Indians complicated matters by changing openers

I spent the whole morning searching for reasons that could have prompted the Indian team management to send the master at number four.

Could it be travelling fatigue? Or was it because of the success of Sadagopan Ramesh at the opening slot? or was it to protect India8217;s most valuable player? None of these, to my mind, are huge factors or major enough reasons to retrace one of India8217;ssignificant steps forward in one-day cricket.

Cricket decisions are best taken with a simple mind. India today complicated matters by changing their phenomenally successful opening pair, and that too without any convincing reasons.

Just in one game in the World Cup did Saurav Ganguly and Tendulkar open together and I don8217;t think they failed against South Africa. In fact, the early nerves of that match were pretty much calmed by the presence of these two accomplished batsmen at the crease at the start of the tie.

In a nutshell, only consistent failures of Tendulkar and Ganguly as the opening pair of India should have necessitated a change. By not sending Tendulkar to open, the Indian camp has sent clear signals that it has panicked. Panic was the reason that saw India lose that close game against Zimbabwe and the same seems to be the reason to do away with the best opening pair in the world in one-day cricket.

It is easy to get carried away by the success of decisions taken yesterday. You must acceptthe fact that most decisions taken against a side like Kenya would come good.

India would like to think that the move to push Tendulkar down the order has worked wonders. But, I would look at it in a different way. If Tendulkar had opened yesterday, who knows may be the highest score in one-day cricket would have been threatened? On to the most positive side, the biggest Indian contingent so far in England which came here went back pleased, having watched India register their first win in the World Cup.

A few changes were effected in the side yesterday. Debashish Mohanty was allowed a look in and yet again it came good. It is not easy for a player to be on the sidelines most of the time and then be called upon to play the odd game. This seems to be the feature of Mohanty8217;s career so far.

To his credit, the 23-year-old seamer has given his best every time. He is always trying, sometimes with success, sometimes without, and this has been the quality that has impressed me most in this simple cricketer fromOrissa.Yesterday was a good day for him, good comeback. He picked up four wickets and the point to note, especially for Ajit Agarkar, was that all four wickets he got were to balls that were pitched up to the batsmen.

Agarkar, on this trip, has not yet found the right length. One that he could make his stock length. Mohanty has given him clues. His success would just tempt the Indians to think on the lines of including four genuine seamers in their eleven.

Having played a lot of cricket, I also spent time off the field with that man, Sachin Tendulkar. It was no surprise to see him return to England, after that unfortunate journey back home, and immediately be at his best.Among all of Tendulkar8217;s great qualities, I have always admired his ability to give nothing less than 100 per cent once he steps out on the field. Nothing affects him once he is out there in the middle. It is true even in unofficial, exhibitions matches and this was a World Cup game. Masterful innings, one he will remember for obviousreasons. He looked skywards on reaching the landmark. No doubt, who he dedicated this innings to.

Rahul Dravid got 104 off 111 balls but such is the dominance of Tendulkar, that his looked like a supporting knock. Dravid8217;s consistency, even in one-dayers these days, is pleasing to see.

There will be much better atmosphere now in the Indian dressing room, I am sure after yesterday8217;s game. It8217;s important for the Indian think-tank now to take a look at the game realistically and not draw exaggerated inferences from the success.

It is important to take the right decision before the next game 8212; an all-important one against Sri Lanka 8212; at Taunton on May 26. For, don8217;t all of us want that atmosphere in the dressing room to stay the same even after 26th of May, 1999?