New order in Indian cricket

If India lose their first one-dayer against Sri Lanka that would be a just a statistic.
Rahul Dravid seems to have won more serious battles at Nagpur today. A son-in-law to the city of Nagpur, he has inherited the mantle of Indian cricket with a touch of authority that would augur well for the game in this country.
In the very first opportunity that selectors have given him, India’s new skipper has tightened the gaping gaps in the middle order at Nagpur. Irfan Pathan at No. 3. A batting slot that is so pivotal in a one-day innings. And he scored runs.
Pathan executed a role not so familiar to him to the satisfaction of the leadership. And in the process he has discovered how good a batsman he is. Better than Sourav Ganguly. Those who had bandied around the myth that Sourav Ganguly is the finest left-hander India has produced better fall silent now.
If anyone would be disappointed at the turn of events as the dragonflies buzzed around the wicket in Nagpur, that would be Maharaj.
Pathan’s success at No.3 against world’s Number Two One-day team has tightened the noose around Sourav Ganguly’s neck. A return would not be all that easy for the deposed Indian skipper now that India has begun to maximize its available talent pool.
It would be difficult to recall the batting order Maharaj used to prefer. He wanted to bat everywhere, depending on the bowling.
Pathan’s success would give enough ammunition for Dravid and Chappell to delay and eventually deny Ganguly the space for his further manipulations.
Promoting Pathan to No.3 had its advantages. This was not a desperate move, as were Ganguly’s so called initiatives in the past.
There was no crisis, there was only opportunity. With new field restriction rules operating and most of the international sides preferring to use them in the first 20 overs, this was a move that needed to be invented. Young minds could just abandon themselves at the crease and let the bat do the talking. A few bold strokes from eager, vibrant hands could set the stage afire.
I hope cynics would give the credit for the fresh move in equal measure to Dravid and Greg Chappell. Especially when the brave tactic has proved to be a resounding success.
And Pathan, for to his everlasting credit, has explained that be belongs to Camp India and not Camp Ganguly.