Selection but no solution

Will India revert to the old firm of Tendulkar and Ganguly to open the innings during the World Cup? © AFP Enlarge

The ebullience of Dinesh Karthik and a glimpse of Ajit Agarkar's almost forgotten allround ability have ensured that the series against West Indies cannot now be lost but India are still no closer to the solutions they seek ahead of the flight to the Caribbean in March. Nevertheless, today's selection of the squad for the next two ODIs throws up the opportunity to look at what India's World Cup XI could be.

The likes of Yuvraj Singh, on the mend after a cruciate ligament injury, and Irfan Pathan, will surely reclaim their slots in the XI, but pertinent questions remain, most notably over Virender Sehwag - India's top scorer in the one-day series in the Caribbean last year.

When he was jettisoned after a miserable tour of South Africa, the understanding was that it was a slap on the wrist and not permanent banishment. But emboldened by two wins on the bounce, the selectors have opted to hold on to what they have for the remaining two games against West Indies. With Sourav Ganguly and Gautam Gambhir both making runs at Nagpur, and Robin Uthappa deserving a chance or two after a stellar domestic season, Sehwag will have to wait anxiously a while longer.

Given that the World Cup will be played on placid tracks where you can hit through the line with near impunity, it's unthinkable that Sehwag won't go, especially since his offspin provides India an effective allround option. The debate is instead likely to centre on whether he opens or drops down the order.

There has been much talk of Sachin Tendulkar dropping down, as he did in the first two games against West Indies, but his recent record as opener is good, with some exceptional innings in Pakistan and Kuala Lumpur. Though it's easy to be blinded by sentiment, it's hard to escape the feeling that the legendary opening old firm of Tendulkar and Ganguly will be united at some stage in the run-up to the World Cup.

The opening conundrum needs to be sorted sooner rather than later. The main World Cup contenders have a settled opening pair: Hayden-Gilchrist, Gayle-Chanderpaul, Jayasuriya-Tharanga. India's problem appears to be one of plenty, with Tendulkar, Ganguly and Sehwag having 69 ODI centuries stashed away, almost all of them from the opening slot. In an ideal world, they would bat one, two and three, and pile on the runs, but World Cups were never won by reputations.

With Ganguly almost certain to be one of the openers, either of Tendulkar or Sehwag could then come in at No.3, with Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid more or less certain to occupy the two middle-order berths. For the moment, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has possession of No.6, though Karthik has certainly increased the pressure on him to deliver, and Pathan - in form - would have to be stencilled in at No.7.

Munaf Patel has been called up to train with the squad in Baroda, but it's hard to see how he can be risked for the World Cup given his fragile fitness. For the moment, Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar are the frontline bowlers, though Pathan may be given the new ball if he plays. Sreesanth is too erratic and profligate at the moment but provides shock value on surfaces that do a little bit.

'Given that the World Cup will be played on placid tracks , it's unthinkable that Sehwag won't go, especially since his offspin provides India an effective allround option' © AFP Enlarge

The unlucky one could well be Ramesh Powar. India won't take three specialist spinners to the Caribbean and, with Sehwag and Tendulkar providing viable slow-bowling alternatives, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh - whose economy rate over the past two seasons has been Scrooge-like - will surely be inked in.

The fringe positions will be where the most jostling takes place. Mohammad Kaif, who made three half-centuries in the West Indies last year, appears to have gone off the selectors' radar, as does Dinesh Mongia. Uthappa and Gambhir will tussle for the final batting slot, with Karthik more or less having booked himself a tour ticket.

The case for young blood becomes stronger when you assess India's lamentable inner-circle fielding. Kaif's absence will weaken it immeasurably, and the likes of Karthik and Raina offer a far more lively option than some of the leg-weary seniors. Greg Chappell has often stressed that the World Cup will be won with one of the best fielding sides in the competition and India are nowhere close to that at the moment.

Australia took a tough call on Steve Waugh at the last time of asking, and unearthed a one-day titan in Andrew Symonds. If India's selectors are to be similarly irreverent, they must hope that the likes of Karthik and Uthappa make the step up. As many who have tried and failed could tell you, it's a big step indeed.

Likely World Cup 15: Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh, Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik.