England v India: Its Not Just A Laugh

Time has come for Indian cricket to stop offering excuses about why certain players have not a chance in hell of doing the basics right. Bending one's knees to pick up a ball rolling along the ground is not rocket science. Letting through hundreds of runs, over the course of a series, because players simply cannot be bothered doing the basics is deplorable and inexcusable.

It frustrates me to know end to see the likes of Ramesh Powar, Munaf Patel and Sourav Ganguly making elementary fielding errors and then smiling and laughing straight after the fact. The smiles may be a direct result of their embarrassment, but it's obvious that any such embarrassment has not spurred them into improving that facet of their game.

This group of offending players have had enough chances to work on their fielding and bring it up to an acceptable standard. This situation is hindering the whole team and turning them into the laughing stock of the international cricket community.

It is high time that all players who cannot field at an acceptable standard are not selected to represent India. A bowler is not only a bowler and a batsman is not only a batsman. These 'specialists' spend a majority of their time fielding and it is of crucial importance that they we competent enough in this area before being selected in an Indian squad or team.

At the very least, it will send the message that poor fielding will not be excused, nor tolerated. Even the best bowlers would not have been what they were had it not been for the fielders around them. India, with their current attack, can ill-afford a fielding unit that gifts runs like a leaky tap.

For all the experience and/or skill that Powar, Ganguly and Patel bring to Team India. They need to be benched until they display a discernible lift in their fielding standards. Until then, they are a burden on Team India and superfluous to requirements.

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