Too much too early

The ways of the selectors never seem to appeal to the common man. It's an ongoing process between the selection of players and the criticism meted out to the men who pick them.

The trial by justice scheme was put to test at the match between the England under-19 team and the Rest of India side at the MIG ground in Mumbai. A player who was in the West Zone Under-19 team finds himself leading the Rest of India team. The West Zone skipper Vinayak Mane was unavailable for the match at Pune and his deputy Parthiv Patel was rightfully asked to take over the skipper's mantle. Parthiv Patel is a 15-year-old opening batsman and wicketkeeper of the West Zone Under-19 team. Kashinath Khadkikar led the Rest of India Under-19 team but was not asked to do so by the selectors of his own zone. The five national junior selectors Rajinder Goel, Ashok Sinha, Mahendra Rajdeo, C Ashok and Ashok Bhagwat found Khadkikar capable of leading the best junior talent in India but the West Zone selectors gave Patel an opportunity ahead of him.

The West Zone Under-19 coach Vilas Godbole in an exclusive chat with CricInfo on Thursday agreed that it was very taxing on a young player to keep wickets, open the batting and captain the side. He recalled his playing days when he himself was a wicketkeeper and opening batsman and the job put a great deal of strain on him. But then the selectors appoint the captains and vice-captains, the coach is not entitled to an opinion in this matter. He added that the zonal squads should be given a longer time together so that they can blend well and understand each other for after all they have to play as a team and not as individuals. It would make the captain's job much easier if he knows the strengths of his players in the zonal team because then he can concentrate on his own performance as a player and overall skills as a captain.

It still remains to be seen whether it is too much too early for the youngsters.