A heavy dependence on pace

The selection of every Indian squad is admittedly not without surprise omissions and inclusions. But looking at the Indian team picked for the tour of the West Indies, it must be said that the surprises have been kept to a minimum. Despite problems regarding a couple of aspects concerning the team composition, there is little doubt that 13 or even 14 virtually selected themselves, and the main discussions, not unexpectedly, centered only over the remaining two or three slots.

That said, it should also be noted that, as far as the bowling is concerned, the team is rather heavily pace-oriented, while spin, the country's traditional strength, has been given short shrift. The thought of only two spinners in a squad of 16 is slightly frightening. One shudders to think of a scenario wherein either Anil Kumble or Harbhajan Singh is injured on the eve of a Test. Taking the field with just one spinner could be disastrous, as the Indians on the last tour of the West Indies in 1997 discovered - in the one Test they lost, India played only one spinner. Incidentally, even on that trip, the selectors gave Sachin Tendulkar only two spinners in Kumble and Sunil Joshi. On the tours prior to that, the bowling composition has been three medium-pacers and four spinners.

A lot has been said of four pace bowlers having being picked with the fast Caribbean pitches in mind. So often, Indian teams of the past have discovered that, in many of the centres, this has been more of a myth. The horses-for-courses policy is fine, but four seam bowlers may be a luxury the team can do without. Indeed, never before has India fielded a quartet of pace bowlers for a tour of the West Indies. It remains to be seen how this gamble pays off ­ and that is what I would like to call it, a gamble.

Personally, I would have liked to see Murali Kartik in the squad instead of a seam bowler. I also honestly thought we had seen the last of Deep Dasgupta. Whatever his successes with the bat, he has proved a duffer behind the stumps. The problem of an opening partner for Shiv Sundar Das remains, and it is time to plug that loophole, not with the likes of Dasgupta but with a more recognised batsman.

There should have been place for both Connor Williams and the inform Wasim Jaffer in the squad. In the long run, such a move will help in solving the problem at the top of the order. Ajay Ratra can well manage the stumper's job on his own for five Tests and two first-class games, with Rahul Dravid stepping in during any emergency.

The main strength of the team will again be the batting. It is difficult to see the present West Indian pace quartet, a pale shadow of what it used to be, quickly skittling out a line-up that consists of Das, Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Dinesh Mongia. But the point is, since when did batting alone win matches? The batsmen may run up healthy totals, but it is the bowlers who have to set up the victory thrust.

However, all things considered, it is pretty much the best team that could be selected, and if there are no injury or fitness problems, there is every reason to believe that the Indians will give a good account of themselves. They have one factor in their favour ­ the weakness of the opposition. Even former West Indies captain Viv Richards has gone on record as saying that his team's fortunes are at an all-time low. It is worth remembering, however, that even in 1997, the West Indies were well on the downward slide, but they still won the five match series 1-0 thanks to one shocking Indian collapse at Bridgetown.

Also, in seven contests between the two countries in the Caribbeans, the Indians have emerged triumphant only once - on their third visit in 1971. Will Ganguly's squad emulate Ajit Wadekar and his boys? It must be categorically stated that they will not get a better chance to set right their woeful record abroad and win their first series outside the subcontinent in 16 years. Plainly put, then, it is a case of now or never.