India after 40 overs were 199/2. the need of the hour was throwing caution to the wind and hitting out. 10 overs - 8 wickets in hand. then yuvraj gets out. who do you think is the batsman who can clear the ground most easily ? Rahul dravid ? or mohd kaif ? or young kartik ? Fact remains that india lack a batsman who can clear the fence like say flintoff does for england, symonds for australia, or cairns for nz. quickly comes one name to our mind, Ajit Agarkar. he is one who can clear the fence easily. Isnt there a case that India should send players like him in such a situation where 7-8 overs are left ? if he gets out for a duck what kind of difference does it make ? are we expecting anything from agarkar/pathan/harbhajan/ ?
In recent run chases like one in Asia cup finals, when the run rate required crosses 6 runs a over, and a wicket falls, arent we better sending someone from lower order to try and hit 15-20 quick fire runs ( even more with some luck ) ? what it does is 1. reduces the target
2. doesnt allow the req run rate to climb for 3-4 more overs.
3. saves a genuine batsmen from taking risks.
I have never seen ganguly promote someone from lower order ? why ?
This article is the funniest I have ever read. "Ganguly plays for himself and not for India" is just a comic comment, since he is the only guy apart from Sehwag who throws his bat around when the team needs. Don't you think now-a-days Sachin plays more for himself and so did Gavaskar and Shastri, the Mumbai greats? Then why this grudge against Ganguly, the undoubtedly best captain India have ever had? Please learn to appreciate someone who deserves, getting above his background.
I got the essence of your argument: Give Laxman the no 3 or leave him free! Even the statistics are strongly suggesting that. But somehow it doesn't seep into my skin. Aren't flexibility and adoptability two of the important traits a middle-order batsmen should possess? The back-up batsmen are worth their weight in the team only when they can easily and gracefully don the role offered. If the present ones cannot then, then it's time that the Indian team management should set out looking for a Micheal Clark for our team.
the lines abt laxman have been put very strongly and most reasonably. the selection commitee should have realised the potential of laxman at no. 3 a long back. one more strength of laxman is he is not afraid of any bowler and plays each ball purely on its merit, unlike any other top batsmen of india except sehwag.
I could not agree more with your take on Laxman's batting position. I know that he does not have a huge mass fan following...simply because he is a delight for the purists. It is only in 2004 that he's been allowed to play at his favorite #3 spot (thanks to Sachin's injuries in Australia etc) and look how he has delivered..If anyone analyses here almost every time Laxman has scored a big 50 or a 100, India has gone to win the match. We need some sanity in the midst of the Sehwags and Yuvrajs..high time you gave him a free run..
