Change is need of the hour

[rkt.india]

Indian team is in doldrums at present and certain steps like dropping a big player or infusing new blood need to be taken so that the future does not look bleak. Krishnaraj Singh Jasana tries to find out possible solutions World Cup 2015 is just over two years away and it would be Down Under this time. No team winning the World Cup in the sub-continent, Australia in 1987 and Sri Lanka in 1996, has gone on to defend the crown. India will try that next. Today, even the most optimistic of Indians wouldnÃÕ put their money on the Men in Blue because of the recent slump, the latest casualty a series loss to Pakistan at home. Even a series zero, across all formats, in the England tour last year was followed by an English whitewash when they toured India. Things perhaps have never been as bad for Indian cricket. But do we have a solution? Can our present stars last the period of close to two years and peak at that time or do we need youngsters who can come in and be bred irrespective of the initial results so that the future could become somewhat certain? These points might have come to the mind of Sachin Tendulkar when he decided to retire from One Day International cricket. Ū have decided to retire from the One-Day format of the game. I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup wining Indian team. The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest, he had said while taking the ultimate decision. But he was Sachin, he peaked again while touching 37, 200 not out against South Africa in 2010 reminiscent of that. For others, it might not be so and if India keep losing, there could be a backlash. Therefore the question, what could a future team India look like? Starting from the two seniormost players, in terms of age, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan, letÃÔ try to find out. Sehwag has always been like the mutual fund warning that we see on our television screens and weÃ×e read the offer document carefully. Known as a double-edged sword since he gained prominence in world cricket, SehwagÃÔ negative edge is what is making the wrong news these days. Since his world record of 219 against West Indies in 2011, the Delhi Dasher has played in 11 ODIs and scored 248 runs at an average of just over 22. Numbers are telling but the fact that he cannot change his style of play or perhaps cannot also come down the order makes his position as an opener under intense scrutiny, especially when the talented Ajinkya Rahane is waiting in the wings. Time, is it? Khan might not be a part of the team at present but his experience and the fact that he has been the cerebral acting bowling captain for some time now makes his coming back to the team inevitable as the others look vulnerable. The question here is do we let the young bowlers learn even if they err? ViruÃÔ Delhi teammate Gautam GambhirÃÔ batting code has been broken with bowlers around the world peppering him with short-pitched stuff and keeping that off-stump line. What was his strike rotating shot, dab to the third-man, has been resulting in him walking back to the pavilion these days. A lot of batsmen, like Sehwag, have come out as better players after having been dropped. A limited lay-off period if the just-recent slump more to do with present bad form from Test-match taken brought into ODIs than anything else as he averages just over 40 in ODIs in 2012 - might see the return of that Gambhir who was IndiaÃÔ second-highest scorer in the 2011 WC including that 98 in the final. Another senior pro Yuvraj Singh has played only two matches since his Man of the Series winning World Cup due to his illness and team India needs him more than ever as heÃÔ a big-match player, 2011 WC quarterfinal against Australia, and can hold that middle-order because history has it that whichever team has won at big stage, middle-order experienced batsman have made it possible. After Sehwag if someoneÃÔ place is in jeopardy is Rohit Sharma and he may have to make yet another comeback after the selectors sit, after the Delhi ODI against Pakistan on Sunday, to decide the team for five-match ODI series against England. There were reports that Cheteshwar Pujara might come in for him. Batting has questions while bowling seems to be one where, perhaps, it doesnÃÕ matter whoÃÔ in and whoÃÔ not. What could be salvaging is that they are all young apart from Zaheer and Harbhajan Singh, who does not look to be a part of the team in future as of now. Captain MS Dhoni has been vocal of wanting Umesh Yadav back in the team post his injury. Apart from them, India can tick mark against any of the boxes from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashok Dinda, Parwinder Awana, Ishant Sharma, the injured Varun Aaron, the returning Santhakumaran Sreesanth, injured Praveen Kumar, R Vinay Kumar and Shami Ahmad. WeÃ×e seen pacers come and go before and will continue to see it. Present selectors have a job on their hands and in the coming days and it will be interesting to see whether they go for stop-gap or futuristic.

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