A welcome change: A look at India's prospects for the England series

Finally, a happy sight for those fans who were despondent after the abrupt retirement of the Master. The BCCI has awakened and with style. Certain seniors were given the sack, not without reason though and the others are under the scanner to either ‘perform or perish!’

India is up against England in the coming week and the record between these teams on sub-continent is a sight heartening for any Indian. England has been clean swept, the last two times that they were here. And if we are to go by their performance in the first practice match, it is going to be pretty much the same, god willing!

The icing on the cake, though, is the infusion of some young blood into the side, players who have been making the right kind of noises in the domestic circuit. The BCCI has relented at last, after their prolonged love-affair with the seniors.

India has both youngsters and the experienced in equal measure. Things are looking good on paper, and if the expectations of the common fan come to pass, another white-wash is definitely on the cards.

The inclusion of the youngsters has come as a breath of fresh air for the skipper, having had enough of quarrelling seniors. There are a variety of players in the squad and a plethora of combinations that could leave Dhoni with pleasant selection head-aches. It is positive for the team, and for Dhoni, who could truly embrace captaincy now. Lets’ analyse what each youngster brings into the team, their positives and the chances!

Ajinkya Rahane: The diminutive opener from Mumbai can heave a sigh of relief at last. He has got his opportunity now. Rahane is immensely talented when it comes to stroke-making and building an innings, and it would be put to a test when he squares up against the likes of Graeme Swann and James Anderson. He should look to consolidate and provide a solid start for a team that has been struggling to get a decent start in the recent past.

Cheteshwar Pujara: I’d be disappointed if Pujara does not get a slot in the playing eleven. It is going to be tough of course, because of the skipper’s soft-corner for Rohit Sharma. Pujara is going to be a major cog in India’s revival, for he was the only batsman in the recently concluded Test series against England who was comfortable facing them. Pujara should be awarded the number three position, but it is going to be difficult, considering the fact that Virat Kohli has made that position his own during Sachin’s absence. But Kohli should drop down a slot to accommodate him, as Pujara’s game style would be highly effective if he plays at number three.

Virat Kohli: The vice-captain of the team is going through a bit of a lean patch, and that has been an area of concern for the Men in Blue. His form can make a world of difference to the team. Like I said earlier, Kohli should play at number four as this move can lend more depth and stability to the batting order, already having three graceful stroke-makers at the top. He would blend in perfectly, and would be consummate to play alongside Pujara, since they would have had an understanding of each other’s game during the Test series’ against New Zealand and England.

Suresh Raina: One of the trusted confidantes of the skipper, Raina has been a silent performer in ODIs, being strangely consistent with his sweet 30’s and 40′s. He probably deserves to bat a bit higher in the order, but Raina has always been content playing the role of a floater, and has revelled in the same. One of the dynamic fielders in India, he would have rejoiced seeing more youngsters patrolling the off-side alongside him. I am eagerly waiting to see them all together in action, and thinking about the strength that has been added in the fielding department, India could not have been luckier!

Rohit Sharma: He got a chance in the side thanks to the freak injury that Manoj Tiwary suffered. Having been given confidence by the skipper, you’d be bemused if I say he is probably the best among this lot. A player who is technically sound and has a near perfect foot-work. Luck is not going his way, but let’s take a walk down memory line and reminisce the crucial knocks he has played for India and the Deccan Chargers in the past. He single-handedly took the Deccan Chargers to the semi-finals of the third season. Remember, he was the only one to negate the effect of Sunil Narine in the last IPL and he earned the approval from Morne Morkel, the purple cap holder of the season. To count him out would be a folly in my opinion, and if he gets going, there would not be a better sight than that!

Ravindra Jadeja: He has been officially named “The man of triples” and ‘Sir’ Ravindra Jadeja by his beloved fans. Jadeja has not quite lived up to expectations, but, he has not been completely useless to call for his head, yet! He bowled an unbelievable spell against Pakistan in the third ODI, and his knock of 27 runs only adds to his positives. Though he failed to impress in his debut Test match with the bat, he bowled pretty well to stake a claim in the upcoming Tests against the Australians. Add to that his fielding ability and he is a complete package, ‘provided’ he performs!

Ravi Ashwin: I am quite disappointed by his performances of late, as it is not a typical “Ashwin-style” of doing things. He has become complacent by the looks of it, and he should remember that he could be dropped in a jiffy but for the lack of spinners in the domestic circuit. He should look to stick to the basics of being an off-spinner, as he looks to do too many things at once. Alastair Cook, for one, has deciphered his variations, and Ashwin needs to be street-smart to get the better of the English skipper, and he has got the best chance, considering that Cook is a left-hander in form.

Ashok Dinda: Highly rated by Allan Donald, Dinda has been termed as the best fast bowling prospect in a country where there is a dearth of genuine fast bowlers. Dinda has failed to impress, I should say, for he did not exhibit his complete prowess in the limited chances that he got. But he would be a potent weapon in the death overs, where his dangerous bouncers would come in handy.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Our answer to James Anderson has arrived and how! Kumar had a sensational debut in both ODI’s and T20’s as he rattled the pride of the Pakistan batsmen, who were rudely awakened from their fairy-tale dream while bowling. He exhibited some out of the world stuff to emerge as the leading wicket-taker for India in the series. He had an even better debut in the first ODI against Pakistan, accounting for Mohammad Hafeez in the very first delivery that he bowled. He has immaculate control over his line and length, and his speed is not bad either. But facing up against the likes of Pietersen and Cook, who are quite proficient in playing against swing bowlers, Kumar would be having a taste of real cricket, and it’d be good for himself and Indian cricket if he manages to return unscathed.

Ishant Sharma: He has been in and out of the team for a while, but he is showing some class after making his comeback in the series against England after missing out on the IPL due to an injury. He has bowled with a large heart, though he was not as successful as he would have liked. But he was the highest wicket-taker in the Pakistan series, and was seen troubling the batsmen with his bounce and pace – a happy sight for any fast bowler.

Shami Ahmed: His bowling effort in his debut match, when India had to defend a very small total, was a testament to the huge potential that this youngster possesses. Ahmed’s strength is his ability to reverse the ball and to stick to a tight line. Batsmen like Pietersen and Morgan would be a tad bit uncomfortable against him while looking to cut loose. It would be quite arduous against him, as he bowls a nagging line which could unsettle any batsman.

I am positively-shocked to see the inclusion of so many youngsters in the team, and am pretty sure that at least eight of the above mentioned eleven might make the team for the first ODI. It will be a difficult decision to drop any of these talented youngsters, for they are the building blocks to a new-look Indian side.

Personally, I would like to see Pujara and Rahane in action, as they have been billed as successors to the recently retired seniors. The unfortunate players that might be dropped would be Rohit Sharma, Ashok Dinda and one among Shami Ahmed or Cheteshwar Pujara, though I would like to see both of them play. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh would make up the eleven.

India has a mammoth task at hand to rebuild the destroyed pride and reputation. The selection couldn’t have been better. All India has to do is to go out there and perform.