin Tendulkar himself started out as a highly talented youngster, and the time is now ripe for other talented youngsters to grab the opportunity that they have been given.

(Gameplan)

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