Rahul Dravid's Way

By John Cheeran
A 3-0 lead in a seven-match one-day series has its own advantages.
I must quickly say that England, the Ashes winners, have struggled with their one-day workouts recently.
England, however, are considered to be a very good Test side. England drew the Test series with India 1-1. They have beaten Australia at home and are the No.2 side in ICC's Test rankings.
The common wisdom in cricket is that if you are a good Test side you are boundto become a good one-day side too. You got to have your basics right to survive in Test cricket and if that is the case, nothing should stop you from winning one-dayers.
Well..England are no pushovers in one-day arena. Rahul Dravid and his men can take pride in seizing the advantage though England are very much with a chance to win the one-day series.
From the Indian angle, to bounce back from the last day meltdown in Mumbai in such an authentic fashion shows the resilience of the side. There were quite a few learned men who questioned Dravid's ability to inspire the boys after the reverse in Mumbai.
Without Sachin Tendulkar, India's finest one-day player ever, and with an out of form blaster Virender Sehwag, Dravid has taken India to a face-saving situation, at least, in the one-day series.
Again, Ganguly's comeback hopes were ambushed as teenager Suresh Raina andYuvraj Singh shored up the wobbling Indian middle order. Again, Dravid led from the front as he stepped up to open Indian innings in Goa so that India could bolster their bowling.
If Yuvraj Singh sunk Ganguly's chances of a one-day return with an impressive display during the Sri Lankan and Pakistan series, now it was Raina's turn to be Ganguly's gravedigger.
With India staring at defeat in Faridabad (92 for five) and Ganguly packing his kit, left-hander Raina attacked the England bowling with gusto to give India a memorable victory.
Raina did not let the fireworks end there as we all watched the second round in Goa.
Raina's run making gives team management the freedom and luxury to give Mohammad Kaif more time to find his form. As coach Greg Chappell pointed out Kaif remains an integral element in India's design for the World Cup.
But some of the old problems remain with Dravid. Batting must consistently live up to the challenges ahead and for that, team should begin at the top. Sehwag has to sort out his batting quickly and on a day when pitch demands only four bowlers, Dravid can bring in one more batsman.
Dravid has to solve the opener's riddle too, if he is not interested in padding up first on a regular basis. Selectors have rightly brought in Karnataka youngster Robin Uthappa, whose aggressive ways at the wicket shall soon make him an opener India could bank on.
And one thing is certain. There is no place for Ganguly in this Indian XI.