| No one knows for sure whether twenty-20 cricket | | | | deputy. Other known faces of the Indian team which |
| has come to stay, whether it will flourish like one day | | | | will be seen in the T-20 world cup are Virendra Singh |
| cricket and force test cricket and one day cricket to | | | | Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Gautam |
| take the back seat. No body knows either what will | | | | Gambhir, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Kartic, Ajit Agarkar, |
| be the capacity of a batsman or a bowler in terms | | | | Piyush Chawala, S.Sreesanth and Joginder Sharma. |
| of scoring runs or taking wickets in this form of | | | | Rohit Sharma of Mumbai and Irfan's brother Yusuf will |
| cricket? Will a batsman will be soon able to score | | | | complete the 15 member squad. As is clear from the |
| century - a feat which till now has eluded the world's | | | | list of the players, the Indian team will be one of the |
| greatest present day batters in international level in | | | | most under-prepared ones to participate in this world |
| this form of cricket? Will it be in this world cup itself | | | | cup. The players had hardly any opportunity to adjust |
| which kicks off in south Africa today? The highest | | | | themselves in the format of T-20 cricket. More than |
| individual score by a batsman in an international match | | | | half of the 15 member squad was busy playing test |
| of this form of cricket till date is 98 not out, which | | | | and one day cricket in England till recently, 8th |
| was been recorded by the Australian captain Rickey | | | | September 2007 to be exact. There is a fear that |
| Ponting in 2005 against new Zealand at Auckland. The | | | | these players might already be very tired and jaded |
| second highest individual score also belongs to an | | | | as there already away from their home for over a |
| Australian - 96 by Damien Martyn. | | | | couple of months. |
| In India, cricket lovers are keeping their fingers | | | | Meanwhile, millions of fans of the Indian team, will be |
| crossed over the question of India's chances in this | | | | waiting with their baited breath to know how this |
| first twenty-20 world cup. India's interest in this form | | | | young Indian team fares in the championship. India |
| of cricket has been Luke warm so far. While most of | | | | are slated to play Scotland [13 September] and |
| the international teams have already played quite a | | | | Pakistan[14 September] in the group league stage. |
| few number of such matches among themselves, | | | | Pakistani captain has already aired his opinion that his |
| India can boast of having played only one | | | | team is well poised to beat India. There is a feeling |
| international match so far and that too more than 9 | | | | that unless there is some very big upset, India and |
| months ago. Even Kenya and Bangladesh have played | | | | Pakistan should move to the super 8 round from |
| more such matches. It is to India's credit that | | | | there group. In all 12 teams are participating in this |
| although inexperienced, they recorded an emphatic 6 | | | | tournament. The teams include 10 test playing nations |
| wickets victory over South Africa Africa in the | | | | viz Australia, England, south Africa, West Indies, New |
| former's debut match! | | | | Zealand, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Banladesh and |
| But time has changed since then. Indian twenty-20 | | | | Zimbabwe and two associate members Kenya and |
| world cup squad has got rid of the triumvirate of | | | | Scotland. |
| Sachin, Saurav and Rahul. India's all-knowing cricket | | | | For some of the players of the India team, the |
| administrators have come up with the novel idea that | | | | tournament will be a great opportunity to rehabilitate |
| twenty-20 cricket is all about young guns. There is no | | | | themselves in the Indian test or one day squads. This |
| place for the so-called "over-aged" players like the | | | | is very true with test discards - Virendra Sehwag, |
| said triumvir. It must be mentioned here that the 3 | | | | Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh. The tournament |
| musketeers, themselves called it quits before | | | | also opens up opportunities for all rounders like Yusuf |
| anybody could raise any doubt over their ability to | | | | Pathan and Joginder Sharma. The Indian test and one |
| perform in this type of "instant cricket". | | | | day teams will soon be in the re-building process and |
| The "new look" Indian team which will participate in | | | | Gautam Gambhir, robin Uthappa, Dinesh Kartik who |
| the September 11-24 showpiece, will also be without | | | | are already in the Indian team, should use this T-20 |
| the names like Zahir Khan, Munaf Patil, Ramesh | | | | world up championship to cement their places in the |
| power. The mercurial Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead | | | | national squad for the bigger versions of the game. |
| the team with the dashing Yuvraj Singh as his | | | | |