Cricketing maths

Suresh Raina brings new energy to the new-look Indian team. Selectors have shown faith in him to be India’s future captain, but with less than a year to go for the World Cup, selection and individual roles seem to be in disarray.
Raina has been moved up and down the order depending on the availability of Sachin Tendulkar. The presence of Sehwag, Gambhir and Sachin pushes Raina’s batting position to six, just before Dhoni. With the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli doing well in the ongoing tournament, selectors have a bigger headache. India must decide key roles for each player and then form a final 11 that is most likely to play in the World Cup. India must play those players time and again before they host the mega event. By sending a second string team, there is further confusion as to how each one’s role would be defined. Teams generally start to build a squad for the next World Cup just after one ends.
Sachin should play in each match, to motivate youngsters who play around him. Flexible batting orders does not guarantee consistent performances. Sub-continental teams have had a particular style of playing 50-over cricket. For instance, Pakistan always aims to lose minimum wickets in the first 30 overs. They try to double the score from there on. India has been depending on opening starts, mainly on Sachin and now Sehwag in one-day cricket.
India’s bowling woes continue. The inability to produce fresh talent through the famous MRF pace foundation and the inability to procure tennis ball players from the streets unlike Pakistan does continues to haunt the bowling attack. We keep going back to Harbhajan and Zaheer to lead the attack, without much support. The failure of these two superstars further dampens interest among weaker bowlers. Dhoni needs to see how he can get 20 overs out of Raina, Rohit, Yuvraj, Sehwag and Yusuf Pathan, with three premier bowlers.