ODI Team to be picked today

The BCCI will start hiding themselves from the media today, as too many questions on the ongoing Test series remain unanswered. They will be aware that mental fatigue has attributed to the current scene - The heroes of last month turned into mere zeroes, as the current Test series still shows blank, endangering the prospect of losing the No.1 ranking...

Non-stop cricket is a major cause of this and if one looks at players who have performed in the current series are players who have earned a good rest - Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Sreesanth. All these players have either not played in the ODI's or in Test Cricket recently. The concern for India is not that they are averse to swinging conditions or bouncers, it is their own system, their university that has pulled them down - the BCCI. Such is the condition of affairs that there is an ongoing spat going on between commentators and maturity at the highest level is called for.

Coming back to the ODI selection, I am sure India will not pick Bhajji and make play for some Ranji matches before being called back - it has worked wonders for players like Yuvaraj, Mohinder Amarnath, Ganguly - I am sure this will work wonders for Bhajji. As written in my previous article his problem of pitching the ball on the middle and leg and having a backward shortleg and a forward shortleg is his major downfall. A offie has to pitch the ball outside or on the off stump make the batsmen lure forward with a silly point and forward short leg in place. I am sure India will not miss him since Ashwin is a better bowler today than Bhajji. He has variety that batsmen find it difficult to face him.

In the case of batting, all players pick themselves up and I feel the selectors will be tempted to pick Dravid given his form during this series. I, for one, would surely bet on Dravid since he is very fit too. The batting will comprise of Sehwag, Gambhir, Kohli, Sachin, Rohit, Yuvaraj, Dhoni and Dravid. If Sehwag is unfit, may be, Dravid could open up in his place.

The bowling department too, does not have any issues in picking themselves up - Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Ohja and R.Ashwin. Zaheer will be rested for him to be available for IPL ;-)

Parthiv Patel will be the 2nd wicket keeper for this tour. Notable omission will be Yusuf Pathan.

I would also like to see the replacements join by the time the 4th test match starts.