Mid-Term Report

Virender Sehwag: Everybody kept saying he is out of form, but look what he did at Chennai. He is a guy with almost supernatural ability.

There should never be a question over whether he is a regular opener or not.

Now he has seven Test match hundreds (third-most by an Indian Test opener), how many in Indian cricket boast of that?

Yuvraj Singh: He has just had one chance as an opener. But like Chopra he is just not sure, because you never know when they will drop whom. That lack of confidence is what is ailing him right now. I really think he can fit in as an opener. He has a few technical problems to work on, but I am sure over a period of time he can improve. Add to this the fact he is a brilliant fielder. I know for a fact he started off as an opener in his young days so he has the potential.

Aakash Chopra: His biggest asset is at short-leg. But remember that he has failed in just one Test match. How can you drop him after just one bad match? At a time when 80 per cent of India’s batsmen are natural strokeplayers, his major job is to nullify the new ball both at home and abroad and nurse the middle-order.

NEED FOR CHANGE: No, please. India should stick to these three openers for some more time. Because these are people with proven pedigree. I would for sure give Yuvraj a go at Nagpur; if he fails, rest him and give Chopra a chance. People can talk about Gautam Gambhir as an outside bet, but you cannot drop people without giving them enough chances. Gambhir is talented, but persist with these guys.

Last Word: Don’t press the panic button.

Chandresh Narayanan

THE FAST BOWLERS

Off the pace: Frank Tyson

Irfan Pathan: Very disciplined, I see he is also using his yorker very well. That is such a good delivery to have in your armoury. He gets it to rear off a length. He also hurries the batsmen with that extra yard of pace that I see he has added in the series. Unlike his colleague, he doesn’t bowl too many loose deliveries. Unfortunate that he is not playing the next Test match, and I’d like to know how India got to this situation. There clearly is a case of no planning.

Zaheer Khan: Quite frankly he is now bowling at medium pace. With the kind of form he is in right now India have been going into matches effectively one bowler short. He bowls two long hops an over after four reasonable deliveries. Zaheer has been short and wide and it also shows in the way the runs have been scored by the Aussies. I don’t want to sound too harsh but at medium pace you have to be accurate.

I don’t know what the problem is with Zaheer. though I guess it is mental now and I hope he’s talking to a psychologist. When I look at him I also see he has no fire in him, he doesn’t look at the batsmen and doesn’t strike fear. Look at Anil Kumble, I love his attitude, he is completely antagonistic if I may use the word, always looking to be one up. But Zaheer just does not seem to have all that, there’s just no bite in him.

NEED FOR CHANGE: AS a selector I would place an outside bet and get in a pace bowler who is good enough even though he maybe young. I thought last season Aavishkar Salvi was coming along well as a talent, but sadly the shoulder injury has come in his way. Now that Ajit (Agarkar) could play the next Test, I hope we get to see some swing bowling. Unlike Zaheer, Ajit will be very steady and will go through his overs. Remember he got wickets in Australia through sheer persistence.

Still, look for a young talent not just on the basis of the figures in domestic cricket. Look at Shane Watson for Australia, he has done nothing of note in Shield cricket but he is in because the selectors believe he will be big one day.

LAST WORD: Difficult to turn things around.

Chandresh Narayanan

THE MIDDLE ORDER

No problems: David Boon

I just don’t understand the need to panic. Just remember last season and you will get all the good tidings from that. I think the Indians batted fantastically on the Australia tour and had done a wonderful job.

The way some of the top order batted was awesome. I think you have an exceptional batting order.

What’s wrong? Nothing at all. India has just lost one Test, look at how they made a comeback in the series. I think they batted superbly in Chennai.

It’s just halfway through the series, wait and watch; I am hoping to see one of those big special hundreds from the Indians.

And Laxman will come good too, I think just like the rest of the order, he too is due for a big score.

LAST WORD: Look at the records

WICKET-KEEPING

ALL PROBLEMS: Syed Kirmani

Parthiv Patel hasn’t been groomed in the right way; in fact, he hasn’t really been groomed at all as he got a Test cap before going through the grind in domestic cricket. It was like throwing a child into the sea at high tide. Besides, Parthiv is not a natural wicket-keeper; nor is he a natural athlete. Like most players in the team, he runs on his heels, not toes.

The difference between keeping wickets at junior and at international level is like heaven and earth. After keeping wickets to u-15 and u-17 bowlers, it is very, very tough for a wicket-keeper to stand to someone like Anil Kumble. As a wicket-keeper one has to know his bowlers like the back of his palm. He has to anticipate every movement of a bowler’s wrist to read correctly the different variations. I don’t expect Parthiv to be so thorough at this stage. With his experience it is impossible to do. So he will make mistakes. Even (Adam) Gilchrist commits mistakes.

NEED FOR CHANGE: Not immediate. I agree with the selectors’ decision to retain him for the Nagpur Test. But if he fails again he should get the chop. The other wicket-keepers in the fray — Dinesh Kaarthick, MS Dhoni, Ajay Ratra — are at the same level as Parthiv is, there’s little difference between them. Parthiv has had his fair share of chances, now the others should get theirs.

What Parthiv needs to do at Nagpur is to avoid an early blunder. In the longer term, he needs proper guidance. Going back to domestic cricket will help him as that plays an important part in a wicket-keeper’s grooming.

LAST WORD: Groom youngsters thoroughly

Sandeep Dwivedi