It was the idea that changed India’s one-day fortunes in early 2002 after India drew a one-day series against England at home which they should have won. Skipper Sourav Ganguly’s mantra for success was to strengthen the batting order and force Rahul Dravid to take up a new fielding position — that of the wicket keeper behind the stumps paid rich dividends.During that period from March 2002 and up to the World Cup in South Africa in March 2003, India’s run was surreal. And 27 wins in 47 games had the world raving about the Indian outfit’s meteoric rise in the abridged version of the game.But the phase that followed from thereon presents a story that the Indian think-tank would want to probe further. More defeats than victories scripted the falling fortune of the team which lost 19 of its 40 matches since April 2003 till the match against Pakistan today.The average contribution of the number seven batsman during the March 2002-March 2003 phase was 17.21 and has fallen to 15 since the World Cup. The only batsman who has done well in the number seven position was predictably Mohammad Kaif who averaged 40 in 13 innings during the March 2002-March 2003 period.Having found his form on the England tour, he looks to figure in the top four of batting from hereon. But Rohan Gavaskar’s failed to fill in that gap leaving the team’s management scratching its brains. It’s time to conjure up a new game plan and force the lower order to contribute consistently and promote Rahul Dravid to the number three slot.
