IND VS AUS - THE BOARD PRESIDENT'S ELEVEN SQUAD

Sometimes, i wonder if the selection process in Indian cricket might seem like a game of chess to the players where they are the pieces under the selectors control; you never know when (and why!) are you going to be moved!To the viewer, it certainly seems to be doltish,inconsequential,bizarre, perhaps, foreordained and at the heights of being lackadaisical! There can be no feasible elucidation of the basis on which Jadeja has made it to the squad.The board seems to be juggling between Dinda, Vinay,Yadav,Unadkat,Mithun and Sreesanth with no definative plan in mind.The reality is that Zaheer has been the only "medium" pacer who has found his place consistently in the scheme of things. India have struggled severely when it comes to finding pacemen and more so in harnessing the talents of those found.
Once tipped as the India's best all rounder after Kapil, Irfan seems to be in the limelight for every reason other than cricket these days.Once touted as the next big thing to happen to Indian bowling, Sreesanth has failed to showcase his cricketing talents after his dancing jig in South Africa and has, perhaps, started enjoying the limelight the other way.

It is bemusing, infact, piteous to see selectors happy to go in with just six specialist batsmen!What is more pathetic is their decision to leave Badrinath out who has hardly left any stone unturned to make a statement for selection in the test squad.Jadeja could have easily made way for him.The fact that out of the six batsmen selected, three are regular openers in tests is also incomprehensible.Lack of a genuine all rounder and a reserve wicketkeeper are the two biggest worries for the future if Indian cricket.In no way is Wriddhiman Saha capable of fitting in the big boots of Dhoni if the need be.The biggest positive has been the selection of Cheteshwar Pujara who has been done great injustice in being tried out at the top level so late.Now is his big chance to make a statement with a sterling performance against the Aussies.

Overall, its just saddening to see Indian cricket sink furthur.In the era of IPL and Champions League (Both of which have their advantages as well as disadvantages) where making money is no more a problem,players seem content to be selected for these tournaments rather than push themselves a bit more and come out of their comfort zones in an effort to make a statement for selection in the national team.In such a scenario, one feels that Murali Vijay, once regarded as a technically sound opening test batsman, has done himself and his career no harm by transforming into an aggressive and swashbuckling batsman, being flexible enough to adapt to the changing demands of cricket, still referred to as the gentleman's game.