Don't spare the axe!

I am tired, I am sleepy and yet I am seeing the pathetic Indian batting display on the 5th day of the 2nd test against South Africa. There comes this point when something just goes off in your mind, the dam of patience just gives way. That just happened to me now and hence this impromptu post.

Take the series up to now. How many of the Indian batsman have shown enough technique, resilience or intent to stay at the crease and score some runs?

1. Sehwag - NOPE
2. Jaffer - NOPE
3. Rahul - Yes {He was very unlucky to be given out the way he has been}
4. Tendulkar - Yes {Watch his 40s and 60s. The old magic is coming back}
5. Laxman - Yes {Most consistent of the lot this series}
6. Ganguly - Yes {Maybe he is missing his sponsors, but he sure has shown intent}

I am not going to Dhoni and below coz, if the top 6 do their job, the bottom 5 shouldn't matter. It is pretty clear where we have the problem and the hunt for a solution needs to start. Its not just that the top 2 have not scored, but they have got out to the most stupid of shots. What was sehwag doing slashing and tapping at balls outside off so early in his innings? What was Jaffer doing hitting a hopeless pull when the team was 3 down and looking in trouble? The mode of these dismissals alone is good enough to fire their asses off the team. Try Robin Uttapah, hell try even Gambhir! I am not a fan of Gambhir coz his technique sucks, but for the bigger message to get through, he needs to play! Look at Zaheer or Ganguly for that matter. Not making those extra crores seem to have hurt them enough to consider playing decent enough for their country!!

Message to the selectors: Don't spare the axe... use it, nonchalantly and without inhibition.