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 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper) -
Undoubtedly the star of Indian cricket at the
moment. He has excelled in both forms of the game
both behind and in front of the wickets. His
explosive batsmanship has taken India's opponents
of the recent past by surprise. He isa only 24
years old and has years and years of cricket ahead
of him. His phenomenal form has put all the other
keepers out of the reckoning.
Tests - 6, Runs - 328 , Hs - 148 , Avg - 46.85 ,
Ct-12 ,St-2.
ODIs - 35, Runs - 1133 , Hs - 183* , Avg - 53.95 ,
Ct -31 , St-8.
Rahul Dravid (captain) - The 33 year -old
legend has gone from strength to strength with his
penchant of delivering in crisis situations. This
is reflected in his outstanding record. From being
branded as a "dot ball wonder ", he has become
India's premier batsman. His captaincy skills have
turned Indian team into a fine, fighting unit. He
also happens to be an excellent slip-fielder.
Tests - 97 , Runs -8244 , Hs - 270 , Avg - 57.65 ,
Ct - 131.
ODIs - 280 , Runs - 9048 , Hs-153 , Avg - 40.21 ,
Ct - 167, St-14 .
Harbhajan Singh - Injuries have forced this
25 year-old to miss quite a few matches in recent
times. A brilliant off-spinner, he has worked
wonders in the company of his renowned senior Anil
Kumble. He will be a key member of the squad in the
series against England.
Tests - 52 , Runs - 879 , Hs- 66 , Avg - 15.69 , Ct
- 27 , Wkts - 219 , Avg - 29.49.
ODIs - 117 , Runs - 525 , Hs-46 , Avg - 12.80 , Ct
- 36 , Wkts - 138 , Avg - 31.31
Mohammad Kaif - He was unfortunate to miss
the Test series in Pakistan. One of the best
fielders in the world, the 25 year-old will surely
be one of India's main players in next year's World
Cup. It is heartening to see that the selectors
have decided to give him another opportunity to
make a place for himself in the Test team.
Tests - 8 , Runs - 307 , Hs - 64 , Avg - 21.92 , Ct
- 12.
ODIs - 108 , Runs - 2444 , Hs - 111* , Avg - 33.94
, Ct - 51 .
Anil Kumble - The unsung hero of Indian
cricket over the years, the 35 year - old leg
spinner is India's leading wicket-taker in Tests,
and only six short of becoming the fifth bowler to
capture 500 Test wickets.
Tests - 103 , Runs - 1764 , Hs - 88 , Avg - 16.96 ,
Ct - 46 , Wkts - 494 , Avg - 28.75.
ODIs - 264 , Runs - 930 , Hs - 26 , Avg - 10.94 ,
Ct - 84 , Wkts - 329 , Avg - 30.76 .
V.V.S. Laxman - Mr. 'Very Very Special' has
essayed some delectable innings in recent times,
including an epic 281 against Australia in 2000-01.
Like many Indian middle-order batsmen in the past,
he has found himself in and out of the squad on a
regular basis.
Tests - 72 , Runs - 4441 Hs - 281 , Avg - 43.53 ,
Ct - 79.
ODIs - 85 , Runs - 2238 , Hs - 131 , Avg - 31.17 ,
Ct - 39 .
Irfan Pathan - A great find for India in
the last couple of years. The left-arm seamer has
developed an uncanny ability to strike early either
in the first or second over of an innings. He has
returned to his wicket-taking ways under the
tutelage of Greg Chappell. He will be the nucleus
of India's pace attack not only in the series
against England, but also in years to come.
Tests - 21 , Runs - 695 , Hs - 93 , Avg - 28.95 ,
Ct - 6 , Wkts - 81 , Avg - 29.55.
ODIs - 52 , Runs - 678 , Hs - 83 , Avg - 27.12 , Ct
- 8 , Wkts -88 , Avg - 25.21 .
Virender Sehwag (vice-captain) - The 27
year - old opening batsman from New Delhi should be
in full flow during the series versus England. He
has developed a voracious appetite for the Pakistan
bowling attack, as his high scores against them
indicate. He remains the only Indian player to
score a triple hundred in Tests.
Tests - 42 , Runs - 3614 , Hs - 54.75 , Ct -36
ODIs - 141 Runs - 4220 , Hs - 130 , Avg - 32.21 ,
Ct - 57
Sachin Tendulkar - One of the all-time
greats, the 32-year-old from Mumbai is currently in
the 17th year of his international career, having
started out in November 1989! The star batsman has
been bothered by a spate of injuries of late, but
his class hasn't diminished. He has continued to
silence his 'armchair' critics from time to time.
Tests - 129 , Runs - 10386 , Hs - 248* , Avg -
56.14 , Ct - 81
ODIs - 362 , Runs - 14146 , Hs - 186* , Avg - 44.20
, Ct - 107
Yuvraj Singh - A hamstring injury in the
final one-dayer against Pakistan rendered him unfit
for the Nagpur Test, but there is no doubt that he
will return to the side for the second Test at his
home ground in Mohali. He has graduated from
one-day cricket to Test cricket in sensational
fashion. His was an outstanding success story in
the just-concluded series versus Pakistan.
Tests - 13 , Runs 662 , Hs - 122 , Avg - 41.37 , Ct
- 13
ODIs - 142 , Runs - 3781 , Hs - 139 , Avg - 34.68 ,
Ct - 48 .
Wasim Jaffer - The sound opening batsman
from Mumbai with huge scores in the domestic
cricket has made a splendid comeback to the
international level. He went to Pakistan with the
Test side, but wasn't picked in any of the Tests.
The 28 year - old right-hander has been preferred
to Gautam Gambhir and the pressure is on him to
deliver.
Tests - 7 , Runs - 261 , Hs - 86 , Avg - 20.07 , Ct
- 12 .
Suresh Raina - The 19 year - old fits
perfectly in Greg Chappell's scheme of things. He
is a superb fielder and handy batsman who scored
tons of runs for Ranji champions Uttar Pradesh in
the 2005-06 season. He hasn't played a Test as yet,
but has done fairly well in 13 ODIs. A utility
player.
ODIs - 13 , Runs - 124 , Hs - 39* , Avg - 31.00 ,
Ct - 5 , wkt - 1 , Avg - 27.00 .
Piyush Chawla - A great prospect. The 17
year- old left - handed batsman and leg-break
bowler has played only nine first-class matches so
far, but he has displayed tremendous maturity at
the junior levels. It should be a good learning
experience for him.
S. Sreesanth - A quick bowler with good
control over line and length. The 23 year-old from
Kerala has appeared in nine ODIs. His performance
in the last ODI against Pakistan was heart -
warming. He is yet to play Test cricket, and may
make his debut in the first Test at Nagpur.
ODIs - 9 , Runs - 0 , Ct - 2 , Wkts - 10 , Avg -
48.39 .
Vikram Raj Vir Singh - The 21 year - old
right arm paceman from Punjab has just played seven
first-class matches with no international exposure
to his credit . Like Chawla, he should look to make
the most of his apprenticeship. There is nothing
like learning by being in close contact with
eminent senior cricketers.
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