Sports India

The possibilities of Bhaichung Bhutia joining the India camp for the Asian Cup qualifier tie against Saudi Arabia, are looking grim.

With the India camp set to commence in Kolkata on August 4, there are no signs of coach Bob Houghton deciding to call the ace striker to attend the camp as the ex-skipper hasn’t been named in the list of 34 probables announced by the AIFF.

The AIFF general secretary, Mr Alberto Colaco informed that there are no plans of recalling Bhutia for the Asian Cup qualifiers camp. “The final decision on Bhutia’s selection will rest with the coach as the AIFF is not in a position to decide on this matter,” Mr Colaco added. “Houghton needs to be consulted before bringing any change in the list of campers,” he mentioned.

It may be recalled that Bhutia skipped the Vancouver camp held in Goa in June and since then has expressed his desire to retire from international football although the AIFF president, Mr P R Dasmunshi, despite having exempted the ace striker from playing in Canada, did request Bhutia to postpone his retirement decision till the Asian Games in December.

Mr Colaco clarified that the present list of footballers called to attend the Kolkata camp has been prepared by Houghton, who chose to exclude Bhutia. The AIFF secretary, however, maintained that he was still unaware whether Bhutia is willing to join the camp. Interestingly, the probables’ list for the Asian cup tie has accommodated veteran midfielder Jo Paul Ancheri, who has not been playing regularly for the past two seasons. His sudden inclusion has raised a few eyebrows but sources in Kolkata disclosed that there were chances that some member from the technical committee might have influenced the coach to have a look at Ancheri.

Meanwhile, the AIFF is likely to chalk out a policy decision very shortly on recruiting players of Indian origin to strengthen the national teams. The decision would be taken in line with the FIFA guidelines and the law of the land.

The second half of the season will be an eagerly awaited challenge as it marks the return of the Asian Tour stars that have proved their mettle during the mid-year break.

While many were enjoying the summer break with family and friends, a handful of Asian Tour stalwarts have kept a busy schedule in Japan, Europe and United States.

Among the players that took home a bag of experience was Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant who had an inspirational run when he finished in the top half of the table at The Open Championship on Sunday. India’s Jeev Milkha Singh walked tall with a top-ten finish at the UBS Japan Golf Tour Championship in July as Thai sensation Thongchai Jaidee was ranked joint 12th at the Barclays Scottish Open.

“Although I played well this week, I don’t think I will return for the Dunhill Links Championship later this year as it will be too cold for me to handle. I would prefer to stay in Asia and play a handful in Europe,” said Thaworn.

Singh’s strong performance has not only kept his momentum going throughout the off season period but also helped reinforce his stature as one of the best in the region. His top-ten performance in Japan was backed by a superb showing in Ireland when he claimed fourth spot at the Smurfit European Open.

The Asian Tour young guns were also in the thick of the fray with India’s latest star Shiv Kapur and Aussie duo of Andrew Buckle and Jarrod Lyle making their debut appearance at the British Open.

It was an adventurous break for Buckle who competed in his first ever major. Buckle, who is ranked third on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit, had to make a last minute dash to compete at Royal Liverpool Golf Club as he replaced South African Trevor Immelman. On the other side of the world, Buckle had previously chalked up a third place finish at the Peek n’ Peak Classic in New York.

“I definitely will come back to Asia for the Barclays Singapore Open (in September) and if I play well in the US, I might even come back early to Asia to play in a few more,” said Buckle.

Asian Tour’s Zhang Lian-wei and Liang Wen-chong will also create history in United States when they compete at The International at Castle Pines Golf Club in Colorado. It will be the first time two Chinese players will be in the field for a US PGA Tour event.

The excitement on the Asian Tour will continue with the staging of the Crowne Plaza Open, Brunei Open and Johor Open as the first three events lined-up for the second half of the season.

And with the quality performance displayed by the Asian Tour players on the international stage the past weeks, it merely reflects what is in store in the coming months when they tee off once again in search for glory in Asia.

Playing at his happy hunting ground, Japan Tour, Jeev Milkha Singh ovecame a poor start and didn’t allow the occasional hiccups derail his campaign to finish tied 30th with an opening round card of one-under 70 in the 120 million yen Omaezaki Golf Tournament here on Thursday.

The highest ranked Indian golfer shunned extravaganza and played sedate golf, mixing a birdie quintet and a bogey treble in his round at the par-71 Shizuoka Country Hamaoka Course.

Jeev began on an ominous note, bogeying the very first hole but picked up a shot on the fourth before another bogey on the very next hole undid the good work. Jeev soon responded, picking up another shot on the sixth and parred the next three to complete his halfway journey without any damage.

On his back nine, the Indian slotted a birdie on the 10th but was held back again with a dropped shot on the 13th. The UBS Asian Tour Order of Merit leader then parred the next four holes and signed off with a birdie to round off his modest outing.

Soushi Tajima reeled off five birdies over the last six holes in his scintillating round of six-under 65 to grab the lead with the trio of Sushi Ishigaki, Yutaka Horinouchi and Paul Sheehan breathing down his neck just one shot adrift.

It all seemed so symbolic—-a silver chariot as a memento; over the years Madras Club has provided many chariots to youngsters to ride on their skills and reach their destination. One among them was sitting as a chief guest in their annual function at the Ferozeshah Kotla —-that very place where selectors first ignored his talent, until a messiah in Satish Sharma noticed, and Madras Club provided the platform.

If the world knows Virender Sehwag and his exploits with the bat today, it is because Satish Sharma urged him to join his club and promised justice to his talent, when he was disconsolate with failure. That was 1995; unfortunately Sharma didn’t live long to see 2006 and Sehwag’s rise in a decade

And for all myths attached with the Indian vice-captain, he hasn’t forgotten the path traveled. “What I am today is all because of Sharmaji and this club,” he said recalling “I wasn’t selected for Delhi under-19 team and then I joined his club. Frankly, I haven’t failed from that moment onwards and have achieved everything what I aspired for. I cannot forget their contribution. I am willing to help then in whatever they (Madras Club) need.”

Viru was not merely mincing words; and to surprise everyone he arrived half-an hour before the 5pm annual function and stealing a wink through the packed speeches of DDCA, Sehwag distributed the prizes and spared time to interact with players.

Expressing happiness over the fitness of Sachin Tendulkar ahead of the tri series in Sri Lanka, Captain Rahul Dravid said that he would be looking forward for a good cricketing season. “I’m very happy” was the one-liner Dravid said when asked about his reaction on Sachin’s fitness and inclusion in the tri-series involving South Africa.
Tendulkar, who missed the entire West Indies tour and the series with England following a shoulder surgery, was declared fit to play the tri-series to be held from August 14 to 29. He comes into the team after a gap of nearly four months.
Dravid, who was here on an endorsement photo opportunity, did not entertain questions on cricket saying that “this is not the right forum.” However, the captain said that he would be looking forward for an interesting tour in South Africa and the conditioning camp would begin today at Bangalore.
“We hope to do well in the island,” he said and refused to take any further questions on cricket. When asked how comfortable he felt while endorsing products, Dravid who is the brand ambassador of quite a few companies said, “It would be good. As you get to know people and build relations.”
Dravid, who posed to a battery of cameras while launching a new range of Samsung products in the city, said that he was comfortable during product promotional events.

Sachin Tendulkar appeared bright and fresh, alighting from the lift, striding down to the hotel lobby, flashing a smile here, signing an autograph there, and then drifting into the conference hall. Greatness sits lightly on the man whose radiant eyes carry everything with them — joy, pain and even a hint of mischief. Now his vision, sweeping across the room, was picking out familiar faces from among those who had swarmed around him.

The event in Chennai was no more than a routine introduction of a product’s brand ambassador to the media. Yet, given Tendulkar’s aura, it was not surprising that the cameras whirred, the flashbulbs came to life, and the scribes crammed the area.

Soon the questions began to fly. One of them, revolving around individuals in a team game, forced Tendulkar to cross his eyebrows before he gathered himself. “It is the team that is more important. It is India that should win. I am an Indian first,” his voice boomed.

Those were difficult days for Tendulkar. A cyst on his right shoulder had kept him out of the ODI series in the West Indies. He was racing against time to regain fitness for the Test series. And a visit to the MRF Pace Foundation formed a part of his rehabilitation programme.

Subsequently, he opted out of the Test series against Brian Lara’s men, but Tendulkar the Team-man would be flying out to Sri Lanka for the tri-nation ODI series, beginning on August 14.

Injuries have disrupted his batting rhythm in the last two years, but he still inspires, and to a side that is an amalgam of youth and experience, is a guiding light. He is someone who can lift the side’s morale during times of adversity, both in the dressing room and on the arena.

The blue Indian headgear with its golden crest is the driving force as he pursues glory for the side, his integrity gleaming like headlights on an unlit highway. Wrapped around his considerable natural ability is the kind of commitment and discipline that creates men who are timeless. And shining through is the sort of single-mindedness that can slice through roadblocks, melt down obstacles.

It’s the fire within that has fuelled Tendulkar’s quest towards greatness and beyond. In several senses, his journey has been a rage for perfection.

To the youngsters in Team India, he is a mentor and a role model who instils self-belief. On the eve of the ODI in Karachi this year, Tendulkar gifted his willow to the talented Suresh Raina during the nets, a laudable gesture from a legend to an aspirant.

Yuvraj Singh would tell you about the surge in his confidence levels when he, on his first day with the Indian team, secured a seat next to Tendulkar. “It was like sitting with a cricketing God. I cannot forget the moment,” he said.

In a career of miles and milestones, there are more destinations to be reached for Tendulkar. In the highway of international cricket, many have fallen off the track and never got back on the road again. The secret of Tendulkar’s survival is that he has always discerned motes of light amid darkness.

And even more remarkable than his three-figure exploits is the fact that he has shouldered the expectations of a nation for 17 years. The enormous pressure to perform can weigh down on a person, but Tendulkar has seen it as a motivating factor, not burden.

Crucially, he takes the load off Dravid, both on and off the field. Tendulkar, in what he describes as his evolution as a batsman, might have changed his approach in Tests to a less flamboyant one — he has principally cut out the aerial shots — but is still a gloriously aggressive batsman in the ODIs, his blistering efforts against the Sri Lankan and Pakistani attacks underlining his quality.

Argues elegant Sri Lankan batsman Marvan Atapattu: “He has changed, but if someone tells me this much will be your change from age 16 till now, I will say `thank you very much’ and accept it. He is such a wonderful player. At home, when my wife grumbles about me watching cricket, invariably Sachin would be batting. As age progresses and the pressures increase, one’s approach will change.”

Against probing pace attacks on surfaces that assist seam movement or in conditions that encourage swing, Tendulkar and Dravid are technically the best equipped to cope. Tendulkar’s temporary dip in form does not indicate a decline in quality. The whispers about his reflexes dulling out are without basis. As India physio John Gloster points out, “He is still only 33. He is still an explosive athlete.”

The drying up of his runs in Tests against Pakistan and England had more to do with him picking up a tendency to shuffle across, a flaw he seems to have corrected during practice sessions thereafter, batting with ramrod straightness.

Chappell realises Tendulkar’s influential qualities, so do his team-mates; skipper Dravid is a great admirer of his ways. Here is a phenomenon, who has constructed lasting monuments with a delightful mix of sunshine and steel, undaunted by adversity and unfazed by either reputations or situations.
Technically impeccable for most part, and temperamentally hard to break, Tendulkar has been a formidable barrier for the bowlers of all kind, engaging the sphere in captivating conversations. He picks the length of a delivery earlier than most, and with footwork that is precise, is perfectly balanced for the appropriate response.

Psychologically, Tendulkar’s presence is a huge boost to the side’s morale. He has been in the rarefied zone before, could so easily take flight again in the field of dreams. The opposition is wary of this champion cricketer. In fact, it fears him.

Given his experience and his comprehension of the game’s nuances, Tendulkar’s views are constantly sought by the side. Though not a part of the team-management that comprises Dravid, Chappell and vice-captain Virender Sehwag, Tendulkar is rarely left out on matters of team selection and the formulation of strategy.

The move to elevate Irfan Pathan to the No. 3 spot in the Nagpur ODI against Sri Lanka last year was his idea. A brilliant ploy, it actually triggered the wave of innovation and flexibility, orchestrated by Chappell and Dravid, that dominated India’s cricket in the one-dayers.

He has a heart larger than his small frame. Tendulkar has endured much pain for the country, from the moment he, then a 16-year-old, was struck on his face in the Sialkot Test. He was bleeding but refused to leave the arena.

“He has courage and vision. And he still has the eye of the tiger. You do not judge the impact of a player of Tendulkar’s ability from only the runs he makes.” says Chappell.

India has a busy and an extended season ahead that would culminate with the World Cup. While the ODI competition in Colombo could set the tone — the season-beginning competitions have their own significance — India faces major challenges in the Champions Trophy, the tour of South Africa where the wickets could be sprinkled with venom and in the ultimate competition — the World Cup.

Astonishingly for a cricketer who has been around for so long, he still gambols on the park with the enthusiasm of a schoolboy, his eyes lighting up each time he bounds in with the ball. Says Gloster, “There are times when I have to hold him back during training, rather than push him. He is a professional in every aspect of the word. In terms of commitment and dedication, it’s always been nothing less than 100 per cent from him. He has come back from a very difficult shoulder surgery. He has been around for 17 years and I think his body has coped with the demands extremely well. He didn’t miss a match for a long time, which I feel is remarkable. It’s only natural that he too grapples with injuries now, which is natural with any sportsman who has been around for so long.”

To the journalists, he is a man for whom `word’ is everything. He once spoke to The Hindu when his Mumbai team-mates did the packing for him; Tendulkar was in a hurry to catch a flight. On another occasion, he shared his thoughts with Sportstar from the back of an aircraft, unmindful of a bumpy journey on a day of cloudy skies. More recently, when this correspondent was down with a viral fever, he received a call on his mobile from a concerned Tendulkar who wanted to keep his interview promise. He then spoke from his heart.

Even while pursuing cricketing eternity, Tendulkar has his eyes open to the wonders on a much larger canvas. Stories of the triumph of the spirit never cease to amaze him. He has kept his feet on the ground. India does appear a different team, when he buzzes around. This diamond is firmly silhouetted in the Indian Blue.

India got some more medals from the World Championships in Croatia, and this time, it’s the men who have won a silver in the team event in trap.

The individual events are going on at present while Rajyavardhan Rathore double trap event is later this week.

India’s silver medal winning team in men’s trap consists of Manavjit Singh, Mansher Singh and Answar Sultan. The medal on Thursday takes India’s tally to five.

The only individual winner in the senior category with his gold in the air rifle event was Abhinav Bindra.

As a schoolboy, he did harbour dreams of succeeding in cricket as a fast bowler. No wonder then that many of his victims have perished fending. Only, he was scalping them now as a spinner.

Anil Kumble. Enigmatic, charming, lethal, persevering, honest, inspiring, aesthetic, graceful… many things have been said by many people about Kumble the world over. And now emerges the crowning glory from Sachin Tendulkar, his long-time team-mate and admirer.

The master was precise in his description of the affable leg-spinner, who once nearly gave up the sport in pursuit of engineering, “He is a great bowler, who doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone anymore. He is the greatest bowler India has produced.”

The greatest Indian bowler, says one of the greatest batsmen to have graced the game. “Kumble has got 500 Test wickets, which is incredible, and look at his grit and determination. He can fit into any side.” Once again, Tendulkar was succinct.

Comparisons, we know, can be odious. Tendulkar or Sunil Gavaskar? Kapil Dev or Ian Botham? “Please don’t compare,” pleads Chandu Borde, the forceful batsman of yesteryear and former chairman of National selectors. “Kumble is unique. I won’t compare him with Subhash (Gupte). They were different in many ways,” asserts Borde.

For that matter, Kumble cannot be compared with B. S. Chandrasekhar either. Both were unconventional in that they produced unsettling pace and were continued to be called as spinners. But they were different.

Kumble did at one point confess that he was motivated by Chandra but there was not much interaction between the two. Of course, there were scattered sessions when Chandra would have taught a trick or two, but then such occasions were rare. “I just told him general things,” Chandra would say.

The development in Kumble’s bowling came from his intense desire to succeed. “His improvement was amazing. I liked the way he prepared himself for the difficult situations and generally gave the impression that he was willing to shoulder the responsibility,” observes Kapil, who held the Indian record for the highest number of Test victims until the genial leg-spinner decided to inscribe his name there.

Kumble was said to be very limited in his range. True, very predictable. But it is also true that the same man developed into a trusted match-winner, carrying the team forward with his versatile stuff, his repertoire causing problems to the best of international batsmen. Bowling has never been a strain for this wonderfully gifted cricketer, who derives the greatest joy of life only when holding the ball and planning his `kill’. Wicket-taking is an art that assumes a sublime form in Kumble’s devotion to become an all-time great match-winner.

He has always had a good perspective of things. “I know my limitations. It is always better to know how far you can go and how much you can achieve with your talent,” says Kumble. And he was quick to learn the nuances of accuracy in international cricket.

Stifle the batsman, give him no room to play shots and wait patiently for him to commit an error. Kumble’s philosophy has remained so simple. But it requires monumental dedication and this is one area that he can proudly claim to be his strong point.

Kapil was a bowler for all seasons. His best wickets came overseas in exacting conditions. The famed Indian spin quartet was known to benefit from amiable pitches, but Kapil, and later Kumble, needed no such favours. They charted their own way to success, relying on their art to set the batsman up.

Kumble has always carried out his own research to understand the skills of leg-spin. The variations that decorate his bowling today have been developed over a number of years. He confides he is yet to harness the regular flipper, but unerringly produces that magical googly that he has come to master.

Kumble has to be rated the greatest Indian bowler for the sheer number of matches he has won and the volume of success achieved by motivating his partners at the other end. “What is a Harbhajan Singh without Anil Kumble?” This comes from Harbhajan himself.

Bowlers in the last 15 years have enjoyed the company of Kumble. “He bowls and we get the wickets,” quips Murali Kartik, who reveres Kumble for his modesty. From Venkatapathy Raju, Rajesh Chauhan, Narendra Hirwani to the likes of Amit Mishra and Piyush Chawla, the Kumble Fan Club has only swelled.

Kumble’s bowling technique may not appeal to those who love flamboyance on the field, but there is a definite method to his effective and pleasant style where value is attached to victories. Like Kapil, the modest Kumble too has had to often explore alone, but then he has displayed perfect harmony when taking on the opposition in the company of partners with lesser abilities.

Never the one to court controversy, Kumble once came close to enacting a villainous deed. Frustrated at not being able to make an impact during an Irani Cup contest at the Wankhede Stadium, he could not resist from appealing when batsman Jatin Paranjpe played defensively, and not seeing a fielder in sight, picked up the ball and tossed it back to the bowler. “Are you sure?” asked the umpire when Kumble appealed for `handling the ball.’ Kumble continued even more vociferously and the umpire had no option but to give Paranjpe out. But the sportsman in Kumble revolted and he withdrew the appeal in time. Paranjpe returned, so did sanity and Kumble escaped a blot that would have been indelible. A close witness to this incident was Sanjay Manjrekar, who today, does not shy away from naming Kumble as a great role model.

It is hard to imagine that a person so equable and a bowler so cultured would leave a trail of destruction with batsmen hopping and squirming in pain. On helpful tracks, more when the bounce is not predictable, Kumble is known to go berserk. Many a time Tendulkar and Dravid have silently thanked their stars that they happen to be on the same side as Kumble. The ball hitting the gloves and taking off menacingly is a hallmark of Kumble’s bowling. And he is known to make the most of such assistance from the pitch. Look at his tally — 533 Test victims.

“It is a severe test to face him in the `nets’ because he just does not relent,” admits V. V. S. Laxman, who also takes his batting seriously. It is this intensity that sets Kumble apart. We all know how committed and disciplined he has been in his service to the team, but very little is known about the hours he spends in practice.

At the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, locals have known this diligent student of the game to bowl hours and hours with young and inquisitive cricketers for company. These are Kumble’s experiments with his cricketing truth. “I keep testing myself because if I lower my guard it hurts the team,” he stresses. His selfless pursuit to serve the team’s cause is exemplary indeed. Wrong notions have never disturbed his concentration in the most distressing of times.

It is a tribute to Kumble’s abilities that, at 35, he holds a special place in an environment that promotes fast bowlers. The quick bowlers, in turn, would do extremely well to borrow the consistency with which the legendary leg-spinner, who just refuses to fade, operates. The National selectors have not been able to recognise his value to the side in the shorter version of the game, but Kumble has accepted their policy most graciously. In fact, he has self-admittedly gained immensely because such ill-treatment only steels his determination to silence his critics.

A bowler who is reputed to win Test matches single-handedly has been excluded from the one-day team for reasons that can only be termed appalling. But then Indian cricket has never learnt to honour its heroes and the case of Kumble only confirms this jarring aspect of the success story scripted by Rahul Dravid’s team in the last one year.

A shoulder injury kept Kumble out of the game for more than a year but he did not lose his focus. “It is this focus that stands out in his bowling. I marvel at his desire to go on and on,” gushes Tendulkar. There were times when Kumble was dropped from the playing XI, but he never complained, even though he wept silently, shattered by the humiliation. That he has not given the public a window to peep into his wounds speaks for the man’s character.

Indian cricket has known a variety of leg-spinners, some who excelled — Chandra, Gupte and Hirwani — and some who were deprived — Narasimha Rao and Rakesh Shukla — but none comes close to achieving the grade of success that Kumble enjoys: 533 wickets in Tests, 329 in ODIs and 1005 thus far in first class cricket.

Sometimes statistics do portray a sportsman’s career. The canvas becomes colossal when the artist happens to be Kumble. His conquests have been recorded all around the world and as Tendulkar insists, they grow in esteem when you realise that Kumble has been exceptionally brilliant when bowling overseas.

It is indeed Indian cricket’s fortune that a bowler like Kumble has given his best for 16 years now, relentlessly plotting victories, the playing conditions becoming a secondary factor. One has not known Kumble to fret and lose sleep over the state of the pitch. He has confidence in his art and nothing else matters once he grips the ball to unfold his skills, mysterious for the batsmen but soothingly comfortable for his captain.

With respect to performers in Indian cricket in various eras, the fact remains that Kumble stands tall on the sheer strength of his feats. The honour of being hailed as the greatest Indian bowler belongs to him right now.

But it is his journey towards emerging the greatest Indian cricketer that shall engage our attention as Kumble enters the most exciting phase of his career.

As of now, no date can be set for Kumble’s glorious departure from the game. Such is the spirit of this indefatigable match-winner, who holds his place firmly with his unique brand of spin bowling.

The Indians need to rediscover winning ways in the Colombo tri-nation ODI series. The Men in Blue stumbled in the Caribbean. They need to get their act together before the next trip to the West Indies, for World Cup 2007.

The focus has to be on putting together the best possible team for the premier ODI competition. The process of identifying the right cricketers should be done in right earnest. The selectors and the team management need to approach the task with wisdom and foresight.

The comeback of the 29-year-old Dinesh Mongia in the India squad for the competition in Sri Lanka, from August 14 to 29, has to be seen in this context. Are the selectors looking ahead?

Mongia’s form with Leicestershire and his often useful left-arm spin bowling were major factors in his selection, according to selection panel chief Kiran More.

Yet, by dropping promising opener Robin Uthappa, the selectors might have sent the wrong message to emerging cricketers. In the chances that have come his way, Uthappa has done his cause no harm. Sadly, the selectors might have dented the confidence of a young cricketer.

It would have made sense to pick Uthappa, particularly since Sachin Tendulkar is returning from a shoulder surgery. Uthappa could have been a cover for Tendulkar, given the fact that the opening slot is neither the right one nor a long-term option for skipper Rahul Dravid.

The side lacks a genuine left-arm spinner, and Mongia’s bowling, despite improvement, might not measure up to the team’s needs. In any case, Yuvraj Singh, an automatic choice in the XI, can always chip in with a few overs of left-arm spin in times of need. However, recalling Anil Kumble would have been an infinitely better solution, if indeed, the selectors desired a spinner who can turn the ball away from the right-hander. Kumble, without question, is India’s premier bowler, pace or spin.

The sheer intensity of his bowling, his mastery over the fundamentals, and the ability to bring in subtle changes, enable him to create the kind of pressure the Indian bowlers failed to build during the 4-1 drubbing in the ODI series in the Caribbean. Even on those occasions when he does not strike, Kumble can put the batsmen under considerable stress with his persistence, enabling the others to make inroads.

Kumble and Harbhajan, considering that the pitches in the Caribbean have slowed down apart from having an element of double pace, can combine effectively in the World Cup. Harbhajan is a lesser bowler without Kumble; despite a creditable economy rate of 3.91, the off-spinner scalped just three batsmen in five games in the West Indies.

On the odd occasion Kumble tends to stray down the leg-side. But he is someone who can operate with great precision, too. His age, 35, should not be held against this influential cricketer. If not the quickest on his feet, Kumble remains a safe fielder. The champion leg-spinner has to be included soon. The ideal ODI sides have been a blend of experience and youth.

The Indian pacemen do need to regroup after the pounding they received in the Caribbean. Irfan Pathan, whose economy rate was an unsatisfactory 5.59, clearly struggled. According to the legendary Dennis Lillee and former India paceman T. A. Sekar, who have spent considerable time with Pathan at the MRF Pace Foundation, the bowler has to re-work his action. In the West Indies, Pathan’s bowling arm came from behind his right ear. The rotation of his arm before release thus could not be straight and this affected his direction, speed and control.

Since the Indian game-plan often revolves around Pathan’s early strikes, it is absolutely vital that the bowler gets his technique corrected. S. Sreesanth (economy rate 5.47) and Munaf Patel (5.80) too proved expensive in the Caribbean, while left-armer Rudra Pratap Singh has suffered a form slump.

At least in the ODIs — the pacemen showed some improvement in the Test series — the Indian pace attack was found wanting. It is here that Zaheer Khan comes into the picture. He is a senior paceman who knows a thing or two about handling tough situations, and his experience could prove valuable for India in the days ahead. The left-armer’s speed might have dropped, but he remains a compelling seam bowler, who, at this stage of his career, can be more effective in the shorter version of the game.

Zaheer, among the wickets for Gloucestershire, has been overlooked. R. P. Singh will have to consider himself fortunate to have received the nod. Importantly, India requires bowlers at the `Death’ who can achieve reverse swing.

Team India’s batting is its stronger flank. However, the pacing of its innings in the Caribbean came in for criticism. The Indian batting worked in fits and starts. While flexibility in the batting order can often surprise the opponent, India needs to provide its top batsmen consistent spots so that their role definitions are clear and they get into the groove mentally. At the moment, there is far too much reliance on the likes of M. S. Dhoni for quick runs. The Indians need to work the ball around more and sharpen their running between the wickets. The Indian fielding was vibrant in Pakistan and in the home ODI series. In the West Indies, there was a marked decline in standards. It is fielding that often forces mistakes from the batsmen.

Sri Lanka will be hard to beat, while South Africa, even without a few of its key players, could prove competitive. The spinners should call the shots in the day/night games at the Premadasa Stadium, a Lankan bastion. The day matches on the often lively Sinhalese Sports Club pitch could see the pacemen making their presence felt.

Finally, there is the Sourav Ganguly question. The former India captain, picking up the pieces in English county cricket, is going through a testing phase. Yet, it would be premature to rule out his chances. Come to think of it, he is a far more influential cricketer than a utility man like Mongia.

Corey Pavin set a PGA Tour record for nine holes on his way to a blistering nine-under-par 61 in the first round of the Milwaukee Open in Wisconsin on Thursday.

The 46-year-old American covered the front nine at the Brown Deer Park Golf Course in eight-under 26, breaking the previous low by a stroke.

Compatriots Mike Souchak (in 1955), Andy North (1975), Billy Mayfair (2001) and Robert Gamez (2004) had jointly shared the old record.

Souchak’s effort was eight under and North’s seven under while Mayfair and Gamez both produced nine-under scores.

Former U.S. Open champion Pavin birdied the first six holes at Brown Deer Park.

He picked up further shots at the eighth and ninth to cap a sizzling outward nine.

A 14-times winner on the PGA Tour whose last victory came at the 1996 Colonial tournament, Pavin collected only one birdie after the turn, at the par-four 16th, to set the tournament pace.

India’s Arjun Atwal was alone in second place after firing a seven-birdie 64 with Americans Skip Kendall and Cameron Beckman a further stroke back in a share of third.

South Korea’s K.J. Choi opened with 67 while Australia’s Nick O’Hern returned a 71.

Left-hander O’Hern, the world number 28, is the highest-ranked player in the field with most of the game’s biggest names taking a break after last week’s British Open.

American Ben Crane, who completed a wire-to-wire victory by two shots at Brown Deer Park last year, was among the late starters.

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles)