ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE PART 2

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TEST CRICKET -

The Test side is unlikely to see many changes in the next 12 months or so. We have 3 Tests away to SL, 2 Tests home to NZ, 2 proposed Tests home to Australia and 3 Tests away to SA in the schedule right now. After this though (or during this depending on the form), the seniors in the side might decide to hang up their boots. Their places will have to be taken. Also up for grabs is the place of Yuvraj Singh in this side. If Gambhir's struggles continue, he might also face the axe (it would be a wrong move if it does happen).

The candidates to fill up India's middle order are Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Robin Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, Manish Pandey, Cheteshwar Pujara, Yusuf Pathan, Dinesh Karthik, Ajinkya Rahane, etc. I think that in the coming months, selectors should ask Yuvraj to work on his fitness and give his place to a potential replacement. I think that keeping a keen eye on the upcoming India A tour to England will give us a good idea of the abilities and temperament of the likes of Pujara, Pandey and Rahane.

In the pace bowling department, it is time to bring Ashish Nehra back into the side to accompany Zaheer Khan, who needs to be treated with care now, because he has shown that he is prone to injuries these days. The third pacer, if needed, is a question mark. There are names like Praveen Kumar, RP Singh, Irfan Pathan, Munaf Patel, S Sreesanth, Vinay Kumar and others... but one of them needs to step up. I like Sreesanth's bowling (only when he is in rhythm) better than the rest (when they are in their rhythm)... but Sreesanth is... well, Sreesanth. I think Praveen Kumar should be given a go in Test cricket now, especially on the Sri Lanka tour. Spin department looks good because we never need more than two spinners to play in a Test. With Harbhajan around, there is a healthy competition between Mishra and Ojha. I feel that if Bhajji continues to bowl flat in Tests, he should be dropped once to let him know that he can be dispensed with.

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