'Opening slot to remain unchanged'

JOHANNESBURG: Chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar took stock of the issues of Indian team at the nets and promptly declared that the opening slots would not be tampered with in the first Test against South Africa, starting on December 15.

“Opening is key to team’s score on this tour but (despite regular failures) openers would not be tampered with (for the first Test),” said Vengsarkar which would ease creases on the foreheads of Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer.  Both Sehwag and Jaffer have been sitting ducks on this tour but the issues have not stopped with them alone as other top-order batsmen too have found the going tough.

“It is only bounce which is getting them into trouble, but they are experienced cricketers and should come good. It beats me why they haven’t still good after a month in South Africa,” remarked Vengsarkar.

The former Indian captain arrived from Mumbai on Monday morning and was at the nets straightaway, speaking to physio John Gloster about Munaf Patel’s ankle injury and having a word with captain Rahul Dravid. He also engaged Irfan Pathan and tried to have first-hand information about the problems he is experiencing in bowling.

Vengsarkar, a veteran of 116 Tests, made a pertinent observation on the batsmen’s plight, stating India would struggle to produce good batsmen if the pitches are not good.

“Good cricketers will only be produced on good pitches, that’s a fact,” he said. “I am not on a mission. Most of us have played together and are on the same wavelength. But I would be contributing in the selection of the eleven for the Test matches. Sometimes it’s important for a team to have an outside view.”