Indian cricket selectors’ fresh outlook reflects changing face

The shortlisting of probables for the forthcoming World Cup has revealed a fresh outlook on the part of the National selection committee....

The shortlisting of probables for the forthcoming World Cup has revealed a fresh outlook on the part of the National selection committee. The bias and fixed mindset has been apparently replaced by a gambler’s instinct, and while this may reflect on the Indian team’s chances of repeating the 1983 win, it also importantly acknowledges the changing face of Indian cricket selectors. Selectors have always rooted for experience when selecting teams for important events, and in a welcome departure from the traditional route the insertion of some new faces is to be welcomed.

First, there is southpaw Sadagopan Ramesh who has hogged the limelight in the triangular Test series with his consistent performances. He, more than anything else, is responsible for the revised thinking of the selectors. His consistency had even the experienced coach, Anshuman Gaekwad, admitting that he did not expect Ramesh to cope with the deadly’ Pakistan attack!

I can recall expert commentators repeatedly point out the lack of footwork,and technique in Ramesh’s batting but the batsman’s simple answer to all that was to play his natural game and score runs! Now, how can you keep him out of the squad? In the prevailing conditions in the sub-continent, Ramesh has not been troubled by pace. In fact, he sees the ball early and has time to play his shots. He, when the time comes, will adjust the technique to cut out the sharp edges and fine tune his game but an over-obsession with technique can create more doubts and damage than achieve the desired results.

GYANENDRA PANDEY

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The old adage of the tough getting going when the going gets tough comes to mind when you consider the selection of Uttar Pradesh’s Gyanendra Pandey. A battler who is an under-rated cricketer, he has shown a capacity to play his natural game under crisis, as well as an ability to pull the rods out of the fire almost singlehandedly. He is a seasoned cricketer and the fact that he has edged out the likes of Sunil Joshi and Rahul Sanghvi speaks volumes for histenacity. He is at best a steady bowler, but that is as best as you can describe the players he has edged out. One-day cricket is more a case of cutting out the frills and playing percentage cricket. Gyani, as he is popularly called, is the right man for this.

AMAY KHURASIYA

For sheer batting talent, and a cavalier approach, Amay Khurasia has very few peers. A free stroking left-hander, he has the ability to play quick bowling and has performed consistently against touring teams. The Aussies, the Caribbeans and even the Pakistanis have felt bereft of ideas when Amay is at his best. He has a free-stroking style that is pleasing to the eye, has all the shots and is bold and daring. He has grasped the true professional approach, playing alongside the likes of Sandip Patil and Chandrakant Pandit for Madhya Pradesh. Working for Customs, he has that inspectorial look at the crease. Unlike most modern players, one can observe Amay relaxing with a Graham Greene novel, not for him the Walkman headphones!Importantly, Amay throws with his left hand which could be an asset in a suspect fielding side though he has to overcome the tendency of getting indisposed at the drop of a pin.

LAXMI RATAN SHUKLA

In an era of rising youngsters, Laxmi Ratan Shukla is the latest avatar, and while his talent is obvious, it is commendable that Shukla has edged out Robin Singh Jr and Debashish Mohanty from the squad. In many ways, Shukla has his batting talents to thank for his place in the squad, as the selectors realise that one-day cricket is an all-rounder’s game. Where, oh where, was the vision all this while? Shukla has a smooth action, and an ability to move the ball away from the batsman, but to be successful at this level, he must be a ready and quick learner. A good yorker, a deceptive slower one and a quick bouncer will help him stabilise his position in the team. Like Agarkar, he must work even more on his batting for it is about time that the lower-order held its own. Very often, in close matches,it is the runs gathered by the lower order that marks the difference between winning and losing. Remember Syed Kirmani’s crucial contribution in the 1983 World Cup?

VIRENDER SEHWAG

Virender Sehwag is rated in his native Najafgarh area as the next Sachin Tendulkar. Compact, tough, and a punitive batsman, his pugnacious approach and winning style caught the eye at an early age. A healthy attitude and a hunger to succeed saw this youngster rise from the Kendriya Vidyalaya background to ascend the steps to the Indian team.

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He is a good off-spinner, with a clean action, a very good batsman with a penchant for playing the lofted shots on either side. And a determined customer who is never afraid to take the aggressive route. In an environment often defensive, Sehwag with his strong-arm tactics could well be the deciding factor. Let us again remember the Indian cricket’s finest moments in the one-day game coincided with the peaks of Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath and Krish Srikkanth — cricketers who tookthe fight to the opposition camp.