And That's another one day international victory for India...

Well..The Hutch Cup already won... It was time to put the icing on the cake and that's exactly what the Indian team did.......Fabulous performance by M.S.Dhoni... The ease with which he hit those sixes was mind boggling.. Y.Singh has shown some incredible maturity and the theam has become spectacular at chasing down targets...
It would really be delightful if they could just learn to defend the scores that they post. They actually have bowlers who are awsome when things are going their way.. They just need some people who will put their hands up in the bowling department when things are not going too well for the team.Irfan,Zaheer,Agarkar,R.P.Singh all bowl around the 130 kph and that is just not enough these days.... Except for R.P.Singh who is new to the team, the rest of these guys started their carrers bowling at 140 kph atleast. Agarkar and Zaheer were definately up there. We do have bowlers in India who can generate that pace... But unfortunately they are injured. Balaji and Nehra are two bowlers who can consistantly get up to that place.. But if they are not fit there is no place in the team for them. The Pakistan Under 19 team today decimated the Indian U-19 team is the finals but there was one stand out performance and that was P.Chawla he returned with figures of 4 wickets for 8 runs in 8 overs and the control that he showed was spectacular.With A.Kumble having at best a few years left in the tank this kid is a great prospect for Team India in the future. His batting was not half bad, he as left not out at the other end on 25. Here's hoping he does well and makes it to the team. World cricket could some quality leg spinners... It ain't Warne's exclusive club.. I Harbhajan Singh does not get fit in time for the England series it may not be a bad idea to give this youngster a run.. Although that said it may be a bit too early because he is just 17 years old. An Indian team filled with people who swing the ball. A team that's hunting for spinners. Who thoght we'd see this day. England are in India with 3 spinners 'caus they know it's gonna turn... India will always find some spinners somewhere but what they need is pace and one man who could provide it is the much hailed Munaf Patel.. He was called in once to test the Indian batsmen out against some serious pace. He ahs been given a opportunity to play in the BPXI against England. If he makes a mark, it would be a great idea for the selectors to give him a look in.... It would bring some tremendous variety to the Indian attack.

The whole world knows that I am an ardent Ganguly supporter... I still believe the man deserves a place in the 16 and I he plays or not is up to to Dravid and Chappell... Remember in test cricket he gives you another bowling option and he has become a very solid batsman.. He is no longer the flamboyant Ganguly of old but he can definately be relied upon to score some steady runs and brings some stability to the team. He is a much improved bowler and his Ranji figure prove that. Where do you put him? That's the big question.. He has offered to open the innings if it means he can stay in the team.. Well that's an option that Dravid and Chappell could consider. Or if Dravid wants to open himself thats fine too. Ghambir is not a touch on Ganguly and between the two of them Ganguly is better any day. This is an option... Sehwag and Dravid as 1 and 2 with Ganguly at 3 Sachin at 4 Laxman at 5 Yuvraj at 6 (if he is fit in time otherwise Kaif) Dhoni at 7 Pathan at 8 Kumble at 9 if Bhajji is fit then put him at 10 and at 11 have Sreesanth. This is my pick for the England series. This looks like an attack with variety and can offer Dravid a lot of options.. Yuvraj,Sachin,Sehwag,Ganguly can chip in with the ball if required...

I don't believe I'm saying this, but I don't think Ganguly should be considered for the One Day team's first 11 anymore for the simple reason that there's a lot of exuberence there that's doing really well... But again keep him in the 16... He's a valuable asset who can come in as cover if someone gets injured...

All in all this Indian team looks like it is heading in the right direction. All it needs is one more quality bowler and for it's current stock of cricketers not to get complacent and to continue performing... For that we need a bench that keeps pusing..If the under 19s can reach the finals of the world cup there is definately a talent pools there waitng to be tapped.. Remember Yuvraj, Kaif and Pathan have come up through the under 19s....

Congratulations to the Indian Teams both the seniors and the under19 for doing so well and here is hoping that the Indians decimate England at home and build a world beating side that may lift the 2007 world cup....


Rahul Murali.

(An avid cricket fan who just like the rest of you Indians out there is very very very opnionated...)