One sharp bouncer, another going astray

Parthiv Patel might have a lot of promise but in a squad of 14 he either plays as the number one wicket-keeper or not at all. And since the captain has made it clear that Rahul Dravid will keep wickets, there can only be one answer to that query. Patel8217;s is a soft selection.

So it means Hemang Badani has to go to Zimbabwe on a tour that can8217;t do much for his career and India have to go to Colombo knowing that if a batsman is injured he will be replaced by a wicket-keeper. I find it bizarre and I think it stems from a huge conflict in different minds on this perpetually debated question of wicket-keeping. The decision to ask Dravid to keep wickets was a hard, but eventually correct, decision and really should have been buried by now. Keeping it alive does no good to either Dravid or Patel. Or Badani 8212; or Rohan Gavaskar, who surprised a lot of us with his feisty cricket in Australia.

Patel can bat, and he has shown both grit and aggression. Indeed, some might say that after a mixed bag in the last two years he has grown more as a batsman than as a wicket-keeper. But that is not the reason he is in this side. He is in the side to keep wickets and he is not going to, unless Ganguly has changed what has thus far been an unwavering mind.

A Badani or a Gavaskar would have contributed in the field as well. The first criterion while employing a sub has to be his fleetness of foot and the strength of his throwing arm. Now if India choose to go with Harbhajan as the first-choice spinner and play Balaji over Nehra, both of which are possibilities, India8217;s bench is going to be Patel, Kumble and Nehra. The first is a wicket-keeper, the second is moving on in life and is efficient rather than spectacular and the third makes you nervous when the ball goes his way. It is not inspiring and it makes this is a very strange decision.

I thought the only decision the selectors would have had to make was choosing two out of Agarkar, Balaji and Nehra. Balaji would probably have made the first cut after the energy and spirit he showed in Pakistan though his career figures are still meagre a bowling average of 39.73, a wicket every 44 balls and an economy rate of 5.43. With Balaji the hype is getting a bit worrisome and I am sure John Wright would have reminded him of it.

Nehra8217;s selection has as much to do with his ability to turn in a decent spell behind the new ball as with Agarkar8217;s inconsistency. On paper Agarkar has all the numbers 193 wickets at 27.79, strike rate of 32.62 and an economy rate of 5.11 to Nehra8217;s 54 wickets at 33.87 at a strike rate of 43 but a better economy rate of 4.72, he is quick in the field, has a safe pair of hands and averages 18 with the bat.

Nehra, on the other hand, is poor in the field and cannot bat. And yet his is the right selection. India have a specific role for him, which is to provide support to the new ball, and occasionally take it, and with seven batsmen, and the arrival of Pathan, Agarkar8217;s batting skills have been rendered less important.

It should set Agarkar thinking. Maybe he should put his one-day record in bold print on his wardrobe and put Nehra8217;s alongside it and ask himself why the other man is going to Colombo. It might make him a better cricketer and that can do Indian cricket no harm.