India's Caribbean Debacle

CARIBBEAN DEBACLE BEHIND INDIA, HOPEFULLY
By: Akshay A. Kalbag
India’s next One-day series is just around the corner. Coach Greg Chappell, captain Rahul Dravid and the rest of the squad must now put this summer’s disastrous tour of the West Indies (where India lost four of the five One-dayers) behind them, and approach the forthcoming triangular series in Sri Lanka with utmost seriousness.
The return of the Indian cricket team’s elder statesman, Sachin Tendulkar, after a long injury lay-off is a big boost for the side, as his considerable experience would not only help solve India’s opening woes, but also prove handy in the bowling department, as he, along with Virender Sehwag and the surprise inclusion Dinesh Mongia – who is also making his comeback after a gap – are useful partnership-breaking part-time spin bowlers. Mongia, a good fielder to boot, has been recalled to the Indian side after a string of consistent performances for Leicestershire in the English County Championship. Another comeback man is the Mumbai all-rounder Ajit Agarkar – one of the two fast bowling all-rounders in the side, the other being Irfan Pathan. Agarkar’s performances in the One-day International series in the Caribbean in June were outstanding. The form of captain Dravid and left-hander (and ace fielder) Yuvraj Singh has always been quite consistent, and the Indians will be hoping that the enthusiastic young fast bowler S. Sreesanth will be at his lively best, as he was on the West Indies tour.
It is disappointing and a major blow to note that India’s experienced leg-spinner Anil Kumble and middle-order batsman V.V.S. Laxman have been ignored. The two veterans are considered good enough to play Test cricket for India, but, unfortunately, the selectors continue to overlook them for the shorter version of the game, even though their experience could prove to be valuable assets in the build-up to the World Cup, to be held in March-April 2007 in the West Indies, which is the ultimate goal for Team India under the leadership of the Chappell-Dravid duo. Both Kumble and Laxman are proven performers at the international level, and it is because of their class and commitment that the two thirty-something cricketers, match-winners in their own right, will be conspicuous by their absence. The form of paceman Pathan and dashing wicket-keeper/batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni has dipped since the home series earlier this season against England, which is worrisome. In the absence of Kumble, the spin department lacks variety, and the responsibility falls on the shoulders of two off-spinners – Harbhajan Singh and the relatively inexperienced Ramesh Powar, who is also a useful lower-order batsman – and the part-time tweakers, Tendulkar, Sehwag, Mongia and Yuvraj. The batting form of two of India’s best fielders, Mohammed Kaif and Suresh Raina, has been pretty inconsistent off-late, and the fast bowling department lacks experience in the absence of the likes of Zaheer Khan (who is the overseas player for Worcestershire in the English County Championship this season), Ashish Nehra and Laxmipathy Balaji. It is still early days in the careers of the young trio of Sreesanth, Munaf Patel and Rudra Pratap Singh, who will shoulder the onus of fast bowling honours along with Agarkar and Pathan.
It is a huge opportunity for the young players in the Indian side, who make up more the half the squad, to get some well-needed exposure at the highest level and prove their meetle against the hosts Sri Lanka and the third team in the tournament, South Africa – both quality oppositions – and their performances will go a long way in determining the members of the eventual squad that will travel to the West Indies for the most prestigious One-day tournament – the World Cup – next year. India have beaten the Sri Lankans and the South Africans in the One-day series held last year in India, playing the formidable Sri Lankans at home is a different kettle of fish as they are lions on their own pitches. The Muttiah Muralitharan factor is also a stiff challenge, as the slow pitches in Colombo will suit Sri Lanka’s ace off-spinner, who is currently in red-hot form. While the Indian batsmen will have to come up with a plan to counter the champion from Kandy, the bowlers will have to formulate a foolproof strategy to rein in the maruading trio of Sanath Jayasuriya, captain Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, who are batting like gods in their own backyard.
As for the South Africans, the longer they continue to struggle, the better it would be for the teams from the subcontinent to improve their chances prior to next year’s mega-event in the Caribbean.