The Five Bowler Theory

This Saturday, NDTV showed an interview with Rahul Dravid, the Indian Cricket captain. The interview was very interesting. It started with a question to Dravid - whether he wanted to be remembered as the captain who won India the Rare Test Series outside the sub-continent. That question pretty much sums up the mission that captain Dravid and coach Chappell have been running for the past few months. Dravid's answer was the diplomatic No as usual but it is quite clear that this has been one of him main objectives.

The most controversial issue doing rounds right now is the five bowlers theory that Dravid and Chappell have introduced. The obvious de-merit is that if the top order collapses, there is a good chance that we might end up scoring a very small total. That happened in Mumbai and we lost the Test. But I am personally for this 5-bowler-theory. The reason is this. If you play only four bowlers, you are essentially being defensive even before the match starts. If we want to WIN test matches -abroad or at home- we have to play five bowlers. Sure, that will weaken the batting a bit. But then, there is no free lunch! You have to loose some to win some. Dravid's argument was that the current team has many mini-all-rounders in it. Dhoni, Pathan, etc etc. They have been given opportunities and they have flourished. With these players building a very strong lower middle order, India can take the risk of playing only 5 specialist batters. Dravid also spoke about the Ashes and how England won it because they had five regular bowlers. And about why Australia was playing Symonds &/or Watson.

The determination on his face looks amazing. One thing is pretty clear. The Dravid of the past has changed. Somewhere, the positive mind has woken up inside him. The monster who hit Allan Donald for a six over long on has now risen with full passion. He has gone through many ups and downs. At some times, he could not pinch singles. Then he could not hit boundaries in one-dayers. Sometimes he was made to keep wickets in order to retain his place in the team. He never complained. He took everything in his stride and kept performing exceptionally well. And he is now leading the Indian team with a vision to succeed. With the Ganguly saga over, and with Chappell extending full support, there is no reason why the dreams can't be realized. In the young team of today, India has the makings of a world-beating setup.

In the meanwhile, the golden run in One-dayers continues. India now lead the series 3-0 and I won't be surprised at all if they win it 7-0. They are on a roll. They cannot believe that they can loose, and when that happens, a team becomes dangerous. They have many top order problems to sort out, but even with that, they are coming out on top convincingly in each game they play. Its a dream dream run and one that we hope will continue as long as possible.

Meanwhile, my favorite-Raina has come back with a bang and Ajit has also made a surprising comeback. Harbhajan's return to form is heartening and it is important to note that Dravid supported him Fully during his poor run. One thing is sad though. Virendra Sehwag, I think, is taking his place for granted. I watched him live today. He was laughing after every ball. Playing careless shots, many of which he missed. And when he finally got out bowled, it was downright embarrassing. He must be sacked - at least temporarily, just to show to him that he needs to be a bit more serious. And remind him, that there is always someone who would be more happy and hungry to grab his place. Watch out for Gautam.

In the interview Dravid also spoke with great respect for Sachin Tendulkar. He said that Sachin is much more valuable to the team that just scoring runs and bowling a few overs. The way he prepares for a game, the way he carries himself, inspires and teaches others was very essential. That makes him an invaluable asset of the team. This was a clear indication that Sachin will not go the Ganguly way and will retain his place in the team, even if his poor form continues for some more time.

Cheers,
- Tosh