My tryst with the cricketing GOD.

What could have been an occasion to celebrate on November 15th? Well, nothing as i can remember. But November 15th, 2009 is indeed an occasion to celebrate for the cricketing fraternity, at least. That day when one of the nation's favorite son would have played 20 years of cricket at the highest level one being as dominant as always. 20 years and still counting. At 35, he stands tall and imperious forming the pillar of Indian cricket, scoring humongous amount of runs, making the cricketing world smile with his batting prowess and still being humble as ever. If Google is a habit for many, so is Sachin for the cricketing world. Cricketers in India are like demigods but Sachin stands apart GOD like.

Barring his young flamboyant batting style which has considerably mellowed down, nothing much has changed in the 20 years. People expect the best from Sachin whenever he enters the field; the crowd chants his name when he bowls his arm over and still cheers when the ball goes to him where ever he fields. When Sachin enters the field, he represents every soul in the country. There was a sense of connect when he took his guard, scored his runs, scalped the opposition and executed run outs. As Peter Roebuck rightly said "Sachin is public property and India's proudest possession".

His innings have formed an imprint of sorts in our minds. Whether its his amazing knock as an opener against New Zealand when he changed the perception of opening batting forever, the 1996 world cup innings, the emotional knock when he scored a century and looked up to the heaven's for a while against Kenya immediately after his father's demise in the middle of the world cup, the magnificent 98 against Pakistan in the 2003 world cup, the hero cup win when he bowled the final over in front of the 90,000 crowd at Kolkata, his googly to Moin Khan which changed the course of the match, the back to back centuries at Sharjah in 1998, his match winning knock against England in Chennai after the 26/11 terror attacks or the recent 175 at Hyderabad against Australia. The list goes on. Some of my best Sachin innings were during the India-Australia test series in 1998 when the whole Sachin-Warne dual began followed by a match winning knock in the finals at Sharjah when he hit the straight six off Michael Kasperowicz and another one dancing down the track off Shane Warne straight over the top and the 60 odd runs against Australia at Mumbai in 2001 in the first innings. Personally, my favourite Sachin knock would be the 136 that he scored against Pakistan with excruciating back spasm. India lost the match, Sachin was in tears and so was the entire nation i would believe. I was for sure.



Like most sports fanatics I’ve idolized cricketers and alike and have dreamt of rubbing shoulders with the best in the business. Sachin Tendulkar was obviously on top of my list. Having followed him closely for as long as i can remember, my liking towards the game grew twofold when i saw more of him. One of my best moments was during the opening ceremony at the inaugural season of IPL 2008. All the captains from the eight franchises were called upon to sign the spirit of cricket agreement. As the captain of Mumbai Indians, Sachin was the last to be called upon to sign. The 30,000 crowd at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore went berserk, standing in unison, chanting Sachin's name for over two minutes. The atmosphere was magical; I had goose-pimples all over as i stood up in awe and respect for the greatest cricketer to have ever played.

My first encounter with the great man was during the Indian team’s conditioning camp in 2003-04 in Bangalore. Desperately wanting to be part of the camp in any capacity, despite me knowing there wasn't any chance, I'd bunk college and take off to Chinnaswamy stadium to take a glimpse of all the stars, get their autographs, get a picture in their company and if lucky manage to grab some stardust! It was during one of these loitering days at the stadium did i stumble upon the local manager and decided to vent out my desire to be part of the camp. I remember pleading him and promised him that i wasn't like most people who just came for a photograph and that i really wanted to learn something. I think he saw that passion in me and asked me to come over the next day in cricket whites. My joy knew no bounds as i spent the entire night dreaming about myself standing alongside the legends of the game, asking them questions on the game and so on. I had reasons to feel delighted for these are unfulfilled desires for many. And the rest as they say is history as i spent the next three weeks with the Indian cricket team assisting as a wicket-keeper keeping wickets to the Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Sachin Tendulkar and many others.

While i had a lot of moments that I can cherish, the one i can vividly remember was when Sachin Tendulkar asked me to keep wickets off his bowling after recovering from a shoulder injury. That was when the great man caught me on the wrong foot when i misread a googly for a leg spin delivery. In short, the ball went one way while I went the other way! Sachin offered me a tricksy smile indicative of his mastery over the game which I wholeheartedly accepted. It was just great. As any young cricketer would wish I would handle Sachin's bats when he walked in to the field from the dressing room and vice-versa. Holding those bats had made me quite popular as the crowd gathered inside the stadium would try and get a picture with me! I also remember giving him throw downs as he knocked relentlessly. His work ethic was remarkable as I watched him from close quarters. Few days passed by and little did I know I would be getting Sachin's batting gloves signed "Best Wishes". It was a gift from GOD. The next day I would present him an audio cassette comprising of the best Kishore Kumar collection and I remember him putting it inside his handbag. It wouldn't have mattered to him probably, but it was a small token of appreciation from me - a one among the billions of fans who idolized him.

Many talk about Sachin's elephantine like memory. For he remembers every moment, every knock of his and I can recall an incident which I was part off which was quite embarrassing. Two years later when the Australian team was in India for a five match ODI series. I would manage to sneak through the gates in my cricketing whites to assist the Australian team if I got lucky. I did get lucky as I kept wickets at their practice session. It was then when i bumped into Sachin. I met Javagal Srinath, whom i also knew as a friend in the dressing room. I was greedy to get more of Sachin. I asked Srinath if I could get a bat from Sachin if possible. Sachin would tell Srinath later - "isko mein pichle baar mera gloves diya tha" (meaning I had given him my gloves last time). I was shocked!! That he had remembered giving his gloves to me when we met two years back was beyond my imagination. Trust me its no exaggeration.





No doubt even the greatest of sportsmen haven't been spared of criticisms. Sachin is no exception. Despite the obstacles, shouldering over billions of expectations, trying to give his best every time is in itself a remarkable feat. Yet, as he exceeds all expectations, the world over has an insatiable appetite when it comes to Sachin Tendulkar. Everyone wants more of the little master. His work ethic is something which stands out even to this day making him what he is. For me, it couldn't have been any better as I thoroughly enjoyed watching and spending every moment I could with a man whom the whole world adored.

Wishing him the very best and hope he continues to enthrall and create magic time and again, for one never gets tired of him. A true legend, indeed.

Thank you, Sachin Tendulkar!

The Dressing Room

Cricketers in India are demi-gods. We worship them when they do well on the field and burn effigies when they fail to perform. For the world outside the perception about our cricketers is different – that cricketers are stars and sometimes arrogant. At times it seems justified for very few are privy to their lives inside the dressing room or their behavior outside the field.

I've been a sports fan and more so a cricket fanatic for long. Having grown up idolizing these stars it was a dream to meet them at some point in time. I've been lucky to have witnessed the cricketers, few of them and observe their personalities to an extent. It was in September 2004 when I had a first hand experience in terms of the effort each player instills in his game. The Indian team had their conditioning camp at the K.S.C.A, Bangalore where I had the privilege to assist the team as a wicket-keeper.

Keeping wickets to Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh and few others was phenomenal. John Wright the coach then watched the players from behind the nets along with keeper Parthiv Patel beside him. Sairaj Bahatule, the Mumbai leg spinner bowled one down the leg and I had collected the ball well when I heard John Wright saying “good job” mate and explaining my movement down the leg side to Parthiv Patel. The next couple of deliveries I had goosebumps literally. I remember Sachin Tendulkar having recovered from a shoulder injury and tried his hand at bowling. During one of his deliveries Sachin had bowled a googly which I failed to read and went the wrong way while the ball went in the other direction and Sachin gestured with a smile indicating how I was foxed. The 3 weeks I spent with the players was remarkable.

Almost four years later I had an opportunity to experience something similar. This time around it wasn't with my white dress and keeping gloves, but trying to learn the nuances of my new job or part of it I must say, sitting in the dressing room alongside the players. It was a Duleep trophy game between South and Central zone having great players and prospects like Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, L.Balaji, Badrinath, Piyush Chawla, Kaif, Dinesh Karthik to name a few. To be sitting in there and not get distracted by their presence is impossible. Looking at them speak, conduct themselves, prepare for the game, their food during breaks was fantastic. The starry nature of theirs isn't visible for they are completely natural in the dressing room atmosphere in comparison to facing thousands of autograph seekers outside.

As I sat with my colleague trying to learn some new stuff, right next to us was Venkatesh Prasad speaking about banks and a whole lot of things happening around before he departed. Rahul Dravid who failed to create any impact was alone, not much of interaction, laying his hands at almost every newspaper and discussing a murder case that appeared on the first page with Robin Uthappa. Chief selector and Sehwag of the 80's Krish Srikanth was in his own inimitable style talking aloud and smoking. South Zone were struggling at 81/5 when Dinesh Karthik went out to bat. In the current scenario even a double century by Karthik would be hard to earn him a recall to the test and ODI side and moreso since Dhoni is at his peak. As he walked down to the field, Srikanth shouted at him in tamil saying " dai machaa... Jolly aa valaaadu" (meaning enjoy your game).

The best of the lot of was VVS Laxman. That Laxman is humble, friendly and liked by everyone was a testimonial to what I observed. Laxman, Kumble and Srikanth spoke a bit of every language (tamil, telugu, hindi,english). Srikanth mentioned that the role of a selector was a thankless job along with wicket-keeping and umpiring. He went on to say that the selector could only pick any one of the 3 best contenders for any slot and dropping the other 2 was a sin. The aftermath, the “gaaliyan”(abuse) that a selector receives on dropping players was the worst part.

Dravid eventually joined the three and burst into a laughter when Srikanth mentioned that his “expert analyst” role with one of the news channel was the best as he would sit in his lawn with his “dhoti” and answer few questions from the studio. They spoke about the Satyam scam, recession, stock exchange losses, investments and real estate. On the field Dinesh Karthik did just what Srikanth told him, to enjoy the game, as he resurrected the south zone innings with a fine 152 of 112 deliveries. The whole team stood up and applauded as he showed his bat towards the dressing room. Laxman on hearing the noise sat beside coming fresh from a nap and ordered some tea enquiring about Karthik's knock.

John Wright in his book “Indian summers” mentions Laxman was pivotal in forming a bridge between the old and the younger lot. He was spot on. The way he carries himself is wonderful. Simple, no nonsense, approachable and most importantly liked by all. The general chat revolved around Laxman as he chatted in with Dinesh Karthik, enquiring Balaji about his home in Chennai, Badrinath and few others. Piyush Chawla later came in saying “Laxman bhai I couldn't bowl well as i lacked practice with the Kookabura ball” as part of the new experiment. Post match, Laxman would get Sreeshanth to analyse his bowling and the plan for Day 2 relishing with a plate of Rava Idly.

Personally having had an opportunity to watch these greats from close quarters was fascinating and a day well spent, I'd say.

Cricket's not just Mumbai....

Mumbai and cricket are probably like the fish in water. They are quite inseparable. A place with impeccable cricketing pedigree. The talent that crops up from this part of the nation is noteworthy for it has produced many a gem time and again. Be it Vijay Hazare, Polly Umrigar, Sunil Gavaskar, Dileep Vengsarkar or Sachin Tendulkar. All of them, connoisseurs of the game who brought joy to millions of cricket fans around the globe.

For long cricketers from Mumbai have had an edge over their counterparts from other parts of the country. Samir Dighe, Paras Mambhrey, Ajit Agarkar, Wasim Jaffer had limited talent and ended up representing the country for a substantial period of time with not much impact on the national scene. While Agarkar and Jaffer have had their share of success, in hindsight their performances have hardly been consistent given the opportunities they've had.

Indian cricket is witnessing the transition of a team formed by individuals that made the country's national team a potent force to reckon with. A team game no doubt which produced players of such great repute worthy of emulation. It is almost the end of an era. Kumble and Ganguly have moved on. Sooner or later the remaining part of the "Fab4" will leave on their own terms. The void is massive and to fill it up is difficult but not impossible.

While the selectors grapple to find suitable replacements for the future, the obvious question is who next? Rohit Sharma, Badrinath, M.Vijay, Suresh Raina, Mohammad Kaif, Yuvraj Singh instantly come to mind, a mixture of youngsters and the tried and tested lot. The talent is available, but it is imperative to fill the slots with the right players. Rohit Sharma, Badrinath, Yuvraj Singh have been knocking on the doors for quite a while now. And it only makes sense for the selectors to pick the most suitable player irrespective of any bias whatsoever.

Dravid not being amongst the runs is a cause for concern, for the last two years have been forgettable for “THE WALL”. While it is premature to even think of a replacement for Dravid, the topic was subject to discussion in the recently concluded test series against Australia. Former players, however have been quite one sided in their views.

While Ian Chappell felt M.Vijay could be drafted in to the middle order considering his impressive temperament in the Nagpur test, Ravi Shastri's constant mention of Rohit Sharma was notable throughout. So much so that Ian Chappell retorted back to Shastri if his preference was due to the fact that the southpaw hailed from his state Mumbai. In an another interview to a television channel Sunil Gavaskar was heard overrating Rohit during a discussion on who was best suited to replace Dravid if his form deteriorated further.

Rohit Sharma no doubt is a great talent, a natural strokemaker, already displaying traits of a seasoned batsman. His drives of the backfoot are elegant as he stands tall, dispatching the fast bowlers with poise.

Indian cricket is not just about Mumbai, Bangalore or Delhi and former players need to be non-biased in their opinions. While there is no harm in pointing out an individual who stands out, it is imperative on their part to mention other players in the reckoning and discuss about the areas of improvement. And to do that they ought to have an understanding of the performances in the domestic circuit.

Afterall a word of praise or two from the 'legends' can only make a world of good for the players and the game even more competitive.

Setting the Benchmark - The Aussie way

Australia's rise in world cricket over the years doesn't come as much of a surprise considering the kind of effort that has gone into developing the game. From investing in the grassroots to creating the right environment for cricketer's to hone their skills to managing the players', the results are apparent. A great team effort marked by the presence of shrewd individuals comprising of former players in the administrative ranks in concoction with a team of spirited athlete's on field testifies their dominance. In short there has been a great deal of emphasis laid on creating an effective work ethic that has helped them succeed.

Every administration has it's share of failures and cricket Australia is no different. There is little doubt their system has been infallible. However what sets them apart from the rest is their attitude towards the game as a whole - Execution of plans with a clear vision and their ability to learn from mistakes.

The recent incident involving Andrew Symonds after being sent back home in the event of missing out on a team meeting (who went out fishing instead) indicates the level of commitment expected by an individual regardless of one's position within the team. Symonds whose commitment to the game has been found wanting had left the Australian management in a rage. The aftermath was quite evident when cricket Australia with the leadership group decided to castigate Symonds leaving the all-rounder to ponder over his future.

Michael Clarke, a close friend of Symonds, along with coach Tim Neilsen and captian Ricky Ponting who as part of the leadership group decided it was time to take a call and that Symonds had to get his priorities right. There were no half measures in invoking the decision. Michael Clarke's statement later summed up the entire issue on how coveted a position it is to be part of the team. A clear demarcation between personal and professional relationships.

Clarke on quote said "It's so hard to play for this team. In my opinion we are the greatest sporting team in the world, and we have standards. They may be higher than other teams, but if you don't fulfil those standards, unfortunately, you're not going to be a part of our squad... The main concern for us as a leadership group and a team is commitment to the team. That isn't just about on the field - that's off the field, that's attitude. There are a number of things we believe he wasn't fulfilling."

Symonds might have had his own share of issues with the board, the infamous racial incident with Harbhajan Singh being the most prominent. While the punishment may sound harsh , cricket Australia's support to athlete's in distress deserves to be applauded. Afterall the Aussies are know to set high standards for themselves.

There are few who believe the issue is too trivial. However this isn't the first of its kind. Ricky Ponting earlier in his career was given a mouthing after his behaviour off the field wasn't going to help his cause if he was to be considered for the Australian captaincy after Steve Waugh's retirement. Shane Warne, who many believed was the best in the business to take over the reigns never had the honour of captaining his country, eventually losing out on the vice-captaincy to Adam Gilchrist owing to his constant misdemeanours.

There are a lot of lessons cricketing bodies specially the Indian (BCCI) and Pakistan Board's (PCB) can learn, who under their ranks have players under severe scrutiny on and off-field. Be it the slapgate incident involving Harbhajan Singh, Shoaib Akhtar & Sreesanth's antics or Mohammad Asif who seems to be reeling under the shadow of his disgraced bowling counterpart. Make no mistake - For these athlete's to emerge successful despite their struggles is a commendable feat. However there is little doubt that early success in sport or in any other walk of life can alter an individual's psyche.

Word's of encouragement goes a long way in motivating an athlete. Rather than leaving the player in a lurch, the Australian board in saying the player is welcome into the team at a later stage has done just that. Be it providing Symonds with ample support or Shaun Tait's recuperation after mental and physical exhaustion.The player's need to be made aware of their importance within the team and that nothing can be taken for granted, for there are player's waiting in the wings for over 10 years just to get a look-in. Ask Michael Hussey, Misbah-Ul-Haq or S.Badrinath and they would nod their heads in unison.

Every individual evolves with his own set of qualities and ideologies. And there are very few who despite constant success and adulation continue to remain grounded. A handful of players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Adam Gilchrist, Kumar Sangakara and Steve Waugh are worthy of a mention. The board's need to realise that they have an obligation towards educating players rather than avoid embarassment at a later stage.

There's more to it than just educating a player. Respecting the player is of paramount importance that is seldom the case in India. There's little doubt cricket in India rides high on emotions. Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid instantly come to mind, having been omitted from the one-day squad in preference to the youngesters.

Ganguly, despite his high handedness and undoubtedly one of the most successful captians in Indian cricket definitely brought in a different prespective to the game exhibiting a great sense of passion and was instrumental in nurturing the youngsters. Rahul Dravid on the other hand, quite reticent in contrast to Ganguly, epitomized an individual with great discipline and grit. The least the board can do is to provide them with an opportunity to have a graceful exit, for their contribution towards the game has been impeccable. The BCCI in the recent past had to be alarmed when it was oblivious in honouring Anil Kumble's feat of 600 Test wickets. The list is endless and the discussions could go on and on.

The Australian board in complete contrast surely knows how to treat its heroes. To say Steve Waugh's contribution to the game has been remarkable would be an understatement. With all due respect, cricket Australia provided him with a mandate to end his eventful career while still on top of his game giving him an opportunity to sign-off the game in his own way at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in 2004. On similar lines Tim Nielsen, the Australian coach when asked about a replacement for Matthew Hayden for the next worldcup iterated - "We really do think it's important to respect senior players' ideas of how they'd like to go out, as long as they're still performing and contributing to the group."

Clearly the Australian's have set the benchmark. If only the rest of the cricketing world could emulate from them, the game would be a lot better.

Thank you Abhinav Bindra

"If better is possible,good is not enough!"

The month of August holds a greater significance in India's history.Though there isn't one in comparison to August 15, we probably have a lesser but yet significant date in August 11 that is worth a marking on our calendar's and memories.That day when Abhinav Bhindra created history by winning the first ever individual gold that's been eluding for years.

For long we've been witness to cricketing wins uniting the nation in every possible aspect.The scene was no different after Bindra's riveting performance in China.From TV channels flashing with breaking news throughout the day, mail forwards, to "You've made us proud" sms'es exchanged, Bindra's win at Beijing was ubiquitous and rightly so.The aftermath of the effect was palpable.There is little doubt, sport once again proved to be the binding factor.

Lets face it.At a time when everyone hoped for a better performance than Athens 2004 with a touch of optimism from a select few, Bindra's feat is nothing short of a sporting spectacle considering the fact that we have a dearth of Olympic heroes.A concoction of self-belief, effective work ethic and perseverance that eventually paid off, the hallmark of a winner.To be witnessing Bindra stand on the podium with the National Anthem at the backdrop was so overwhelming.A poignant moment in our sporting history hard to describe.

Thanks to Bindra, for once a country of over a billion has an Olympic hero to brag about.Such is the irony indicative of the state of affairs when it comes to Olympic sports in India.The victory is an apt response to all the cynics who believed in the games not able to create an impact with the masses.Bindra's triumph at Beijing could just be the catalyst that was much needed.Will it inspire younger athletes? Hopefully,Yes.But to expect the same out of the sponsors would be premature given the fact that there is very little exposure of such athletes in comparison to cricket.

While the euphoria will continue to reside, there are valuable lessons to be learnt from the games.With hardly any assistance from the government it is a fine example of an individual succeeding with an effective support system (an Olympic standard shooting range in house) in the family, a far cry in Indian sports.

While it is necessary to savour the victory it is also about taking positives from the Olympics.Despite the losses the Indian contingent has put up some inspirational performances in the form of debutant's Saina Nehwal,Jitender Kumar,Anup Sridhar and few others progressing through.The experience at the Beijing Olympics for the youngsters is invaluable and is certain to hold them in good stead in the future.With age on their side these athletes are sure to make a mark at the world stage sooner.

"Be the change you want to see" - We've had a plethora of discussions and ideas to improve the state of sports but at the end of the day it boils down to execution which depends on the mindset of people running the show.It is time the government and the sporting bodies pull up their socks, got rid of the unprofessional set up that looms large and invest in creating an effective system.It is imperative to realise the kind of talent available within the country, back deserving athletes to the core and nurture them into being future Olympians.It is time to let go the ego and learn from countries like China and Australia and instill a strong sporting culture in terms of setting up academies on par with best in the world, offer athletes with sponsorships to train abroad and develop better infrastructure.

The rise of the Indian Railways, a case study in management circles is a fine example indicative of the advantages in forging a public-private partnership provided it is carried out with a vision.The federations can take cue from the success story of the Railways.A conjunction with the best sports management groups like the IMG could be a postive step in initiating change.

Lets be optimistic and hope victories such as these catapult into more such sporting wins in future.Only time will tell if history will repeat or if its going to be a flash in the pan.But for now its time to bask in the glory of an momentous occasion we've never been privileged to be a part of.

Thanks Abhinav..

Wicket-keepers are like office boys

The article was written by G.Rajaraman during the Indian Cricket Team's conditioning camp in Bangalore,2004.I was an assist wicket-keeper for 3 weeks and am proud to have kept wickets to Anil Kumble,Harbhajan Singh and all the bowlers in Indian Cricket.

Fans of Indian cricket may or may not get to hear about K Karthik but he is not likely to forget the National team’s training camp in Bangalore this month in a hurry. I have known him for long enough to be aware that he will cherish his collection of memorablia that he picked up for helping the team at the nets as a wicket-keeper.

The seventh-semester student of engineering has already collected a sweat-shirt from Yuvraj Singh, a cricket ball that Harbhajan Singh bowled with, a pair of batting gloves from Sanjay Bangar besides a pat on the back from God, as he calls Sachin Tendulkar, and a word of recognition from coach John Wright.

But more than any of this, he will treasure memories of his stumping Virender Sehwag at the nets - twice in one session. Karthik is well aware that Sehwag has been stumped but once each in one-day internationals and Tests - both times against the West Indies by Ridley Jacobs off Carl Hooper.

There are many like him who take great pride in simply being of some help to the Indian cricketers at the camp, themselves picking up a bit of stardust along the way. But, in Delhi, a long way away from Indian probables’ camp, I bumped into Vijay Dahiya who has been introspecting on what went wrong for him to be out of favour.

To begin with, it was not his fault that he went out of the side after playing two Tests against Zimbabwe in November 2000 and the last of his 19 one-day internationals in April 2001. He now knows he did not have a great time in the last domestic season, having got just 282 runs in first-class cricket when Karnataka’s VS Thilak Naidu scored 817 and accounted for 39 victims to get into national reckoning.

He has promised himself that he will play for Delhi with a renewed resolve in the new season that beckons the first-class cricketers. Then again, he is aware that the wicket-keepers have not exactly been treated with kid gloves. Nayan Mongia, MSK Prasad, Sameer Dighe, Deep Dasgupta, Ajay Ratra and he have all been in the revolving door.

I remember asking selector, former India wicket-keeper Kiran More on the sidelines of the Irani Trophy match between Railways and Rest of India in Delhi a year ago if he had talked to Ratra after the Haryana lad was cold-shouldered even for that game -and More didn’t even have a contact number for Ratra.

Hopefully things will have changed. More was himself in charge of a wicket-keepers’ camp at the National Cricket Academy from June 16 to 21 last. As many as 11 stumpers were chosen for special attention in what was a step in the direction of grooming youngsters for one of the most thankless jobs on the cricket field.

Yet, by all accounts, Naidu and even Ratra, not to speak of the rest, now seem resigned to watching young Parthiv Patel keep wickets in Tests and Rahul Dravid continue in the limited-over version. If you went by what captain Sourav Ganguly said at the end of the training camp, Dravid would perforce continue to figure in the team’s scheme of things as the stumper since none of the wicket-keeper-batsmen seems capable of displacing the extra specialist batsman from the one-day XI.

In choosing Patel as the only wicket-keeper in the India A squad which toured England recently, the selectors advertised the fact that the Gujarat youngster would be an overwhelming favourite for the Tests. Despite such opportunities, it does seem that his batting has not quite matched the quality of his work behind the bails.

For all that, the most important words came from coach John Wright who gave us a state of fitness report on Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Ashish Nehra, having already clarified that Harbhajan Singh could bowl without a problem but had been kept away from the Challengers since the selectors wanted to play him first in a first-class tie.

Wright, of course, did not say much about the fortunes awaiting specialist wicket-keepers this season. Which takes us back to Ray Robinson’s theory of the stumpers being like office-boys - everyone knows that they are there but they are relegated to the penumbra until they make a mistake when the spotlight is turned on them.

K Karthik, an unabashed fan of Mongia’s work behind the stumps, does not have to worry. He has just come back to reality after spending the past few days in the company of the country’s best cricketers. His reward may not be an India cap but he is pretty contented with the stardust that he picked up at the camp.

By G Rajaraman