Even though it should not have surprised me but Dravid's omission is more baffling than other selection matters. I am not sure what selectors found out in 6 one dayers (that Dravid played) to throw him out of the team.
Dravid dropped for Australia ODIs
I had a premonition that something like this will happen. Excerpt from my earlier post:
Dravid returns to play one-day matches
Dravid's inclusion was not a good decision. What is done cannot be undone but selectors should start thinking about the time when Sehwag returns to the fold; who will they drop?
There are many plausible reasons for Dravid's non-inclusion:
- He may not be among the playing 11 - If he was not good enough to play in 11, why was he selected 3 months ago. What has changed in 3 months?
- To show some respect as he cannot be included in the playing 11 - What kind of respect are selectors showing by giving him the boot?
- Nation comes first - When Dravid was included in the squad 3 months ago, it was thought that (with his sound technique) he will serve India better than the youngsters. Today, how can the same youngsters be better than him?
- Youngsters have learnt their lesson - What kind of message are selectors giving youngsters by flip-flopping? Youngsters may still think they are demi-gods.
There might have been some plausible reasons that I am not able to fathom. But was it too difficult (3 months ago) to foresee that this situation might come? Dravid should not have been selected in first place. Or is it too difficult now to give a respectable and reasonable exit to Dravid?
I really feel for Dravid. He has done everything that team required and still he had faced difficult moments. How many people in the world cricket has made more than 10000 runs in both forms of cricket in their career? I sincerely hope that Dravid gets over the ignominy of unceremonious dumping soon.
It is not that the team selection has been poor. I am only making a comment on Dravid's omission. The selected team is good and should be able to beat Australia.
