SHARJAH, DEC 17: Hours frm now the National selectors will choose the Indian team for the three one-day internationals to be held later this month against Sri Lanka.The greatest disservice they can do to Indian cricket would be to retain the team which played here. Indian cricket has sunk to levels from which the only way to go is up. Certainly, no new composition can do worse than the three successive defeats this team chalked up.The surrender to the West Indies from a position of strength has left the die-hard fan of Indian cricket to question the sincerity of the team. Many are now convinced that the time has come to cast Mohammed Azharuddin out of the team.The discerning believe that he is playing as loosely as Kapil Dev did in South Africa and Australia under him. Even within the team there was a feeling that the only way India could make the final at Sharjah was at his expense.Of course, it would be unfair to park all the blame for Tuesday's disaster at his doorstep. But the fact that he played no differently from Pakistan's rookie cricketer, Manzoor Akhthar, has forced the feeling that there is more to his failure than what meets the eye.It was evident from the first ball he faced that his heart was not in the fight. Yet, Azhar, like his skipper before him, batted in a manner that left the spectators seething with rightful indignation. The placards they held and the jeers at the prize-distribution ceremony had to be seen to be believed.The talk within the team is of the former skipper's burning desire to lead India yet again. With the kind of support he has within the selection committee that may not be a far-fetched ambition. But the question they need to ask themselves is whether Azharuddin's hopes ought to be built on the ruins of the country's cricketing pride.If the Board and those manning this highly-politicised body wish to prepare in right earnest for the 1999 World Cup, they would do well to send out the right signals now.Azharuddin, who could be retained for the Test team, must be eased out of the one-day squad, if India are to make an impact in the World Cup. It is not the runs and performance that should be the criteria, but the attitude. Certainly at this stage of his career he has an attitude problem which isn't doing Indian cricket any good.The team also desperately needs an all rounder (not Noel David, please!). Right now there is no balance in the team. Any attempt to strengthen the batting weakens the bowling and vice-versa.Saurav Ganguly might have been a success the ball in England as he was in Toronto. Some more all rounders, whether medium pacers or spinners or batsmen-wicketkeepers need to be identified. India must also ensure that the best pacemen are picked for the matches from now till the World Cup. Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been a huge success in Tests, has no place in the one-day team. His fielding, while much improved, is still not up to the mark.Of course the cynics might point out after the collapse against the West Indian spinners the Indian batting is incapable of playing either pace or spin, but that doesn't obliviate the fact that in Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Ganguly India has three young, talented batsmen. Any plans for 1999 should be built around these three plus Ajay Jadeja.As far as captaincy is concerned, even if Tendulkar has to be stripped off the job (there surely must be some accountability), giving it on a platter to Azharuddin after the shame in Sharjah, would send all the wrong signals simply because two wrongs do not make a right.If the selection committee does not learn its lessons now, then it is obvious that it is beyond learning. Maybe, even this is an area with which Indian cricket could do with a lot of improvement. Any takers?
