Mahendra Singh Dhoni justified his selection as a specialist keeper in the ODI team. His 97 from 84 balls against Kerala might be good news not just for his team Jharkhand but also for stand-in ODI stumper Rahul Dravid. Maybe, finally we just might have a specialist wicket-keeper.
Singh on a song again
He has been a silent performer on the circuit. Narendra Pal Singh (7-58) once again did it for Hyderabad as he ran through the Baroda batting line-up dismising them for just 93.
Naidu shines with bat
For Thilak Naidu, life’s been a rollercoaster. First played as a batsman but he also keeps wickets for Karnataka now. After disappearing from the sight last season, Naidu’s 120 will surely raise eyebrows.
Patel’s comeback
Niraj Patel brushed shoulders with Mohammed Kaif and Yuvraj Singh during the world cup winning under-19 team in 1999. He was expected to make the climb as quickly as them, but unfortunately has missed out. The 121 today was just a gentle reminder that he is very much around.
Badani shines
Having missed out on a India berth by a whisker, Hemang Badani is once again starting the long hard climb. His 146 against Assam means that he has taken a giant step. This also means that the late order ODI batsmen — Yuvraj, Kaif and Dinesh Mongia — should always be on their toes.