What happens behind closed doors in Indian team selection?
Anand Vasu - 24 October 2001
To say that the national selectors of the Indian team are a confused lot
would be to pay them a compliment. The combined wisdom of Messrs.
Shivlal Yadav, Sanjay Jagdale, Madan Lal, Ashok Malhotra and Chandu
Borde, led quite ably by the last-named, has come up with a squad to
play the forthcoming three-Test series in South Africa. To say that they
selected the squad would also be a compliment, a compliment one cannot
pay when the squad contains five medium-pacers, two spinners, two
wicketkeepers, two openers and five middle-order batsmen.
So the selection committee has picked three people in 16
who, in all likelihood, are not intended to play a single Test match. Is
that what selection is about? Or is it more about accommodating various
players from different zones, juggling things just so?
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Let's start at the very beginning. Shiv Sunder Das books his place;
there is no need to think even twice about the most consistent and
compact opening batsman India has produced since Sunil Gavaskar. With
Sadagoppan Ramesh ruling himself out due to injury, the selectors have
turned to Connor Cecil Williams. The Baroda left-hand opening batsman
would have rejoiced but momentarily. The fate that almost certainly
awaits him should never befall any cricketer trying to make a name for
himself in international cricket. On a fast, bouncy track, Williams will
be blooded against the likes of Shaun Pollock, Nantie Hayward, Makhaya
Ntini and possibly Allan Donald. Not exactly the same as playing in the
Irani Trophy against Tinu Yohannan and Co. on a dust strip in Nagpur.
And, young Williams, we know what happens to openers who fail in Test
cricket.
Ask Ajay Jadeja, Devang Gandhi, Wasim Jaffer or Hemang Badani; they'll
tell you.
Back, then, to the story of the bouncy tracks. The Indian team will need
to play six batsmen. A stumper always helps. That leaves room for four
bowlers. And India have seven to choose from. One spinner will certainly
play - Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble can jostle around for that spot.
For the remaining three spaces, Javagal Srinath's place is guaranteed,
thanks to the years of hard work he has put in on lifeless pitches.
The two left-arm seamers, Zaheer Khan and Asish Nehra, will be pitted
against Ajit Agarkar and Venkatesh Prasad. Of these, it is certain that
captain Sourav Ganguly will back at least one of the left-armers. On
pace and form, Zaheer Khan must be tipped as the favourite. The
remaining spot, then, goes either to Nehra, for his ability to swing the
ball late, or to Agarkar, for his ability to surprise batsmen with extra
pace and bounce. Where does this scenario leave Prasad? Does India
really need an aging war-horse to carry the drinks?
Oh! but Prasad is not even secure in his position as refreshment vendor.
He has to fight off Virender Sehwag, till recently tagged a one-day
specialist, and Deep Dasgupta, who has only just acquired that label.
So the selection committee has picked three people in 16 who, in all
likelihood, are not intended to play a single Test match. Is that what
selection is about? Or is it more about accommodating various players
from different zones, juggling things just so? Would it be completely
out of place to ask why there are exactly three players each from the
East and North Zone, while South and West are rich enough in talent to
admit five players each?
But no, one must believe that there is no quota system in operation. One
must believe that this team was selected with the best interests of
Indian cricket at heart. Come, come, Mr. Borde, surely you don't think
the public are that naive?
A former selector who worked closely with Borde once said of the man,
"You should see how he operates. He's no simpleton. His moves are always
shrewd and well calculated." So once that statement rules out plain
incompetence, what reasons can be attributed to this kind of selection?
That is for each person to decide.
The squad: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid (vice-captain), Shiv
Sunder Das, Connor Williams, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virender
Sehwag, Sameer Dighe, Deep Dasgupta, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Ajit
Agarkar, Venkatesh Prasad, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Javagal Srinath.
© CricInfo
Teams
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India,
South Africa.
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Players/Umpires
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Sourav Ganguly,
Rahul Dravid,
Sachin Tendulkar,
VVS Laxman,
Sameer Dighe,
Deep Dasgupta,
Harbhajan Singh,
Anil Kumble,
Ajit Agarkar,
Venkatesh Prasad,
Zaheer Khan,
Ashish Nehra,
Javagal Srinath,
Shiv Sunder Das,
Connor Williams.
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Tours
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India in South Africa
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