Thanks Sourav and Rahul - take a rest

Thanks Sourav and Rahul - take a rest

I agree with Harish: "even I" don't understand the brouhaha. This is one of those rare occasions when a decision seems to have been taken after some analysis and giving a captain the team he wants.

Idiots like Sidhu, who challenged Vengsarkar to an open debate and promised to get off NDTV if he (Sidhu) couldn't be convinced, have naturally been blowing hot air everywhere. I wish the Colonel would do so and help us get rid of the man with a mouth the size of Bournemouth - though convincing Sidhu of anything is as difficult as balancing a cycle stand on your bum (others can do "it" too, O' sherry-punjab). However, friends like Aniket have lamented the omission of Ganguly (who are these Dravid fans who went on a rampage - I'm impressed steady ol' Rahul evokes such emotions!), so would like to draw their attention to the following fact. In the recently concluded Test, Sourav Ganguly was clearly the weakest Indian fielder on the ground, and his spate of illnesses have not helped at all. The "fielding" issue is an extremely valid one on these large Australian grounds, and if the ODI captain does not feel he could use these two batsmen, then there is no point in including them.

In fact, the day Tendulkar's strong arm gives way, I'll call for his omission too. Right now, he still remains an order above the other veterans in terms of ability and intent when it comes to fielding in the deep and scampering between the wickets.

Meanwhile, the whole issue has spurred Harish to humour - this is the kind of effect this landmark tour is having on people!

Some more pain and gain

'Short-term pain for long-term gain' is Anand Vasu's summing up of the Dhoni situation. He suggests that the selectors "... must give him the time and space he needs to grow into the job." One hopes the selectors, led by a Chairman who's has a syndicated column in which he is more than happy to take shots at his own team, can take this piece of advice.

Additionally, perhaps there is one more thing Dhoni can do (or be allowed to do) to ease the pain. Drop the 'keeping gloves. He has never been a great 'keeper and he is, when it comes down to it, more important to the Indians as a batsman. In a couple of years, the inevitable move up the order will become permanent (surely to the opening slot on the flat-as-Panchgani-tableland pitches). India have never really had a full-time keeper-captain, and it never really seemed to work for anyone else either - there is way too much of a workload. The pragmatic thing would be to simply hand over the slot to Dinesh Karthik (who has proved that he has the ability) and move into a slip or mid-off. Dhoni'd do himself and his team a favour.