The reaction of people in India was expected after yet another disappointing performance from India in a global ICC tournament. People have blamed the IPL for such a bad performance.
But for me the biggest thing that went wrong was the selection. Kris Srikkanth once again proved everyone that GOD has forgot to give him brain and cannot think. He never used to think while playing his game and has not changed a bit after retiring. His selection has been poor over a period of time.
Irfan Pathan is one player in India who gives balance to the team. His new ball bowling may not be great but he is a fine 5th bowler and his batting is more than handy. He has got a good head and he uses it to full effect while batting. He was instrumental in India winning 2007 T20 world cup. Sanga could have used him better in the middle overs in the IPL. But unfortunately he did not have anyone good upfront. Peolpe keep talking about him Dhoni hitting him two huge ones in the last over. But two bad deliveries cannot make him a bad cricketer.
Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja are two players who do not deserve a place in the team. Yusuf has not done anything great in any format that he keeps finding a place in the playing XI. His bowling is bad and batting no better. Ravindra Jadeja has done well for India in 50 over format. But somehow i feel that is batting and bowling are not good enough for international T 20 cricket. He needs to get some more variations to his bowling and improve his batting and running between the wickets. He seems to be in a different world while running.
In India, fast bowlers have a mixed luck. On one day they will be picked and find themselves dropped very next day. The selectors are playing musical chair with our fast bowlers. Abhimanyu Mithun is dropped with just one game under his belt. Dhawal Kulkarni who was taken to New Zealand ( for drinks ) has not featured in the squad after that. Sudeep Tyagi who travelled with the Indian team for nearly half a year and warming the bench for most part of it finds himself warming benches at his place. Ishant Sharma doesnt seam to be in the selectors radar at all now. There are few more who are going to join the above list very soon. Umesh Yadav, Ashok Dinda and Vinay Kumar have been picked on basis of their performance in IPL. If IPL was the reason why Dinda was opted, then for me Saurabh Tiwary did no harm to his selection and could have replaced Yusuf for the tour to Zimbabwe. He has got a good temperament and doesnt panic under pressure.
The selectors need to give time for players to prove their potential. Srikkanth who scored only two centuries in his career is expecting young fast bowlers to do miracles in just two matches. The Indian Board needs to look at the selection panel and make changes to it.
One may have the best players in the team. But it is more important to have right combination and balance.
Srinath Santhanam
