Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The empty cupboard

Over the last few days, I read articles by two outstanding cricket writers in the land, Mukul Kesavan and Sambit Bal. Though each one had an interesting take on what will happen after the Fab Four's exit, they concurred that the road ahead is tricky, if not painful for the Test team.

My memories go back to the Indian tour of Pakistan in 1989, when a young boy, barely 16, was selected to tour with the Indian team on the back of record-making feats in the Irani Cup, Duleep Trophy, and Ranji Trophy. I remember following the boy's debut on radio. Nineteen years on, the boy has now become a legend and is on the verge of retirement.

Another vivid memory is that of Lord's 1996, when two 23-year-olds launched their international careers in such a stupendous fashion that their feats on that Lord's day is talked as benchmarks for Test debutants. I remember looking at Saurav Ganguly and Rahul and telling myself that these guys look international class - no nervousness, no tension, just pure solidity. Both had come through the ranks, albeit differently. Saurav had gone to Australia as a 19-year-old and left out in the wilderness after just a solitary one-dayer. To come back home and score tons of runs in the domestic cricket and then make a transition into the internal scene is a rare Indian feat. Rahul, on the other hand, had done well at all levels and the Test cap was just another 'hat.' It was only logical that he did well at the internation level.

When India was touring Australia in 1999-2000, VVS Laxman was recalled to the side after a string of tall scores in the domestic season. I remember the first tour match at Gabba when he hit a wonderful hundred. A month later, the cricketing world was talking about his marvellous hundred at the SCG.


That brings to the point, everyone is talking about! Who will replace them? Are they worthy replacements? Let's examine the pretenders!

Rohit Sharma - Everybody talks about his talent. He scores those good-looking thirties in the shorter format. I have yet to hear about a big knock in the longer version. He needs a good season with some big scores if he can be a serious contender.

Yuvraj Singh - Everybody talks about his obvious talent, but look at what he achieved in Australia. I think the selectors are not done with him - they still want to try him out in the longer version. Obviously, the five wise men hope and pray that he occupies one slot.

Suresh Raina - Same as Rohit Sharma

Manoj Tiwari - He showed his inadequacy against genuine pace at the Gabba. He needs to work at his game and score runs in buckets in domestic cricket. Not surprising, that he is off the radar!

Mohd Kaif - I don't know why his name keeps cropping up like his peer Yuvraj, even though he is a very limited player. Like Yuvraj, the wise men hope that he occupies another slot.

S Badrinath - He has the runs in the domestic scene, but fails in crunch matches. Case in point was the recent Irani Cup. It was a God-sent opurtunity to come good. He failed in both the innings. He should consider himself lucky to be part of the Test squad.

The list ends! None of the above are good enough! That's a worry! The cupboard is barren! The bench strength is not as good as our administrators would like us to believe! If the above replacements were good enough, they would have had performances to force their way into the side. That they are unable to do so reveals their obvious class and that's a shame!