India must get their ingredients right

Less than a year ago, on the back of a remarkable run that saw 17 successful run-chases, they were being talked of as potential World Cup contenders. But after dismal performances in the Caribbean, Malaysia and on home soil during the Champions Trophy, it appears that Indian one-day cricket has slid back into the pool of mediocrity in which it was wallowing when Greg Chappell and Rahul Dravid were given the task of reinvigorating the side. Having demolished most teams on placid subcontinent pitches, the dip in form has coincided with playing on surfaces where the ball has done a bit. More worrying, even the turgid pitches of the Caribbean were too much to handle, with West Indies administering a 4-1 hammering. The heroes of last season have struggled to get started, and the old affliction of surrendering close matches has cropped up like an unsightly boil.

Team selection: When he first came on the scene, Suresh Raina appeared to be the real deal. To be fair to him, his current slump is no different from that which has affected his more illustrious and experienced colleagues, but with time running out for the World Cup, it's worth asking whether he's ready, or whether he should be replaced by an experienced campaigner. VVS Laxman, who has two one-day hundreds against Australia in Australia - no other Indian can boast of that - would be the obvious choice, but his lack of athleticism seems to be held against him. The bowling, with no recognised or experienced pace spearhead, is just as worrying. RP Singh and Sreesanth haven't really convinced on a consistent basis, while Munaf Patel is still feeling his way into the one-day game. The alarming dip in Irfan Pathan's form - he had 49 wickets and averaged 34 with the bat from 25 outings last season - has also disturbed the balance of the side, with an extra bowler needing to be picked to cover up for his profligacy with the new ball. The bench strength inspires no great confidence either. Venugopal Rao and Gautam Gambhir haven't seized their moments, and VRV Singh is as raw as Munaf and friends. With pitches in the Caribbean expected to favour old-style one-day cricket, with totals in excess of 250 a rarity, the need is for technically accomplished batsmen who can work the ball around and scamper, much like Michael Bevan did in his glory years.

Batting: The lack of a settled opening pair has been one of the biggest problems. In Sachin Tendulkar's absence, several combinations were tried, but the general consensus now appears to be to go back to the old firm of Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. It would help if Sehwag could chance upon a modicum of consistency, instead of flailing away for 10s and 20s every other game. The lack of a regular No 3 hasn't helped. Traditionally, it's the slot where the best batsman in the side plays, whether that's Viv Richards or Ricky Ponting. India have mostly gone for Irfan Pathan, who strikes the ball cleanly and finds the gaps, but on pitches with some life, the experiment has been a failure. It's also deprived the lower-order of a clean-hitter who could inspire a glut of runs in the death overs. If the team management is intent on a strokplayer for the slot, why not Raina or Mahendra Singh Dhoni, either of whom could be told that they'll be given five or ten games to prove their worth and suitability for the position.

With Dravid best utilised at No 4 or 5, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Dinesh Mongia are the others in the reckoning for middle-order places. Yuvraj was India's best batsman last season, but has regressed since, while Kaif's attritional game came off during the last West Indies tour. With his running between wickets so impressive, he surely needs to play a bigger part in the run-up to a World Cup where he could be a key performer.

Bowling: Harbhajan Singh has turned in some superb performances of late, but the support from the pace bowlers has been nothing but patchy. The economy-rates have been awful, and their inexperience has shown in pressure situations, as on Sunday night when Adam Gilchrist and Shane Watson took them apart. That said, both Munaf and Sreesanth have shown the ability to knock over great batsmen, while Pathan's Champions Trophy displays suggested that he might be on the mend. Zaheer Khan gets one more chance, and must clearly be told that it's the last. In the last 25 games he played for India, he was a candidate to be named the world's worst new-ball bowler, taking just 23 wickets at 50.13 and leaking 5.42 per over. Every man deserves a chance to reshape his destiny, but India can't keep picking men on the basis of nostalgia alone. The addition of Anil Kumble must clearly been seen with that in mind. When Dravid looks around the field for a steady hand and cool head in a time of crisis, he can spot only Tendulkar. With Kumble back, hopefully some of the bowlers will imbibe the matchless work-ethic and experience that he brings to every game. Even if he doesn't get you wickets by the bushel, there will never be any questions asked about his commitment to the cause.

Outcricket and running between wickets: After some excellent fielding displays last season, it's been back to the horrors for most of this one. With the exception of Kaif, Yuvraj and Raina, the rest span the spectrum from average to diabolically bad. As Chappell and many other students of the game have repeatedly said, the team that triumphs in the Caribbean next April will also be one of the best fielding sides in the competition. The running between wickets has also been indifferent. Too often, prospective twos become singles, and the calling is rarely decisive. Scampering between wickets alone isn't enough if your judgement of a run isn't up to scratcth. In that regard, even Dravid, who sets such a great example otherwise, has been disappointing.

Leadership and team management: Dravid won many plaudits for his stewardship last season, but has appeared a man under siege at times during this one. The fields he sets for slow bowlers are usually excellent, but he could do with some guidance when it comes to the young pace attack. The addition of Kumble will hopefully give them the guidance they need, especially in the mental toughness department where he's peerless.

Chappell's energies will no doubt be spent on resuscitating the stalling careers of men like Raina. As a great batsman who went through some troughs himself, he'll understand their problems and insecurities better than most. On the bowling front, a coach wouldn't be such a bad idea. It's no coincidence that England's Ashes-winning quartet and Australia's new pace brigade can't stop talking of Troy Cooley's contribution, and with no experienced hand like Javagal Srinath to lead the line, a Bruce Reid-like figure could well be the difference between a fine World Cup campaign and ignominy.