India put plan B in place

Dhawal Kulkarni picked ahead of Sreesanth and RP,Test recalls for Karthik and Balaji as selectors focus on bench strength

The national selectors on Friday finalised Indias Plan B for the tour to New Zealand. With most of the frontline players successful all through last year and starting 2009 on a winning note,the meeting in Chennai was all about setting up a second line of defence before leaving to conquer the terrain famous for its unpredictable conditions.

Be it Tests or the limited overs games,naming the playing XI is a no-brainer these days,and the selectors had to focus on putting in place contingency measures,accounting for injury,illness,or an unexpected run of poor form over the long tour. The Test squad of 16 includes names such as Murali Vijay,Amit Mishra,Dinesh Karthik,Lakshmipathy Balaji and Dhawal Kulkarni five men certain to warm the bench at the start of the series.

Opener Vijay,also capable of batting in the middle order,is the back-up for any emergency exit in the batting department. Leg-spinner Mishra is the second spinner,Karthik the second wicketkeeper,while Balaji and Kulkarni will be there to keep Munaf Patel on his toes.

The ODI squad is virtually unchanged from the one that returned from Sri Lanka with a 4-1 series win under their belt. The return of Harbhajan Singh forced the only snip the victim Ravindra Jadeja losing out to Pragyan Ojha.

But there was some solace for Jadeja because he figured in the squad for the two T20 games that India will play at the start of the tour. Sachin Tendulkars reluctance to be a part of the games shortest format ensured Jadeja would get a feel of New Zealand,but he will still have to take an early flight back home.

Domestic snub

Since there arent many big names involved in the inclusion and reclusion of the New Zealand tour party,a raging selection debate wont be triggered. But a close scrutiny of the names and a quick glance at the leading domestic performers gives a feeling that the fire-proofing that the selectors have done will leave some feeling wronged.

Preferring Vijay over the likes of the four-digit Ranji Super League run-getters such as Wasim Jaffer and Ajinkya Rahane and the two consistent batsmen of the season Cheteshwar Pujara and S Badrinath does raise a few eyebrows.

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For Vijay,it has been an amazing turn of fortunes. The Tamil Nadu opener elbowed into the Test team after in-form batsman Gautam Gambhir ran into Shane Watson and was banned for a game. He jumped at the opportunity by scoring 31 and 44 on a flat track. As it turned out,those scores have proven higher than the run-piles of Jaffer,Rahane,Pujara and Badrinath.

No wild card

The bowling department,too,has a few surprises. Missing from any of the three squads are pacemen S Sreesanth and RP Singh,both of whom have single-handedly won Tests for India in the past. Not belittling the performance of young Kulkarni and comeback-man Balaji,RP and particularly Sreesanth could have been wild cards worth gambling on in the games longest version.

Both are fit,and while their recent games have shown that they are not in the best of rhythm,the seam-friendly conditions in New Zealand couldve been the perfect catalyst for them to serve as potent back-up options for a clutch match.

Neck-and-neck

The second wicketkeepers nod went to Karthik in his neck-and-neck battle against Parthiv Patel,and it shows the changing hierarchy behind the stumps. Patel was the second-choice keeper when India last played an away Test but now Karthik has moved a step ahead in the queue.

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With Team Indias Plan A looking perfect at present,none of these decisions are going to be very hotly debated,and if there is any talk of regional bias from those who have been left out,it will die down soon. But the real test of the choices made by the selection committee will come in case the proven frontline falters.

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More