[Submitted by GoDeSi-ClUb on August 12, 2006, 2:37 pm]
THE 15-MEMBER Indian squad for the tri-series in Sri Lanka carried few surprises. Or maybe one. Dinesh Mongia finds himself back in the limelight. For the rest, Anil Kumble is still out as the selectors have decided to treat him with kid gloves after giving due credence to his age and looking at a long-term perspective. At least that is what they say. What Kumble, who has looked more charged up this last year than many others just over half his age, might say, is another matter! Sourav Ganguly, expectedly, is still out. A question about him elicited the usual response from the selection committee chairman Kiran More. Without actually taking Ganguly’s name, More deadpanned his standard reply: That performances always counted and anybody could always make a comeback. It is quite clear by now though, that the former India skipper is not anybody.
Still Ganguly has no performances to speak of in the recent past, so his case is somewhat iffy. But why Zaheer Khan is still in the doghouse after some outstanding performances on both the county circuit just now and in the domestic circuit last year begs questioning.
More, incidentally, did acknowledge that Zaheer had done very well and had been among the wickets but did not elaborate on Zaheer’s exclusion, except to say that his time would come. Perhaps it will, though the grapevine has it that Zaheer is paying dearly for reasons other than purely cricketing.
Logically though, despite the selection committee’s emphasis on the very young, Zaheer’s experience could have come in handy especially given two factors — both admitted by More. One, Irfan Pathan’s worrying slump and two, the fast bowling performance during the West Indies one-dayers.
More himself said that the batting and fast bowling let the team down in the ODIs in the Caribbean. While adding that while Pathan’s form was a concern, he said they were not panicking yet and were hoping he would come back strongly.
Regarding Kumble’s non-inclusion, More said: “We do not want him to get injured by recalling him so early. We have some plans for him and we will bring him back at the right time. He is an experienced cricketer and has played enough to come and bowl straightaway in crucial matches for India.” Kumble is expected to make the squad for the Champions Trophy but that will have to be seen.
Mongia, 29, who last played the Delhi ODI against Pakistan in April 2005, was included on the basis of his performances over the last years in the domestic season here and on the county circuit. According to More, what gave Mongia the edge was his bowling. “Looking at the Sri Lanka trip last year and looking at the forthcoming one, Mongia will be ideal as he bowls left-arm spin. He has been a consistent performer in the county matches and domestic competitions in the last two seasons. He comes in as an all-rounder and especially as a leftarm spinner.” The only strange part in all this is that Mongia, who has had some very good patches when he was not picked, has been picked primarily for the edge his bowling gives at a time when he hasn’t really done well with the ball.
In the ongoing county season, in nine games, he has eight wickets at an average of 42.5 and a strike rate of over 93 and a best of 2-62. Incidentally, Zaheer, whose performance may be counted a couple of years down the line (like Mongia’s), has taken an amazing 48 wickets in eight games at 24.43 with a best of 9-138 and a strike rate of 38.7. While obviously, Mongia and Zaheer are not in competition with each other, the statistics make for interesting reading.
The selection committee meeting, attended also by skipper Rahul Dravid as Greg Chappell is in the US to meet his three-month-old grandson Samuel, finalised the squad in half-an-hour and made only two changes to the squad that lost 4-1 to the West Indies in May. In addition to Mongia, Sachin Tendulkar, expectedly returned and will hopefully replicate his outstanding form against schoolboys and club teams in England while playing for Lashings to the higher level.
Besides the squad, the selectors have identified certain players, mainly fast bowlers and those recuperating from injury like Balaji, Nehra and Kartik for a conditioning camp in Bangalore from July 25 to August 1. The team departs for Colombo on August 10.
Looking at the Sri Lanka trip last year and looking at the forthcoming one, Mongia will be ideal as he bowls left-arm spin. He has been consistent in county matches and domestic competitions in last two seasons.
—Kiran More FIGURES TELL A STORY Dinesh Mongia 2006 County (Batting) M runs HS avg SR 100 50 10 799 165 57.07 57.81 3 2 Bowling M W Avg Best SR 10 8 42.50 2-62 93.1 Twenty20 (Batting) M runs HS avg SR 100 50 7 93 21 13.28 90.29 - Bowling M W Avg Best SR 7 1 96.00 1-5 67.0 2005 (Batting) M runs HS avg SR 100 50 11 684 164 40.23 63.80 1 5 Bowling M W Avg Best SR 11 5 41.80 2-8 91.6 Twenty20 M runs HS avg SR 100 50 8 117 39 14.62 110.37 - Bowling M W Avg Best SR 8 8 19.50 3-30 17.2 Ranji trophy in 2005-06 season M runs HS avg SR 100 50 6 517 175* 64.62 55.53 3 0 Bowling M W Avg Best SR 6 11 18.09 3-49 54.5 Zaheer Khan 2006 County championships M Wkts Avg Best 5w 10W SR 8 48 24.43 9-138 4 2 38.7 Twenty20 M Wkts Avg Best 4w SR 7 12 20.91 4-30 1 25.6 Ranji Trophy in 2005-06 season M Wkts Avg Best 5w 10W SR 3 20 15.85 6-72 32.6 1 1 Compiled by Manoj Kumar
source hindustantimes
Still Ganguly has no performances to speak of in the recent past, so his case is somewhat iffy. But why Zaheer Khan is still in the doghouse after some outstanding performances on both the county circuit just now and in the domestic circuit last year begs questioning.
More, incidentally, did acknowledge that Zaheer had done very well and had been among the wickets but did not elaborate on Zaheer’s exclusion, except to say that his time would come. Perhaps it will, though the grapevine has it that Zaheer is paying dearly for reasons other than purely cricketing.
Logically though, despite the selection committee’s emphasis on the very young, Zaheer’s experience could have come in handy especially given two factors — both admitted by More. One, Irfan Pathan’s worrying slump and two, the fast bowling performance during the West Indies one-dayers.
More himself said that the batting and fast bowling let the team down in the ODIs in the Caribbean. While adding that while Pathan’s form was a concern, he said they were not panicking yet and were hoping he would come back strongly.
Regarding Kumble’s non-inclusion, More said: “We do not want him to get injured by recalling him so early. We have some plans for him and we will bring him back at the right time. He is an experienced cricketer and has played enough to come and bowl straightaway in crucial matches for India.” Kumble is expected to make the squad for the Champions Trophy but that will have to be seen.
Mongia, 29, who last played the Delhi ODI against Pakistan in April 2005, was included on the basis of his performances over the last years in the domestic season here and on the county circuit. According to More, what gave Mongia the edge was his bowling. “Looking at the Sri Lanka trip last year and looking at the forthcoming one, Mongia will be ideal as he bowls left-arm spin. He has been a consistent performer in the county matches and domestic competitions in the last two seasons. He comes in as an all-rounder and especially as a leftarm spinner.” The only strange part in all this is that Mongia, who has had some very good patches when he was not picked, has been picked primarily for the edge his bowling gives at a time when he hasn’t really done well with the ball.
In the ongoing county season, in nine games, he has eight wickets at an average of 42.5 and a strike rate of over 93 and a best of 2-62. Incidentally, Zaheer, whose performance may be counted a couple of years down the line (like Mongia’s), has taken an amazing 48 wickets in eight games at 24.43 with a best of 9-138 and a strike rate of 38.7. While obviously, Mongia and Zaheer are not in competition with each other, the statistics make for interesting reading.
The selection committee meeting, attended also by skipper Rahul Dravid as Greg Chappell is in the US to meet his three-month-old grandson Samuel, finalised the squad in half-an-hour and made only two changes to the squad that lost 4-1 to the West Indies in May. In addition to Mongia, Sachin Tendulkar, expectedly returned and will hopefully replicate his outstanding form against schoolboys and club teams in England while playing for Lashings to the higher level.
Besides the squad, the selectors have identified certain players, mainly fast bowlers and those recuperating from injury like Balaji, Nehra and Kartik for a conditioning camp in Bangalore from July 25 to August 1. The team departs for Colombo on August 10.
Looking at the Sri Lanka trip last year and looking at the forthcoming one, Mongia will be ideal as he bowls left-arm spin. He has been consistent in county matches and domestic competitions in last two seasons.
—Kiran More FIGURES TELL A STORY Dinesh Mongia 2006 County (Batting) M runs HS avg SR 100 50 10 799 165 57.07 57.81 3 2 Bowling M W Avg Best SR 10 8 42.50 2-62 93.1 Twenty20 (Batting) M runs HS avg SR 100 50 7 93 21 13.28 90.29 - Bowling M W Avg Best SR 7 1 96.00 1-5 67.0 2005 (Batting) M runs HS avg SR 100 50 11 684 164 40.23 63.80 1 5 Bowling M W Avg Best SR 11 5 41.80 2-8 91.6 Twenty20 M runs HS avg SR 100 50 8 117 39 14.62 110.37 - Bowling M W Avg Best SR 8 8 19.50 3-30 17.2 Ranji trophy in 2005-06 season M runs HS avg SR 100 50 6 517 175* 64.62 55.53 3 0 Bowling M W Avg Best SR 6 11 18.09 3-49 54.5 Zaheer Khan 2006 County championships M Wkts Avg Best 5w 10W SR 8 48 24.43 9-138 4 2 38.7 Twenty20 M Wkts Avg Best 4w SR 7 12 20.91 4-30 1 25.6 Ranji Trophy in 2005-06 season M Wkts Avg Best 5w 10W SR 3 20 15.85 6-72 32.6 1 1 Compiled by Manoj Kumar
source hindustantimes