Struggling Lee is a quandary for the selectors

India managed to do what they could not at the MCG, beat Australia by just being ahead all the time. There was almost perfect batting condit...

India managed to do what they could not at the MCG, beat Australia by just being ahead all the time. There was almost perfect batting conditions and somehow groundsmen have found the right mix. It’s clear that batsmen are tactically ahead of the bowlers. Bowlers must find a way to be counted.

Brett Lee is having that sort of time in his life. He is still very quick and technically looks fine but he has to reassess the length he has been bowling. He is not landing it in right areas and batsmen are taking a long toll of him. There are two ways to go about the issue, either he takes a break, get through a few first-class games and get himself right or fights through this present ordeal. It is a quandary for us selectors.

Brett has so far relied on his pace. He might have struggled in Tests but his one-day form has been absolutely brilliant. Until now, that is as Australia have come up against the strongest batting opposition in India in recent memory. Australia have not faced a batting line up like this for quite some time. These batsmen are backing themselves to take Lee on, there have been dropped catches and missed shies at the stumps and somehow bowlers are left holding their heads in hands.

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Two other Australians bear mention. Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist have not found their feet against the Indians. Gilchrist makes 172 on one day and Indians get them for nothing the next day. When you are chasing 300, you are looking to get the best possible start and you are hampered as there is not enough time to settle down.

Martyn is also one who is down in confidence. He is still a very, very good player, you see him hitting shots down the ground and suddenly there is a good ball or a good catch and he is out. He is not on top of his game but it is not as if he looks out of form. He just needs to hang in there and goods would come for he is a quality player.

Among the Indians, Irfan Pathan keeps getting points in my book. He is a wonderful young man who has taken his opportunity with so much passion. He also has a lot of skills. He played a crucial hand for the victors.

And how can we forget another Gavaskar whose name went up the scoreboard on Sunday. Rohan had a fine debut and played a big role in the field. He also bowled his left-arm spinners well, lot better than his old man. If he is three quarter as good a bat as his father, he has a good future for he is already ahead with the ball to his dad! (PTI)