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After the high of Lord's, the low at Southampton. Following India's 266-run defeat at Ageas Bowl on Friday, gocricket.com assesses how each of the 11 players fared. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/murali-vijay/4001/4102">Murali Vijay</a> 
Vijay followed his defiant batting at Lord's - 24 and 95 - with a stumbling performance. He looked out of sorts against <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/james-anderson/3001/3040">James Anderson</a> on day three and perished for 34 to a moment of indecision to <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/stuart-broad/3001/3067">Stuart Broad</a>. Worse, though, was Vijay's lethargic run out for 12 in the second innings. After two strong games, a low can be excused to an extent. And Vijay is a batsman who finds a way out of a slump. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/shikhar-dhawan/4001/28004">Shikhar Dhawan</a> 
Vijay's opening partner has looked out of sorts in England and his place in the XI is now in jeopardy ahead of the Old Trafford Test. Six innings, 122 runs, highest of 37 in the second innings at Southampton. The cracks in his technique were again exposed by Anderson in the first innings, while in the second Dhawan fell to <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/joe-root/3001/73004">Joe Root</a>'s part-time offspin. Looks far removed from the dasher who bullied Australia in Mohali and stood tall in New Zealand. Has Dhawan exhausted whatever faith the management has in him? 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/cheteshwar-pujara/4001/4106">Cheteshwar Pujara</a> 
India's No 3 had his poorest match of the series. Was tested by a fiery Anderson in the first innings where he looked uncomfortable against his bounce. Fell to a rising delivery from Broad that he failed to negotiate, and was caught behind when trying to weave out the ball's way. In the second, with India staring at a mountain, Pujara nicked off against <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/moeen-ali/3001/3153">Moeen Ali</a> for two. Pujara has not looked as shaky in Tests as he has in England. His rock-solid technique is being tested. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/virat-kohli/4001/25007">Virat Kohli</a> 
India's superstar showed signs of shrugging off his poor form in this Test, but twice squandered starts. His dismissal to Anderson in India's first innings was an extension of a nagging problem - the corridor of uncertainty outside off stump. His dismissal to Ali's offbreaks in the second was just downright ordinary. How Kohli fares in the next two Tests could impact whether he is regarded as a truly exceptional player or just a good one. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ajinkya-rahane/4001/32045">Ajinkya Rahane</a> 
India's best batsman, with two fifties. Looked good during his first-innings 54 until he made a mess of a long hop from Ali. Batted 121 balls for 52 not out in the second, the only Indian to cross 37. Goes to Old Trafford the most confident player of the team. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/rohit-sharma/4001/4095">Rohit Sharma</a> The case of India's most frustrating batsman continued. Drafted in for his first Test in England, in place of allrounder <keyword id="258548" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Stuart-Binny">Stuart Binny</keyword>, Rohit found himself no further fans with a silly dismissal to Ali in the first innings. Shortly before tea, Rohit dashed out and lofted to mid-off, then sunk to his knees in despair. In the second, he made six before falling early on day five, edging off Anderson. Could be swapped for Binny in a week's time. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ms-dhoni/4001/4057">MS Dhoni</a> 
His biggest lapse in this match was falling early on day four, when India needed to bat out time. On 50 overnight, and with two tailenders remaining, India's captain hooked at one from Anderson and top-edged to the wicketkeeper. He failed to add a run to his total and India's innings lasted 25 balls. Was flat in the field, letting the game slip away. As often in the past, when teams start to attack, Dhoni eases into defensive mode and this was glaring here too. Needs to shake himself and the team up. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ravindra-jadeja/4001/32004">Ravindra Jadeja</a> 
Was India's leading wicket-taker in this Test but his left-arm spin was very ordinary, and the way Bell and debutant Jos Buttler took Jadeja apart in England's first innings was striking. His wickets either owed to poor shots, wrong calls or the need for quick runs. He got Cook for 95 with a short ball down the leg side; Buttler heaved and missed when the declaration was imminent; Gary Ballance was incorrectly given out; Bell and Root both went looking for quick runs in the second innings. Jadeja conceded 205 runs in 56.2 overs (economy rate 3.65) and with the bat, made 31 and 15. Calls for R Ashwin to play in his place have grown louder. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/bhuvneshwar-kumar/4001/25023">Bhuvneshwar Kumar</a> 
No doubt, his average returns had a direct link to India's loss. Struggled to show the consistency and determination of the first two Tests, taking four wickets for 160 runs and scoring 19 and 0. A failure was around the corner, and the fatigue showed on Bhuvneshwar when he walked off the field Wednesday. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/mohammed-shami/4001/30030">Mohammed Shami</a> 
Turned in another poor showing, and should make way for a fresher pair of legs at Old Trafford. Cranked up some good pace on day one and did bowl some scattered short deliveries that tested England's batsmen, but overall Shami was ordinary and erratic. His five wickets in the series have come every 115 deliveries and at a cost of 73.20 each. Time to go? 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/pankaj-singh/4001/4100">Pankaj Singh</a> A domestic stalwart for Rajashan with 300 wickets in 77 first-class matches, Pankaj was handed a Test cap when <keyword id="11685" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ishant-Sharma">Ishant Sharma</keyword> was ruled out, and finished with a record he won't want attached to his name: the most runs conceded by a debutant bowler without a wicket. However, he bowled far better than the stats suggest, particularly on day one, and should have had <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/alastair-cook/3001/3056">Alastair Cook</a> early as well as <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ian-bell/3001/3048">Ian Bell</a>. Was the best of India's three pacers, doing whatever was asked of him, but a lack of pace and those awful figures could confine Pankaj to a solitary Test appearance.

A Report Card On India's Defeat

In cricketing parlance it's often said that teams should not change winning combinations because more often than not it breaks the momentum. Come to think of it, India's travails began in England only when they made changes to the winning eleven of the second game at Lord's. 
 
After the high of the Lord's win, their first at the hallowed ground in 28 years, <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ms-dhoni/4001/4057">MS Dhoni</a> and the team management left out <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/stuart-binny/4001/31034">Stuart Binny</a>, whose 78 in the second innings of the first Test at Trent Bridge blew away the clouds of defeat hovering over the team. <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ishant-sharma/4001/4094">Ishant Sharma</a>, the hero at Lord's for his career-best 7 for 74 in the second innings, also had to miss out the Southampton Test on account of an ankle injury. While leaving Binny out was the team's decision, Ishant's unavailability couldn't be helped. 
 
In hindsight, those two changes changed India's series. The men who replaced Binny and Ishant were batsman <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/rohit-sharma/4001/4095">Rohit Sharma</a> and medium pacer <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/pankaj-singh/4001/4100">Pankaj Singh</a> and both had an outing to forget. Rohit made 28 and 6, while Pankaj returned 0 for 146 and 0 for 33 as India lost the match by 266 runs. 
 At Old Trafford, India this time made three changes, bringing in <keyword id="13839" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gautam-Gambhir">Gautam Gambhir</keyword>, R Ashwin and <keyword id="6370607" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Varun-Aaron">Varun Aaron</keyword> in places of <keyword id="17805" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shikhar-Dhawan">Shikhar Dhawan</keyword>, Rohit and Mohammed Shami. Things went from bad to worse and they were thumped by an innings and 54 runs inside three days. Clearly, those five changes didn't prove to be propitious for <keyword id="6397" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dhoni">Dhoni</keyword>. 
 
Having that in mind, now the question arises whether India should make changes once again for the fifth and final encounter at The Oval starting Friday. Gambhir had a horrible outing at Old Trafford; offspinner Ashwin, even though he did well with the bat, failed to take any wicket. However, Aaron impressed a lot, showing plenty of pace and his wicket of Moeen Ali with a vicious inswinger will stay as one of the moments of the series. 
 
The suspects this time are Gambhir, Ashwin and Pankaj, who despite breaking his wickets drought at Old Tafford, failed to inspire any confidence. Medium-pacer Ishwar Pandey and wicketkeeper-batsman Naman Ojha, who piled on the runs for India A against Australia A recently with scores of 219, 101 and 110 in two matches and was drafted into the squad as a replacement for the injured Wriddhiman Saha, are the only players in the squad not to have got a game yet. Should India hand them Test debuts at The Oval or, having learnt from their experiences in the series, they stick to the team that played at Old Trafford are questions that must be bothering Dhoni a great deal. 
 
By the look of things at present, sadly, India aren't likely to be going into the match unchanged. The cases of Pankaj and Gambhir need to be looked at with a magnifying glass. They looked very poor in the Old Trafford defeat. But then some would argue what's the guarantee that their replacements would revive the team. That the damage has already been done with the tourists trailing 2-1 in the series and bringing back Dhawan, Rohit, Shami or Binny is unlikely to do any good to the team. 
 
But in view of the proverbial fact that losing squads are kept getting tinkered with, a couple of changes look to be on the cards. There is no update on Ishant's fitness but he gets fit in time, Pankaj will have to go. Even if Ishant is not fit, Pandey should be considered on the basis of his accuracy and better swinging skills. Dhawan should be brought back in place of Gambhir for one simple reason that Gambhir looks to be way past his prime, and if the team management has to pick between two uncertainties, it should go for the younger and futuristic option that is Dhawan, who not long ago looked in good touch in New Zealand. The third suspect, Ashwin, should be retained considering he can contribute with the bat and looking at the team's current batting crisis playing him won't be a bad idea. 
 
The Oval Test seems to Dhoni's last chance at redemption and he can't afford to fail this time. Another loss or probably even a draw will certainly be the end of his captaincy. The selectors can't keep turning a blind eye to the fact that he has lost 12 Tests against one win outside the subcontinent in the last three years. Hopefully, Dhoni manages to assemble an eleven that brings an end to India's predicament.

To Change Or Not To Change, That's The Question For Dhoni

India's fourth bilateral ODI series win at home by a 5-0 margin should be seen through the lens of the team's defence of the ICC World Cup next year, in specific the roles given to players either just finding their feet in international cricket or returning from injury or filling in for first-choice names. 
 
Make no mistake - Sri Lanka were very poor in the series, their bowlers in particular lining up as fodder for India's batsmen on mostly docile surfaces, and their batsmen, barring <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/angelo-mathews/9001/9058">Angelo Mathews</a> and to a lesser extent <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/mahela-jayawardene/9001/9003">Mahela Jayawardene</a>, massively under-performing. But in a World Cup season it is encouraging to see an experimental Indian side finish the job they started without losing much intensity. 
 
Through the series, <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/virat-kohli/4001/25007">Virat Kohli</a> spoke of taking each game of this series as a stepping stone towards the 2015 ICC World Cup, particularly in testing out players in different roles to give them the confidence that they are wholly supported with an eye on next year’s big prize. He spoke of the team taking each match as a knock-out, and of learning to be "ruthless" to close out matches. 
 
Sample the margins of victory: by 169 runs, six wickets with 33 balls remaining, six wickets with 35 balls remaining, 153 runs and three wickets with eight balls on Sunday in Ranchi. Four big wins, fashioned by performances from individuals and collectively against a side that looked disgruntled from the time it departed from Colombo following West Indies' abrupt pull-out. The one match in which the batting didn’t click as a unit, Kohli stepped up with one of his finest centuries in a chase. Where his team-mates failed to be ruthless, Kohli was. 
 
The 26-year-old, leading India in MS Dhoni's absence, did his job well. The decision to take the batting Powerplay in the 24th over during the first ODI proved decisive, for it was in that five-over period that his team took the match away from Sri Lanka. He backed <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/akshar-patel/4001/31051">Akshar Patel</a> to bowl during the mandatory and batting Powerplays and this was a huge factor in the series win, and backed his rookie spinner with the right fields. Kohli also ensured <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ambati-rayudu/4001/31025">Ambati Rayudu</a> a spot at the World Cup by sending him in at No 3 in Ahmedabad, where the 29-year-old scored his maiden ODI century. 
 
Apart from his dynamic captaincy, Kohli also had a solid series with the bat, scoring 277 runs at an average of 69.25 with two fifties and a superb century to almost single-handedly chase 287 in the final game. Kohli's emphatic celebrations at hitting the winning six, with eight balls and three wickets left in Ranchi, and then as he acknowledged the crowd after picking up a stump, were stirring. Such form will, at the very least, send him to Australia with some confidence. 
 
India’s other main batsmen all scored runs, too. <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/shikhar-dhawan/4001/28004">Shikhar Dhawan</a> reeled off 283 in three innings before he was rested. Rayudu's four innings at No 3 produced 223 runs while <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/rohit-sharma/4001/4095">Rohit Sharma</a>'s roaring comeback from injury with an astonishing 264 off 173 balls should earn him first dibs as opener alongside Dhawan in the World Cup ahead of <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ajinkya-rahane/4001/32045">Ajinkya Rahane</a>, who after stroking 111 in the series opener trailed off with scores of 8, 31, 28 and 2. The two wicketkeeper-batsmen tested in the series, <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/wriddhiman-saha/4001/30016">Wriddhiman Saha</a> for three ODIs and <keyword id="6405247" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Robin-Uthappa">Robin Uthappa</keyword> for the last two, did not make strong statements to tilt the selectors’ votes either way for the World Cup. 
 
There were personal bests for a few players, of which five look certain for the World Cup. <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ishant-sharma/4001/4094">Ishant Sharma</a> beat his previous best returns with 4/34 in Cuttack; Rayudu scored his first ODI century in the second ODI; Akshar (3/40) and <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/umesh-yadav/4001/28013">Umesh Yadav</a> (4/53) achieved career-best bowling performances in Hyderabad; and <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/dhawal-kulkarni/4001/31006">Dhawal Kulkarni</a> smoothed over a shoddy outing in that match by taking 4/34 in the Kolkata drubbing. Rohit marked his first ODI in three months by scoring the highest individual innings in ODI history at Eden Gardens. 
 Rohit's freak innings aside, the big gains were the bowling of Akshar and the fact that Umesh, on the comeback from an injury break, did not break down or pick up a niggle. The rise of 20-year-old allrounder Akshar has been the story of the series. His left-arm spin accounted for 11 wickets in five matches, at an <keyword id="34412" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="economy">economy</keyword> rate of 4.61, and it was his bowling in the batting Powerplay all series that was instrumental in India’s 5-0 result. Akshar was unfortunate not be named Man of the Match in Hyderabad, where his 3/11 during the batting Powerplay sealed the series for India. 
 
Akshar controls the percentage shots and that ability resulted in some big wickets, and the manner in which he lands the ball outside off stump to bring out loose shots is a trait that could be very handy in Australia. Twenty20 cricket has forced spinners to experiment and Akshar is one of the best examples of how this can have a positive spin - no pun intended - because he varies his flight and pace without compromising too much on his length. He conceded over 40 just twice - at Eden Gardens where he conceded 51 in 43 balls and in Ranchi, where in the 48th of Sri Lanka's innings, Angelo Mathews swatted three sixes to give Akshar figures of 2/45 from his quota. His only two innings, at either ends of the series, were contrasting efforts that showed the value Akshar brings down the order: a four-ball 14 to get the total past 350 and 17 off 14 balls in match-clinching stand of 57 in 5.2 overs with Kohli. 
 
Akshar made rapid strides in the series, and the fact that <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ravindra-jadeja/4001/32004">Ravindra Jadeja</a> was benched for the Cuttack and Hyderabad ODIs and bowled well after Akshar in Hyderabad is testament to Kohli's line of thought that fringe players need to feel that they belong. 
 
Umesh was quick and lively in each outing and consistently delivered breakthroughs in his first spell in all four games he played - three times in the first over of Sri Lanka’s innings, getting <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/kusal-perera/9001/52007">Kusal Perera</a> each time. He took at least two wickets in each match and finished with ten wickets at an economy of 5.07, and though he still has to work on conceding wides in the death overs, that Umesh hustled and troubled the Sri Lankan batsmen all throughout was encouraging. Considering Ishant injured himself in his return series, having Umesh fit and feisty is crucial to India in Australia. 
 
Ishant did not feature in the series after leaving the field following his four overs in Hyderabad, adding to the injury list that comprises <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/varun-aaron/4001/30019">Varun Aaron</a>, <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/mohammed-shami/4001/30030">Mohammed Shami</a> and <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/mohit-sharma/4001/26024">Mohit Sharma</a>. These are the frontline bowlers India will hope to have available for the World Cup, along with the rested <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/bhuvneshwar-kumar/4001/25023">Bhuvneshwar Kumar</a>. 
 
Injuries to Ishant and Aaron - themselves called up in the absence of the injured Shami and Mohit - opened up chances for Kulkarni and <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/stuart-binny/4001/31034">Stuart Binny</a> and both were decent without being threatening. Kulkarni does not have the pace to consistently worry batsmen and appears to be easily rattled, while Binny's medium pace does not look like getting him a berth in the World Cup squad considering that pace is a must in Australia and New Zealand. The only player blooded in the series who did not do anything was legspinner <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/karn-sharma/4001/27046">Karn Sharma</a>, who is part of the Test squad to play in Australia. 
 
All in all, a good workout for an experimental Indian side in these five ODIs but how much these matches actually matter will only be judged if these players step up in Australia.

Kohli's Well-Oiled India Achieve Series Goals

It is amazing how nameless senior officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India have come out of the woodwork to point out that India <keyword id="1411" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="captain">captain</keyword> <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ms-dhoni/4001/4057">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a> has crossed the line by saying that <keyword id="114511" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Duncan-Fletcher">Duncan Fletcher</keyword> would remain <keyword id="6371482" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="coach">coach</keyword> of the Indian cricket team till the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. 
 In <keyword id="6354756" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="BCCI">BCCI</keyword>'s none-too-transparent and closed world, it is hard to figure out the tenure of the coach but reports in March this year ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 suggested that Fletcher had been reassured by the BCCI president in abeyance N Srinivasan that he would remain in charge till the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand. 
 
So what crime did Dhoni commit by <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/news/India-vs-England-2014-MS-Dhoni-says-Duncan-Fletcher-will-lead-India-into-2015-World-Cup/articleshow/40859991.cms">stating what he perceives as fact</a>? What line <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/news/India-in-England-2014-BCCI-takes-exception-to-MS-Dhonis-comments-on-Duncan-Fletcher/articleshow/40869884.cms">did he cross</a>? Is it not imperative that the board shows greater concern in the arresting the decline of India's Test fortunes overseas and addresses a number of issues that can help Indian cricket get back on the rails rather than spend time discussing Dhoni's alleged transgressions? 
 
BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel has been quoted as saying that it seemed to him that <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/news/India-vs-England-2014-BCCI-dubs-Mahendra-Singh-Dhoni-views-on-Duncan-Fletcher-as-personal-opinion/articleshow/40865967.cms">it was Dhoni's personal opinon</a>. Surely, he was privy to the decision to extend Fletcher's contract till the World Cup. "There has been no discussion on his removal. We told him that we have a lot of faith in his coaching abilities and he should not be worried about," Patel had said in March. 
 It is another matter that some of recent actions around the Indian team have been contrary to Dhoni's assertions. For instance, his stout defence of <keyword id="13937" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Rohit-Sharma">Rohit Sharma</keyword>'s stroke selection in the third Test against England Southampton was followed up by not playing him in either of the remaining Tests. 
 The captain's argument in favour of <keyword id="6359948" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ravindra-Jadeja">Ravindra Jadeja</keyword> - "The problem is who do you have to replace Jadeja?" he asked after the thrashing at <keyword id="2023" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Old-Trafford">Old Trafford</keyword> - was followed up by axing the Saurashtra left-hander from the XI for the Oval Test match in favour of <keyword id="258548" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Stuart-Binny">Stuart Binny</keyword>. Given Dhoni's recent track record, it makes us wonder if sands of time are running out on the coach. 
 
Make no mistake, Dhoni's captaincy in Test matches has left a lot to be desired and India must quickly appoint a new leader so that a fresh thought-process can be infused. He must, however, remain captain of the limited-over side since he has few peers when it comes to leading the team in the shorter formats. 
 To revert to the nameless Board officials, they must be kidding themselves if they think all stakeholders of the game will believe that <keyword id="19692" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Ravi-Shastri">Ravi Shastri</keyword> will be in a position to give the mandarins in the Board feedback on Fletcher's inputs after watching him over a couple of weeks in which the team is slated to play five ODIs and Twenty20 game against England. 
 And, how would Shastri be in a position to offer a fair review of <keyword id="90319" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="bowling-coach">bowling coach</keyword> Joe Dawes and <keyword id="91365" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="fielding-coach">fielding coach</keyword> Trevor Penney's work? They are not even around since BCCI, in a knee-jerk reaction to the Test defeats, has given Fletcher a new set of assistant coaches for India's limited-over squad in England. 
 
With Srinivasan having no direct say on the running of BCCI, it appears as if a new group - we must refrain from using the more political word 'coterie' - is straining its every sinew to become the new power centre within the board. The surfacing of a few nameless officials in the recent weeks is a reflection of the bloodless succession plan in the BCCI.

Dhoni Crossed No Lines As BCCI Had Extended Fletcher Contract

It is amazing how nameless senior officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India have come out of the woodwork to point out that India <keyword id="1411" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="captain">captain</keyword> <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ms-dhoni/4001/4057">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a> has crossed the line by saying that Duncan Fletcher would remain <keyword id="6371482" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="coach">coach</keyword> of the Indian cricket team till the ICC <keyword id="3859" type="SPORT" weightage="80" keywordseo="Cricket-World-Cup">Cricket World Cup</keyword> 2015. 
 In <keyword id="6354756" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="BCCI">BCCI</keyword>'s none-too-transparent and closed world, it is hard to figure out the tenure of the coach but reports in March this year ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 suggested that Fletcher had been reassured by the BCCI president in abeyance N Srinivasan that he would remain in charge till the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand. 
 So what crime did <keyword id="6397" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Dhoni">Dhoni</keyword> commit by <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/news/India-vs-England-2014-MS-Dhoni-says-Duncan-Fletcher-will-lead-India-into-2015-World-Cup/articleshow/40859991.cms">stating what he perceives as fact</a>? What line <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/news/India-in-England-2014-BCCI-takes-exception-to-MS-Dhonis-comments-on-Duncan-Fletcher/articleshow/40869884.cms">did he cross</a>? Is it not imperative that the board shows greater concern in the arresting the decline of India's Test fortunes overseas and addresses a number of issues that can help Indian cricket get back on the rails rather than spend time discussing Dhoni's alleged transgressions? 
 
BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel has been quoted as saying that it seemed to him that <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/news/India-vs-England-2014-BCCI-dubs-Mahendra-Singh-Dhoni-views-on-Duncan-Fletcher-as-personal-opinion/articleshow/40865967.cms">it was Dhoni's personal opinon</a>. Surely, he was privy to the decision to extend Fletcher's contract till the World Cup. "There has been no discussion on his removal. We told him that we have a lot of faith in his coaching abilities and he should not be worried about," Patel had said in March. 
 It is another matter that some of recent actions around the Indian team have been contrary to Dhoni's assertions. For instance, his stout defence of <keyword id="13937" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rohit-Sharma">Rohit Sharma</keyword>'s stroke selection in the third Test against England Southampton was followed up by not playing him in either of the remaining Tests. 
 The captain's argument in favour of <keyword id="6359948" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ravindra-Jadeja">Ravindra Jadeja</keyword> - "The problem is who do you have to replace Jadeja?" he asked after the thrashing at Old Trafford - was followed up by axing the Saurashtra left-hander from the XI for the Oval Test match in favour of <keyword id="258548" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Stuart-Binny">Stuart Binny</keyword>. Given Dhoni's recent track record, it makes us wonder if sands of time are running out on the coach. 
 
Make no mistake, Dhoni's captaincy in Test matches has left a lot to be desired and India must quickly appoint a new leader so that a fresh thought-process can be infused. He must, however, remain captain of the limited-over side since he has few peers when it comes to leading the team in the shorter formats. 
 To revert to the nameless Board officials, they must be kidding themselves if they think all stakeholders of the game will believe that <keyword id="19692" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ravi-Shastri">Ravi Shastri</keyword> will be in a position to give the mandarins in the Board feedback on Fletcher's inputs after watching him over a couple of weeks in which the team is slated to play five ODIs and Twenty20 game against England. 
 
And, how would Shastri be in a position to offer a fair review of bowling coach Joe Dawes and fielding coach Trevor Penney's work? They are not even around since BCCI, in a knee-jerk reaction to the Test defeats, has given Fletcher a new set of assistant coaches for India's limited-over squad in England. 
 
With Srinivasan having no direct say on the running of BCCI, it appears as if a new group - we must refrain from using the more political word 'coterie' - is straining its every sinew to become the new power centre within the board. The surfacing of a few nameless officials in the recent weeks is a reflection of the bloodless succession plan in the BCCI.

Following an embarrassing 3-1 defeat to England, Gocricket.com has the Indian players' report cards ready here. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/shikhar-dhawan/4001/28004">Shikhar Dhawan</a>: 5/10 
 Dhawan was India's highest run-scorer in the two-Test series against New Zealand with 215 from four innings. However, the Delhi batsman couldn't create the same impact against England: he managed 122 runs at an average of 20 with a highest of 37. His technical flaws were widely exposed by <keyword id="80896" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="James-Anderson">James Anderson</keyword>, who gave Dhawan a tough time outside the offstump. While he looked good in patches during his innings of 29 at Trent Bridge, 31 at Lord's and 37 at The Ageas Bowl, he couldn't convert them into anything productive. Most of his dismissals came in the initial part of the innings which dented India's hopes of getting off to a decent start. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/murali-vijay/4001/4102">Murali Vijay</a>: 7/10 
 
Dhawan's opening partner got off to a start few imagined him to. His 146 at Trent Bridge was his fourth century in Tests and first in England. He followed it up with consecutive half-centuries - 52 in the second innings and 95 at Lord's - but lost his bearings thereafter. In the next seven innings, Vijay made just 109 runs and his average - which at one point in the series touched 80 - dropped to 40.20. He wasn't troubled much at Trent Bridge and Lord's but in Southampton, Vijay was unlucky to play on and get run out. It was at Old Trafford and The Oval that he looked out of sorts, throwing his bat at away-going deliveries and flummoxed by those that darted in. A decent series all in all, but it could have been better. Considering the way his team-mates performed, Vijay was one of the few positives for India. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/stuart-binny/4001/31034">Gautam Gambhir</a>: 0/10 
 
Returning after an 18-month absence, Gambhir showed so signs of improvement. He was the most unconvincing among the Indian batsmen. His replacing Dhawan for the last two Tests raised many eyebrows. He remained persistent with his tendency to poke at balls outside offstump and looked like a sitting duck in each innings. An edge to gully, a run-out and a caught behind while trying to leave the ball, such dismissals indicate that Gambhir may have played his last Test for India. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/cheteshwar-pujara/4001/4106">Cheteshwar Pujara</a>: 4/10 
 
Pujara has endured one of the toughest series of his young career. He started off well with scores of 38, 55, 28 and 43 but Southampton, much like it did for India, led to his downward spiral. He had problems with the incoming delivery and even his rock-solid forward defence couldn't come to his rescue. Pujara was out caught behind on six occasions and fell prey to Moeen Ali's offspin twice. With a total of just 222 runs in 10 innings, India's No 3 looked very shaky. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/virat-kohli/4001/25007">Virat Kohli</a>: 2/10 
 
The first real forgettable tour for India's most prolific batsman of the current era. The fact that Kohli couldn't score even a single half-century in 10 innings speaks volumes about his failure. With 134 runs at an average of 13.40, statistically he is India's worst batsman on tour. James Anderson had his number throughout the series, dismissing him four times. Kohli was twice out without troubling the scorers and the cobwebs in his head were clearly visible. Twice he was dismissed offering no shot - bowled by Liam Plunkett at Lord's and out lbw to Chris Jordan at The Oval. 
 
Apart from his batting, his goof-ups in the slip cordon added to Kohli's woes. A gloomy series like this can be excused, especially after the string of success he has experienced, but Kohli must realise that a major chunk of India's batting revolves around him. His getting back among the runs is crucial if India are to have any chances in Australia later this year. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ajinkya-rahane/4001/32045">Ajinkya Rahane</a>: 7/10 
 
Another example of a batsman who squandered away a decent beginning. Rahane, in only his second Test in England, registered his name on the Lord's Honours Board, courtesy a match-winning century on day one to revive India splendidly. Two fifties followed in Southampton but the promising run was brought to a halt in the last two Tests with Rahane managing 21, 4, 0 and 1. He showed a lot of promise with 299 runs at 33.22 and but the team needs more from him. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/stuart-binny/4001/31034">Stuart Binny</a>: 2/10 
 
Much was said about Binny after his selection in the 18-member squad, and as it would turn out, he was another hyped-up player. His only substantial knock came at Trent Bridge - a match-saving 78 in the second innings. He played a horrible shot in the first innings at Lord's and his credentials of an allrounder also took a big blow as he struggled with the ball and went wicketless in all three Tests he got. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ms-dhoni/4001/4057">MS Dhoni</a>: Batting 7.5/10, Captaincy 5/10 
 While <keyword id="6397" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dhoni">Dhoni</keyword> the batsman raised his game in England, Dhoni the captain was another major setback in away matches. With four half-centuries in five matches, the India skipper had one of his best overseas series. His 82 at Trent Bridge was followed by 50 in Southampton where his biggest slip was falling early on day four when India needed him to stay in the middle. At Old Trafford and The Oval, his innings of 71 and 82 were one of only three Indian scores in double digits as the rest of the batsmen crumbled around him. 
 Dhoni's captaincy though looked lifeless yet again. His five-bowler strategy never really came to India's aid, and the decision to ignore Ishwar Pandey raised questions. After leading India to their fifth consecutive overseas series loss, this might mark the end of the road for Dhoni the <keyword id="195040" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Test-captain">Test captain</keyword>. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ravindra-jadeja/4001/32004">Ravindra Jadeja</a>: 5/10 
 
Despite the fact that he and Anderson kept on getting each other out, Jadeja's only meaningful contribution came in the second Test at Lord's, where his counter-attacking fifty set the game up in favour of India. With the ball, he was inconsistent. His wickets either were down to poor shots or the need for quick runs. Ian Bell and Jos Buttler took him apart in Southampton, where he was either too short or generous down the legside. Jadeja remains a strong contender at home but a doubtful starter for away matches. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/rohit-sharma/4001/4095">Rohit Sharma</a>: 1/10 
 
Our very own flat-track bully was drafted into the team at The Ageas Bowl in place of Binny and what did he do? Played a silly shot to Ali in the first innings and fell early on day five to Anderson in the second. Might be a cinch to play on Indian wickets, but his modes of dismissal are only worsening his case of playing abroad. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ravichandran-ashwin/4001/26007">Ravichandran Ashwin</a>: 6/10 
 
Ashwin managed to surprise in a role-reversal of sorts. While at Old Trafford he impressed one and all with his batting, The Oval saw Ashwin get back among the wickets. He forged a 66-run partnership with Dhoni for the seventh wicket in the fourth Test and played textbooks shots. Ashwin played second fiddle to Dhoni, who at the other end took calculated risks. Ashwin scored 46 in the second innings as India went down by an innings and 54 runs. At The Oval, Ashwin finally took his first wicket since 2012 and his 3/72 kept things tight. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/bhuvneshwar-kumar/4001/25023">Bhuvneshwar Kumar</a>: 8/10 
 
The conditions in England were supposed to ideal for Bhuvneshwar's style of bowling and he proved the theory right with figures of 5/82 and 6/82 in the first two Tests. But as soon as the English batsmen came into their own, the Uttar Pradesh bowler was a tired figure out in the middle. Once the batsmen negotiated with his early movement, scoring became easy. And even though in the third and fourth Test he took 3/101 and 3/75, Bhuvneshwar lacked support at the other end. 
 
To see him bat nicely in the series was a pleasant surprise. Scores of 63, 58 and 52 in the first three innings of the series were an added bonus for the team. With 19 wickets at 26.63 and 247 runs at 27.44, Bhuvneshwar had a series to remember. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ishant-sharma/4001/4094">Ishant Sharma</a>: 7/10 
 
Ishant was supposed to spearhead the Indian attack in England and many believed that the win at Lord's - where he took a career best 7/74 - had finally established Ishant as India's premier fast bowler. But an unlikely injury after the historic triumph was a case of bad luck for India. And when Ishant came back, it was fairly evident that he wasn't the same bowler who etched his name of on the Lord's Honours Board. At The Oval, he was predictably short and Stuart Broad took the attack to him despite batting with a broken nose. Ishant looked a bit ragged in his 4/96. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/varun-aaron/4001/30019">Varun Aaron: 5/10</a> 
 
The Jharkhand fast bowler made a return to Tests after December 2011 with plenty of calls for his inclusion for the fourth Test, in Ishant's absence. And even though he dismissed Ali with a peach of a delivery and broke Broad's nose, Aaron was mostly erratic, wasting energy on bowling far too many short balls. He bagged five wickets at an average of 50 - which included him conceding runs at over five an over at The Oval. But there is no doubt that he caught a few eyes with his pace. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/pankaj-singh/4001/4100">Pankaj Singh</a>: 4/10 
 Known as a workhorse in domestic circuit, Pankaj bowled with a lot of heart in Southampton after getting a debut in place of an injured Ishant. He was unlucky twice after Jadeja put down <keyword id="9234" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Alastair-Cook">Alastair Cook</keyword> in the first session followed by an umpiring error that reprieved Bell. Pankaj finally tasted success after toiling for 47 overs in Southampton and almost 23 overs in Manchester, where he bowled bad balls too frequently and went over four an over. 
 
<a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/mohammed-shami/4001/30030">Mohammed Shami</a>: 2/10 
 
Shami bowled with good pace in three Tests but was overall ordinary. His five wickets in the series came every 115 deliveries and at the cost of 73.20 runs. But with the next series taking place against the West Indies, he might return on the basis of what he did against them last year.

Indian Players' Report Cards After England Debacle

It is a good wager that paceman Varun Aaron and off-spinner <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ravichandran-ashwin/4001/26007">R Ashwin</a> will have had to deal with conflicting thoughts of having been left out of the Indian XI for the third Investec Test against England at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. They would have been both disappointed and at once relieved that they did not have to overcome the challenge of having to bowl on a flat deck. 
 
In <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ishant-sharma/4001/4094">Ishant Sharma</a>'s absence with an ankle injury, <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ms-dhoni/4001/4057">Mahendra Singh Dhoni</a> should have gone in with someone who could intimidate England and that would have been Varun Aaron. His fellow-Jharkhand player has the pace to take the pitch out of the equation. The Indian captain could have used him in short spells on a track that offered the seamers little assistance. 
 
Ashwin's guile - way ahead of <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ravindra-jadeja/4001/32004">Ravindra </a><a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/ravindra-jadeja/4001/32004">Jadeja</a>'s - could have tested England's left-handers <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/alastair-cook/3001/3056">Alastair Cook</a> and <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/gary-ballance/3001/73003">Gary Ballance</a> who shared a 158-run stand for the second wicket. But Dhoni's mind seems made up against including the off-spinner in his plans. Did India pay for that? Only time will answer that question over the next few days. 
 
To be fair, there is no denying that the strapping <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/pankaj-singh/4001/4100">Pankaj Singh</a> did a good fist of bowling within his limitations but India needed someone who could be among the wickets on a track like this. In <keyword id="11685" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Ishant-Sharma">Ishant Sharma</keyword>'s absence, it had to be Aaron. He has the pace to consistently overcome a flat deck and harry the batsmen into making mistakes. 
 
It was tragic that India's reluctance to position the slip fielders better came in the way of Pankaj claiming his maiden Test wicket in his opening spell. It can only be hoped that India will learnt from the mistakes and return on Monday with a more aggressive intent. That will quash any aspirations that Cook and his men have of pulling one back and levelling the series. 
 It was even more tragic that Pankaj's appeal for leg before against Ian Bell in the final session was turned down by Australian umpire Rod Tucker. Well as Pankaj bowled, the fact is that India did not pick enough bowlers who would take 20 wickets in this Test. It is clear that India have preferred to wait until they get to <keyword id="2023" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Old-Trafford">Old Trafford</keyword> to make a push to notch up another win. 
 
In picking <a href="http://www.gocricket.com/player/rohit-sharma/4001/4095">Rohit Sharma</a> ahead of off-spinner Ashwin and <keyword id="258548" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Stuart-Binny">Stuart Binny</keyword>, Dhoni has sought to bolster the batting in a bid to ensure that the 1-0 lead can be protected. It is clearly a defensive tactic, aimed at improving India's specialist batsmen's chances of keeping the England bowlers at bay for long enough to be able to protect the 1-0 lead. 
 
With each passing over, it was becoming clear that the Indian batsmen will have to come up with a strong response to ensure that the threat of the follow-on is averted and that the challenge of having to bat last on a track that does not appear to be the sort that will deteriorate much. The ball, as the cliche goes, is in the Indian batsmen's court. 
 
After the first day when England made 247 for two, India can only hope that their batsmen will deal with pressure when it is piled on them in the coming days. There can be no doubting that Dhoni could have given his limited attack better fields to challenge England, even on the flat pitch that held little by way of encouragement for the bowlers.

Did Dhoni Miss Aaron Or Ashwin On Day 1 In Southampton?

The All-India Senior Selection Committee has finally announced the names of the players who would be part of India’s squad for the 2015 World Cup.
 According to a BCCI press release, <keyword id="6354832" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="MS-Dhoni">MS Dhoni</keyword> will lead the 15-member squad in ICC CWC 2015. Other members of the squad are: <keyword id="6354486" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Virat-Kohli">Virat Kohli</keyword> (Vice Captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Md. Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Ishant Sharma. Sadly, senior players like <keyword id="351" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Yuvraj-Singh">Yuvraj Singh</keyword> couldn’t find any place in the team. Earlier in the day, we read reports speculating Yuvraj Singh’s name in the Final 15. This news would be a disheartening for Yuvi’s fans, who were hoping that Yuvi’s recent performance in the Ranji trophy matches—wherein he scored three consecutive centuries—would help him earn a place in the squad. 

	It’s worth noting that Yuvraj Singh was a star performer in the 2011 World Cup and also the man of the series. However, post recovering from cancer, he hasn’t played much of competitive cricket and not even a single ODI in 2014.

Bad News For Yuvi Fans; No Place For Him In India’s Squad  For World Cup 2015

2020 IPL auction will see these 332 players trying their luck under the hammer

He has been the cynosure of all eyes ever since his savage assault on Kings XI Punjab yielded him 87 runs off just 25 balls. And although Chennai Super Kings lost the second Qualifier, Suresh Raina gave a timely reminder of exactly what he is capable of. Come June 15, Raina will yet again be keen to prove that his consistency is not just confined to the Indian Premier League and that he still remains one of India's best bets in the middle order. 
 With an international cricket career spanning almost eight years, Raina has been through several peaks and valleys. However, his biggest setback came when he was dropped from India's ODI set-up just before the Asia Cup in March following a string of below-par performances in the previous nine months. He managed just one half-century (that too against a poor <keyword id="41570" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Zimbabwe">Zimbabwe</keyword> side) in his previous 20-odd ODI innings for an average under 26. His last four series have fetched him just 291 runs from 15 innings against Australia, West Indies, South Africa and New Zealand with the short ball repeatedly doing him in. 
 In his absence, India struggled in the Asia Cup, winning only against Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Raina's exploits in the World Twenty20 a month later in Bangladesh saw him batting in a entirely different zone. He used the warm-up games to get back into the feel of things with an unbeaten 54 against England and carried it into the Super 10s with 63 runs in four innings. Then came the <keyword id="6354312" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword>, where the Uttar Pradesh batsman once again went past 400 runs to earn himself a ticket to Bangladesh, where he gets to <keyword id="1411" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="captain">captain</keyword> the side in the absence of MS Dhoni. 
 Now that Raina is back in the squad, he has a stiff task at hand. Moreover, the absence of <keyword id="17805" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Shikhar-Dhawan">Shikhar Dhawan</keyword>, <keyword id="6354486" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Virat-Kohli">Virat Kohli</keyword>, Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami means he is the senior-most player in the side who has his own captaincy record standing against him. Raina has led in nine ODIs previously, out of which India have lost five - two of which came against Zimbabwe in a tri-series including Sri Lanka in 2010. Back then too, Raina was handed a relatively lesser experienced side. 
 
If one is to examine Raina's graph, his batting has taken a hit during captaincy. In his first series against West Indies in 2011, he averaged a shade over 20 and in the tri-series it was 27.66. He is yet to register a half-century in nine innings with a best of 43 and this is a perfect platform for the 27-year-old to prove his mettle as a leader. A lot will depend on how and where he bats. With an inexperienced line-up in picture, India would want its batting to revolve around him in order to provide resilience and if required, finish the game off for the side. 
 
One thing that is sure to help Raina is the fact that he is coming off another sublime IPL season. He had 523 runs from 16 games at 40.23 with five fifties, becoming the only batsman to score in excess of 400 runs in every edition of the tournament. India can also take heart from the fact that his pep talk with former India captain Sourav Ganguly has helped him deal with chest-high deliveries better. Raina looked fairly at ease in the World T20 and the IPL. 
 The equation in Bangladesh might sound more simple than it actually is. And in such circumstances, where Bangladesh will look forward to pulling off their biggest ever series win against the current ODI world champions, Raina's role becomes all the more crucial. His biggest challenge will be to decide the batting order which is relatively weakened with the exclusions of big names. Cheteshwar Pujara has played two ODIs in Zimbabwe - one was a fourth-ball duck and the other was an awkward 24-ball 13. With Ajinkya Rahane and <keyword id="6405247" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Robin-Uthappa">Robin Uthappa</keyword> likely to open the innings, Raina would fancy batting Pujara at No.3 with the rest to follow. 
 Rahane has 687 runs from 27 games, Uthappa 786 from 38, Ambati Rayadu 243 from 10 and the recalled <keyword id="13829" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Manoj-Tiwary">Manoj Tiwary</keyword> 251 from eight games. Apart from this, Wriddhiman Saha and Stuart Binny have batted just once for India in ODIs and Kedar Jadhav and Parvez Rasool haven't played yet. All this is far from an ideal scenario for Raina to mark his comeback into the 50-over fray. His bowling unit looks fragile too hence, a lot would be expected of Mohit Sharma (23 wickets from 16 games) and Umesh Yadav (11 wickets in 12 matches) based on successful IPL 7 stints. Amit Mishra too needs to come good and repeat his World T20 heroics. 
 
The task as hand is not as easy as it seems for the free-flowing left-handed batsman. A tour of England is around the corner and a good outing against Bangladesh could do Raina's confidence a world of good. Based on current form, Raina's place in the side seems safe at the moment but with the World Cup 2015 being the big picture, he surely is aware of the many capped and uncapped players that are waiting in the wings.

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A Report Card On India's Defeat

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To Change Or Not To Change, That's The Question For Dhoni

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Kohli's Well-Oiled India Achieve Series Goals

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Dhoni Crossed No Lines As BCCI Had Extended Fletcher Contract

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Indian Players' Report Cards After England Debacle

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Did Dhoni Miss Aaron Or Ashwin On Day 1 In Southampton?

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Bad News For Yuvi Fans; No Place For Him In India’s Squad For World Cup 2015

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