New opener, same game plan

The national selectors today, while taking one small step forward, also took a big step backward. The inclusion of the highly consistent ope...

The national selectors today, while taking one small step forward, also took a big step backward. The inclusion of the highly consistent opener Aakash Chopra in the national side for the first Test does bring a certain freshness but with Sairaj Bahutule being named as the third spinner it exposed the staleness of their game plan.

As the 14-member squad was announced today, the big talk about the team for the relatively easy home series against the Kiwis being picked keeping in mind the tough away series against the Aussie seemed tame. Bahutule8217;s place in the playing XI is confirmed since the 30-year-old leg-spinner isn8217;t some rookie who needs grooming. So along with the regulars 8211; Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble 8211; Bahutule will once again be part of that old Indian plot with the usual cast of three-spinners on a stark turner.

Some Notable Omissions

Sanjay Bangar: As an opener he was told to wear out the bowlers and drop the anchor. He did that in the seven Test innings as an opener. But the silent performer has been forgotten in the euphoria over Aakash Chopra.

Ajit Agarkar: In the Ranji Trophy final last year and in the Irani Trophy this year Agarkar proved that he was better than Avishkar Salvi and L Balaji. But strangely the selectors don8217;t think so.

Murali Karthik: Till yesterday he was considered as India8217;s third spinner. Conceded that he didn8217;t impress at Rajkot but then even the best left-arm spinner in the world Daniel Vettori too did not find conditions conducive for his art.

S Ramesh 038; Hemang Badani: Centuries by the two Tamil Nadu batsmen were not enough to impress the selectors. The only logic behind these exclusions could the fact that Ramesh might have just been temporarily put on the back burner while Badani may get his chance in the tri-series.

Despite all the 8216;sporting8217; statements by the team management, it is clear that the Indians haven8217;t forgotten their humiliation on the under prepared New Zealand pitches earlier this year. Playing to one8217;s strength doesn8217;t amount to foul play, but considering the show of the New Zealand batsmen against India A at Rajkot, Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble are capable of doing the job.

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The message being sent out by picking Bahutule isn8217;t quite encouraging. It seems the wise men don8217;t have the confidence in their frontline spinners to dismiss a side twice even under favourable conditions. Instead, selecting a young medium pacer or even Ajit Agarkar instead of Bahutule might have been a more positive option.

Chopra, who scored a century in the first tour game at Vishakapatnam and a half-century here, was rewarded and, since there is no other opener in the side, is most likely to open the innings in the Ahmedabad Test with Virender Sehwag.

The new chairman of the selection committee Syed Kirmani said Sadagoppan Ramesh was considered, but the team was selected with the 8216;8216;best interests of the country and Indian cricket8217;8217; in mind. They also ended the debate on the wicketkeeper with their continued faith in Parthiv Patel.

THE TEAM

Virender Sehwag, Aakash Chopra, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly captain, VVS Laxman, Parthiv Patel, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh,
Zaheer Khan, Avishkar Salvi, L Balaji, Sairaj Bahutule, Yuvraj Singh.

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Yuvraj Singh finally got a Test call, and it would be interesting to see how the dashing batsman fares in the longer version of the game. Sanjay Bangar would be a disappointed man to be left out with VVS Laxman getting the nod.