A 'class' act disappears?

Rohit Sharma, the supposedly talented right hand batsman, captured the imagination of millions with his performances in the World T20 and the CB Series in Australia. Some people on this blog sang his praises and heralded the coming of the next great right handed Indian batsmen, who had rightfully claimed his place in the pantheon of Indian batting gods.

Today, despite the confidence that Dhoni continues to show in him, Rohit does not command his place in either the one day or T20 teams, leave aside the test arena. Like Dravid, who the test team continues to carry through his slump, Rohit continues to be carried by the might of the Indian batting order, with even Ravinder Jadeja and Yusuf outdoing him consistently. While his fans will continue to argue that it is nothing more than a loss of form (and his class will eventually prevail etc.), in keeping with what I have said earlier on this blog, after yet another dismal performance last night, I am forced to reiterate that he does not belong in the international arena. He lacks the full range of stroke making that is essential at this level, as also the power that someone like Yuvraj or Yusuf weild with nonchalence. Add to this his inability to dominate spin or even rotate strike and you have the pull package of all that a one day team does not need. His fielding, while continuin to remain steady, has shown no flashes of brilliance - some may argue that even the intensity of his fielding has dropped.

While I am all for investing in talent and leeting it find its feet in international cricket, lets remember that the cost is a career for Venugopal, Badrinath, Pujara and other talented youngsters that continue to line up behind him. How long does India carry him? John??

Be (Ti)wary

For the third Test, the only reason I'd think of dropping either Dravid or Ganguly is if Kumble would consider a fifth bowling option. Yeah, so Rohit Sharma has been warming the benches when he might as well have been perfecting his game at home. It's easy to look at Yuvraj and say see what years of being benched in the Test squad did to him, but the more critical ones will recognize the merits of travelling with the team and Yuvi's portion of the blame as well. More importantly, it would be bloody crazy to blood Rohit in a decider against Murali and Mendis - he might take forever to recover. Let's not repeat Manoj Tiwary's trial by fire-breathing-Lee.

Walking wickets talk

A 'walking wicket' is how Dravid and Collingwood have been described of late.

Collingwood walked into what might have been his last Test innings, and rescued a crumbling England in the company of Kevin 'Ego (isn't it refreshing to have Andre back?)' Pietersen.

The noise for Dravid's head is not that loud, but the irritation among the fans was clear. Ok, he hit a 90 there and a hundred here, but for a team challenging the top Test team, such a confused batsman at number 3 was a weight on the shoulders.

The subtext that King Cricket talks about, referring to Collingwood's repeated portrayal as a gritty, doughty one, is equally applicable to Dravid - who like Collingwood has broken the mould (or "the Wall") from time to time.

Dravid made some runs today, finally looking comfy against Mendis and Murali. His innings was pretty much a press release that he will only go kicking and screaming into retirement. Which is certainly good for Indian cricket, because the incumbent will have to keep doing well domestically and in ODIs. Gambhir is proof.

Rohit can wait. Owais must wait.

Another Yuvraj choice

The Yuvraj-Test cricket dilemma will raise its head again, when the selectors pick the Indian team for the first Test against the vising South Africans, to be played at the M A Chidambaram Stadium. Unlike the selection dilemma prior to the tour of Australia, it is not the ascent of Yuvraj that is causing this. Then, unlike now, Yuvraj was threatening the cemented spots of VVS Laxman and Saurav Ganguly for a spot in the lower middle order. Now, after a poor display in three matches against the Aussies, there is absolutely no doubt that the selectors will consider him unworthy of challenging these two. Dravid's place is less certain than those of Sachin, Laxman and Ganguly, but there is no doubt that if he is fit, he will play all matches.

The challenge now for the selectors is to decide whether it is smart to carry Yuvraj in this Test squad, of his primary purpose will be to carry drinks. The challenge comes from the ascent of Rohit Sharma as not only a fairly reliable bat in ODIs, but also because, like Yuvraj, "he has a certain, what they French would call, I dont know what", that begs to be examined in the harsher light of Test cricket. Finding room in the squad is the first step. (TM, if you have anything to say, say it now, or forever hold your peace.)

Both have their strong points when set against each other. Rohit's defence is tighter, but Yuvi can clear big grounds with his power. It hardly makes sense to compare them as far as utility to the team is concerned. Both have shown the talent necessary to handle two spots in that hallowed middle order when the time is right.

Right now, for these matches at home against South Africa, it makes more sense to carry Rohit in the Test team. For one, it is an unmistakeable sign to Yuvi that he is not the only one chasing a spot and so should shape up - not just batting-wise, but also fitness-wise. Also, Rohit gets a sliver of a chance of showing what he is made of, against the likes of Steyn and Ntini. Even if he does not bat, he gets the chance to share a dressing room with VVS and Anil Kumble - an education that must not be denied to him.

20000 runs is the new elephant in the room

Nobody who ever saw this partnership is likely to forget it, least of all Murali, Vaas and co.

Anyway, now that Sachin has taken himself out of the elephant equation, there is a new one for Venx The Messiah and his Gang of Merry Men to consider. How do they put 20000 runs to pasture gracefully? These are two giants of the one-day game, and sad as it may be, it is good for Indian cricket that the more athletic Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir and Robin Uthappa stepped up so their absence was not felt in one of the most demanding of all ODI tournaments. Of course Dravid and Dada may still be able to contribute with the bat, and may be packed with the tactical mishmash that comes with 20000 runs, but we need to give the captain the team he wants. Having done so once, and all credit to Venx The Messiah, and may his loins bear a thousand lions, ans seen more than satisfactory results, we just need to continue doing so. Barely anything should be allowed to stand in the way of the development of Rohit Sharma, Uthappa and Gambhir. It will be unfair, not only to those three, but even to Raina, Kartik and Tiwary who have waited, to consider any sort of longish farewell for Dada and Dravid.

I don't know, but the moronically conceived Asia Cup may be the right opportunity. There is even a game against Hong Kong at Lahore.

Getting all excited

I tend to agree with Unc J Rod when he argues for compulsory intoxication when it comes to really enjoying an entire one-dayer. So it came as a surprise to me when I found myself making an effort to pull myself out of bed on a Sunday. I am excited about this series.
 
No, it’s not about Gilly's retirement. I am already tired of that.
 
I want to watch these guys bat against some of the best ODI bowlers.
 
No, not Gambhir and Uthappa who have been in the team for a while now and should be expected to become more consistent about continuing after getting their eye in. The same goes for Karthik and Raina whenever they get a chance. And certainly not Yuvraj and Dhoni who need to be held accountable for all miserable innings totals. This series will be a fair test of whether their freestroking abandon will hold up, something Sachin was able to do at his peak with several times the expectation on him.
 
I refer to Rohit Sharma and Manoj Tiwary. The captain made his call when he opted for Tiwary ahead of Raina and Karthik, and I only hope he persists with that call.
 
I say hope because Tiwary stood horribly exposed today. Something extremely Dadaesque about his approach to fast short bowling aimed at the throat. And then the yorker and then death. Sharma has something of a Mark Waugh about him. He can look so good, and so calm, but will routinely stand accused of playing a lazy shot when he gets out.
 
Both are in Ozland because of their promise. Enough promise to be in the team ahead of Dravid and Ganguly. And both are being talked up as possible Test replacements for the Fab Four in addition to Badri. Ian Chappel went all gushy wushy when he spoke aboout Sharma, mentioning him in the same sentence as Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting. Having said that, let us hope these two are cut some slack. Give them at least four games on the trot before you give Karthik or Raina a go.  
 
When Tiwary meets Lee the next time, I will be watching.

Was that India playing out there?

It was a performance too clinical to believe, one worthy of India's next opponents - the Aussies. Recovering well from a stumble on a lively pitch against the quality bowling of Pollock, Morkel and Ntini, they bowled and fielded with an intensity that not only got them through, but in an amazing reversal of fortunes, the knocked out the previously unbeaten South Africans. A young Indian team, under its young captain, posted a comprehensive victory without its best player. And that is far more significant than the Aussies thumping the Lankans without Ponting.

Anyway, Arpy again. What a bowler he is turning out to be! After a three-over first spell when he showed Sreesanth the virtues of bowling the new ball on a tight line and length, he returned to fire in yorkers and bouncers in a last over where he clocked 143 kmph. Pietersen certainly wasn't lying when he called him a "highly skilled swing bowler".

And Rohit Sharma. Eased into international cricket with four off his first fourteen deliveries, and then caught the South Africans napping with some sensational driving and cutting. A deserving man-of-the-match, he also got a crucial run out of Justin Kemp to cap a sensational night for the young batsman. He seems to have the attacking technique and temprament to make it at the highest level in all forms of the game. Quite significantly, his first international effort has come on a fresh pitch at one of India's least favourite grounds, when the chips were stacked high against him.

What of MS Dhoni? His batting in this series has been a revelation. I know that many will disagree and say that captaincy has made his eschew his customary hammer-and-tongs approach, but I have four words for them. Proof of the pudding. Especially at a time when our line-up is filled to the brim with lovely shotmakers, it is not a sin, even in T20, to have someone around to shepherd the innings. And the fact that he has done so quite a few times in this series, speaks highly of his thinking - someone capable of looking beyond the immediate.

Against Australia though, India's traditional failings might stand exposed. Today India were placed in a situation where Rohit Sharma absolutely had to fire. Giving the Aussies an opportunity like that would be akin to suicide. Similarly, the Aussies would certainly make the several extra deliveries bowled by India count. Sreesanth has to be careful.