Sehwag got out to the same ball. Again. And at a crucial point in the match, meaning that India scored thirty runs less than it could have had he stuck around for a while more.
All said and done, I am thankful that he got some runs under his (ample) belt. It wasnt a risk-free innings for sure; and it is too early to say that his bad run is over.
But Vengsarkar has pulled out something from his pocket - which is the inclusion of Wasim Jaffer (specialist opener) in the team to South Africa for the ODIs. That is certain to put pressure on Veeru to perform. In any case, he has ensured that nobody is going to ask for his removal from the team - in the immediate future.
But picking Kumble over Powar? The question mark over Kumble had been his athleticism - and the same question could be asked about Powar as well. But what Powar brought to the team was a certain economy in the spin department with more than a hint of aggression. Kumble on the other hand, in his last few seasons had leaked quite a few and could even have been accused of predictability - something that can certainly not be said of him in the Test arena, especially after a superlative performance in the WI. Picking Kumble might have been a brave experiment, but Powar has reason to be disappointed.
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