Full marks to the youngsters

It was a day of reckoning for the youngsters of the Indian team and they came up trumps in the crucial encounter against a well set Lankans in the triangular series on Wednesday.

I have always maintained that youngsters should not be discarded at the slightest opportunity, instead should be persisted with for there are the future pillars of Indian cricket. The way Yuveraj Singh batted proved that in full measure. Full marks to the young guns for coming good when the team needed them most.

I am really happy for Yuveraj for the way he paced his innings when India was precariously placed at 38 for four. It was a brilliant effort from him. To come in and perform like what he did needs more than talent-it requires the ability to excel under pressure conditions. He maintained the run-rate, with ones and twos, hit hard and clear at critical stages of the match. The partnerships Yuveraj had with Rahul Dravid and then with Reetinder Singh Sodhi enabled India to come out of the woods.

One felt really sad to see Yuveraj miss his century narrowly for that would have been perfect. But let's get this straight. It would be wrong to expect Yuveraj to score in every other match. But I am sure he can be groomed to become a good all-rounder.

Talking about another talent, Sodhi, it was really unfortunate that he should have perished to a poor shot. This is the second time that he tried to cut a ball which was too close to his body. It shows that he has not learned from his mistakes. The faster he learns, the better it is for him and Indian cricket. A long innings is what is due from Sodhi. Hemang Badani also should be given more chances as he is a batsman who has immense potential. It would be a wise move to persist with him.

A score of 227 against the batting strength of the Lankans was always going to be tough. Given this, the Indians bowled exceedingly well, giving the Sri Lankans no easy runs.

Once the Indian bowlers got the early breakthroughs, they kept up the pressure, throwing the Lankans batting totally out of gear. Yet another factor responsible for the Indian win was the way Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra bowled in the slog overs. They handled the pressure incredibly well, which was a revelation indeed.

Captain Sourav Ganguly, I think should continue to roll over his arm frequently, like he did on Wednesday. It will surely do his confidence a world of good-both as a captain and a batsman.

The encounter against the Lankans proved beyond doubt the value of youth power. It was a testimony to the selectors' wisdom who continued to repose faith in Yuveraj's ability despite his poor show with the bat. Give the youngsters a long rope and I am sure that they will hold on to it despite the initial hurdles.

On paper, and man to man analysis, the Indians are a better side than the Kiwis and if they continue with the form they displayed against Lankans, it should be easy for them to put it past New Zealand on Thursday.

By K.SRIKKANTH

www.krishsrikkanth.com

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