The all-important fifth wheel

Stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag has plenty of bowling options in the upcoming ODI series.

For the last 31 months at a stretch ever since he last took a break during the ODI tri-series in Zimbabwe MS Dhoni has been the figurehead of the Indian side. And for almost the entirety of that period,the Indian captain has struggled to find suitable contenders,or even have enough options,to fill the fifth bowlers spot.

Although Ravindra Jadeja who has recently hit his stride in that role managed to give him some depth as a part-time fifth bowler during the return series which India won 5-0,the lack of support for the left-arm spinner had cost Dhoni dearly during the ODI leg of the debacle of a tour. The reigning world champions failed to keep abreast with Alastair Cook amp; Co,as the hosts milked the constantly changing fifth Indian bowler to a 3-0 series win. The current part-time Indian captain,however,cannot have the same set of complaints.

Just as Dhoni decided to sit out his first series in a while,the Indian side has been provided with the benefit of more fifth bowler choices Jadeja included than they perhaps ever had in the recent short-format past. For one,skipper Virender Sehwag can do something that Dhoni couldnt,turn to himself as an option to break annoying partnerships.

Apart from his own fully recovered bowling arm,Sehwag is blessed with the services of Jadeja,Suresh Raina,Rohit Sharma and even Virat Kohli to assist the primary four in the bowling attack. While the pitches in the subcontinent are of course known to replicate paradise for the wide willowed batters,and the resultant run-fests do generously pull in the hoardes as witnesses,history suggests that the balance of an ODI match in India is more often than not tipped by the side with the healthiest mix of bowling variations. And just on that record alone,Sehwags men will go in as favourites over the next fortnight against the boys from the Caribbean.

Consider this,with five part-timers boasting of a more-than-decent track record with the ball,Sehwag could in fact mathematically complete an entire innings without turning to his strike bowlers. Incidentally,the last time India played a one-dayer in Cuttack against Sri Lanka in 2009 Sehwag was captain,and he bowled 15 overs between himself,Jadeja and Yuvraj Singh. And what was the result? The part time troika scalped five wickets between them and India won by seven wickets. But with Ravichandran Ashwin coming into the series in the form of his existence how many players win Man of the Tournament in the Test series that they debuted in? Sehwag will probably not have to resort to the aforementioned Plan B.

With 22 wickets,three five-wicket hauls,a century,Man of the Match and Series trophies against the West Indies,Ashwin is easily the man of the hour for the ODI series. But just as Indias bowling unit is looking stronger than it ever has in the recent past,the batting has suddenly lost some of its aura with Dhonis departure from the eleven. Just ask the West Indies captain.

Dhonis absence is their loss and a big advantage for us. He didnt even get out for once in the last series, said Sammy,on the eve of the first ODI. The last series that the St Lucian is referring to is not the just concluded Tests,but the five-match ODI series against the visiting England side,who Dhoni helped whitewash 5-0 with 212 runs at an average of infinity. Apart from Dhonis absence,India will also have to choose between Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane at the top of the order,as only one of them can open the innings with the captain.

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We havent decided yet who will open with me. We will take a decision after the team meeting this evening, Sehwag said on Monday. There is more good news in store if you are a West Indies supporter,for Kieron Pollard,the ultimate short format specialist in the world today,will make his first appearance of the tour. Although he averages a shade below 22 in the one-day game,the Indians will be well aware of the impact he can have on a match,having watched him closely during the IPLs.

Everybody knows what Pollard can do. He is a regular in the IPL and we are banking on him to get knowledge about the conditions, Sammy said.

Without the services of calf-muscle injured Shivnaraine Chanderpaul,the teams most experienced batsman by a fair distance,the visitors will hope that the likes of Pollard and Marlon Samuels put up their hands to be counted. Both Pollard and Samuels are also good part-time options with the leather,but even before a ball is bowled in the series,the Indians have already edged past the opposition on that regard.

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