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The half-centuries by Wasim Jaffer and Deep Dasgupta in the second innings of the three-day match against Busta XI have brought them back into contention for the opener's slot, with skipper Sourav Ganguly declaring that one of the two would partner Shiv Sunder Das in the third Test against West Indies starting in Barbados on May 2.
"Both Jaffer and Dasgupta will be in mind when we pick the team for the third Test," Ganguly said after the three-day game ended in a draw here yesterday. India have tried a number of players, including Dasgupta, in a bid to settle the one vacant opener's slot but so far have been unsuccessful in finding the right person. Dasgupta has done reasonably well in that position but his performance as a wicketkeeper has left much to be desired.
However, Ganguly dropped enough hints to suggest that if Dasgupta is indeed picked to play in the third Test he would keep the wickets too. "At the moment, Dasgupta qualifies as a specialist opener but I am doubtful if his role would be restricted to that only," Ganguly said.
On the other hand, Jaffer is the regular opening batsman for Mumbai and is expected to bring to an end the practice of having to do with makeshift openers like Dasgupta.
Ganguly had a word of praise for Jaffer's knock even though Busta XI shielded their main bowlers, Pedro Collins and Dinananth Ramnarine, after both were included in the West Indian squad for the Barbados Test.
"A half-century is a half-century and Jaffer did play the seamers initially," Ganguly said. But another man who got a half-century, in the first innings, might not get a chance yet again. Looks like Dinesh Mongia, who scored 67 of the 150 runs in the first innings, would still have to wait to find his place in the Test team on this tour.
"Mongia got a half-century as did Jaffer and Dasgupta, but probably Mongia would find it a bit difficult (to be accommodated) in the middle order," Ganguly said. That keeps alive the hopes of all-rounder Sanjay Bangar, who opened the innings with Das in the second Test, but would be back in the middle order now. Bangar has failed with the bat in all the three innings on this tour and has not been very impressive with the ball either.
He got out for just one in the first innings of this three-day match and will be battling for survival if he is selected for the third Test. Ganguly said not much should be read into the fact that wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra was sent ahead of Bangar in the second innings of the three-day game.
"Bangar didn't get an opportunity to bat (in the second innings). He batted at number five in the first innings and this time around, we wanted to give Ratra a chance," he said. Ratra did make an unbeaten 29 but his chances are doomed if Dasgupta is picked to open the innings.
Speedster Tinu Yohannan seems to be another player to remain on the reserve benches despite taking three wickets against Busta XI. Ganguly was impressed with his bowling but said he did not have the place to accommodate him. "He bowled well on a wicket like this. But with three medium-pacers doing well, I doubt his chances," Ganguly said. "The West Indian batting is packed with left-handers and Zaheer Khan always bowls well to left-handers."
Despite the Indians being shot out for 150 in the first innings and being forced to follow-on, Ganguly was not worried about the team's batting performance. "It is just one innings. We played pretty well in the second knock and the score of 158 for two tells its own story," he said.
The Indian captain also felt that West Indies had been unnerved by the loss in Port of Spain and cited the changes in their squad to back his argument. "I feel Ramnarine is going to play in the Barbados Test. Obiviously, they have changed their mind about going into the game with four fast bowlers. Obviously they are a little bit on the worried side. They have dropped a bowler (Marlon Black) after just one game," he said.
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