Harare humiliation for second stringers

If last Friday was a disappointment, Thursday was the annihilation of the Suresh Raina-led cricket team touring Zimbabwe. Last Friday, India lost their first one-dayer of the tour by six wickets to a lowly placed Zimbabwe while putting up a bit of a fight. Amol Karhadkar reports. 5 turning points | Figure this

If last Friday was a disappointment, Thursday was the annihilation of the Suresh Raina-led cricket team touring Zimbabwe.

HT Image

Last Friday, India lost their first one-dayer of the tour by six wickets to a lowly placed Zimbabwe while putting up a bit of a fight.

On Thursday, they were comprehensively beaten, their modest 194 for nine giving Zimbabwe no trouble.

The second successive defeat has put India in a spot of a bother as far as making to the final of the tri-series (Sri Lanka is the third team). It has also exposed India's flawed selection policy.

When the K Srikkanth-led selection panel rested seven regulars who form India's core in the 50-overs format, doubts were raised over whether it was a wise step.

India's dismal show in Bulawayo and Harare shows the move backfired.

"The selectors made a big blunder by resting all seven seniors," former chairman of selectors Kiran More told HT.

"I think the selectors have completely forgotten the World Cup starts in February 2011," More said.

"At least two to three seniors should have been sent to Zimbabwe and they could have been rotated during the series."