India needs to lift more than spirits

What a revelation Ajit Agarkar has been! Something tells me he will not go the Chris Lewis way. Seeing the way he batted -- all heart and straight bat -- we might just have a further surprise or two in the offing.

But more than runs, what India will need from Agarkar in the forthcoming Test at Headingley -- a venue dominated by seamers -- are wickets. It's going to be of little use if he scores fifty and gives away a hundred with a couple of wickets to show for it.

The last time India won a Test here was in 1986, when Roger Binny took 7 for 58 and Maninder Singh 4 for 26. It might be a tall order to ask Agarkar to match those figures, but a century at Lord's can do wonders for the spirit.

Of course the Indian team needs to lift more than spirits if they are going to level the series. Their resolve, for one, seems to be as strong as a grasshopper swimming against the tide. It's all very well for Ganguly to warn Hussain that there is still a lot of cricket left in the side, which is true, but the cricket part of it is buried beneath the rubble of a loser's mentality.

And, weak strategies. Sure, it's easy to be an armchair critic but some of the ploys did not work, and beg the question -- Just what is Shewag's role as an opener in Tests? Agreed, he is the best explosives expert we have in the side today, but it made for strange viewing to see him strive for fireworks on the fourth day, when the need of the hour was circumspection of the Gavaskar kind. There wasn't a hope in hell of overtaking the target, but there was every chance of drawing the match. Imagine if he had been at the crease at close of play!

Why is Laxman batting at number six and Tendulkar at four? The best batsman in the world is struggling for form and should make way for someone who is in form. One can only pray that it's not Dravid who is forced to change places with Laxman. A man of his experience and calmness deserves respect, and a Laxman beside him.

Unfortunately the selectors display an almost hysterical myopia when it comes to Tendulkar, deeming it unthinkable to drop him lower than four. Or to rest him altogether and give eager beavers like Kaif a chance. No matter how lofty the reputation or beloved the man, team interest should always come first. Is that asking for too much?

But in the end what matters is finding that magic formula that lets you win no matter what the team composition. At Lord's, England were an 'injured team', missing Trescothick, Caddick and Gough. Yet Hussain walked all over India.

The most vexed question facing India is this, then: Why can't Ganguly inspire the team like Hussain? Why can't our bowlers stand up and be counted? Why can't they feel responsible for the team's fortunes the way our batsmen do?

After the NatWest final, India had been touted as a serious contender for the World Cup next year. It's no secret that one day champs are Test champs too -- the cricket ratings will show you the same two teams topping the charts. If the Indians seriously want to contend for the title in South Africa, than Headingly would be a good place to show their intent.