In cricketing circles Dilip Sardesai is fondly referred to as the 'Renaissance Man' of Indian cricket. The solid support the Mumbai and India stalwart provided to Sunil Gavaskar during the 1971 tour of the West Indies helped India win its first Test there.
But Sardesai is also a man who doesn't mince words. In recent times, he has been saddened by some happenings in Indian cricket and nothing irked him more than to see Yuvraj Singh being thrust into the opener's slot.
"I believe it is an absolute folly to make Yuvraj an opener; you are unfair to Yuvraj by making him open. He is a middle order batsman and to push him to an unfamiliar position, I think, there is something more to it than cricket. Just because you want him in the team you make him the opener," he said.
By "something more" Sardesai means the endorsements that a player has plays a huge role in him making the team.
"Get the endorsements of the right companies and your chances of making the team are better make it to the team. If you want to play cricket for India you require a godfather or a big sponsor," he added.
People made a hue and cry when Virender Sehwag was asked to open the innings. Then, too, they said it was folly to ask him to open. So one wonders why Yuvraj cannot succeed when Sehwag did?
"Sehwag is a striker of the ball. His bat comes down straight on the ball. Yuvraj cannot strike it in that manner. Anything outside the off-stump, his feet don't move and he struggles. That's not called batting," said Sardesai.
The openers' slots in the Indian batting order is still unsettled. Sadgoppan Ramesh, Shiv Sundar Das, Sanjay Bangar and Akash Chopra have all come and gone. Correction: Chopra is now on the verge of going.
"I don't think they have done injustice to Chopra. They have tried him. He played well in Australia but even after getting set; he would make just 30-40 runs and then get out. Once an opener gets a start, he is supposed to go out and score runs, big runs.
"You have tried Chopra and if you feel he is not playing well go out and try some other boys. If you are not trying then how do you expect anyone to succeed. Why try and convert a middle-order batsman to an opener?" he asked.
Sardesai feels Mohammad Kaif, who scored 64 in the first innings in the second Test against Australia in Chennai, has a better technique and would make a better opener.
"If you want to give someone a chance then I think Kaif would be a better bet than Yuvraj. He is more compact and has better technique. I have always thought that Yuvraj is a one-day batsman and the selectors will destroy his career by making him open the innings."
The other dilemma for the Indian selectors after the first two Tests in the ongoing series against Australia is Parthiv Patel's form. The Indian wicket-keeper had a torrid time in both Tests and has been given "one last chance" in Nagpur.
"I am not against Parthiv Patel. You want to give him another chance, go ahead, even though he has kept badly. I said it two years ago that by the time Parthiv Patel retires he will be known as a batsman and not as a keeper. Let me tell you, he is a very good batsman. He plays in the old style, he makes batting against the spinners look easy."
So, maybe, Patel is the opener that India has been looking for.
"No, I think he is doing a very good job in the middle-order. But he must be told that he has to improve his wicket-keeping and go back to the basics. Right now he is snatching at the ball and we just can't have that."
