The Indian World Cup squad

Anyhow all the best to the Indian Team and may the best team in the World, win the World Cup 99

Ravi Venkataramani: rvenka@mail.utexas.edu: The world cup squad is fine, good choice!

Gopinath Madhavachari: gopi_chari@hotmail.com: It is a good selection

ramchandra raju manthena: ramudu@satyam.net.in: mohanty will make sense only if he is told not to pretend like a tearaway speedster and bowl wicket to wicket.it is a national shame that selection could not be completed within the stipulated time.this is no way to prepare for the world cup.

Prasanna: tprasanna@hotmail.com: I would like to make a point here, what I expect of the players is nothing because some of them are not really international standard, But the thing is first throw those guys who maintain the board out of the office they are good only to sell paanparaag not to run a professional cricket team, I ask those politicians make the Board accountable for team performances, I dont think this indian side has enough depth in bowling and they were not really upto international standard in feilding so as a fan I dont even consider india to win thanks. Prasanna.

ravi nair: rknair@us.oracle.com: like the rest of india and indian life, the cricket selectors are also in a mess.Why should anyone be surprised with their stupid decisions.India will not win any cup in the near future.So dont worry, it makes no difference as to who they select

chandrashekhar: cbondre@hotmail.com: Hey this looks like somebody is playing a bad joke with indian cric. by picking some one for the sharjah tour. who are no where in the world cup list.This will only result in a loss to the team as a whole .Sachin's abscence can be justified but he should play at least a couple of warm up matches before the big one.Any way all the best for the Indian team (not for sharjah) but for world cup.

Kishore Peravali: peravali@hotmail.com: The selctors have not wasted a single chance to demoralize and disorient the indian team. They absolutely made sure that india will be out of super six. Now our batting suddenly looks the weakest. If they cant play shoaib akhtar, how can they play the likes of donald, pollock, mcgrath, ambrose and co. I am afraid if the team will touch a all time low with the current management at helm.

venu: venu@most-wanted.com: I never could understand what the 5 wise men do. Why is that Mohanthy is picked for the world cup squad but not for the sharjah squad? Do the selectors think that if Mohanthy does not perform well in Sharjah, then their decision will be questioned?????

kiran Raghavapudi: kraghav@siue.edu: The world squad is good, that is beyond a doubt.but the most funny question is why is it different from the one going to sharajah.why on earth are sunil joshi and kambli picked.since they are not in the world cup i really wonder if they are going to ger a chance to play.if they are being given a chance why pick them up. what about mohanty.actaully mohanty should have been there right through the listings.for his ability to swing the ball it was a surprising move not to have him in the squad.but what about match pratice for him.he should get atleast a few matches to get back to his best. well selectors are there to spring surprises.expect for these questions the overall selections for world cup are good and the selectors should be appauled for that.

Sandeep Singh Bajwa: sbajwa@home.com: Level of Club Cricket will most likely not reach the super six.

swaraj: swaraj@cisco.com: Today looking at both Ramesh and Kurashya bat , I was wondering how they made the worldcup final 14 list.

I dont see any movement of feet of ramesh and the way he got out really upset me. And Kurashya....He just want a go for every ball...what ever it is.....this attitude may work when he come at 35--40 over stage of the game...but not in the first 15 overs that too after loosing 2 wickets....

I make a strong CASE AGAINST KAMBI. ALL THIS TOURNAMENT PRODUCES WAS NO GOOD NEW SENSATION IN THE TEAM. The management would have given chance to kambli as he has a lot of experience and by mearly playing him in one match does not give the selectors to drop him... ( for that matter even kurashya failed 2 out of 3 times and kambli failed 1 out of 1 time ....) this is unfair having two different mesuring criteria for two different players.... Looking at todays final's performance ....I just lost hope that india will make it to the quarters..... The selectors choices are never understandable.

Kannan: gearkay@hotmail.com: Yet, again our selectors proved they can pen better twist stories than bollywood writers. Why,the world cup team, barring Tendullkar is not tried in Sharjah will mystify even a mystery writer.Any way Best of Luck to the indian team.

Subhankar Nayak: subhankar.nayak@yale.edu: By Jove, what has poor Kambli done wrong? Being called to the national team, given just one decent chance and then dumped. If it was on the basis of non-performance in a single match, then the entire Indian team in the Pepsi Cup final has to be sacked: most of these players (pardon my terminology, but some of them are no better jokers) failed in 3 to 4 matches in a row. So why is Kambli the sacrificial lamb for the team's failure? Is Amay K. better than Kambli? No way! He was pathetic in both matches against Pakistan.

My heart goes for Kambli.

Kedar Sathe: kedar_sathe@hotmail.om: I can only appreciate the Indian selectors. They are consistently stupid!

Narayanan: mnarayanan@rocketmail.com: The World Cup squad seems to have picked itself. Mohanty's selection has to be taken with a pinch of salt going by his past record. Selectors are right in dropping him for the Sharjah tourney because he would be a bunny on the sleeping beauties in the desert. Joshi's place for the Sharjah trip should have gone to an youngster like Sehwag as it is time we build reserve strength going by the frenetic amount of matches being played and the injuries occuring to the top players. One line of thought. Should Rahul Dravid be asked to partner Ganguly as the opening partner in the World Cup Games. As a sample why cannot he be tried out in Sharjah tourney.

Amar Hanspal: amar.hanspal@autodesk.com: I agree with 99% of the selections, although I'm not sure that picking Mohanty ahead of Shukla was the right thing to do. Shukla's ability to score a few runs, as well as his fielding would place him ahead of Mohanty. With Prasad, Agarkar and Srinath, where is the place for another pure bowler ? We should have picked someone who could have scored a few more runs.

With regard to Sharjah, I think the selectors should have either sent the full World cup squad (with someone to backup Tendulkar) or should have sent the "second unit" as an effort to get them blooded even further while the seniors get some rest.

shekar: dshekar@yahoo.com: The world cup squad seems to be good. But I cannot fathom the Sharjah squad. By any stretch of imagination, it should have been the same squad. If the selectors are saying they are selecting different players for different conditions, it doesn't make sense so close to the world cup. It looks more like the selectors are incapable of thinking in terms of what is good for the team, but cater only to individuals. Not having Mohanty in the team is simply mind boggling. Are we playing any other practise matches before the Cup?

Ashish: ashish_tv@hotmail.com: The World Cup squad seems to be striking just about the right balance, but just as is mentioned in the report, ideally the World Cup squad should have gone to Sharjah to be able to play as a team. This way, the players will be playing a World Cup opener with a 11 which has never played together before. Bad move, selectors.

karthik obla: karthik_o@hotmail.com: Prem! Dont be a cry baby!! Why is it that reporters like you criticise only the Indian selectors for not meeting the dead line for names; Why dont you go and criticise the Aussie, Windies and Pak selectors as well who broke rules!! Again for Sharjah: Who do you suggest that we pick instead of the injured Tendy? I think Kambli is the next most promising batsmen (better than Shewag, Kanitkar), so it makes sense he is going to Sharjah. You have a point in Mohanty not going to Sharjah; Maybe he is unprepared - agian dont start arguing that he must havebeien in the 19!! It is ok, the selectors didint do as bad a job as your article suggests

ziad: ziadkh@hotmail.com: KAMBLI MIGHT HAVE NOT SHOWN HIS CLASS IN THE TWO MATCHES HE PLAYED BUT THAT CANNOT BE A REASON FOR A PLAYER LIKE HIM TO BE NOT FITTED INTO THE FINAL FIFTEEN. RAMESH HAVE NEVER SHONE AT ONE DAYERS IN DOMESTIC CRICKET AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE WILL BE ANY REPLACEMENT FOR THE REGULAR OPENERS.IF IT HAPPENS THEN KHURASIA WHO HAS OPENED AT THE DOMESTIC LEVELS CAN FILL THAT SLOT .SO I FEEL THAT KAMBLI SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE TEAM.IT IS ALSO RIDUCULOUS THAT THE SHARJAH TEAM DIFFERS FROM THE WORLD CUP TEAM.THE SELECTORS ARE IN TWO MINDS RIGHT NOW WHICH IS UNECESSARY

Satheesh: gsat@iname.com: hi Prem, I feel that this might be one of the most well-balanced squad that we can get for this world cup and i agree in totality with you on the fact that the sharjah cup is not seen by the selectors as a forerunner to the world cup. But then the ways of the selectors are always peculiar. It's sad that when Wadekar was the manager of the team, he was qouted saying that the selectors were not doing their job well, but then as selector he seems to do the same thing. It would be better for indians cricket if the selectors didn't have any bias or motive behind selecting the team other than just seeing them win.

Rama: IyerRama@hotmail.com: Completely outplayed in the Pepsi Cup, it is time for the Indians to get into the winning streak and not continuing any further experimentation ! What the Indian selectors are having in their mind, as far as the Sharjah tournet is concerned, is to me and many others a mystery. Kambli and Joshi are unnecessary includes in the team when it should have been Mohanty playing out there. I wonder if Mohanty is going to the World Cup as a drinks-man ???!!!

Vasudevan: vasya10@hotmail.com: A perfect demo of senseless crap from already crazy selectors.

Senthil Govindan: jondil@hotmail.com: As far as the crowd is concerned, I don't see why play is allowed when the crowd acts the way it did during the match. Suspending play for some time and then resuming just sends the message to the miscreants that their actions will not spoil their days quota of cricket, and that they can get away with boorish behaviour. Cancelling the match would probably send a much stronger signal to the clowns in the stands - one that would cause them to think twice before pelting the players with bottles, stones and what have you. In fact, a more structured approach to dealing with such incidents - e.g. cancelling the match the first time such problems occur, granting it to the visiting team the next time and, finally, cancelling all matches at that venue for a period of two years or so - along with the strict implementation of these rules that you mention regularly in your column would go a long way in curbing such uncalled for behaviour. While such steps might seem extreme on first glance, I would like remind all doubters of the efficacy of extreme actions on the soccer hooligans that England was breeding before the ban. The problem might not go away altogether, but would at least be restricted to a large extent.

ketan inamdar: kinamdar@pdq.net: i was certainly upset about not picking Kambli over Khurasia.kambli is far better than Khurasia and in this tournament Kambli never get his full opportunity to bat.i wish him good luck and God please give some good sense to the stupid selectors.

balan: bsadasiv@visteon.com: I am reminded of Jimmy Amarnath's words. " Selectors are nothing but a bunch of jokers"

Arvind Mathur: mathurs@worldnet.att.net: Does it surprise you that these 5 "wise" fools never learn from their mistakes ?

PRASAD S. NAGA: nagasprasad@hotmail.com: I feel that inclusion of Kambli and Joshi is a good move since they can substitute for injured players, if they perform well. Seeing the extensions granted for naming the squad, I don't think it will be difficult to feign injuries to underperforming players and make Kambli and Sunil Joshi replace them.

Dilip: muthukri@rediffmail.com: I wish someone would give those selectors a lesson in humanity. Firstly they treat the players so shoddily... what sense is there to play on dead wickets as in Sharjah... and possibly risk our batsmen's life especially since some have mortal fear for Shoaib Akthar... then they go and pick someone from outside 19. Mohanty is elated, good he deserves it. I remember he bowled superbly in Toronto, but what is the message to Sukhla and co... you are good for 19 but not for 15... in fact you are so bad, we chose from outside. In a way maybe it is better that Mohanty does not go to Sharjah, although there is no substitute for match practice, there really is no hope for lose of confidence, and Mohanty may suffer as the pitches in Sharjah will not suit him.

Chaman: chamanc@hotmail.com: I completely agree with you and wonder what kind of thinking goes into selecting the team. Why the world you want to different squads for two competetions. Do our selecters ever think of players has human beings with emotions, feelings or think of them as just bunch of pawns on the chess board.

Anyway after watching India's performace against the Paks, I've given up hope about this team winning the cup, I'll be amazed if they make it to the Quarter finals.

Lastly, somebody tell Azhar that just managing the team is not enough, he is got to play with some resposibility too. From the squad only three batsmen have international experience and talent, namely Azhar, Tendu and Jadeja. Of three you can only rely on Tendu, Azhar is extremely inconsistent and Jadeja is a bubble, might bust any time.

sri: sri_k@hotmail.com: Once again selectors have proved themselves to be a bunch of jokers .I think that post it self makes people crazy coz wadekar who was manager used to act well while he was a manager But suddenly he has gone nuts, what are kambli and joshi are doing in the bus to sharjah. And why is Mohanty cooling his heels when he needs some match practice before the real big on e.I think any number of abusive words against the selectors are not sufficent

Marutheesh Bellary: marutheesh@hotmail.com: Whatever might the team be, Indian will continue their match loosing performance and will return empty handed.

r venkatesan : rvenkate@tm.net.my: I think the selectors have picked Kambli, because, Azh is still not fit and may not play in Sharaja - zonal quota system demands Tendulkar's place given to Kambli ! Thanks

Abhay Jajoo: ajajoo@gsbalum.uchicago.edu: Bumbling selectors who are too involved in politics with no accountability. Well they did get the squad for world cup right though. Quite frankly, I doubt India will make it to the super 6 round. They are too messed up and are not playing as a unit. Pakistan has clearly exposed our weaknesses. Whether we learn from it or not, it is up to us. Past experience suggests that would not happen. Typical 'Chalta hai - Chalne do'. It really stinks.

Vijay Dabre: vijmar@hotmail.com: I never expected Wadekar, Madan Lal, Ashok Malhotra, and Shivlal Yadav to continue the tradition of beihg joker.

Anantharam Subramanian: anantharam.subramanian@indsys.ge.com: As Jimmy Amarnath commented a decade ago truely the selectors are a bunch of jokers.

Pravin Morais: pravin@worldnet.att.net: The selectors have time and again done the same inexplicable mistakes, which the final results of the game have always exposed. Well i beleive we need to have the right people in the right place, so that we can think and act right.

kiran patel: chetkira@msn.com: My suggestion is to get rid of the most stupidest selection commeetie in the world. Let the captain of the team determine who should be in the team. captainshall be selected based on the local tournaments.

jay: jayadeep_k@hotmail.com: Firstly...let me bring to light, the optimism that turned sour and died out ages ago in most(if not all) of us Indian students in the US. We staunchly detest the Indian team for their degraded atrocious performance over the last few months/years. The amount of hate towards the team is growing exponentially and it unsurprisingly enough translates to our confidence in the "Great Indian Selectors". For one thing I admire the Indian team...no other team in the whole wide cricket playing planet is half as much as consistent as ours...albeit losing a match, eventually. It is commendable how a team can consistently keep losing matches... it clearly exhibits what most of the big industrialists in the US believe..."Indians are teriffic individuals, left to their own; but as a team they suck". As far as the World cup squad and the Sharjah squad is concerned... Do we actually give a damn???!...after a bunch of jokers have time and again, proven to 970 million and of course others outside India - "its all a matter of the margin of defeat"..."its by how much we lose that matters". Thanks a ton for letting me(us) express our sentiments.

Adheet Gaddamanugu: agaddama@osf1.gmu.edu: I agree that Mohanty should be in the squad to Sharjah & not Sunil Joshi. But I dont understand why Kambli's inclusion is surprising. The writer says that Ramesh has replaced Sachin. But that is only as an opener. Ramesh is already in the world cup squad. For Sharjah, if one batsmen (Sachin) from the world cup squad is out, isn't it logical that another batsmen not in the world cup squad has to come in.

Seeth: seetrk@yahoo.com: Not Playing Mohanty in Sharjah is a comedy. What else can we expect from what Mohinder once described as the "Bunch of Jokers" ??

Uday Nayak: uday.nayak-eds@eds.com: It looks like selectors don't have perception building world class team. Inclusuion of Kambli & Sunil Joshi for Sharja makes no sense.

PJ: prince21st@yahoo.com: Loosers

Puneet Pahuja: pupahuja@hotmail.com: I think the old saying ..."The Selectors are a bunch of Jokers" is very accurate. These guys have to be held more accountable. This trying out of people should have been done 6 months ago and currently they should have been playing all these tournaments with the World Cup Squad. But..ALAS...we lesser mortals are not supposed to understand their thinking... Anyway...I don't think this team has it in them to win anything. So let them go thru' this futile exercise..Except for Tendu..nobody has it in them to play these FAST BOWLERS....No GUTS..No Glory. Ciao.

Raj Ven: vthiyagarajan@hotmail.com: I really bagan to accept the fact that Ganesh told "The selectors didn't play much cricket in their time". If Mohanty is to picked for the final 15 for the world cup, why is he not going to sharjah. I can positively bet on one thing, say if Kambli or Sunil shines on the sharjah cup in one match either making 50 runs or getting 3 wickets then the selectors wound send another letter to the organisers of the world cup saying they like to make one more change. If selectors keep doing the shuffling of players, almost all the grounds in India might be banned for Bottling. One thing is crystal to the world that the Selectors are dominant in the Indian Cricket than the Players, Captain or the Coach. Its not easy for a spectator to say let forget this series and hope for the best in the next seris. What makes real stupidity is the fact the selectors said they will test the 19 and pick the 15. But a guy untested Mohanty and couldn't make it to sharjah makes it to WorldCup. Despite a good performance by Sukkla by bowling 10 overs what made the selectors to choose a guy who again is totally out of international cricket to be sent to 15. I am definitely not against any player, but when the selectors make nosense, its a really agony to the viewers all over the world.

Tapas: tappy0814@hotmail.com: As usual, the the Indian cricket 'Managers' have behaved more like 'Damagers', damaging the opportunity for the world cup team to really get their gears oiled and move in unison. Haven't we all got used to that?

Anoop: anoop@assyst.net: Ridiculous Vinoo Pauls: vinoopauls@rediffmail.com: The team has picked itself!!!! All the best to the team

Ashwin: : The squad to Sharjah sounds reasonable. A spinner is more effective than a pace bowler in Sharjah, and Mohanty's inclusion would not make sense. As it is, the core of the team to play in the world cup will be there. Kambli's inclusion is questionable but if they needed to get an extra batsman to replace Tendulkar there is not much choice.

Hiren Sampat: hirensampat@hotmail.com: Some times it makes us think, but now i have stopped thinking about it, just be a passive spectator and wait for the fiasco...

Vinay: vcawast@hotmail.com: The Selectors must be Crazy!!

Vishal Mehta: dmgala@aol.com: Better late then never

Shiven Ruparel: shiven_ruparel@hotmail.com: The vagaries & whims of our selectors is at show once again. There is really no reason for Mohanty to be excluded from the squad, despite him making it to the final 15!! Sunil JOshi!!1 now what on earth is that man going to do in Sharjah? His already droopy shoulders cannot be expected to get a lift knowing that his ticket is booked for karnataka and not for Kent! Khurasiya is promising and his inclusion ahead of Kambli is about the only selectorial whim that can be accounted for. Kambli's lack of fitness and match practice were clearly at fore in the Pepsi tournament... but i guess winning the world cup is a different phenomenon in itself.. like Henry Ford once said, 'whether u think u can win it or not, u r always right!'.. and i think we should concentrate more on the frame of mind of the players... ganguly, tendulkar, dravid, srinath, are all positive thinkers....the newcomers agarkar, chopra , khurasiya will be eager to show their skills and willl certainly not lack the fluids... prasad and at time mongia r the only weak links of our team... something shd definitely b done to help them display a better body language..

Mahesh: mahesh_bala@hotmail.com: Someone needs to bring up a public intererst litigation against the BCCI and selectors and make them more accountable for their decisions.

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