Will Sreesanth prove more than a lucky mascot?

By John Cheeran
On the only occasion when India won the World Cup, there was a rare element in that squad led by Kapil Dev – Sunil Walson, a Malayalee fast bowler.
Walson, the Delhi-based player, did not play any matches in the tournament, but his mere presence was an inspiration for Keralites to fall in love with cricket.
Now as Rahul Dravid plots his moves in quest of 2007 World Cup another Malayalee could well play a match-winning role.
I’m talking about Sreesanth, the young pacer who has won acclaim during the Pakistan tour from such greats as Imran Khan and Waqar Younis.
This youngster from Kochi purchases disconcerting lift from the pitch.
He has a lovely action and has a willingness to work really hard.
Sreesanth has been without luck in quite a few matches as in the fourth one-dayer against Pakistan when almost four catches were dropped off his bowling. But in the last game in Karachi, coming in as a first change bowler Sreesanth put the brakes on Pakistan innings, picking up four wickets in the process.
Unlike Walson, Sreesanth is more than a lucky mascot, for Rahul Dravid’s India.
But to stay in the Indian team Sreesanth will have to bend his back more.
Much before Sreesanth Kerala gave Indian cricket Tinu Yohannan.
Yohannan showed early promise but it did not take much time before he lost his place in the national squad.
Many in Kerala do believe that had Sourav Ganguly supported Yohannan, much the same way Dravid is now encouraging Sreesanth, India would have got a dependable bowler.
But Sreesanth’s success at the highest level should make Yohannan work hard more and keep the contest for places in Team India at a fever pitch.