'Bowling India's weakness, Dravid's inclusion retrograde'

India's bowling is their Achilles' heel and recalling Rahul Dravid to prop up the batting order is a retrograde step, according to former cricketers Wasim Akram and Sanjay Manjrekar.

India's bowling is their Achilles' heel and recalling Rahul Dravid to prop up the batting order is a retrograde step, according to former cricketers Wasim Akram and Sanjay Manjrekar.

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Both reckon that Zaheer Khan's absence would render India a lesser force in this month's Champions Trophy and unless their batsmen step up to the plate to compensate with those extra runs, the team would be found wanting in South Africa.

"Their bowling is their weakness. The batsmen made up with some extra runs in Sri Lanka and that's how they won the tri-series there. To win Champions Trophy, the batsmen would have to do it again," said Manjrekar, who will be one of the 13 commentators for ESPN STAR Sports for the September 22-October 5 tournament.

He said the only positive outcome of it was that Harbhajan Singh took the onus on himself and conjured up a five-wicket haul to wreck Sri Lanka.

"It brought out more from Harbhajan who indeed bowled like the leading spinner and I think it has to happen in Champions Trophy as well," Manjrekar said in a programme also attended by commentator Harsha Bhogle and RC Venkateish, MD of ESPN Software India Private Limited.

Akram said India would feel Zaheer's absence even though he was expecting Ishant Sharma to do better in South Africa's lively pitches.