Congratulations to the Pakistani cricket team for a comprehensive and well deserved victory. It is the biggest margin of defeat suffered by India at the hands of a Pakistani cricket team. I am not going to make a long analysis of the reasons for the defeat - the reasons are too obvious to state and a schoolboy could analyze that in a trice.

Pakistan set us a target of 607. India were all out for a shameful 265, losing by 341 runs. In the first innings no Indian batsman reached fifty. In the second, only one batman crossed fifty - Yuvraj who scored 122 - a gem of an innings amidst abject mediocrity. Several Indian batsmen had the opportunity to etch their name in stone but instead of a collective fightback, we saw a collective collapse. A loss was expected but the batsmen should have fought a lot harder. It is plain pathetic that a team of such reputed batsmen lasted just 58.4 overs. There is just no excuse for that.

The policy of not selecting two specialist openers came back to bite us finally. There was no specialist opener to patiently play out the new ball and protect the middle order. As it turned out it was the new ball that blew the team away. Not that it would have mattered, anyway, but the right selection should have been made. 

This 'test' has at least sorted out a few things for us :

1. The bowling needs urgent attention - a bowling coach is a must. It is time to look at some promising young spinners and include at least one of them for the next series against England. Piyush Chawla or Mishra. Irfan needs special attention - let the bio mechanists look at his action and design ways for him to gain a couple of yards in speed. Bhajji has been in a comfort zone for too long and Kumble will need replacing soon. They will do well in India against England and every short sighted supporter will be happy again, but we need more than that. We need bowlers who will win us tests on all surfaces. Kumbles and Bhajji cannot. There will be no better series to blood a new spinner than at home against England.

2. Saurav got only two innings to bat  and I saw nothing special. The same weaknesses remain. He was never good at the pull and hook but he could not score off straight balls on the pads - bread and butter for any sub-continental batsman worth his salt. The question is not how good he is. The question is whether he is better than Yuvraj. If you think he is - go get a good doctor check your head! Yuvraj will now be a permanent member of this side and Dada has to be dropped from the squad without getting all sentimental and hysterical. Only then will we be able to open with a specialist opener and Sehwag. His forced inclusion in the side has done enough damage already. The banana boys of Kolkata can go to hell ( Archives - Banana boys).

3. Players like Sachin and VVS cannot rest on their laurels anymore. Their performances have to be closely scrutinised and nobody  should take their place in the side for granted. VVS was bowled in both innings by unplayable balls and was batting out of position but that is very much a part of the game. One has to rise to meet the challenge. I believe that senior players should remain in the side only till they are still at or around their peak. Once the slide begins, there is only one way to go - down. They then remain in the side only if there are no worthy replacements.

4. Sachin is not the dominant batsman he used to be. Senior players have to lead the fight by example. He was bowled in both innings - there is no more comprehensive way to get out. I am afraid, he is not the batsman we can consistently rely on  anymore. He is still good enough to play in the team but will not dictate terms or win games single-handedly, except,  on dead pitches or against poor attacks like ours. 15 years in the game have taken their toll. Just as any other batsman, he should be subjected to the same requirements of performance to remain in the side. The past counts for nothing. 

5. Mohd. Kaif has to make a comeback to the test squad and kept ready to replace any non performing senior.

Mohd. Asif is the bowler of the series, despite playing only one match. His bowling is a joy to watch. He has the most effective off cutter in the game as of today. I would select him ahead of Sami any day. If only we had just one bowler like him in the Indian team!

The Pakistani cricket team has been the better side by miles and richly deserve this victory. For us, its back to the drawing board.