Selectors ask seniors to 'perform or perish'
Posted on Sep 11, 2008 at 10:45 | Updated Sep 12, 2008 at 08:56
13 Comments
Email 
Print
Mumbai: After sending a very strong signal by omitting former skipper Sourav Ganguly from the ‘virtual Test’ side for the Irani Trophy match against Ranji Trophy champions Delhi, the Indian selectors said they were not too keen to make drastic changes during the forthcoming home series against Australia.
"I think the seniors have got our message of ‘perform or perish’ very clearly after we left out Sourav Ganguly from the Rest of India team," one of the selectors, who did not want to be named, told Cricketnext.com on Thursday.
"At the same time, we cannot take chances by making too many changes in the Indian Test team as we are playing the world champions and we need to give the remaining seniors a fair chance," he added.
"Players like Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman and Kumble cannot be replaced overnight. We need to first spot youngsters who can fill in their shoes and then make gradual changes. We had to send a strong message that nobody can take his place for granted and only consistent performances count," the selector, who will help pick the team before his tenure ends on September 27, added.
Insisting that the seniors will not be replaced during the next two home series against Australia and England unless they perform very badly, the selector said that it would be risky to try out too many youngsters at this point of time.
"No team can have ready made replacements for the seniors, who have set a very high standard. We have a few promising youngsters like S Badrinath, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina but there is no guarantee that they can deliver the goods against a team like Australia. Whatever changes have to be made from now on, have to be gradual and we just cannot afford to rush things," the selector said.
"We would like to give the seniors a decent run of six Tests (four against the Aussies and two against England) on home soil and see how they sustain both physically and performance wise and then let the new selection panel decide the next course of action," he added.
"Moreover, our first concern is to get the balance of the team right after our batting failed miserably but our bowling looked penetrative in the Test series in Sri Lanka. And too much of chopping and changing will only add to the confusion. So, at the moment we have no intention of making sweeping changes to the team," the selector pointed out.
The team for the first Test match against the visiting Australians is expected to be picked during or after the Irani Trophy match scheduled to be held at Baroda from September 24 to 28.
| Ads by Google |
Total Comments: 13
Read All Comments | Post Comment
Posted By Anand
Selectors should treat to everyone in the team on same parameter.There should be fix planning to replace our fabulas five
Read Comment
Posted By crickethits.com
Shouldn\''t the same thing be asked from \"juniors\" too?..
Read Comment
Posted By Sri Ram
Why is that we always talk about dropping Sourav or Dravid. Can\''t Vengsarkar think of dropping Sachin, if he is
Read Comment
Posted By Sudhakar.M
Selectors should have considered that just one series could not be the yardstick for fabulous four to judge their current
Read Comment
Posted By saif
here we go againnn...India simply worships their stars who ironicially plays for record, rather for country. Anybody can score 100s
Read Comment