On a more serious note, this is why we need a Badrinath. Someone to weather out a storm, I don't see a Yuvraj, Rohit, or pfft, Yusuf Pathan doing this. Why don't the selectors learn?
BADRI!
hell ye! I'd have him in the team ... his calm contributions were the reason why the Chennai Super Kings did so well ... and he is no slouch when it comes to changing gears and going BIG ...
the Indians
the Indians are clearly building a young team -- based around the successful T20 side -- to win the 2011 World Cup in their own backyard ... but youths are impetuous -- I know, I'm one of 'em -- and time for 'buckling down' can be easily dismissed as "boring" ... so, when they're on form, they're very, very good; but when they're out of it, they are horrid ...
the story today
Viru and Rohit both played poor shots to get out ... but the Indore pitch is a lot more malicious than any normal Indian track, and is playing a big part ... unlike the two wickets mentioned earlier, Suresh Raina couldn't really be blamed for his dismissal; it came out of the sweetspot of his bat, but the ball's speed (and I suppose trajectory) was visibly altered by a crumbly pitch ...
Yuvraj needs to build his innings ... and he's not looking too bad so far ... if he comes through with a big score today, I'd wager he'll be picked as Dada's replacement ... Gambhir, as a test player and a batsman in form, is
the Pathans
as for Yusuf Pathan: I'd have Irfan in the Indian team ahead of him any day of the week ... and I bet Irfan could comfortably hurl down a few Ajantha Mendis-style off-cutters and leg-cutters (if what the team needs is variation, and not another left-arm seamer) ...