SRI LANKA TRI-SERIES - THE INDIAN SQUAD

After the not so engaging test series,its time for the shorter version of the game.New Zeland come in as the third participants which should add to the zeal.A pitch offering pace and bounce with spin later on and being consistent through out the 100 overs shall certainly be ideal for the competition.Though one or the other component for an ideal pitch is always missing in Asia, Sri Lanka still offers far more competitive pitches than India,the biggest disadvantage being the toss factor.Winning the toss here means you have won half the battle and captains anonymously choose to bat first.Well, the pitch,weather conditions and toss factor is hardly in the control of players or the selectors.What selectors can do is select the right squad and its the duty of the players to perform to their potential.

India go in with a 15 man squad which looks far more balanced than the squad sent in for the Asia cup.Obviously,the focus is on the selection of Yuvraj Singh.Yuvraj has been one of the most important members of the team as far as his batting is concerned.A victory in world cup or champions trophy or any other competitive series is far more likely with him in the team.Personally,i have always enjoyed his batting,the match winning ability,his positive attitude, the imperial timing with which he hits the ball and the pace at which he takes the game away from the opposition.The selectors took a bold but right step of axing him from the Asia cup squad.It was a positive decision from the selectors,a message to the players that performance is the basis for selection.But right in the next series,Yuvraj has been recalled!One wonders whether the message has been conveyed to Yuvraj.Was a month enough for Yuvraj to work on his fitness and fielding?Was it enough for him to get his problematic knee treated?Wasn't there always a feeling that Yuvraj's return was a certainty?Perhaps giving him a long break would have conveyed the message better and a fitter, eager Yuvraj might have returned for the Australia series in November.He might still easily perform with his bat covering the other issues with a couple of match winning knocks in this series, but these shall be the knocks played to prove a point and not played by an improved player.

Sachin Tendulkar has been rested for this series, a good decision as this series has far less significance as compared to the series against Australia and the World cup.Gambhir and Harbhajan have also been given a break.Perhaps a better word would have been "axed" as they certainly needed it.Selectors have done well to keep them out of the squad atleast.India go in with 3 spinners, 4 medium pacers, 7 batsmen and Dhoni as the captain.Mithun has been given an opportunity instead of Dinda which is unfair on the man as he did his best on the Zimbabwe tour.Nehra will lead the attack in the absence of Zaheer while Praveen and Ishant shall be the support bowlers.Zaheer's injury has meant Ishant gets a chance in the limited version of the game and this selection is debatable as well.Performance is the only way by which Ishant can silence the critics.Ojha and Ashwin are the spinners, a fine choice.Jadeja is the "all rounder" in the team with Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan being left out.There is hardly any difference these days in the bowling of Jadeja and Irfan, though Irfan is certainly a far better player when it comes to batting,hence, selection of Jadeja ahead of him is a shame.India begin the series against New Zeland on Tuesday and both the camps shall be looking to start the series on a positive note.