Fair Team Selection for Windies Series

Whenever the BCCI selection committee sits to pick out a team there is some fingers pointed at them. They are always the villains for not providing enough chances to certain players. To be very fair to the present group of selectors they are giving a fair go to the youngsters. It is always difficult to select a group of players from the vast pool of resources available in India. But they seem to have unearthed many talents so far largely due to the unavailability of the leading Indian players. But the Indian team will be seen with all its stars fit and raring to go after the South African tour in December 2010. 

Big Four are Back

With Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman all fit it would have been tough for the national selectors to give chances to the youngsters in upcoming test series against West Indies starting shortly. The flat tracks in India would be perfect match for the stroke play of Indian stars such as Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman. They have to get into the groove before the series Down Under coming up in December. All the rust has to be shed before they reach the Australian shores. 

Virat Kohli & Ajinkya Rahane - Two Young Guns

Ajinkya Rahane who was the only bright spot in the disastrous English tour has been retained in the side for first. Though there are large question marks over the number of opportunities he will get now that the superstars are back to full fitness. Similar is the fate with ODI star Virat Kohli. Yuvraj is fit and that will mean he will be favourite for the number six batting slot in Kotla Test. There has been much rivalry between these two good friends in the last few years. Both should be given at least a couple of matches to prove their mettle. And it seems Yuvraj will get the first go. If Yuvraj fails miserably then Kohli might sneak into the team.

Raw talent: Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav & Rahul Sharma

In the bowling department the major omissions were Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra and Praveen Kumar. This was the second setback for Harbhajan Singh who was also omitted from the ODI and T20 series against England. Though Harbhajan was seen in awful form throughout the test series against England, he still a class act and number one spinner. Now or later he will make a comeback. It would be good to give him a run in this series to have him in his best shape in the Australian tour. Amit Mishra on the other hand has got many chances since the test retirement of Anil Kumble but has squandered all of them. Though he put up a decent show with the bat in England but failed to deliver with the ball. Praveen Kumar has now become the leader of the Indian attack in the absence of Zaheer Khan and it is wise to provide ideal rest to the bowler before the all important series in December in Australia. While Ishant Sharma has again got his place in the side there are many new bowlers he has to compete against. Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav have impressed the selectors with their pace and line. Thus these two young guns get a place in the test side. 

Point to Prove for Spinners Pragyan Ojha & R. Ashwin

Pragyan Ojha and R. Ashwin will be the leading spinners for India in the test series. Ashwin has become a regular for the ODI squad and some decent performances are expected of him in the test series too. While Pragyan Ojha has been taking wickets at ease in the domestic cricket for much time now and a match winning effort dawning the Indian colours will do his chances a world of good. Rahul Sharma the lanky leg spinner from Delhi is the new face in the spin department.     


Though M.S. Dhoni has been retained in the squad for the tests but he is due for a much needed break. The Indian team has a point to prove in the test arena so he may be kept in the team before India clinches the series. But for the ODIs he should be given a rest and the likes of Wriddhiman Saha, Parthiv Patel or Dinesh Karthik should be given an opportunity. 


Squad for First Test: M S Dhoni (Captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, R. Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Virat Kohli, Varun Aaron, Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Sharma.