Cricket may be a game that has to do more with the mind than anything else. With power plays being introduced in 50-over matches, it's the intelligent strategy management that eventually will decide the World champion. None of the earlier World Cups had this factor which favours the batting side.

The field restrictions are the same except that in the first 10 overs two fielders have to be in catching positions whereas in the two power plays seven fielders have to be in the 30-yard circle with no compulsion on the fielder in the catching position. So the batsmen will be having seven fielders in the circle for 120 balls (40 per cent) and irrespective of the wickets in hand, a team will attack from the 40th to 50th overs, another 60 balls (20 per cent). That's a total of 180 balls (60 per cent).

The composition of the team for the Kolkata and Rajkot matches indicates that Vengsarkar and Chappell, who had similar batting styles, seem to have carefully discussed the strategy with the captain and the selection committee while picking players and we shall get to watch implementation of the strategy management against the Sri Lankans.

Sehwag's spot

The most interesting part of the selection is Vengsarkar's statement that Sehwag could be tried in the middle order. With Robin Uthappa enjoying himself as an opener, Sehwag could be the player the selectors are looking for to handle the middle overs, especially the two power-plays. From being sent to bat one down if the wicket falls in the first five overs to second power-play, Sehwag definitely would be a threat to the opposition.

Hadn't Uthappa scored, the equation of cementing the positions would have been difficult but now that Uthappa is in superb form, the selectors can afford to gamble by picking Sehwag as a middle order batsman. A break from the game must have helped Sehwag. The strategy of a non-performing player being benched is the invention of Greg Chappell who must be given credit for the resurgence of Ganguly and Zaheer Khan. Pathan too was sent back by Vengsarkar.

Unfortunately, in India the objectivity is so clouded with illogical non-cricketing judgment that Ganguly hitting form is seen as revenge. The career graph of Ganguly and Zaheer Khan in 2005 should be compared with what they have achieved in 2006. Had they not been benched, the resurgence would not have been possible.

Zaheer Khan, showed that he has overcome whatever problems he had, and despite bowling in an exhausting international schedule, he bent his back to short-circuit whatever hopes Bengal may have had of overtaking the first innings score of Mumbai.

Vital for Pathan

The two matches before the selections are vital for Irfan Pathan. If he fails to impress with the ball and Munaf Patel isn't hundred per cent match-fit, the selectors may have to consider R.P. Singh and Sreesanth. The combination will vary from match to match, but not having Pathan will again change the equation in the strategy-management.

Ramesh Powar is in the waiting list of the spin department. Powar's failure in getting good scores has pushed him back. Like Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik too has created options for the selectors. Apart from being a wicketkeeper, he is also a good fielder and can bat at any number. Sehwag, Karthik, Dhoni and Pathan are the ones the opposition would not want to face in the two power plays and last 10 overs.

The experimentation that we will see against the Sri Lankans will be of the strategy of using Sehwag in the middle order and his bowling. The team-management will make use of these four matches to get the combination right. It is the effective combination that explodes. The Indian team has enough ammunition for its combination to explode.

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