adharcric said:
Let's take a look at the India A prospects.
Robin Uthappa, Shikhar Dhawan, Venugopal Rao, Dinesh Karthik, Piyush Chawla, RP Singh and VRV Singh are all either national reserves or genuine fringe players.
What about someone like Sodhi or Paul? Do you guys reckon they have a chance of a national call-up if they shine here?
VR Singh is a good pick, but he should be fully fit to be effective. It seems he was carrying a bagful of injuries when he made his India debut, as his fitness was still doubtful at that time. A bowler similar in style and power to Harmison, he can suddenly take a burst of quick wickets and push the opposition on the backfoot. He's not vry accurate, but his style doesn't demand it– he's an all-out attacker. The selectors should keep him in the India-A team for a long time, till he's ready fo his next India cap. On his day, he can change the course of a match.
SS Paul will only make up the numbers. He's got good control over the ball, and lasts a long time, so he's a good seamer. However, he lacks value addition. His fielding is ordinary, his batting is no factor and he's only medium-pace. The team can use a stock bowler, but he's not an immediate India prospect.
Sodhi should have made the A team last year, when he wa in hot form playing for Punjab. When he made his debut for India, he was a fiery, energetic young lad with an underbuilt body. Predictably, he didn't last long and got injured in early 2002. When he came back, the new Punjab coach, Intikhab Alam, brought about some changes to his bowling, and he finished the season with a decent average, but not too many wickets, and often played as a fourth stock seamer. His batting is not so aggressive now, and rather conservative, being an opening batsman. He can return to the side if he can start hitting more big shots and lasts long spells. Likewise Vidyut, who was a spinner who used to hit the big shots when he started off. Now he's a sticky opening batsman who bowls once in a while, but it's never too late to revert. A second spinner and sixth, quick-scoring batsman will fit in nicely– maybe India's answer to Shoaib Malik.
