ROADMAP FOR THE FUTURE PART 4

(contd...)

TWENTY20 CRICKET -

I think that organising more India A tours to England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand should help our squad of future 'Twenty20 specialists'. The recent experience has shown that non-batsman-friendly conditions upset our current lot immediately and they can do no more than look fools. This needs to be eliminated... and BCCI would do well by arranging for wet-tennis-ball-on-concrete-pitches practice sessions for young batsmen.

Also, spinners need to be coached in such a way that they can be attacking options even on unhelpful pitches. As I have already said, restricting the runs is a strategy that may work against a few... not all. Good batsmen will always work their way out. As far as the pacers are concerned, they need to learn bowling their yorkers more consistently... I don't know how are you supposed to train them for that.

The cricket administation in India needs to take some urgent steps. I know that the tour of South Africa at the end of the year is very important considering our Test Rankings, the history and the newly-built rivalry. But considering that the World Cup will begin in about a month's time from the end of that tour, the selectors must ensure that they withdraw any key player who shows even a slight niggle during that tour. Even if they lose in South Africa as a result of this, all will be forgiven if Dhoni lifts a glittering trophy at Wankhede!