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The Fall Guys

There is one piece of the Team India jigsaw that doesn8217;t quite belong, yet cannot be dispensed with. It8217;s the national selection c...

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There is one piece of the Team India jigsaw that doesn8217;t quite belong, yet cannot be dispensed with. It8217;s the national selection committee, usually and not always unfairly seen as a group of has-beens promoting specific vested interests rather than seeing the good of the team.

Yet, to give the devil its due, the selectors 8212; Brijesh Patel, Syed Kirmani, Kiran More, Kirti Azad, Sanjay Jagdale and Pranab Roy 8212; have sorted out some of Indian cricket8217;s long-standing problems. Their decisions initially fly in the face of conventional wisdom and so attract heavy criticism 8212; but in the long run they8217;ve been backed by on-field exploits

Here8217;s a look at the hits, and the few misses

Kumble8217;s old, Kartik8217;s better
Kartik had impressed everybody during the home tri-series against Australia and New Zealand while Kumble seemed out of sorts. Dropping Kartik for the Aussie tour was seen as a mega selectorial folly but the selectors were proved right: Old was gold.

Chopra8217;s a sitting duck
When Aakash Chopra, two Tests old, was named as the opener in Australia, it seemed like the Devang Gandhi experience all over again. They called him a sitting duck but things turned out to be different.

Irfan8217;s no Pathan, he8217;s a kid
Nine wickets against Bangladesh u-19 mean nothing when bowling to Hayden and Gilchrist. But what the selectors saw was not just that freak spell but three years of consistent form in domestic cricket. Pathan today is Indian cricket8217;s Most Valuable Player.

Rights and Wrongs on Rohan
Why take him? Followed by, Why sack him? Before the Australian tour Rohan Gavaskar replacing the injured Mohammad Kaif was the most debatable selection 8212; at least the one to prompt the most whispers. A couple of good 8216;plays8217; had the selectors smiling but, as Kaif regained fitness, Rohan receded into the background. Selection fair and square.

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Ramesh who?
With Harbhajan injured the search was on for a third spinner. Ganguly hinted at Kulamani Parida but the selectors opted for Powar. It wasn8217;t the action but, as a selector said, 8216;8216;it was his show in the zonal game which went against him.8217;8217; Parida had wickets for Railways in the Ranji Trophy but in Duleep Trophy games Powar had a better show. And as Powar proved in Pakistan he was ready for international cricket.

Yuvraj or Kaif for Test
This one was close. The selectors opted for Yuvraj and rest is history.

THE GLITCHES
The wicket-keeping is still a problem. The Parthiv Plan isn8217;t on track while Rahul Dravid still grudgingly wears the gloves in one-dayers. And they8217;ll never live down dropping Laxman for the World Cup.

Curated For You

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

 

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