After good performances by Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly some of the print media tried to rekindle the seniors verses the juniors debate. I find this controversy demeaning both the senior and junior players. It was started by the print and electronic media to increase circulation and TRPs.
The ODI World Cup is in 2011. The seniors will be around 40 years and less fit than they are today. If they are then not found fit enough, which is a likely outcome, the Indian ODI team will be very inexperienced. In order to create a core group of players and give them the experience of playing together it was essential to exclude those seniors who are unlikely to figure in the World Cup 2011. Also in the ODI format of the game it is imperative to add those 10 extra runs by converting the singles into twos and to prevent the opposition from adding the ten extra runs by restricting their singles opportunity to singles. The younger and more athletic players are able to effect this 20 run difference, which the senior players were not able to do.
In test cricket there is no world cup target. Also in test cricket experience counts for a bit more and athleticism for a bit less as compared to ODI cricket. Therefore the seniors are still playing test cricket.
And to those who have raised this issue again I would like to add that it was the 40 run last wicket partnership between Shreesant and Ishant Sharma that won us the test match more than the good knocks by the seniors. This partnership not only gave us 40 runs less to score but mentally and physically drained the South Africans.
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