Robin Singh still good enough to play for the country

The Coca-Cola Champions Trophy in Sharjah in 2000-01 was the last time Rabindra Ramnarayan Singh played a full series for India. Dropped for the home series against Zimbabwe, Robin Singh had suddenly fallen from grace as India's first choice number six cricketer in the shorter version of the game. Since that tour in November 2000, the all rounder from Tamil Nadu has played just one limited overs match for the country against Australia at Vizag. That was the fourth one-day of the series, and Robin Singh did not get a look in for the three matches that preceded it, or the one that came after. After being overlooked for the tour of Zimbabwe, one cannot help wondering if Robin Singh has played his last match for India.

Speaking to a national newspaper soon after hearing that he was not picked for the tour of Zimbabwe, Robin Singh was quizzed in his hometown Chennai about the future. "I'm still fit and training hard. I hope to make a comeback and maybe play in the 2003 World Cup," the newspaper quotes Robin Singh. Is that just a farfetched dream, or is there more to it? A look at the composition of the Indian team post Robin Singh provides a hint.

While the vacuum left by Robin Singh has opened up the slot for a utility cricketer, one must also remember that the Indian team now has two other vacancies the slots left by the exclusion of Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja for their alleged involvement in the matchfixing scandal. Ever since, the selectors have adopted a policy that suggests that they are looking to fill these three slots with one regular batsman and two bits and pieces cricketers. The fight for the batting slot is quite well settled, with two talented southpaws Hemang Badani and Dinesh Mongia vying for honours.

The two spots for the utility cricketers however is still wide open, with many cricketers being tried, tested and even rejected. First there was Tamil Nadu's Sridharan Sriram, who came into the side as a top order batsman who bowled a bit. In six ODIs, Sriram managed a meagre 21 runs with the bat at an average of 5.25. With the ball in hand too, Sriram was unspectacular, going for over five and a half an over while scalping five wickets. Perhaps it was just the case of a youngster being thrust in the wrong role and finding himself a bit out of his depth.

Exit Sriram, enter Yuvraj Singh. The dashing striker from Punjab burst onto the international scene with an explosive 84 against Australia in the ICC KnockOut at Nairobi last year. Praised by all for his aggressive approach and clean striking of the ball, Yuvraj began to believe that he had arrived. Then began the slump. An innings of 41 against South Africa later in the same tournament was the only knock of substance to flow off the willow of the well built Chandigarh lad. In all, Yuvraj got a run of 14 one-day matches before being dispatched to the cricketing wilderness by the selectors. He managed 279 runs at an average of 21.46. Nothing to write home about, as is his solitary wicket.

Then there's the lad seen by so many as the natural successor to Robin Singh in the side Reetinder Singh Sodhi. He bowled a bit, batted a bit and fielded like clean laundry was going out of vogue. After success as an all-rounder in the Under-15 and Under-19 Indian teams on the world stage, Sodhi was branded a 'fighter' and a 'team man' in the Robin Singh mould. With the media gushing over 'fighter' Sodhi, one former Indian cricketer was prompted to remark, "What about the rest of us? Were none of us fighters or team men?" Fighter or not, Sodhi got his chance at the highest level against Zimbabwe at home. Perhaps he found the going a touch harder than he expected. Despite making 53 not out in one essay, Sodhi in general found it difficult to go out in the middle late in the innings and score quickly. In three other knocks, Sodhi managed 9, 4 not out and 4. In all, 70 runs at an average of 35, thanks mainly to two not outs. With the ball, Sodhi managed just two wickets.

Finally, one has the case of Delhi batsman Virender Sehwag. A batsman with a vigorous approach, Sehwag has caught the imagination of many. In seven matches Sehwag has averaged 22.75 at a strike rate of almost 90. With the ball, five wickets at an average of less than 40 demonstrates the ability to bowl more than decent off breaks.

Having examined all the possibilities, one must return to the man who is being replaced, Robin Singh. In 136 matches, the Tamil Nadu southpaw has accumulated 2336 runs at an average of almost 26 and a strike rate of almost 75. All his batting has been mostly at number six or lower. With the ball, the story is one where the captain simply does not seem to have faith in Robin. In 136 matches, he has completed 10 overs on just 12 occasions. Interestingly, his average when allowed to bowl his full complement is 28.31 (as compared to a career average of 43.26), his economy rate is 3.77 (career average 4.79) and strike rate 45 (career 54.1). One wonders if Robin has been under-bowled all his career.

At the end of the day, it is a bit premature to pass judgment on several of Robin's replacements. In the same vein, it was certainly premature to leave Robin out of the side as early as the Indian selectors chose to. All things considered, only Sehwag seems to have shown signs of taking up the responsibility that Robin's exclusion has created. The selectors have said more than once that the decision to blood youngsters at the expense of Robin Singh was taken with an eye on the future. A hasty decision perhaps, considering that the ideal way to groom these young and no doubted talented cricketers would have been to play them alongside a war-horse like Robin.

After playing two ODIs, Robin had to wait nearly eight years for his third. Back in 1989, he had age on his side. Now, in 2001 he certainly does not. One hopes the selectors, who took eight years to reverse their decision to drop him, act a little faster the second time around.