Sandeep Patil debuts strongly

A month after Sandeep Patil was appointed chairman of India's selection committee, he has made a strong statement by leaving out Rohit Sharma from the India A squad to face England, believes R Kaushik in Wisden India. It wasn't unexpected from a once bold and colourful player, he says.

It would have been easy for Patil and his team - Rathour, Roger Binny and Saba Karim, all former Test players, and Rajinder Singh Hans - to play it safe, stick to the beaten path and pick a team that went along expected lines and didn't ruffle feathers, especially given that it was their first selectorial adventure. In having defied traditional thinking, Patil's panel has sent out a strong signal and raised the level of expectation among the cricket fans.