Talent pool? Count it on one finger

A handful of promise, most into their thirties, leaves little to the imagination

If there8217;s anything that holds true about Indian cricket, it is precisely what chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar had announced last year: 8220;There8217;s no exceptional talent in the country.8221;

The Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI is finding it tough to find that much-anticipated pool of 25-30 cricketers warming the bench, a dampener to the plans they announced after the high-profile working committee meeting.

Consider this: Barring Robin Uthappa, the leading run-getter in Ranji Trophy8217;s Elite Division last season, and also a member of India8217;s World Cup team, none of the other 10 top batsmen in the domestic circuit have even managed to play for India A. Four of them are over 33 on an average, three of them have been playing Ranji Trophy for almost three consecutive seasons but find this their only successful stint so far. Just a couple of them have impressed and remain the only available choices.

Among the bowlers, Ranadeb Bose has been a runaway hit. Close on his heels is Joginder Sharma and the next in line are the likes of Rakesh Patel and Rudra Pratap Singh.

Sharma was picked to play in the one-day series against the West Indies just before the World Cup but managed to get only one game. Patel has been a senior on the circuit, in recent times reduced to being Baroda8217;s best opening bowler in the absence of Zaheer Khan earlier and now Irfan Pathan. Singh, if the World Cup team is to be counted, is an India discard. In hindsight, Bose remains the only prospect yet to be tried out at the international level, given his Ranji success. That aside, Vengsarkar says he8217;s found 8220;Delhi8217;s Ishant Sharma very impressive.8221;

A top selector, who happens to share the same line of thought as Vengsarkar, now says in retrospect: 8220;They want a pool of 25-30 talented domestic players. Want to make two teams. Fine, but where8217;s that talent?8221;

Hence the Bangla tour impasse. 8220;They can do better if we are ready to stick by our plans and concentrate on the youngsters. But that can only happen if we are willing to risk losing,8221; says former India captain Chandu Borde.

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But with all the big money at stake, losing isn8217;t an option at all today.