Debate over Ishant as Sehwag, Yuvraj set to return

[rameshxavier]

After a long time the national selection committee will have their hands full as they sit to pick the ODI squad for the home series against Australia on Thursday.

And it isn't just a coincidence that this day of dilemma has come following the end of India's long winning streak in one-dayers.

In wake of the ICC Champions Trophy debacle earlier this month, chopping and changing is on the cards as India look to pull their socks to face the all-conquering Aussies.

The big decision facing the committee revolves around Rahul Dravid, the 36-year-old who was recalled after a two year hiatus from the ODI squad to be part of the middle-order in wake of the 'Gen Next' batsmen's struggle against short balls on lively tracks. His scores of 14, 47, 39, 76 and 4 after his comeback don't quite make him the obvious fall guy.

But with Virender Sehwag's shoulder healed and Yuvraj Singh too said to be fit, it remains to be seen if Dravid retains his place in the side.

If the batting line-up will see a lively debate among the selectors, the same is true for the bowling department and the all-rounders' spot.

During India's forgettable ICC Champions Trophy campaign, the Indian skipper MS Dhoni has repeatedly insisted that the pacers were found wanting and he also minced no words when he pointed at the lack of quality of the all-rounders at his disposal.

With Sehwag not travelling to South Africa and Yuvraj injured before the first game in ICC Champions Trophy, Dhoni didn't have his usual part-time spinners to share the bowling burden. And that meant, India desperately missed the bits-and-pieces player.

All-rounder Yusuf Pathan's inconsistency and Dhoni's lack of confidence in Abhishek Nayar's pace bowling meant India struggled in the all-important middle-overs after the frontline bowlers didn't create pressure at the start of the innings.

Going by the recent impressive show of several pacers in the Irani and Challenger events, the national selectors will have several options as they scrutinise India's new-ball fiasco during the ICC Champions Trophy.

Munaf Patel's bagful of wickets in the two domestic contests will make him an automatic choice as the selectors mull over RP Singh and Ishant Sharma.

Munaf for RP Singh is almost a certainty while Sharma's place in the side will be the second hot topic, after Dravid, to be discussed at the meeting.

In case Sharma is sent back to the domestic circuit to rediscover himself, S Sreesanth, Sudip Tyagi and even Ajit Agarkar too can get a call to the national side.

Considering the ambiguity over the pacers and the all-rounder, the national selectors might be tempted to increase the spin spots in the team. And that would mean Pragyan Ojha joining Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra in the team.

When it comes to the decision over the all-rounder, Yusuf is likely to join his brother Irfan on the fringe. Nayar too is an iffy but he can get leeway considering that he has just batted and bowled once despite being on three away tours.

Pushing for a place in the side is Ravindra Jadeja after his fine show in the Challenger, with Rohit Sharma too being a dark horse considering that he can be a part-time spin option for Dhoni.