Pathan on sticky wicket

Just when you thought the World Cup jigsaw was finally set, there now seems to be a piece out of place.

Just when you thought the World Cup jigsaw was finally set, there now seems to be a piece out of place. The 15 players to tour the West Indies may have been announced by the selectors earlier this month, but if indications are anything to go by then there could certainly be a last-minute chop and change.

Irfan Pathan, the struggling all-rounder 8212; both in form and fitness 8212; remains a worry for the Indian think-tank, and if sources are to be believed then there will be a firm decision taken on whether he makes it to the Caribbean or not in the coming few days.

For starters, says a senior board member, one has to take a look at the fact that Pathan is the only cricketer who has been advised to play in the Deodhar Trophy, for West Zone. 8220;He will be tested there, and if either form or fitness is in doubt, there8217;s a fair chance that he will stay back,8217;8217; says the official.

The selectors, at the moment, aren8217;t sure who will replace Pathan if they are faced with a situation as complicated as this one. 8220;One thing is for sure, if he8217;s not fit or if he8217;s not bowling well, he will not go,8217;8217; says a senior selector. In the same breath, though, he cannot think of a possible replacement.

The only all-rounders India can think of in Pathan8217;s place are Mumbai8217;s Ramesh Powar and Haryana8217;s Joginder Sharma. Powar8217;s chances are nil, given the fact that the team already has two spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble, while Sharma hasn8217;t quite been tested except for one match against the West Indies.

Replacements, though, remain a far-fetched thought at the moment. Says the official: 8220;It is not as if it8217;s already been decided to drop him Pathan. What we8217;re saying is that somebody who is lacking in form and fitness will certainly not go.8217;8217;

Pathan has played only one match against the West Indies after being sent back from South Africa, in which he bowled seven overs to give away 43 runs and pick one wicket. The shoulder injury has been a continuing struggle for Pathan and the fact that despite being picked, he wasn8217;t found fit enough to play even a single one-dayer against the Sri Lankans has upset the board.

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8220;John Gloster has been asked for a detailed report on Pathan8217;s injury status. But not just the report, his match-fitness will be seriously considered once again during the Deodhar Trophy game,8217;8217; says the selector.

Pathan8217;s misery isn8217;t very different from that of Virender Sehwag whose prolonged struggle with the bat seems to be continuing. Sehwag managed another zero in Delhi8217;s Ranji Trophy one-dayer and continues to be in the same bracket as that of the Baroda bowler ahead of the all-important tour. The selectors, however, are of the view that form is something that can still click and the experience of the player helps in such situations.

8220;Therefore Sehwag is still not that big a worry. In Pathan8217;s case, he8217;s low on form which is just one aspect of it. The bigger worry is that he8217;s just not fit.8217;8217;