Gangadhar: India should not copy the Sri Lankans (11 Aug 1996)

11 August 1996

The Indians should not try to copy Sri Lanka`s pinch hitting

V Gangadhar

So, the four wise men and their `little` chief from Karnataka, Gundappa Vishwanath, think Mohammad Azharuddin, former Indian captain, did not need a break from the game.

By keeping Azharuddin in and keeping out Navjot Sidhu, the selection committee, in its last hurrah, decided not to rock the boat. It is clear that the verdict of the three-member committee (Raj Singh, Sunil Gavaskar and J Y Lele) went against Sidhu and like Vinod Kambli, he may have to wait for his chance.

Otherwise, the selectors went along predictable lines. Kambli`s [Image] return should be welcomed and the middle order gained one more stroke maker at the expense of Sanjay Manjrekar mercifully dropped from the team. Kambli could fit in at number four and if he and Saurav Ganguly strike form, any opposition will be in trouble. But the team management may prefer Azhar at number four and who knows, minus the pressures of captaincy, Azhar could recapture his silky touch. In that case, Kambli would come in at number five.

I am happy David Johnson of Karnataka has been preferred over Salil Ankola, Paras Mhambrey, Prashant Vaidya and the rest. He is a bustling, no-nonsense fast medium bowler and with him in the team, the Indian pace attack becomes a Three Musketeers affair, all from Karnataka.

Sunil Joshi, who was unlucky to return mid-way from the England tour because of injury, deserved to be retained and in fact is a better container than offspinner Ashis Kapoor. The Australians and Sri Lankans had the measure of Kapoor in the one day games played earlier this year, and Joshi can also bat. The likelihood of a five-men, all-Karnataka bowling attack chosen by a selection committee headed by a Kannadiga, I hope, will not be construed as part of the Karnataka wave sweeping the country under Deve Gowda`s leadership!

The rest of the team members choose themselves. Rathore should open with Sachin with Jadeja coming in at number six. The Punjab opener had problems with his footwork against the moving ball in England, but should do better in Sri Lanka. I do not know what type of conditions exist in Canada for the five match series against Pakistan but even here, the presence of two stroke making lefthanders could offset the impact of ace Pakistani spinner Mushtaq Ahmed who is proving to be a scourge for England this summer.

[Image] Anil Kumble is too intelligent a cricketer to worry over his loss of form in England. He had always done well against Australia and Sri Lanka, his flippers proving decisive against Mahanama and even the great Aravinda de Silva.

Fielding and running between the wickets will continue to be problem areas. Azharuddin had often despaired of enthusing Indian players to field better and I wonder what Sachin Tendulkar`s strategy will be. The Australians and Sri Lankans are more athletic and aggressive in the field. Anyway, the Indians should plan their own strategy and not try to copy the pinch hitting example of Sri Lanka.

Source :: Rediff On The NeT (https://www.rediff.co.in)