 The Indian Eleven quandary
The whole world and a half seems to be deeply entrenched in the select Ganguly-eject Ganguly quandary. The majority seems to be in favour of sidelining the former captain for three reasons:
1. His batting has seen better days.
2. His fielding is not Test class.
3. He will be a disruptive influence on the team.
The third and last reason is the most damaging of all, and going by Ganguly’s track record of intransigent behaviour and irresponsible utterances, it is difficult to resist such a line of argument.
Not to be outdone by the international jury on the topic of the Great Indian Eleven Quandary, Sunil Gavaskar has added his own original perspective. (If you are Sunil Gavaskar, how can you be anything but original?) He has suggested that India go into the first Test with three specialist openers in the eleven. Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer and Gautam Gambhir are the three candidates. His logic is that the wicket may be a green top, the moisture in the air will assist seam and swing and Pakistan are strong in the pace department, so why not be forewarned and forearmed?
Now, what are the new problems of team selection that such a policy will pose? Let’s look at the batting order:
1. V Sehwag
2. G Gambhir
3. W Jaffer
4. R Dravid
5. S R Tendulkar
6. V V S Laxman
7. M S Dhoni
8. I Pathan
9. A R Kumble
10. Harbhajan Singh
11. Zaheer Khan/ A R Agarkar
Gavaskar’s eleven has no place for either Sourav Ganguly or Yuvraj Singh, thus effectively solving what was becoming an irresolvable dilemma. Unless of course, India decides to go in with a bowler short, as it has done so often in the past.
My own vote is for retaining Yuvraj Singh and keeping Wasim Jaffer out. I do not buy the argument that a third opener is necessary to negotiate Pakistani pace on Pakistani wickets. What if all three openers fail? India cannot, should not duck the tough choices. If the best course open to India is to leave out the former captain, so be it, should be the policy.
V Ramnarayan
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