India experimented with 11 opening pairs in 2006 but that process doesn't seem
to be over quite as yet.
With Sourav Ganguly, Gautam Gambhir and Robin
Uthappa each striking form against the West Indies, the Indian selectors
will have some serious thinking to do about the opening slot.
It also puts Virender Sehwag under considerable pressure. Not only is
the 28-year-old currently out of the national squad, he is still looking for
his magic touch on the domestic circuit.
Virender Sehwag lead Delhi A against Delhi B during a tryout
match for the Ranji one dayers. The former Indian vice captain made a sedate
but confident 49 as Delhi A successfully chased a target of 182.
Unlike his opening slot in Team India, Sehwag chose to come
in at No 3, for the match.
Tough competition
He has made a total of 155 runs in the two matches he has played
since being dropped from the national side that includes a knock of 106 runs
in a previous Ranji match against Haryana.
However, that knock didn't help his cause nor has the fact
that Robin Uthappa, Gautam Gambhir and Sourav Ganguly have all scored
runs in the opening slot in the ongoing series against West Indies.
That has meant more pressure on the Delhi captain which led
to some unpleasant exchanges between the media and the DDCA on Monday.
It was the first of the three ODIs for selection to Delhi Ranji
team. Quite naturally, all eyes were on Virender Sehwag who is trying to find
form in domestic cricket.
However, DDCA made all efforts to keep the Nawab of Najafgarh
away from media and public eye.
For Sehwag though, it’s the selectors eye that he is keen
to catch. If he is not picked for the first two one dayers against Sri Lanka,
the opener has just two Ranji ODIs to prove his form before the list of World
Cup probables is cut down to the final 15.
However, the 28-year-old should not give up hope and take heart
from the example of his former captain Sourav Ganguly who returned to the side
after 15 months of domestic cricket.
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