Piyush Chawla picked as third specialist spinner ahead of an additional batsman
The selectors need to be complimented for picking a balanced 15-member squad for the ICC ODI World Cup. The Indian team, picked here on Monday afternoon, is not short of depth.
Crucially, the wise men have selected leg-spinner Piyush Chawla as the third specialist spinner in the squad ahead of an additional batsman in Rohit Sharma. This is an attacking move.
Aggressive option
A leg-spinner, always the more aggressive option, does add another dimension to the Indian attack. Chawla might not have figured in an ODI for India since 2008 but is an improved bowler.
He is in the mould of former Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed who employed his googly to telling effect in the ODIs.
There is this theory, not without logic, that the delivery spinning into the right-hander is more effective in limited-over cricket than the one turning away.
Inspired selection
Piyush has worked hard at improving the ball that spins away from the right-hander. A wicket-taking bowler with flight, dip and a useful top-spinner, Chawla could prove an inspired selection.
The chairman of the selection panel, K. Srikkanth, said, “We have selected the team, keeping in mind the opposition, the conditions and our strategy.”
It's clear that Chawla fits into the selectors' scheme of things. He could be particularly effective against three big teams in India's group — South Africa, England and the West Indies. The three sides have stumbled against leg-spin in the past.
Under the circumstances, picking a third specialist spinner makes sense.
It is also evident that the selectors have received favourable reports about the fitness of three prominent players — Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir — who are in the injured list.
Not backed by runs
Rohit did not help his cause either with his lack of consistency. His talent has not always been backed by runs for India. In any case, roping in an extra batsman would have been seen as a largely defensive move.
The side has Tendulkar, Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan (batting all-rounder) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (batsman-wicketkeeper) as its frontline batsmen. Kohli will vie with Pathan for a place in the eleven.
Harbhajan Singh and R. Ashwin are the off-spinners in the side. Although, Harbhajan and Ashwin belong to the same tribe, their methods are different.
Harbhajan spins the ball more while Ashwin depends on his bounce. Harbhajan relies on his doosra for variation, Ashwin strikes with his carom ball and the leg-cutter.
Picking three specialist spinners for a competition in India reveals the selectors have gone by the horses for courses theory. They have also included four pacemen in the squad.
While the selection of spearhead Zaheer Khan, the in-form Munaf Patel and the side's best ‘death' bowler Ashish Nehra are on predictable lines, the selectors have chosen Praveen Kumar over S. Sreesanth.
Both are swing bowlers but Praveen's greater consistency and clever changes in pace could have been the clinching factors in his favour.
Sreesanth's out-swing has been potent in Test cricket. However, this delivery has its limitations in the one-day arena, particularly in the sub-continent. But for the early overs, the cordon is non-existent and the edges fly to the fence.
Crafty Praveen
Praveen can send down the away going delivery too and has better control over his in-swing.
He is a crafty customer with the white ball and can also strike some big blows down the order with the willow.
Praveen is grappling with an elbow strain but the selectors believe he will be able to recover in time.
It can be argued that Sreesanth has more thrust and is better suited to getting the ball to reverse in the end overs but Dhoni's greater faith in Praveen could have tilted the issue.
The absence of a genuine multi-dimensional player, though, makes India a lesser side. But is there any true all-rounder in the country?
Best squad
Srikkanth believes this is the best squad under the circumstances.
“Two of the selectors, Yashpal Sharma and I have played in the World Cup and we have taken all factors into account.
“Playing at home has its advantages but there will be enormous pressure on the side since the expectations will be very high,” added the selection committee chief.
Keywords: Cricket World Cup 2011, Indian team
Best and balanced selection. Team looks offensive with inclusion of additional spinners and this is a great move on part of selection panel taking into consideration the sub-continent playing fields and will certainly result in a positive outcome that is to present Legend Sachin with the ultimate gift of World Cup.
So Sreesanth gets into the team and hope he comes up with an unbelievable winning performance in the finals or something to prove the selectors were originally utterly wrong in his omission. That will be the icing on the cake for him.
Selectors could have selected Irfan Pathan who is the best all-rounder and he would be useful for India team in the World Cup. They just dropped him stating that he is injured. When you select the players who are in the injured list - Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Praveen Kumar - then why don't you select Irfan Pathan thinking that he too will be fit in time?
i don't think selectors had selected a wise decision by dropping sreeshanth...a person like sree who always bowled extremely well should be considered instead of ashish nehra and praveen kumar..
We can only comment on the selection. But it is the selectors who make/are capable of final call.
@Kumar "Srikanth from TN picked up Ashwin and Piyush from TN leaving Rohit Sharma and Ojha in the name of balanced team." Ashwin has been doing very well and played consistently for his country and his IPL franchise in the last year while Ojha has not done as much with the chances he has got. However, I would pick him over Piyush if they really want 3 spinners as I feel his variety would be useful. Piyush is from Uttar Pradesh by the way and not from Tamil Nadu so it is not regionalism for the selectors to pick him. Please check on your facts before you make accusations.
@Kumar: Are you kidding me? There is one player from TN (Piyush is from UP for crying out loud). And you say Srikanth is biased? There are other selectors as well, who do have a say in this. You may be correct on saying Ojha deserved a place in the team and you could have simply compared his merits with Ashwin instead of playing the regional card. Or it could have been upon Dhoni's insistence.
Still cannot comprehend the logic behind dropping Sreesanth but selection of Nehra seems very dubious. Sreesanth is a much better choice compared to Nehra. What did Nehra do in the last WC 2007? Is Kumar fully fit? Time will tell as WC progresses. But still do wish all the best for India to win WC 2011. England, SA will pose the stiff competition. India doing well in one day against SA in their home turf without Shewag, Tendulkar for third game, Gambhir also augurs well for WC but India need to ratch it up a notch or two in WC to win it all.
The team looks quite balanced, though given the sporting nature of pitches in subcontinent the onus of winning lies on batsman more than bowlers, an extra batsman in playing eleven could do the trick, choosing an extra spinner may not get desired effect as Yuvraj and Sehwag can always provide the option.
I can't believe Sreesanth out of the national team. Who else can partner well with Zaheer ? Sree has got tremendous ability to pick early wickets and is far better than Nehra or Munaf...
Piyush was surprise, but excluding Sreesanth in place of Nehra I don't see any justification. Even Sree proved to be better than Nehra and Sree can bat a bit. If India needs 2 runs and that's the last wicket with last ball, Nehra has 99% chances of getting bowled.
The selectors have picked the best horses for the race. Sreesanth, making a drama and crying aloud is not justified at all. This is the reason, why Dhoni preempted them by saying that the current series will not be a basis for World Cup selection. Let Sreesanth stay in the race for a long time, to merit selection. Rohit's exclusion is really an unfortunate one. He is a very good batsman with a fine temperament. But from the beginning, he has not been supported by Dhoni. Dhoni has always preferred Raina over him. Still he has got a chance of making it, with so many on the injured list. One more perplexing selection is that of Parthiv Patel to replace Sachin in the ongoing series. They could have tried hardhitting batsman like Saurabh Tiwary and judged his capability in the big league. Srikanth true to his style, goes by his instincts and who knows, he may prove to be lucky.
I think the selectors have done a pretty good job this time by not tinkering with a team thats doing well these days, though Sreesanth's ommission and Chawla's inclusion are debatable. Now it's up to the players to justify their selection by performing well at the world stage. As an Indian i just hope we lift the cup..."Best wishes and prayers Team India".
Sreesanth must play. He is the top bowler of India now
The team is completely balanced. Its a good decision to go with an extra spinner as the team must play to its strengths. Pragyan Ojha should have been there given his economic bowling but the need is for a leg spinner who can also hit big. Piyush Chawla fits in due to this
Our chances of Lifting the Coveted Trophy is the highest after '83. Lets wish our Team tonnes of luck and Energy.
Selection of a team for an event like world cup is very difficult task.Players who can deliver when it matters most are required particularly while bowling slog overs and chip in few runs in the lower order are of great value. Selectors have given greater thinking in this aspect. India's major problem is that we don't have pace bowlers who can bat also.After Kapil Dev and Manoj Prabhakar,there is no one with such exploits.Selectors have done a decent job.
Some good players will always be missing when you have to select only 15 members. We can't complain, but I feel this looks like one of the well composed team one can ever see and it's going to give us great fun in 2011 World Cup and if a little luck favours them, may even bring the cup back. All the best for my team.
With so much money in IPL whether players like Vijay, Rohit and Uttapa will be really bothered about non-selection? For them in my opinion 'A blessing in disguise'. Good performance in IPL will fetch more money in a shorter time, so playing for country may not be attractive in the longer run especially with the punishing schedule. A smart cricketer can extend his career to around 15 years and make hell lot of money just by concentrating only on IPL.
I am now confident india will fare miserably in this world cup.
Even the regional feeling haunting WC squad. Srikanth from TN picked up Ashwin and Piyush from TN leaving Rohit Sharma and Ojha in the name of balanced team. Need to see how there selection will be justified in the WC.
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