Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth join injured list, Praveen Kumar to make Test debut

Indian players continue to treat the West Indian tour as if a trip to their in-laws. They keep dropping out like flies, thanks to fitness problems even as the non-descript players keep getting the opportunities.

The latest to join the bandwagon are Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth, both of whom are injured enough to miss out the series and that will mean that they will be replaced by Abhimanyu Mithun and Praveen Kumar. More on Praveen later.

They join the likes of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar, who will all miss out on the Tests and some of the others who are also giving the ODIs of this low key series a miss. And one can hardly blame them – neither the West Indian board nor the players have done anything of note to push the Indians. Without a battle on hand, the Indian side have been able to get away with a second string in the ODIs and the way things are, the Tests are going to be no different.

Where is becomes interesting is that the loss of these top-notch batting and bowling stars will give an opportunity for the churning of fresh talent. IPL or T20 cricket will never be able to replace a Tendulkar, Sehwag, Rahul Dravid or a VVS Laxman. Only the hard grind at the highest level at the first class cricket and chances at the international level will be able to toughen those involved.

This is why, it will now be interesting to watch the two new openers – Murali Vijay and Abhinav Mukund, fighting it out in the middle. While Vijay has played a few Tests and is an established T20 player, Mukund will find it a different kettle of fish. Fortunately for the Indians, both play for the same state side and have opened together for Tamil Nadu, which will make it easier for them.

The other exciting aspect will be to see Praveen Kumar make his Test match debut. Since the time he made his international debut, he has played 50 ODIs but not a single Test, having been often pigeon-holed as a limited overs specialist. However, this will be an exciting opportunity to prove those naysayers otherwise and having seen the aggression that Praveen Kumar has often exhibited, this will be a golden opportunity.