[Arjun]

Originally Posted by Jungle Jumbo

I suppose that even if there is a rule, it wouldn't be hard to change with a couple of handy rupees. Would be for the better - I get the impression that, as in county cricket, there are a few substandard players knocking around in the Ranji, even in the Elite League.

Are you talking about foreign prospects or locals? If the latter, here's a list I can think of.

• Mumbai: Can't think of one, everyone is worth a place, bar some under-performing youngsters.
• Baroda: Their openers are past their best. One of them was picked for all zonal and A-team selections, but did little of note. Can't comment on seamer Rakesh Patel, who was once a prospect and even a squad member, but never got a match for India. Looks a small man.
• Gujarat: Thankfully Kirat Damani has retired, but the whole team is just average, though not too many are around for so long.
• Maharashtra: Easy one– Hrishikesh Kanitkar hit a winning four in a Dhaka final and did little else after that. He was even a replacement for the then slow-scoring Rahul Dravid, and we all know how useful he was then. He's struggled since the team was promoted to Elite.
• Tamil Nadu: Maybe if you call Badani and Sriram substandard. Both have been disappointing when they played for India. There's little MR Shrinivas, the medium-pacer, who's been around for long.
• Hyderabad: I'd be compelled to say, half the team makes this list!
• Andhra: One KS Sahabuddin made the South Zone selection. That's about it. We still find MSK Prasad wicketkeeping, though he's not too bad, given a raw Parthiv Patel got some matches for India.
• Karnataka: There was Somasunder, Sunil Joshi, Dodda Ganesh, but now KSCA is pushing for youngsters in the side.
• Railways: A lot of these players may be substandard, even the whole side, but they combine well. They're just right for the job.
• Uttar Pradesh: We sometimes find veterans like Rizwan Shamshad, GK Pandey and Ashish Zaidi in the same XI. Pandey got a match or two for India in the late 90s, while Zaidi was once a fast bowler. But again, this is one team where average individuals come together for above-average performances.
• Bengal: Rohan Gavaskar is the most obvious name that comes to mind, though his initial performances for India were good and he was treated rather unfairly by the team management. There's spinner Sourashish Lahiri and stock seamer Shukla, who plays as a batsman now.
• Delhi: This is one team whose selection is plagued by politics. Star sons often make this side, and flatter to deceive.
• Punjab: Dinesh Mongia comes to mind. He's got picked for India, and he wishes to justify his selection, but he's not that special. He's been found out in the early 2000's, and there's not much he can do now.

Thankfully, some teams, such as TN, Karnataka and Haryana, are going in for more youngsters in their teams. You won't find too many of these relics in the scene now.