ODIs against the Proteas underlines the fact that while some players were just not good enough others were living well past their expiry dates, says Ajay Naidu On the evidence of Team India's performance, The Pioneer showcases a report card of shame and disaster
Team India's worst fears have come true! It's spineless showing in the one-day series has underlined the fact that while some players were just not good enough, a few others might well have been living beyond their expiry dates.
Accordingly, as the South Africans turned on the heat, Team India's much-hyped 'process' has gone out through the window. And, more cruelly, some of their bits and pieces cricketers have been exposed badly. Worse still, it left a big question mark over the attitude and the desire to succeed against some of their stars.
Virender Sehwag: It's an irony of fate that a player who doesn't merit a place in the side actually ended up leading the side. For someone whose last hundred came several summers back, his very presence in the team is a prime example of how lenient our selectors can be. Forget his obvious lack of skill on bouncy pitches, he should have been history for his care-a-damn attitude long back.
(1/10) Mohammad Kaif: He might as well write a book on how to survive long enough without doing anything significant with the bat. Of course, since he batted at number three there was nowhere he cold have hidden and was badly exposed. He was another major casualty from the select 'group' for the World Cup. And to think that Greg Chappell thought that Sourav Ganguly's presence was blocking his progress.
(2/10) Suresh Raina: He was Greg Chappell's blue-eyed boy and he did show the promise of the riches to come in his early days. Yet, when it mattered, he failed the acid test. He has enough silk but needs to add some steel to his batting. Like Kaif, he is another big casualty and a setback to the 'process'. He needs to get back to the basics in domestic cricket.
(2/10) Dinesh Mongia: For some reasons, he just doesn't have the confidence of the team's think-tank. However, if we are to judge him on his performance, he certainly looked more solid, more composed than most of his illustrious colleagues.
(4/10) Dinesh Kaarthick: A surprise choice as a replacement for the injured Yuvraj Singh, to see him bat at number five was indeed a sad commentary on India's batting prowess. For all his cockiness and adventurous methods, he couldn't justify either his batting position or his place in the side. Another case of poor selection!
(2/10) Wasim Jaffer: Even he was surprised to see his name in the one-day squad. Having made a golden duck in his first game, he was dropped. An injury to Rahul Dravid gave him another opportunity but he was just not there. A player who is definitely not cut out for one-day cricket, his selection too as faulty.
(1/10) Mahendra Dhoni: He was criticised for walking the ramp, doing music albums and appearing in every second commercial. However, a 'pocket dynamite' that he is, Dhoni had enough enthusiasm and enterprise to settle a few arguments with the power of his willow. He displayed the head and the heart for a battle, when most chickened out, to end up as the team's leading run-getter in the series-a tally of 139 runs at an average of 34.70. He was also the only one after Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar to have posted a half-century.
(7/10) Rahul Dravid: The captain was also the team's best batsman. As it were, a finger injury forced him out of the series after the first two games. Stood tall amongst the ruins in Cape Town with a battling half-century. His injury only compounded India's problems.
(5/10) Sachin Tendulkar: After a short and sweet knock in Durban, the little great man of Indian cricket looked to be at war with himself. He continued to struggle and scintillate alternatively, signing off to the series with a hard fought half-century.
Of course, the fire within still burns bright. But the fact that India still looks up to him to inspire his colleagues to greater deeds is as much as tribute to his overwhelming presence as much as the team's inbuilt weakness.
(5/10) Ajit Agarkar: Easily India's most consistent pacer since the last season, Agarkar was way below his best. He failed to provide the breakthroughs and also went for some runs before suffering a groin injury.
(4/10) S Sreesanth: Would do well to back his aggression with decent performances. With the wickets suitable for pacers, he ought to have done better.
(4/10) Irfan Pathan: He's fast proving to be a disaster waiting to happen. Indeed for someone who worked wonders to India's one-day fortunes, both with the bat and with the ball, he is really struggling. His bowling is a nightmare and his batting a beautiful memory. Like Kaif and Raina, he could easily have been dropped. Yet, much like Sehwag, he has been given a long rope.
(1/10) Harbhajan Singh: The off spinner had been doing wonderfully well in recent times. But on wickets suited for pacers, he was struggling to contain the batsmen in this series. For all his skill and experience, he should have done much better.
(2/10) Munaf Patel: The unassuming bowler impressed in his first outing at Durban before a sore ankle ruled him out. It was a big blow to India's bowling strength.
(5/10) Zaheer Khan: One of the rare success story on the tour so far. Indeed having forced his way back into the team, Zaheer is fit, fast and furious. He made early inroads consistently bowling with fire and enthusiasm. He proved to be a shining example of how getting dropped can prove to be a blessing in disguise.
(7/10) Anil Kumble: The legendary bowler came up with a performance befitting a bowler of his stature. Having been pitch forked into the select 'group' for the World Cup, he was both mean and crafty. He proved that his age, experience and work ethics can be invaluable to a side where most players are too happy to be living in their 'comfort zones'.
(8/10) http://www.dailypioneer.com/indexn12.asp?main_variable=SPORTS&file_name=sprt7%2Etxt&counter_img=7
AuthorTopic: Report Card (Read 531 times)
July 02, 2006, 04:08:12 PM