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India's one-day cricket lies in ruins
India will have to start from the scratch. They have to be honest and ask themselves if they can afford to keep selfish players, writes Javed Miandad.
Clearly India's one-day cricket has gone to pieces. The tag of World Cup finalists has rarely been so ill-deserved. Now they have players who are playing only for themselves. There is so much uncertainty that Pathans, Gangulys, Harbhajans, Kumbles and Agarkars all look to be emerging from a revolving door.
India will have to start from the scratch. They have to be honest and ask themselves if they can afford selfish players. Such men might survive to play the next match but Indian team would not move an inch forward. By now, it is such a bedraggled unit that even form batsmen are losing their plots.
Virender Sehwag is now trying to play a mixed game of attack and defence. It would never carry him forward for he doesn't have the technique of a defensive batsman.
In Pakistan last year, as well as in early part of the this tour, he was smashing hits in cover-to-third man region. Now he was trying to play grounded shots.
Consequently, with rolled down wrists the catches are going into the hands of fielders.
The second in-form batsman Rahul Dravid too showed the pressure. There was no reason for him to go for that run. A premier batsman should never open himself to a situation where a decision on his run-out is being judged by the third umpire. It implies that a decision is too close for comfort.
His was the most valuable wicket and he risked a perfectly avoidable situation. Yuvraj too was an unnecessary waste. It reflected the team's state of mind.
Ashish Nehra, after that splendid first-up delivery to Shahid Afridi bowled a few freebies down the legside. This team's confidence is completely dried up. If a team, from being 2-0 up, goes on to lose the series, it means drastic measures can no longer be avoided.
