Musical chairs in the Indian cricket team must end now! 

"The More, The Merrier" is a phrase that should bode well, especially for a team that has a vast talent pool. Sometimes, however, that can be less of a blessing and more of a curse. As with the Indian cricket team, for whom selection has become a rather confusing exercise with no end in sight.

Not long ago, India fielded two separate international standard cricket teams at the same time. At that time, Hardik Pandya famously remarked that India could field two more teams that could win any competition in the world.

When it comes to talent, there is no debating the talent India possesses and the IPL is testimony to that. In international cricket, however, auditioning for a spot, especially in the batting department, has become confusing, if not amusing.

International cricket is supposed to be for proven players who can come in and perform consistently from the get-go. For that to happen, a player needs to understand their role clearly, be it a bowler or a batsman.

The openers need to understand each other’s style of play and adapt, depending on how the other batter’s form is on a particular day. Numbers three and four need to have a set game plan - to either dig in and anchor the innings or be aggressive, depending on the need of the hour.

Numbers five, six and seven are specialist positions for multi-dimensional players who can add value with other skill-sets like bowling, fielding, or 'keeping, and also possess power-hitting abilities. Beyond that, a team needs bowlers who have variety, can complement each other and, if required, contribute with the bat.

Most importantly, players need a consistent run in a particular position to perfect their roles and develop a sense of familiarity with the players around them. At the international level, it is as much about temperament, execution, and consistency as it is about skill.

India has a wide talent pool ready to play international cricket, with back-ups for each position. However, with less than eight months to go till the T20 World Cup in Australia, to be followed by the ODI World Cup next year, what the Men in Blue need to do is identify a set of 11 players, with five to six back-up players, who are most likely to feature in the upcoming World Cup and give them a consistent run.

India will, as always, enter both tournaments as one of the favorites. However, bagging another ICC trophy will require the team to play confidently and deliver when it matters most. For that to happen, the musical chairs need to end now!