Rohan replaces Kaif; the big question is, Why?

If there was one question that was asked more times on Saturday evening than when India would declare, it was how Rohan Gavaskar came to be ...

If there was one question that was asked more times on Saturday evening than when India would declare, it was how Rohan Gavaskar came to be picked for the forthcoming tri-series Down Under.

The decision, announced today, to pick Gavaskar (27) in place of the injured Mohammad Kaif was baffling, as several other batsmen had performed better at the just-concluded Kenstar Cup among Asian ‘A’ teams in Kolkata.

The surprise that greeted the announcement — made, typically, without any explanation — was natural: Gavaskar had played only one match in the whole tournament (against Pakistan on December 28) and had registered a duck.

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Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir top-scored in the tournament with 286 runs from five matches, followed by Kaif (146), Sanjay Bangar (143), Yuvraj Singh (129) and Dinesh Mongia (76). While Yuvraj, Bangar and Badani are on their way to Australia, Kaif was ruled out due to an injury. No prizes for guessing who the losers were.

So was Gavaskar chosen on the strength of his Ranji form? The Bengal skipper has scored 214 runs in three Ranji matches this season; two 50s, no century. Teammates Laxmi Ratan Shukla (378), Nikhil Haldipur (292) and Sanjib Sanyal (265) must be wondering why they can’t make it to the national team as well!

What’s more, playing for India ‘A’ in a tour game against the Kiwis at Rajkot last year, Gavaskar made just one run. Sent in before him was Murali Kartik who scored 10.

You have to go back farther in time for possible reason for his selection: during the Challenger Trophy in Bangalore last September, Gavaskar scored 145 runs in three matches.

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One reason trotted out for his selection in the probables squad in the past has been that he bats left-handed (so do Ganguly, Yuvraj, Badani and Mongia). And that he can bowl; so can, in addition to the above, Sehwag and Tendulkar.

Perhaps the real reason lies elsewhere. For sure, the BCCI won’t say.