Rout Down Under

Here's my (precious) thoughts on the walloping we're going to get in Australia over the next 6 weeks.

- If you're not going to open with Sehwag or Karthik (i.e. your designated openers) shouldn't you ask the guy who you want to accomodate in the lineup to open, that's Mr. Yuvraj Singh. The whole idea of having Dravid open is borderline lunatic. It all boils down to the basic concept. Is Yuvraj Singh a better No. 6 batsman, than Dravid is a No. 3 batsman?

I don't think so.

- The way our team is structured, it begs for an opener who's an all-rounder of some sort. So, I'd make my team something like this.
1. Jaffer,
2. Pathan/Karthik/Sehwag,
3. Dravid,
4. Tendulkar
5. Ganguly
6. Laxman/Yuvraj
7. Dhoni
8/9/10/11 - Bowlers

To me, the way we're going, is wrong. If Dravid's comfortable at 3, he's damn well earned the right to stay there. I'd open with Jaffer and RP Singh to make sure Dravid get's his 3rd spot. If Yuvraj has to wait, he has to wait. If he can't wait, then drop Laxman / Tendulkar / Ganguly / heck, even Dravid. But don't make a bakra out of the man who has won more test matches of his bat than all the others in the lineup combined.

- The bowling's probably going to be a bigger surprise than expected. But even the best bowling options won't win matches if the batsmen don't score. I won't be surprised with a 4-0 blowout, but I think we might draw a game. Just a hunch.