Something to worry about for team India

Looking at the current bunch of Indian cricketers, I can see an excellent period for us over the next 3-4 years. I am sure that we will be consistently be counted amongst the best 3-4 Test teams in the world, though the predictions about us becoming the best in the world seem far fetched.

There is only one worrisome factor for India. It is the fact that the entire core of our famed batting line up consists of players who will retire at around the same time. Tendulkar, Dravid, Saurav and Laxman are all around the same age. They have fixed their positions in the batting order in both forms of the game. So in all probability, they will continue in their positions, leaving openings for other batsmen only in the openers position in Tests, and in the no. 6 and no. 7 positions in ODIs.

I think that this is a potential problem that the management needs to take notice of right now. One day will come, when all of them will retire at around the same time, leaving huge holes in that middle order in the Test team and the top order in the ODIs.
That is why I am of the opinion that whenever they get a chance, India should groom current youngsters to take charge of these positions when they become vacant.
This problem is much bigger in the Test matches, since these guys have virtually sealed any chance of anyone getting a chance to play in that middle order. What can happen here is that all potential middle order players will be neglected over the next 4 years, with the focus only on openers and wicket keeping batsmen.
I feel that one way of getting out of this situation is to consistently select potential middle order players for foreign tours and groom them for their roles by giving them chances the tour matches, knowing fully that they are not going to play the Tests.

Tendulkar and Sehwag are going to miss out in the next match against Zimbabwe. I think this is an excellent chance to give young Yuvraj a chance to play a long innings at the top of the innings. He should either be played one drop or even in the openers position, since Saurav has none of his regular partners with him. I believe that for a batsman to really reach his best, he has to have the opportunity to play at the top of the innings, where you can really focus on your batting and build your innings. Coming at no. 5 or 6, one is always under the pressure to score some fast runs knowing fully well that there is no one to follow you. Though Yuvraj has proved his usefulness in this role, I think that he has not really got the chance to play those big knocks that will make rivals wary of him.
Remember that Tendulkar was only a player with immense potential, with no century to his name till the time he got a chance to play at the top of the innings. If you look at the ODI batting average of Yuvraj, it is hovering around the 30 mark, which doesn’t quite do justice to his talent. Though he may not get to play at the top of the order regularly, he has to be given chances whenever they are available.