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Omission of Ganguly, Kartik questionable

S. Dinakar

The Indian batting line-up might get caught out on a seaming track

CHENNAI: The Indian selectors have banked on youth for the ODI triangular cricket series in Australia. However, the omission of Sourav Ganguly and Murali Kartik is questionable.

Ganguly has reasons to feel chafed at his exclusion after just one indifferent home series against Pakistan.

The Indian batting has invariably fired when the openers have laid a solid platform. In India’s last ODI series away from the sub-continent — the Future Cup in Ireland and the NatWest competition in England — which should have been the yardstick ahead of the Australian campaign, the Tendulkar-Ganguly opening combination was a match-winning one.

The exceptional right-left pair put on 134 against South Africa in the second one-dayer on a seaming Belfast pitch, an association which swung the series India’s way. In England, the two strung together partnerships of 113 (at Bristol), 116 (Leeds) and 150 (Oval). India won on all the occasions. More importantly, when one of the openers departed early, the stroke-makers in the middle-order struggled.

Not many batsmen use the pace of the ball as well as Ganguly does and as a southpaw he forces the bowlers to shift their line. By disrupting this proven combination of contrasts, the selectors have risked heavily.

The Dada is not a livewire on the field, but his stump-to-stump bowling could have been handy. His experience and aggression might have been a positive influence on the side. Rohit Sharma made a breezy half-century against Pakistan in Jaipur but he averages only 20.33 from four matches.

Competent attacks

The Indians are up against two competent attacks in Australia and Sri Lanka and batting should have been a mix of experience and youth.

The side includes seven batsmen, two batsmen-wicketkeepers, a pace bowling all-rounder, four specialist pacemen and two spinners.

Considering that one of the batsmen-wicketkeepers, Dinesh Karthik, has played successfully as a pure batsman in the past, Ganguly could have been slotted in.

On the pitches down under, there might be occasions when a total around 220 could prove to be a match-winning one. In this scenario, batsmen with the right technique and temperament could steer a side home. Only time will tell whether Rahul Dravid’s continued exclusion from ODI cricket is justified.

Virender Sehwag can dent the opposition psychologically and Yuvraj Singh can swing matches on flatter surfaces. However, if the white ball darts around, too much could hinge on Tendulkar. This Indian line-up might get caught out on a seaming track.

Moving from pace to spin, left-arm spinner Kartik is not a member of the 16-man squad. While the selectors have their reasons for including leg-spinner Piyush Chawla on the big Australian grounds, Kartik should have been in the team on performance.

His last bowling display against Australia was a sensational spell of six for 27 in Mumbai. The surfaces down under might be different but the crafty Kartik can adapt.

The selectors have emphasised on fielding. Comeback man Suresh Raina can be electric on the field. His free-stroking ways should also serve the side well.

Praveen Kumar, deservedly, keeps his place in the squad. He bowls a full length and swings the ball. While he can take the new ball away from the right-hander, his incoming deliveries could prove effective in the latter stages of the innings.

Santhakumaran Sreesanth, back in the side following injury concerns, could be an attacking pace bowling option. Much could depend on how Mahendra Singh Dhoni handles the fiery Sreesanth.

Bowling at the ‘death’ has always been an area of concern for India and Dhoni might rely on left-arm paceman Rudra Pratap Singh from one end. RP is relatively consistent and can swing the ball in at a lively pace. Potentially, Praveen has the attributes to bowl at this phase from the other end but lacks experience on the big stage.

The Indian pacemen, Irfan Pathan in particular, should be able to swing the white Kookaburra ball early on. Someone like Ishant Sharma can send down pacy cutters to contain and strike in the critical middle-overs.

Given that there will be a mandatory change of the ball in the last stage of the innings, reverse swing might not be as big a factor as it was earlier. Dhoni might be tempted to try a pace-spin combination at the ‘death’. The ploy could work.

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