Frankly, this is not a big issue. The batsmen have spent a lot less time on the field than the bowlers, even though there are six or seven batsmen and only four bowlers.
Not surprisingly, the specialist batsman at six or seven is a do-nothing passenger. Whoever plays at that position has to contribute value by performing in more than one skill, but for India, that has not been the case. In fact, all specialists at six or seven are mere passengers. Any batsman picked at that position, which should actually go to a bowler, has to deputise for the missing bowler by turning out eighteen overs a Test innings and at least seven overs an innings in ODI's. Of course, going by that criterion, you'll find freak solutions, but at least they work.
While the likes of Gambhir and Uthappa are not reassuring prospects, they have a lot of potential and deserve to get an extended run, not just two or three matches and then the drop. Look at the team to beat. The Australians don't drop their newcomers or fringe players so easily. Simon Katich got more than a few chances and finally came good. Likewise, Hussey, who was persisted with despite a slump in form, has ghot good figures. Even Symonds, who was dreadful initially, has now improved a lot, and also adds value with his seam-up bowling.
Repeated chopping and changing will not work. Gambhir and Uthappa may give Indian fans the jitters at times (the conservative breed, repeatedly), but they have the potential, and have had success just below the international level, playing for India A or Board XI. There's no reason why they don't deserve to be played as regulars rather than replacements. As for Jaffer, he may miss out as he doesn't add as much value as these two. Give them an iron-clad, rock-solid assurance of their place in the XI, and you'll get better results.
Yuvraj Singh shouldn't have to wait. He should make the Test XI now! And stay there! He's also doing quite well of late in ODI's. In fact, prolonged Test exposure will also help him in ODI's, his stronger suit.
Ultimately, post-Creaky Ageing Indian Middle Order, this is how it should look, ideally: Gambhir and Uthappa to open. A middle order with Yuvraj, Rohit Sharma, Badrinath and the joker in the pack. Then Dhoni and a bowler who can strike the ball very hard and score useful runs, or maybe two.
This is where the Indian team needs Sehwag and Yuvraj more than ever. These two had settled even as the Sachin-Sourav-Laxman-Rahul combination was still in action. They have to stay on so that the next generation has someone to look up to, fall back on. Not surprisingly, Kapil Dev has exhorted the youngsters in the set - Yuvraj, Dhoni, Zaheer - to step up and get their A-game going. After all, they have to stay on when the next generation arrives, and have to do what the Sachin-Sourav-Laxman-Rahul combination is doing.
Everyone is contemplating the future of the top six. But what about the bottom five? Most teams, even at FC level (even here in India), have a strong bottom five. They provide enough resistance to stretch team totals. They build on chunky scores by the top six and add a knockout punch to push their team ahead. Frankly, that doesn't seem likely of the current Indian bottom five, bar Ramesh Powar, on his day, and Dhoni, who's more or less a frontline batsman.
