Mumbai: Team India seems to be staring at umpteen number of problems and with the ICC World Cup just around the corner, the situation is slowly boiling out of control. If skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, coach Duncan Fletcher and Team Director Ravi Shastri are thinking of making a last ditch effort to salvage their pride, they can think of taking help from a player who has been acclimatised to the Australian conditions for long, and who plays a sport that’s very closely associated to the gentleman’s game. It involves a ball and a bigger bat, in other words called a racket. Yes, tennis is what we’re talking and Leander Paes can soon be the solution to Team India’s enormous unsolvable troubles.
Here’s why we think Leander Paes can be the answer to Team India’s problems:
Regarded as an ageless sportsman, Leander has just come away with his 15th Grand Slam title Down Under. In Team India’s context, he’s come off a winning note and goes into the World Cup positive and ready to attack.
Leander Paes and Martina Hingis with the Australian Open mixed doubles title. (Photo: AP)
He’s a good player at the nets. The Men in Blue, who always have a problem facing bouncers from the Australian pacers can think of using Leander to face some of them. He sure smashes the ball hard. Guess he won’t mind sending the cricket ball out of the stadium.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had recently made a formal announcement banning wives and girlfriends of players from cricket’s showpiece event that starts rolling on February 14. Leander looks to be the apt player in such a situation.
His current relationship with ex-wife, former model Rhea Pillai seems to be in doldrums. While everyone else would be sulking, Team India selectors will surely have a shrewd smile at this situation. After all, the scenario does go in their favour.
In the recently concluded Australian Open, Leander, in his mixed doubles final match with Martina Hingis, showcased exceptional reflexes and quick legs at the net. If the 41-year-old tennis champion has to star as an opener in Team India’s squad, and be a considerable replacement for the terribly out-of-form India batsmen, these skills should come in handy.
If the selectors are seriously considering Leander’s inclusion in the squad, they need not have to run far. Melbourne is where there have to go and considering India’s World Cup opener against arch-nemesis Pakistan is at the Oval in Adelaide, Shastri and company will not have to wait for long. Adelaide is just an hour and 20 minutes by flight and keeping in mind India’s deep pockets, that wouldn’t be heavy!
So don’t be surprised when sooner or later you hear the BCCI has made a bizarre announcement that Leander Paes would be replacing Shikhar Dhawan.
