This is one of my ealier articles. It appeared in CRICKETNEXT on March 23, 2002. Just wondering how relevant it is today.

http://www.cricketnext.com/news1/next/reporters/rep782.htm

:)

Will we ever improve?

By Venkatachalam. A. Krishnan

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Chennai, March 23, 2002.

I am an Indian and by default a passionate follower of the game of cricket. I have been involved in the game as a cricketer playing the game at the First Division Level and now am an umpire with the State Panel of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. This is the first time I am putting down my thoughts on the plague affecting the state of the game in India - THE NATIONAL SENIOR SELECTION COMMITTEE.

The Indian Test team for the West Indies has been announced with Ajay Ratra, Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Mongia and Deep Dasgupta being included in the 16.

I am astonished to find that Gautham Gambhir was not even DISCUSSED by the selectors. Don't you think that having scored a double century against the visiting Zimbabweans, he should have been the automatic first choice to partner Shiv Sundar Das as an opener?

I feel that a double century is SPECIAL in ANY class of cricket and when someone has scored one against a FULL-STRENGTH international attack, he definitely deserves a look in. He should have PLAYED the Test series against Zimbabwe in the first place.

Yes, Jaffer has been performing well in the Duleep trophy with 2 centuries and an equal number of half centuries. But his achievement is NO way comparable to Gambhir's.

If Gambhir has missed out now, it is going to dent his confidence and he is now left wondering what more he should achieve to get the nod. And NOW is the right time to bring him in as he is in GOOD FORM. This was proved when Yuvraj Singh was brought in when he was in form and he scored runs in the one-dayers.

One really feels pity for the young opener from Delhi. And now let me come to the part which disturbs me MOST...

I write this after having gone through numerous newspapers and online cricket websites. NOT ONE correspondent has mentioned about the non-inclusion of Gautham Gambhir. This is really PAINFUL.

The same happened to Vijay Dahiya too. Nobody asked why he was NOT included after he recovered from his injury. Remember he had performed well whenever he was given a chance and that came against the mighty Australians.

Now one suspects that Deep Dasgupta is being persisted with due to non-sporting reasons. I think the match-fixing enquiry has to include the SELECTORS too as they can ensure that the team cannot win by selecting players according to their whims and fancies. They are in far greater control of the match. An individual player cannot fix a match all by himself.

And, the Selectors had NO RIGHT to drop CONNOR WILLIAMS as he was NEVER given a chance. If they feel that he is NOT good enough, he should have NEVER been chosen in the first place for touring South Africa.

I have a feeling that atleast TWO other cricketers are going to go down without getting enough chances when ther are in good form. Murali Karthik should have been there in the 16 to West Indies. One should NOT talk about his performance in ONE one-day game in which anyway everyone got the stick. AND he IS a wicket-taking bowler and his attacking style is more suited for the longer version of the game. He is another talented youngster left to wonder what more he has to do to get the nod.

Remember he has been playing domestic cricket for the team with the least resources and STILL managed to take them to a victory in our premier domestic competition almost single-handedly.

Tinu Yohanan, I am sure, is NOT going to get the chances he deserves. He was the first-choice partner for Srinath in ONE match against England and he bowled well too. The next match he was dumped and then for the series against Zimbabwe, Zaheer Khan came back into the squad and overtook Tinu for a place in the eleven too.

Now, even in the West Indies where the wickets are going to aid the fast bowlers, I have a feeling that Tinu will sit out and Sanjay Bangar will be the third seamer. The Indian think tank will NOT go with 3 seamers, 1 all rounder and 1 spinner which WILL be the ideal combination simply because they do NOT have the GUTS to ask either Anil Kumble or Harbajan Singh sit out of the playing eleven.

On his current form Harbajan should be chosen ahead of Kumble but WHO IS TO BELL THE CAT ?!

What more do these youngsters have to do ?!!

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