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| Edited By: G Krishnan |Source: DNA |Updated: Sep 30, 2017, 11:35 AM IST
Am extremely happy. It is a very good team effort. There has been contribution from each and every player that has been given responsibility. Considering the electrifying series we had, Virat (Kohli) led very well from the front. The fortunes swung either side. Eventually we came out winners. This is a fantastic way to prepare for a big occasion like Champions Trophy.
Virat is a taskmaster. He knows his job. He is very animated. He has a contrasting style to Mahi's. Though the end results are the success of Indian cricket, they have two different styles. Virat is slightly aggressive and is evident on his face. Mahi does not show his emotions. I feel it is working. It is the need of the hour. The whole team is revolving and liking that kind of an attitude. It is a positive attitude rubbing on everybody and even to us (selectors) also.
Going back to Yuvraj, it was five selectors then and three selectors now, all of us have seen Yuvraj perform very well in domestic cricket. That has given us enough confidence that he was ready to make a comeback. If you look at it, he is getting fitter also. I won't say he is in the best of fitness. He is still getting fitter. In the New Zealand series (October 2016), we had some problems with the middle-order. We felt there was some brittleness there.
That was the reason. Since he is already ready with enormous experience behind him, he was given the nod and he made full use of it. I feel very confident now that our middle-order is getting strong, especially with players like Ambati Rayudu and Manish Pandey in the reserves. That shows we have enough bench strength right now.
Yes. Kedar has done extremely well. For the last couple of years, I have been watching this boy, be it in the domestic cricket or the 'A' tours. He is one guy who can single-handedly take the team along. He never succumbs to pressure. He loves that finishing role. Befittingly, with Mahi going up, he is actually in a place of comfort and I am sure our country is proud with the way he shaped up in the series and eventually became man of the series. I am very happy for him. Now I am really confident about our middle-order.
I am very happy with the way Hardik Pandya is shaping up. When we (selectors) were watching him last year playing those matches in Baroda, he impressed with the way he batted, fielded and bowled. He is undoubtedly the No. 1 all-rounder in the country. We cannot compare him with the past legends in the country. Unless he keeps delivering consistently, we cannot compare him. We are only worried about his temperament. But the team management is really grooming him.
I keep talking to him. I am one of those guys part of the selection committee that picked him. I can vouch for him. I keep telling him to be grounded and stay humble and to take examples of his own captain, from where to where he has shaped his career. I believe Virat, Mahi (Dhoni) and others keep talking to him. That is one of the reasons why his confidence levels are high. This is the time for him to be humble, perform consistently and make his all-round show very natural.
I understand that we have not really clicked in the opening slot. But it is not a cause for concern. We still have enough number of shorter-format matches, be it domestic or IPL, coming up before the Champions Trophy. We have got enough experienced cricketers like Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul. Am confident that going into Champions Trophy, all of them will have enough runs behind them.
To begin with, Saha has been out of the side not because of form. He has been out of the side because of injury (thigh strain). He was man of the match in the Kolkata Test (against New Zealand). He has already scored a hundred in the West Indies. As far as keeping wickets is concerned, he is still the first-choice wicketkeeper. At the same time, I don't take away the credit of Parthiv Patel, who has been phenomenal right through this season. I have been watching this boy for a long time. He has the heart of a lion. He is a fighter to the core. Given any opportunity, he has really done well and am proud with the way he has handled his way during tough periods. He is a champion cricketer. Undoubtedly, he is not far behind Saha. As far as keeping is concerned, we still feel that he (Saha) may score a point ahead of Parthiv. Am sure, Parthiv is not too far. He is also doing really well.
There is phenomenal talent. I understand the future is more important. What is future? Three years, six years or 10 years? Considering the enormous talent that we have, I don't think we should be looking beyond three-four years. I am sure the current lot that we have in Parthiv, Saha, Rishabh (Pant), Ishan (Kishan) or for that matter KS Bharat (Andhra), the wicketkeeper's slot is no more a cause for concern. At any given point of time, we have five-six 'keepers who are ready to don the gloves for the country. We have got enough bench strength for all three formats.
With this England series, looking at the shorter format, we have filled more or less every position. Am very confident now. Thank god, the series has happened at the right time. I would have been happier if we had more one-dayers but for the FTP (Future Tours Programme). More importantly, we still have IPL and the boys will have enough number of matches to get runs or wickets before Champions Trophy. IPL is as good as an international tournament and am sure that will give them enough confidence before heading towards Champions Trophy.
It is premature to talk on that. I would like to say that we select the best possible 15. On that particular day and pitch, what is the best possible we can field, we will field that. It is not about individuals. It is the country that comes first. For example, if you look at Australia, there have been instances were George Bailey, being the captain, gets a hundred. In the next match, Michael Clarke comes back and Bailey is dropped from the 11. What comes first is the country and country's priority. What is good for the country, am sure Virat, Anil (Kumble, head coach) and all of us know and we will do that.
Rishabh is one exciting talent we have unearthed in the last couple of years. Given the right number of opportunities to him, he is our sound batsman who can bat any position. We need to shape his career. We need to groom him. But, I still feel, in the shorter format, Dhoni is the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the world, forget India.
I believe U-19 in India is basically one-day cricket. Once they come back, they should play domestic first-class cricket. Prithvi Shaw is a phenomenal talent but he should play a couple of seasons. I always believe that before breaking into the international level, they have to play one or two seasons of domestic cricket. They should understand and become fundamentally stronger in basics so that once they get into the Indian team, they are well equipped to counter those standards.
We are talking something that is 855 days away from now. God knows what is going to happen. Let's see. I will reiterate that he is still the best wicketkeeper-batsman in the world in the shorter format.
