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Of Laxman, Lele and such...

The Indian selectors wouldn't be who, and what, they are if they did not regularly spring at least one surprise each time they meet.

They met in Mumbai, in the C K Nayudu Hall at the Cricket Club of India, on Friday and announced 25 probables for the Asia Cup. And to everyone's surprise and shock, the name of VVS Laxman did not figure in that list.

Laxman must be feeling ill-used, after a season in course of which he amassed a record 1415 runs in nine Ranji Trophy matches at an astonishing average of 108.85, that haul inclusive of a staggering nine centuries including one triple hundred.

The only other notable omission is that of Venkatesh Prasad.

Briefing the media, chairman of selectors Chandu Borde defended the decision to drop Laxman by saying that he is a Test player and more suited to the longer version of the game. Laxman's dismal performance in the Carlton and United Series involving Pakistan and Australia, besides India, was another reason for his exclusion, Borde said.

"He is more in the Test mould, and therefore he wasn't considered," Borde kept repeating each time Laxman's name came up in the post-selection press briefing.

If we take Borde's argument, about the dismal performance in Australia, then the entire Indian team would need to be dropped -- India lost two matches to Pakistan and all three against Australia, and no Indian batsman distinguished himself with any degree of consistency in that series.

When it was pointed out that Laxman was the highest run-getter in domestic competition this season, Borde responded that runs alone were not the criteria, and the composition of the team had to be kept in mind while picking players.

Fair enough -- but then, why, pray, was Sriram included in the squad?

Borde jumped in to defend that inclusion: "Sriram has scored heavily this season and is a promising youngster."

Hello? Laxman has scored the heaviest this season, but runs don't count, says Borde. And when it comes to Sriram (second highest run-getter behind Laxman, with 1075 runs in 8 matches), runs count?

The logical way to have looked at Laxman would have been for the selectors to say, okay, Laxman after a horrific tour of Australia (barring that blistering innings in the third Test, and a century in the warm-up game) has had a brilliant run in the domestic competition. In the process, he has reverted to the middle order (it needs noting that it was the selection committee that pushed him into the unfamiliar role of opener, and provoked his loss of form and confidence both) and shown not only the ability to get tons of runs, but also to play all the shots in the book and then some.

Right now, he is on a confidence roll. And therefore, he could only benefit by being in that training camp, and practising with the rest of the senior squad.

But such straight thinking does not seem to permeate the members of the selection committee.

Fine. Granting Sriram's 'promise'. What of Jacob Martin? Who has had his chances in the ODI format (including in the selfsame C&U series), as in Tests, and proved himself dismally unsuited for either form of the game?

There is no answer to that one.

Another question that the list of 25 provokes is this -- not one of the top ten wicket-takers this season in Ranji Trophy finds himself among the probables.

Is this a commentary on the complete irrelevance of Ranji Trophy competition, when it comes to selection of the national squad? Or a comment on the wisdom, or lack thereof, of the selection committee?

The selected probables, meanwhile, find themselves headed for a camp the duration of which is greater than the duration of the tournament they will be preparing themselves for.

"With the long duration of the camp, the players will get a chance to prove themselves," Borde explained. "It is very hot in Pune and the bowlers will get tired quickly, which is why we have selected such a large number," he added.

Apparently, it did not occur to the administration that if weather conditions in Pune are not conducive to long workouts, there are lots of other venues in India that afford better conditions.

Meanwhile, Jaywant Lele, convening the selection committee, continued to be at his brilliant best.

Why was Kapil Dev not present at the selection meeting? "Simple, we have not called him!" shot back the board secretary, with his customary arrogance.

But why not? A clearly irritated Lele said it was not customary for the captain or coach to attend meetings where probables for a camp are picked -- the coach and captain are invited only for the final selection. Which again is not quite true -- the coach and captain were very much present when picking the probables for the last World Cup, and for the tour of Australia. The probables, mind you, not the final team. Both times, Lele was convenor. But then, Lele is famous for instant amnesia, so this is nothing new.

Reacting to Kapil's call for abandoning the Asia cup in the wake of the match-fixing allegations, Lele replied that the board was obliged to honour international commitments and would do so.

"Kapil's view is his personal view and not the view of the board," yelled Lele, adding that he would be "taken to task" on this at the appropriate time. Lele, of course, is a great believer in taking people to task. Earlier, it will be recalled, he wanted to take Kapil to task for asking Ajit Agarkar to bowl in the nets during the home series against New Zealand -- a promise he then backed out of when Kapil confronted him.

Replying to questions about releasing the money due to Prabahakar under the benevolent fund, Lele replied that the money for the Ranji games and other domestic games has been released but the benevolent fund for the international games will be released only after the case pending against him is solved.

When he was asked why someone's benevolent fund was being held back, Lele, visibly irritated, shot back, "We will pay him with interest!"

It apparently does not occur to the man that a player who has played international cricket is due certain payments, and that neither Lele, nor the board, have any right to hold back that payment. If there is a court case pending against Prabhakar, how does that affect payment of dues? And in any case, what is Lele's connection with the courts, that he acts as enforcer presumably on its behalf?

Lele won't respond. As is his wont, he makes a few statements at the top of his lungs and when he finds himself under fire, ends the press briefing.

Meanwhile, Ganguly is due to return to India on May 13 and, unlike Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, will participate in the camp. Team physio Andrew Leipus will be present, and is expected to use the opportunity to get the team back in shape after an extended layoff.