Sehwag must open in the Sydney test

So, we have got the first taste of Australia’s strength. India arrived in Australia with heavy ammunition in their batting. Out of five batsmen to play 100 tests for India, the fact that three are in this team speaks volumes of the batting strength. The question was whether India can take 20 Australian wickets. The first occurrence of Adam Gilchrist batting for the first time on the first day of a test match in about a year justifies the question. Indian bowlers did exceptionally well to bundle out Australia under 350 in the first innings. All genuine cricket lovers hailed the situation, so much so that even Australian crowd thought that finally they will see some contest.

But then came the reality check situation for India. Although India was not well acquainted to the Australian conditions because BCCI does not care about it, one hoped that the three century-makers regarding the number of tests played would use all their experience to take advantage of the situation created by bowlers. India’s greatest bowler ever had already made a mistake by not including Sehwag in the playing eleven. Sehwag is not in the best of form, agreed, but once he is in the team he should play at the first instance to take the fight to the opposition like Australia. You can not use Sehwag after the initiative is lost in the first couple of tests. Once you have a wrecker in the form of Sehwag use it, if it is a false one then we can go back to the traditional way. I don’t think after you loose first couple of tests, you can reinvent yourself by bringing Sehwag. If he will not play, why he is in the team is hard to understand. What will he learn form the dressing room? Someone like Badrinath would have learned so much from this trip.

The reason behind shuffling the batting order is Yuvraj. He has to wait for his turn, how much frustrating the wait may be. If he has to play then he should open or if he is so good then replace one of the middle order batsmen with him. If Yuvraj is the player who can win us the series and the management is clear about that then they should have replaced Dravid or Laxman whoever it is. But playing with everyone’s position just to accommodate one guy is not a mistake but a blunder. Dravid agreed to open the innings because of the eternal team player he is. But he himself told that opening is not about the technique but about the thinking. He is our best batsman for the last five years and the team decided to disturb his mindset when he is clearly going through a barren phase. Just after the Pkaistan series Sourav has owed his less number of centuries to batting lower down the order. Here was an opportunity to bat higher up, why did not the management ask him or he himself put his hand up to open the innings.

Sachin’s approach in the first test looked like a breath of fresh air and if he continues in the same frame of mind he can make an impact in the series. For that to happen we need a good attacking opening partnership. Jaffer usually takes time to adjust and hopefully he will get used to the Aussie soil by the second test. Hopefully, good sense will prevail and Kumble will rope in Sehwag for the Sydney test. I expected Kumble to be a tougher captain and take smart decisions like the one to include Sehwag in the team to Australia. But that bravery will not prove anything if Sehwag does not get a chance in Sydney and the series might as well slip out of our hand.

PS: Folks I had written the blog before the start of the second test, but could not post it because of my laziness.