Lucky to play for India?

Rewind to 2008.

A new brand was created in India called IPL. A lot changed. The saas and bahus started watching cricket, a few fans thought they were getting an overdose of cricket, summers became hotter, Bollywood added glamour, almost every movie bombed at the box office, cricket fans became biased, new rivalries were born, domestic players got international exposure, money flowed in. However, the selection committee also got a few points to ponder upon. New heroes were born and a few got lucky enough to play for India. Let’s take a look at them.

Murali VijayFlamboyant strokes are what defines this big-hitter from Tamil Nadu. A treat to watch when in flow, he was instrumental in Chennai’s success in both IPL and Champions League. He made his test debut against Australia in 2008. Though he was impressive with his batting and sharp fielding on his debut, his career never really took off. He has played in all 3 formats for India and barring a couple of good knocks he has never looked at his best. He struggled in West Indies and since then, he hasn’t made it to the team. His technique against quality pace bowling has come under a lot of criticism.

Saurabh TiwaryAfter a terrific IPL-3 for the Mumbai Indians, this Jharkand lad made it to the Indian team for the 2010 Asia Cup. Having been on the bench the whole tournament, he made is ODI debut against Australia the following winter. His unorthodox style, power-hitting and hairdo sparked comparisons with MSD. Batting lower down the order, he didn’t get enough opportunities to show his destructive self.

Ashok DindaHis economical spells in IPL helped him realise his dream of playing for India. After a stint with the KKR, he made his international debut in 2009. Known for his pace and miserly spells, he however couldn’t get enough opportunities as the seniors made their way back into the side. He is however a regular for India A tours.

Manpreet GonyLuck was on his side as he replaced Sreesanth for the tri-series in Bangladesh in 2008. He had made his Ranji debut that year and looked pretty impressive. But however, it was his IPL performance for CSK that gave him a place in the squad. However the same luck eluded him as Gony has managed to play only 2 ODIs for India. This well-built Punjabi bowler is clever with variations and could prove a handful in the limited overs format of the game.

Rahul SharmaThe latest addition to this list, this lanky leg spinner has been impressive against Australia in the T-20s. In both the matches, he bowled economically in the process claiming a few wickets as well. Though not a big turner of the ball, he manages to choke batsmen with his line, length and variations. He made it to the Windies after an impressive IPL-2011.

Talent is galore but there has been no effective utilisation of it. Many people debate as to whether IPL should be the criteria for selection but that’s not the real issue. The real issue is that young players are being denied proper opportunity (As it is evident from this list with the exception of maybe Vijay). Even though they make it to the squad, they usually end up warming the benches and are dropped immediately after the tour. It is demoralising for any player. As we’ve seen in the past year, India is still invincible at home but when they go overseas, they are reduced to a bunch of helpless bunnies. What is also lacking is a quality domestic circuit and proper exposure to overseas conditions through India A tours. If these things are set right, I see no reason why India can’t make it to the pinnacle of all three formats!