India need 3-D players

One of the great things about cricket is that it stimulates debate. It is the sort of game where no one really knows if they are right or wr...

One of the great things about cricket is that it stimulates debate. It is the sort of game where no one really knows if they are right or wrong when they assess teams or individuals. After conceding the lead in the Test series against Pakistan and then again losing their way against a Pakistan team in the one-day internationals, naturally pundits, critics, coaches will ask the question: Why to India?

Indeed my guess is that it was caused by a multitude of factors, one being that Pakistan played as a team and all contributed and that the side seemed to have a better game plan.

Of course this is pure speculation as I do not sit with the Indian team and discuss these things.

I am only able to comment from our perspective as the opposition.

I am often asked what I think of the Indian team. In fact, someone asked me the other day can India win the 2007 World Cup. So much can and will take place between now and the World Cup that the only answer is that India have the same chance as most other teams in the competition.

India8217;s performance in the last World Cup in South Africa was interesting. They were unheralded before the tournament started, for reasons I am unable to explain.

They have on paper a batting line up that rivals Australia8217;s, both in ability and talent. Yet following their World Cup performance they have been unable to sustain that momentum and probably, as I write, have regressed slightly.

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With a batting line up boasting of Sehwag, Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly, Yuvraj, Kaif, most of us would agree that they would never be short of runs. Apart from the Delhi chase on a pitch not fit for one-day international cricket they stacked up the runs heavily against us in the just-concluded series. So why did they fall from a 2-0 lead to concede the series?

My opinion is this most modern day limited-overs sides have at least five frontline bowlers, usually six and sometimes with South Africa in the 90s they had seven.

This allows for flexibility in strategy and tactics. They also have an interesting problem that they have three very fine left-arm bowlers but like right arm bowlers bowling over the wicket the ball ends up going wide of the off stump and the modern one-day player will latch onto any width.

Yes, I think India can win the World Cup but I also think Pakistan can! I suspect Australia think they can too! Don8217;t forget the other teams as well!

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The most important part of any debate are concrete facts not hypothesis. As I said cricket is just the sort of sport where no one will ever be one hundred per cent correct but it is fun to speculate and hope that your team plays better on the day than the opposition!

Press Trust of India

Neighbourly advice from Pakistan coach

	nbsp;	BATTING In order to win ODIs it is important to have three-dimensional cricketers in the team, but not bits and pieces players. With the depth they have, India can put together many combinations. 8226; S Sriram is a quick singles and twos man, hits the ball hard and is a brilliant fielder 8212; completely three dimensional. Irfan Pathan looks like he can bat. He might be encouraged to be used at seven with a specific role 8226; In MS Dhoni India have found a good all-round cricketer and as he improves he will be a very important part of their one-day side. 8226; The individuals roles were blurred. A lot was depended on Dravid to do the donkey work in the middle, taking the ones and twos. 8226; Tendulkar or Sehwag should bat through the innings instead of blasting together 8226; Yuvraj Singh is a fine player but his form has not come to the fore in this series and he has not had that much opportunity to bat for long periods BOWLING Ajit Agarkar8217;s inclusion and his ability to cramp the right-hander with reverse swing gives India more options Laxmipathy Balaji is a Test bowler not a one-day bowler because he tends to give too much room outside the off stump. FIELDING In the area of fielding, Mohammed Kaif stands out but it looks pretty pedestrian apart from Tendulkar who is a great all-round cricketer.	nbsp;