Crucial Test for Indians - Yohannan should play Krishnamachari Srikkanth - 22 August 2002

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Headingley is a result pitch and has been known to favour the seam bowlers. It is perfect for salvaging a series or for letting it go. The third test match to be played at this venue will be the litmus test for Ganguly and his men to prove a point and start living up to their top-of the-bill reputations. Adding to the on the field issues, is the extra burden that has hit the Indian team with the ICC’s contractual controversy. It has created a situation where, the players’ focus has shifted from cricket to off the field negotiations. Hopefully, being the professionals that they are, they will apply themselves and concentrate on the game ahead.

The English bowlers have displayed better skills in making the ball move both off the wicket as well in the air. The return of Andrew Caddick, who has done extremely well at Leeds on previous occasions, is an added bonus for Hussain and will add to the worries of the Indian think tank.

The Indian team management should strike the right balance for heaven’s sake and play to their potential. I have mentioned in my earlier columns as well, that there should be a strategy in place for every session to raise hopes of any chances of victory.

On the batting front, Shiv Sunder Das should get a look in, after his excellent double hundred against Essex. There has been talks of Sanjay Bangar playing a dual role of opening the batting and bowling his seamers. Instead India should opt for specialists to do the job. Tinu Yohannan deserves a place in the side and the conditions are perfect for a bowler of his height to exploit the situation. In my opinion he should play either in the place of Agarkar or Nehra. Agarkar’s inclusion will strengthen the batting as well, with his current form being good after his century at Lords. Nehra’s form has not been up to the mark and Zaheer needs good support to build up the pressure on the English batting.

Playing Harbhajan over Kumble is the best option and one that should be persisted with. Parthiv Patel’s keeping and batting in his debut test has been encouraging and we must stick with him for sometime. The Indians must not forget that their fight back on the last day of second test did put the English attack to the sword and they must approach the game with a positive frame of mind.

One can only hope that common sense will prevail over the ICC Contract controversy. It is totally uncalled for and the absence of the stars from the ICC Champions Trophy event will only rob the spectators of any entertainment. It will result only in the sponsors associated with the event through the ICC, losing out. As far as I am concerned, I am in total support with the players’ point of view.

I take this opportunity to greet all cricket lovers on the occasion of Onam and Rakshabandhan and wish that the Indian team would present us with a victory at Headingley.

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