The Indian World Cup squad

Ajay: adedhia@hotmail.com: We need Kapil Dev as one of the selectors. Also, the current selectors were world class players, true, but their age and era does not work the same now. we need miadad's, khan's, like legends to be selectors so we should have dev's and shashtri's like.

Piyush: piyushj@inf.com: I think the squad for the world cup is the best the selectors could have come up with under the circumstances. They have tried almost all players who were so called knocking the doors for national selection. But I am afraid to say hardly a few of the lot have shown the mettle and deserve to be selected. Personally I feel Robin Singh should have been axed given the fact that he is not even bowling half the overs of his alloted quota of 10. We need bowler allrounders and not batsman allrounders as Robin Singh is proving to be. The rest of the squad looks pretty good if only they can get their act together soon and be a force to reckon with in the WC.

gautham: garasa@123india.com: the selectors have the best possible from the lot they have. It looks good on the paper but as time adn again the cricketers themselves have proved its not enough if it looks good on the paper.WIll they come good in the game. Lets hope,pray and watch

Sanju John: cmannil@hotmail.com: World cup squad: Better as they dropped Kambli. Sharjah Cup: They are still experimenting.. Indian selectors will never stop experimenting. They never made sense.

Premjith: premjitha@hotmail.com: The world cup squad seems OK. But not including Mohanty in the Sharjah squad prooves the inability of the selectors yet again. Do they expect Mohanty to start playing in England straight away without playing any ODI in the near future. Very foolish indeed on the part of the selectors. But then, this is not new !!!

GANESH SOVANI: sovani@bom5.vsnl.net.in: Decision to drop Hrishikesh Kanitkar was absolutely unbelieve. He got a very raw deal in Pepsi Tri-angular tournament. He got just one game at Mohali. He is much reliable than the bits and pieces all-rounder Robin Singh ! Mohanty got chance due to quota system. Why hell, the selectors did not select him in first 19 probables. Actually, the ICC should have made some specific guidelines that the final 15 can be selected only from 19 announced earlier. It seems, that the selectors have just given up any hopes of winning the World Cup it is an indirect admission. Sunil Joshi could not find place in 19 probables, but he is there in Sharjah squad. It sounds ridicolous. It is regretful that the lobbying and quota system works, when the team is to be sent for the important tournament like World Cup ! Down with Selectors, who are pack of jokers and nothing else.

deepak gupta: deepakgupta@rediffmail.com: they have done a right job in selecting mohanty back in the team and done right thing for not taking him to sharjah for triangular tounament because sharjah pitches are all for batsmen & if he don't perform there it might lost his confidence . second I don't understand why they are giving so many chances to kambli because he is now useless.Instead of kambli the chance can be given to virendra sehvag as one match cann't say that he is a bad batsman . He has performed in Delhi and showed that he is capable to do anything .

PRASAD A R: PRASADRAJA@HOTMAIL.COM: I totally agree with Prem's view that the selectors are only making the matters worse for the indian cricket team.There is absolutely no sence it sending different team to sharjah with the world cup just round the corner. I feel that having the same team for the sharjah cup would only do a world of good for the indian cricket team.Again I am one of the millions of helpless indians who can only share the views on paper but harldy get to see them on the field. God save indian cricket.

vasu p: palani@rocketmail.com: Sure the selectors are a bunch of Clowns foolin around there... spending the people's money and making mockery of the whole system!

Aditya: aahuja8111@aol.com: I am surprised, Amay Khurasiya got a call ahead of Kanitkar. Also shocking is not sending the WC team to Sharjah, so as to mentally prepare them. And we all know they desperately need it!

saujesh: saujesh@hotmail.com: I think, my mind was there at time of picking up the team for both tournaments. The reason is, I appricate the speculation of including the mohanti due to his fantacy of swinging the ball on england's pitch. and second thing, there is no need to pick him for sharjah squad, the reason is he might no make any benifit for india on that pitch and so no frustration to him and even to selectors. but no need to take other two new guys in sharjah squad. But i think they wont get any birth in sharjah. we already have better players than these two. Lets see these gamut of board will do some new things or not. lets wait and see.

sankar: sankarnp@hotmail.com: The team looks good and selecting mr.Mohanty is a nice act. Also thye have selected the players who had performed recently

Siddarth Nayar: snayar@uci.edu: I think the selecters have done a good job picking the squad for the world cup; however I seriously doubt our abiltiy to win the world cup-- pakistan and south sfrica would be favorates by miles. Anyway this is thebest team the selectors could pick. About sharajah they should have retained the same squad, even sachin as you want them all to be tagether as a team--even if sachin doesn't play{neither will kambli for that matter} his being there gives the team more confidence ans build team spirit.

Sachin Tandon: tandon@123india.com: I think the team is a bit weak. Kambli should have been included, and so should have been another mainstrike bowler.

J. N. Banan: jnb@rediffmail.com: Your suggestions/comments are perfect. Since Kambli and Joshi have been not included in world cup squad, the question will not arise at all to add them in Sharjah squad.

A.P.PON ARUL: ponarul@md3.vsnl.net.in: The world cup squad is bound to come home with the world cup The sharjah squad is a bit incomplete without Sachin and Mohanty.Can Kambli and Joshi complete the incomplete squad.

Faran: farri@usa.net: The selectors have done wrong to include Kambli in the squad to Sharjah. In the first place,the shouldn't have dropped him from the World Cup squad. The decision to include Sunil Joshi in the Sharjah team is correct considering that the pitch over there offers help to the spinners.So,India would be better playing with three spinners.Over all,the world cup squad is quite good.

Amit: amitk@rediffmail.com: Retaining Ramesh & Amay despite their poor performance in the finals and selection of Mohanty is welcome but not taking the World Cup team to Sharjah is surprising. Are there any plans of further changes in the WC Team ???

Anuj Agarwal: conman1@mediaone.net: looks like a good squad for the world cup. but, you are right Prem, there is no justification to include Kambli in the Sharjah squad. If a player cannot be included in the final 15 after its been announced, then giving Kambli 'another' go at Sharjah only means that either the selectors are thinking that if someone gets injured now onwards and providing Kambli's performance improves, they have a chance to include him on that ground, or its the blessings of Mr. SRT along with Mr. VGK that have prompted the selectors pick him for the Sharjah cup! After all, in my opinion, the slot Kambli was trying to fit in or the slot the selectors wanted to try him for is already been filled by Amay Khurasia, both for Sharjah and the World cup. And I for one would wanna go with the latter for maturing up reserving him in the side for good. One cannot put any more 'weight' on Mr. Tendulkar's back for getting those quick runs and also getting them in sticky situations!! Last, my best wishes with the Indian Cricket team, first for Sharjah, believe in thyself and face Pakistan and England and then for the WC99

Eshwar: ked99@hotmail.com: Well,it is a good balanced side. But a few changes will be better.Kanithkar will be a better choice than Chopra. Any way they have picked the best squad. It has very good openers and fast bowlers but middle order still needs some changes.

Ashwin Kumar: rambo@vsnl.com: It doesn't make any sense in asking Srinath to go to Sharjah or for that matter even Kumble. They are our strike bowlers for the world cup and both of them have been playing competitive cricket since late January.Mohanty, now that he has been chosen for England,and irrespective of whether he is approved or not, must have been in the team for Sharjah.The selectors,as usual, made a fool of themselves this time too.

G. Ramkumar @ Singapore: g.ramkumar@usa.net: I strongly agree with the article. Instead of giving a chance for the players to work as a team and prepare for the more important worldcup, the selectors have given lollipops to crying children. It is quite surprising to note that Kambli has been included despite his dismal performance. Mohanty is a valid inclusion and should be given a chance to exercise his arm in Sharjah. =ramkumar=

Saurabh Mittal: saurabh_mittal@yahoo.com: Whatever be the squad, our teams chances are sorely dependant upon how Sachin plays since he is the only player who always gives his maximum on the field. Also, preference should have been given to allrounders. Shukla would therefore have an edge over Mohanty. On paper, we have a strong batting line-up but actually we have just few technically correct batsmen - Sachin, Ganguly, Azhar, Dravid and Jadeja. If we lose even two early wickets, we have lost 2 out of 5. The tailenders cannot be expected to contribute more in English conditions.

Ramesh Nair: rameshrajagopal@hotmail.com: Squad is not important, the players are not getting their proper order position and they are losing patiance, so we are falling down, the same picture we saw on pepsi cup, first thing is the bowler who comes to a body line attack i don't think, it would be a calibra of a bowler, like shohib akther, any way our team is compitant and hopes they can beat the world.

Chitta Baral: chitta@cs.utep.edu: The selectors are completely crazy. I am very happy that Mohanty is in the team. I remember Prem's impression of Mohanty during his first Toronto and Srilanka outing. Couldn't the selectors allow him some practice in international matches before the world cup.

Ramakrishnan: ramvkrish@hotmail.com: To me it seems to be a well balanced side,but then every Indian team leaving for an away series appears to be a well balanced one except they dont really click as a unit.

sree kumar.c: c_sree@hotmail.com: yes an inference, whatever a great player he may be once become a selector he loses his "common sense" to add how in this world they plan so worse....they should have taken whatever the world cup combination atlest 6 months before.... the question is how long will this "non-sense attitude" of the selectors last bruising the fitness and future of players and indian cricket by their money-minded(too..!) strategy... totally "non-sense and rubbish" i would epitomise we need a change players like kapil dev and his co. coming into selection committee.rediff can u show the way..?

Ajay Sundaram: svishwan@mtu.edu: I think we should have Kanitkar in the squad instead of Mohanty. Too many bowlers. And not too many allrounders.

Tarun Seam: tseam@doubled.com: On the eve of World Cup, India is a badly demoralized team, harshly shook up by its repeated failures on their own home grounds by an average but deternined Pakistanis. Tendulkar, and not a timid and lack-lustered Azhar, would have stood some chance of breathing some fire in these empty bellies. Win or lose, we, the fans of Indian cricket, want to see a cohesive and 'never-say-die" bunch lead by a fighter and a strategist. Will the brilliant Tendulkar show up? After that, there is not much there. I am ready to pass up this world cup.

Manjunatha Rao: msrao@mtu.edu: Sunil Joshi was my choice but he did not find a place.

Marx Rajangam: mrajanga@mtu.edu: Mani Rathnam should have been, with A R Rehman as the wicket keeper. We need some good direction of the team and also some excellent entertainment for the team's success!!

Sanjiv: srprithv@mtu.edu: Drop Prasad bring Kapil Dev, drop Agarkar bring Madan Lal, drop Robin Singh and get Mohinder... who knows, we may get that 1983 aura back!!

kamal: mussaira@hotmail.com: the team is quite balanced, although i think its a big gamble playing amay khurasia and not kambli. kambli may regain his touch and already has played there before. khurasia on the other hand is new and naive.

Vivek Bakshi: vivek_bakshi@hotmail.com: Omission of Kambli from the World Cup does not make sense - he has not had any big innings but surely - he doesn't look in a bad form and besides, his experience could also have helped what is nikhil chopra's role in the team? i doubt the english conditions will suit a lollipop bowler like him also, going by the form ramesh has displayed in the one-days - it looks like a gamble picking him anyway, i hope it pays off and the players proove me wrong!!

Swapnesh Banerjee: sbanerjee@hss.hns.com: I think we've now passed the stage where we expect rational decisions from our selectors. In this merry go round that currently goes by the name of selection the only loser is Indian cricket. Though people like me still nurture hopes even now, since we have been passionate followers for so long, I think even our patience is beginning feel the strain, and there may come a day in the near future, when someone tells me the score of an India match, and I will nonchalantly say = 'who cares?'

Srikanth Ramabhadran: sramabhadran@hotmail.com: First of all the time taken by the selectors to announce the team itself if so Late. It takes a lot of games to get the team chemistry going . Besides this the selectors have done a big mistake by dropping Mohanty for the sharjah cup. i feel world cup needs huge preparation and not only playing tournaments like sharjah will help. I think the present Indian cricket board is more interested in making money than bringing uop a world cup team. I think the selectors idea of dropping Mohanty for the Sharjah cup doesnt make sense.

Ramakrishna Sarabu: rsarabu@mtu.edu: We need only 11 players there. All others are being wasted.. instead get a psychiatrist, a a doctor from the film One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, a team secretary, a team coordinator, a coach, a trainer, a few girls and a mobile bar for entertainment..... that's what I call a purely professional approach!!!!!

Harjot Gandhi: gandhjo@yahoo.com: All the indian selectors should be made to stand in a line and then SHOT DEAD. They are the ones who have always made sure that our team does not win even a single title One totally hapless fan.

Ganesh: ganst@hotmail.com: What the heck the selectors are doing ? Are they still experimenting with the squad to find the right combination ? So far the experiments have resulted in 3 of our most painful defeats in recent history. Is a reservation system being followed do that every Indian will get a chance to play in the Indian cricket team ? It seems like that. Some unheralded guy comes out, get smacked all around and he is dropped . Lets pray to God that some time we will have some professional selectors who think beyond their regional boundaries. By seeing the Soth Africans, Australians, Pakistanis , even a diehard Indian fan like me can't envisage India getting into the Super six of WC99.

Rajit Rajaram: jitu29@hotmail.com: Stupid!Illogical, as most of the moves by our celebrated selectors are.

Indrajit Chakrabarty: indrajit@mri.ernet.in: The recent performance of the Indian team in the Bangalore finals only proves the fact the Indian team is far from being organised, dedicated and devoted to winning a game. The current world cup squad consists of people who are inexperienced and lack the proper exposure. Picking up a medium pacer like Mohanty, who has not played for quite a long time, shows the inability and ignorance of the present selection board. Instead of laying more stress on aspects like fielding, running between the wickets and bowling the correct line and length, the selectors expect too much from the players in tournaments.

Alkesh Shah: ashah1@luc.edu: I was just as surprised as everyone else at the inclusion of Kambl and Joshi and the non-inclusion of Mohanty. But in retrospect, and i really doubt the selctors could be this smart, I think that the inclusion of Kambli and non-inclusion of mohanty may be ok. This may sound weird at first, but if you think about it, this might actually be players that the selectors could turn to in case of injury to any players in the world cup squad - Kambli and Joshi that is. In case of Mohanty, it is unfortunate, but the truth is that, most likely, he will not be played in the final 11 , in any of the games. Srinath, Agrakar and Prasad are certain to play all or most of the games, and so Mohanty is pure backup. Besides playing the others before the world cup games, seems more important that giving match practicse to mohanty (especially after a poor outing in todays final) . mohanty can always get his warm up games in England, where the conditions will actually be like what he will have to get used to for the world cup.

Naveen Ballal: nballal@yahoo.com: The logic behing selection of Mohanty is simple enough.It is the Zonal quota at work again.Well, there had to be atleast 2 players from East zone in the squad.L.R.Shukla would have fitted the bill, but the 5 wise men thought otherwise and had to choose between Mohanty and Saba Karim.But why was Shukla in the squad of 19 then? The whole affair makes one wonder whether the selectors and the board itself are really serving the national cause or have vested interests in the decisions made.The World cup being the mother of all tournaments,only the best team available in the country should be chosen.But instead, we have players like Dodda Ganesh with 85 wickets in the Ranji season, being dropped because the Karnataka quota being full.Then we have players like Mohanty and Shukla in the squad because of the Dalmiya connection.Mind you, I doubt whether Mohanty will get a chance to play at all given Azhar's confidence in him. So, one place in the squad of 15 is wasted and the real strength of the team is only 14! It is a shame that we, ordinary Indians, who despair whenever the national team performs badly, cannot do anything about the dirty politics, which to the Selectors and the BCCI are above national pride and glory.WE can only hope that one fine day, things will change and the people in charge of running Cricket in this country realise that the whole nation is involved in the little decisions they make and that they are accountable to the public. One more curious aspect is the role of the Coach in the whole scheme of things.Whereas other teams have a specific role defined for the Coach, the Indian coach seems to have only one role- making grandiose statements before any match or offering lame excuses after losing a match.Things like motivating the players and strategy (which Bob Woolmer, Javed Miandad and even Steve Rixon have passionately pursued)etc taking a back seat.But then this can only be expected in a professional setup and not in BCCI's scheme of things where even the appointment of the coach is seen as an rotation affair with the zonal issue again playing a major role....



Asim Haque: asim_haque@hotmail.com: I think that the team going to play in the world cup got a chance of playing as a team and experimenting with all the combinations.

Rahul Bekal: rahul_bekal@hotmail.com: Hi ! I feel that the World Cup squad should have been retained to go to Sharjah too with the exception of Tendulkar who is injured. The five wise men of Indian cricket seem to come up with shockers everytime without fail.

Biman Ghoshal: bghoshal@pacbell.net: I dunno what A. Khurasia is doing in the final list. I would rather vote for Kambli, a good experienced bat wit the ability to take pressure and finish a game the go ahead. Kambli has not been given the "chances"... I think we need him, that guy has the guts and the talent.

manav agarwal: manav@mail.utexas.edu: Kambli should have been sent to England in place of Ramesh.

Anand: ramananand@hotmail.com: We will never even make it to the quarterfinals

Nagarajan Sainath: sainathn@hotmail.com: Trust our cricket babus to spring a few more surprises before summer! Anyone knows whats happended to all those players who have played BETWEEN the World Cups, but are forgotten at the threshold of this edition? Players who have donkeys years of international experience, but are out of favour only this season, and hence do not make it to England? My advice to budding cricks, "Brittania Khao, World Cup Jao". You stand a better chance !

Biman Ghoshal: bghoshal@pacbell.net: I dunno what A. Khurasia is doing in the final list. I would rather vote for Kambli, a good experienced bat with the ability to take pressure and finish a game. Kambli has not been given the "chances"... I think we need him, that guy has the guts and the talent.

That seems to say it all -- but you never know, perhaps you guys have more comments to make on a subject that seems to be endlessly fascinating. If you wish to comment further, use the link below. And thanks for the feedback, you guys are awesome!