Baffling Selections

So VVS Laxman is out in the cold yet again, and Ajit Agarkar finds himself in the thick of things once again. Honestly, I cannot for the life of me make out how Agarkar makes the national squad without really proving anything - apart from the fact, of course, that he doesn't really belong there. Zaheer Khan hasn't really found much favour with Greg Chappell, and seems to have built up a reputation as a bit of a shirker when it comes to training (if one were to go by insider accounts in the media). He has been blowing hot and cold in the last year or so, but of late was pretty good and no worse than those considered worthy of playing the Lankans and the South Africans. But the selectors seem to have reserved their best for Lakshmipathy Balaji, who has done little wrong and finds himself out of reckoning - I hope the selectors have a logical explanation, other than that they wanted to blood 'youngsters'. The only pleasant surprise is the Kerala youngster Sreesanth - hopefully he will be more than just a passenger. - NK