Fix the test team!!

Cricinfo's fascinating discussion this time deals with the two totally different India's that seem to take the field when we play test cricket and one day cricket.



As I write this, India has won one more meaningless victory against Pakistan, in one more meaningless match. It is like a pack of potato crisps, we enjoy it now, but we still have to have dinner. However good the crisps are, it cannot and will not replace the dinner.



This season, India has served us a lot of crisps - 6-1 against Sri Lanka, 2-2 against South Africa, 4-1 against Pakistan, 5-1 against England and finally 1-1 against Pakistan. In the same time, India's test record reads 2-0 against Sri Lanka, 0-1 against Pakistan and 1-1 aganst England. I totally agree with some of what the eminent writers at Cricinfo have to say about Greg Chappel not concentrating enough on test cricket and instead focussing solely on the World Cup. It almost seems like Greg Chappel has made a deal with selectors whereby he gets to do what he likes with the ODI team and the selectors get their say in the Test team. The lack of experimentation in the Test arena surely suggests this.



Another point I would like to make and has been raised by some writers is that all of these one day matches have been in sub-continental conditions. We have yet to tour Australia, New Zealand or England and get our one day team tested. However, to counter this is the fact that all our tests also have been played in subcontinental conditions, in which we have been unbeatable until recently.



Our top order, in tests, have not made enough runs in these matches. There have been very instances when we have not been under a 100 for 4 or 5. The lower order has been depended upon too frequently. One of the reasons for this, I believe is due to the teams insistance on playing Yuvraj. I am yet to be convinced that he is a test batsman. I believe Kaif is a much better test batsman. I also believe that Raina would fit in the test arena much better. Another reason is the chopping and changing of VVS Laxman. He is a way too classy batsman to leave out. I believe that he should bat at no 4. Sachin should be at no 5 - I haven't come across a batsman whose position has not changed over the course of a career, except Sachin.



As for our bowling, it is a one man army of Anil Kumble. Harbhajan, according to me is highly overrated. A series should be granted to Ramesh Powar. The more I see this man bowl in the one dayers, the more I am convinced that he will be very successful in the tests. The one thing I like the most about him is his wry smily face seemingly suggesting - "I am going to flight the ball all the time.. so let me see you hit it if you can..". I would also go as far as dropping Irfan Pathan from the tests for a few matches as I believe that on current form Sreesanth and Munaf Patel are our best test fast bowlers.



When Dravid bowled in Mumbai, there was a hue and cry about the decision. However, the fact is that if we had held on to the chances, England would have been reduced to something like 200 / 6 instead of 272 / 3 at the end of day1. This decline in our catching standards has to stop. Dravid, normally the safest slip fielder has dropped several important catches after he became the captain. Our slip cordon is not regular. Though Yuvraj and Kaif maybe the best fielders in one day cricket, their slip catching and close in catching for spinners are just not upto scratch. VVS Laxman also adds value here. To compound problems, Dhoni has not been able to match Dinesh Karthik's glovework, missing easy stumpings and catches.



As can be inferred, it is no surprise that we are not doing as well in test cricket. We should probably start with fixing up our team. Dravid should also not make the mistake of not fielding when he wins the tosses. We should follow the Australian philosophy of win toss - bat, if in doubt - think, bat.



I for one don't care about the World Cup. If we are able to win a test series against Australia, England, South Africa, etc in their backyards, it would be a greater achievement than the world cup. Waiting for the day we do this...