The choice of Rahul Dravid as opener for India's opening cricket Test against
Australia on Boxing Day next week is not cast in iron yet.
Apparently, a rethink is on within the Indian ranks if it would be wise to
put their trusted man in the middle order at the top of the ranks.
A few things have contributed to the rethink, the primary being
the options at number three in Dravid's absence and whether he is in best shape
to be given a role which nobody else in the middle order is keen to own.
Dravid, essentially a team-man, has gone on record that he
wouldn't hesitate from owning up any responsibility that comes his way for the
good of the team but he might not be faced with the difficult choice now.
Till the start of the three-day game against Victoria yesterday,
the thinking was to put Dravid at the top of the order and pitchfork VVS
Laxman at number three. These two were the best bats against Australia in
2003 and the opinion was to again put them at the forefront.
But both are unused to this position and Dravid is fighting his own demons,
inflicted on him after his ouster from one-dayers, a few technical cobwebs as
well as the new task of opening the innings.
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