Blast from the Future

Time travel is not a possibility as of now. But peeps into the future are generously available in the 2 practice matches played by India (although one of it really was an ODI). The next generation of Indian players were out there - the guys who will start occupying spaces which will be left gaping open once Sachin Saurav Dravid move out. The trinity is going to be one difficult proposition to replace no doubt!

Amongst those on view - the bowlers seem to show that the future - atleast for the near future is in good hands. A pace bowling attack of Zak, RP, Agarkar, Munaf with Sreesanth, Pathan on the bench is always good news in the pace bowling department. A department which for many years would see imposters and be blanked out - is suddenly rich.

The spin bowling compartment has seen Powar and Chawla rise to the challenge admirably - so even that department seems to be largely in good hands what with an erstwhile match winner by the name of Harbhajan Singh Bhajji on the bench.

But the batting is where our problems seem to start. Apart from the fact that we will look for replacements for 3 batters who have been in the team for a long time - we are looking for replacements to Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly arguably the top batsmen of their generation. Not only are we looking for competent replacements - we will be measuring those replacements against the standards set by these three. And thats when the new guys will feel the pressure. For suddenly a good player isnt going to be enough for us simply because he can never be a Sachin.

Its a scary thought seeing India batting without the three. Its a scary thought having Yuvraj as the best batsman and possibly Dhoni as the second best in the team. Its a scary thought having Gambhir, Uthappa as replacements. But who knows maybe these guys might just turn out well as a team and the sum of their parts turn out to be formidable. But till there is such proof - the hunt for replacement to the Trinity is going to be a long painful one