Team India - Too Many Daddies...

The squad for the world cup is as follows –

Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Sehwag
Uthappa
Yuvraj
Dhoni
Karthick
Pathan
Kumble
Harbhajan
Zaheer
Sreeshanth
Agarkar
Munaf

Let’s analyze the individual disciplines -

Batting -

On paper, this is the most fearsome batting attack in the world today. But then the problem is that we are not playing on paper :) However jokes apart, the batting order is indeed among the best. Take Ponting, Jayasurya and Lara out of the equation and you will find the combined 15s of all other teams put together (and that is 222 other players), not equaling the number of centuries scored by our top 5 batsmen. The highest score of 3 of our batsmen are in the 180s (a feat no other currently playing in this world cup has achieved). Each of the top 7 in the list is capable of producing that match turning flash-in-the-pan knocks that so crucially decides the outcome of a limited overs match.

The drawback however is that by taking along only 8 batsmen we are carrying too little reserve strength. With 7 batsmen sure to play every match, an injury or lack of form to even one could cause a total imbalance. Moreover with too many batsmen vying for the opening 2 slots, Dravid sure has a problem on his hand. Added to that is the presence of Karthick – in spite of all his enthusiasm and energy, he still does not possess the flamboyance or range of shots that is so required in limited overs cricket today. But then with the kind of pitches expected in the West Indies, he could well turn out to be the proverbial dark horse.

Bowling –

5 fast bowlers and 2 spinners is definitely too much of baggage to be carried. With Sehwag, Tendulkar , Ganguly and Yuvraj more than capable to take care of 10 – 20 overs among themselves, India need to play only 4 bowlers in any match – that would mean 3 bowlers cooling their heals and at least one or two not getting any match for sure. With Munaf getting back to form and Zaheer bringing around those stunning opening spells against left handers (almost all teams have at least one left-handed opening bat) the opening attack definitely looks real potent. It is the middle overs that we have a problem. Sreeshanth tends to give away too many hit-me balls. Agarkar is in-consistent beyond belief. Pathan is way too low on form and confidence. Harbhajan has been doing very little over the past 6 months and Kumble has not been the same old strike bowler for over a decade now.

India’s best bet is to take early wickets and then use the other bowlers to try restricting the opposition to below 230.

Keeping –

We are probably the only team to be carrying two keepers, though time and again we have been reminded that Karthick has been chosen as a pure batsman only. Ironically Karthick is the better keeper among the two, but Dhoni has enough ammunitions in his batting armory to cover up those very minor blemishes he makes behind the stumps. Though not yet as proven as Gilchrist, for his sheer ability to turn matches around consistently, Dhoni would find himself ahead of both Boucher and McCullum as the joint best keeper along with Gilchrist today.

Fielding –

About a year back we could have counted ourselves as having the best offside field within the 30 yard circle in the form of Yuvraj, Kaif and Raina. But now with Kaif and Raina missing, our fielding not only looks weak but quite dismal too. Both the captain and the coach have repeatedly emphasized that our fielding is the weakest link and that we need to cover it up by scoring more and getting scored off lesser. But in the slow conditions of West Indies, where scores of 250 would be effective, those 20-30 runs saved on the field could end up making all the difference.

Guys counting themselves lucky and whom they should be thanking –

Uthappa – He should thank the South African tour for showing Kaif, Mongia and Raina the door.

Karthick – The South African tour and that one 20-20 innings in particular.

Sehwag – A whole lot of people, but in particular the captain.

Yuvraj – He needs to thank everyone who helped him in getting his knee healed.

Pathan – The Mumbai Ranji team for collapsing to 0/5 during their semi-final clash.

Munaf – Of course the physio and those 2 opening spells against Sri Lanka.

Guys who would be complaining –

Kaif – For not being given a chance (at home) to prove himself.

Laxman – For everything that the selectors have been doing to him – why did they even have to fly him to South Africa if he was never in the reckoning?

Mongia & Raina – They have only themselves to blame for not making anything out of the innumerable chances given.

Powar – He needs to blame the country for already producing two really good spinners at about the same time – after all that is the reason given for his non-selection.

Joginder Sharma & RP Singh – Well, if that one itsy bitsy chance was all that would be given – why even bother by pulling them into the scheme of things.

My First Playing Eleven –

1. Saurav
2. Robin
3. Sachin
4. Yuvraj
5. Dravid
6. Sehwag
7. Dhoni
8. Pathan
9. Kumble
10. Zaheer
11. Munaf

But the team management is sure to go in with 5 bowlers by dropping Robin and having Irfan as the number 7 batsman. Agarkar would come in at No.8 and Sehwag could open. While there are many who could agree with the theory that the number 8 need not bat and Pathan would be useless with the bat at that position – I would want to differ by pointing out that Pollock, Vettori, Razzack, Vaas and Lee come in at No.8 and provide that crucial difference in their team’s batting order. By moving Pathan to 7, we would not only be creating a rather long tail (Agarkar has ceased being an all-rounder for ages now) but also would have unnecessary redundancy of the all round capabilities of Sachin, Saurav, Sehwag and Yuvraj.