HOW COULD GANGULY and Tendulkar be perceived to be fit and fresh enough to don their team kit in Tests and yet seem to have a need for “rest” when it involves ODIs?  Dilip Vengsarkar and Niranjan Shah made a mockery of press conferences with their bizarre explanations for their collective decisions. Those who watched them peddle their apparent words of wisdom wouldn’t be amiss to think that their craniums need meticulous examining. 45 days of rest prior to the Bangladesh tour is a sufficient enough rest period for even the moribund of cricketers.

 

Suffice to say that no active cricketer would need a rest from playing cricket given the length of rest period before the Bangladesh tour. The BCCI, in its infinite wisdom, have yet again chosen the meek way out by using terminology usually associated with the cowards. If the BCCI had the guts, they could have come out stating that both Tendulkar and Ganguly were dropped. Instead they chose the easy way out by branding their omission as a self-imposed rest.

It also appears that no matter how poorly you fare, some players are bound to be on the touring bus regardless. Sehwag, a player not alien to poor performances, continues to be in the scheme of things albeit the ODIs for reasons that attract disbelief. How does someone who consistently performs abjectly continue to draw the favour of the selectors? If anyone needs rest, it is Sehwag. However, bizarre logic seems to have got the better of the selectors and precipitated his inclusion.

The selectors were offered this golden opportunity to make positive changes for the betterment of cricket in India and did come up with a few positive or should we say a singular positive with their selection of Manoj Tiwary. The rest of the team includes seasoned names though one would be hard pressed to figure out why RP Singh and VRV feature in the two iterations. The working committee’s directive to go for young seems to have paid off with Chawla’s selection though it is inexplicable that Uthappa is still considered a vital cog in the team despite his obvious lack of technique on moving tracks. Guess the dusty flat tracks of Bangladesh would be ideal for his batting. In spite of some reports, it is good to see Zaheer Khan being retained though he had an off-colour stint in the abbreviated WC journey. He deserves another chance and still remains India’s frontline potent force.

Not many surprises in the Test team with the emphasis more on experience than experimentation. Sehwag has rightly been excluded from the Test team. Pity they didn’t balance things out by excluding him from the ODI team as well. Ramesh Powar is a welcome addition considering the slow tracks in our neighbour’s yard.

It’s often said that sweeping changes do more harm than good. While a cautious approach is a safe bet, the selectors could and should have been dynamic and bold with their choices. After all, the team’s fortunes are at stake and they do need an injection of fresh blood to enhance its severely damaged reputation. The selectors missed a trick or two at such an opportune time and were probably side-tracked by a glamorous occasion in the city.