Summer of content for Rohit in the Caribbean

ANTIGUA: Even as the Indian cricket coach Duncan Fletcher joins the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne in heaping praise on batsman Rohit Sharma, the purists only hope that it's not again just a case of false dawn.

For a batsman of Rohit's calibre, it is surprising that he has had a roller-coaster ride so far in his career and has struggled to foment his place in the Indian national side.

Rohit has inspired India to two of its three ODI wins in the ongoing series against the West Indies with unbeaten knocks of 68 and 86.

But his success in the past have almost inevitably followed a string of failures, which explains why his career still flounders at average 30.63 after 64 games and why he is still not seen fit enough for Tests.

In 2008 in Australia, Rohit played two successive unbeaten knocks of 39 and 70 in a triangular series before his career fell in a mire and only 496 runs accrued over the next 33 one-day internationals with just two half centuries.

Left out in the cold in 2009, he made a roaring comeback in Zimbabwe last year with successive centuries against the hosts and Sri Lanka in a triangular before the almost inevitable rut hit him again - 290 runs from the next 17 one-day internationals with just one half century.

He has now yet again made screaming headlines with two purest of knocks and critics believe that this time it is for real.

"He's far more disciplined now," concedes stand-in-skipper Suresh Raina.

Rohit himself said that he "wants this tour to count" for him.

While Raine feels that "it's the time he has spent with Sachin for Mumbai Indians", Rohit feels missing out on World Cup was a catalyst and that he has worked "unbelievably hard on his cricket in the last three months".

Rohit actually never needed to work on his cricket, for many are convinced he is the most talented young batsman in the world. It's his mind which is said to have been his own worst enemy.

From the time he lazily walks up to the crease; languidly settles into his stance and stroke a few in the outfield; Rohit seems so superior to the mortals around him that he tends to get bored all too easily and throws it away.

He seems devoid of hunger; unmindful of the use he could be to himself and to his country. He has truckload of time and this rare combination of technical astuteness and innovation which Ramnaresh Sarwan concedes "allows him to sneak upon you and within no time he has 40 on the board."

Ironically, the region which saw him touch his nadir in 2009 - only 15 runs from four ODIs - could as well restore him to the one-day side and earn him a Test cap.

On Saturday, after he had sealed the game in India's favour with a winning four, Rohit turned around to pick up a stump as a souvenir. He finally might have begun to value himself, his talent, his team and his nation.

Almost every generation, India has produced a great, world-class batsman from Mumbai.

Rohit could be the next one, following on in the footsteps of Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar.

If Rohit has indeed conquered the demons of his mind, Indian cricket can approach the moment of transition with hope and confidence.

toi

India aim clean sweep, Windies to play for pride

ANTIGUA: West Indies have oscillated between bad and worse against a young India side and now trailing 0-3, they've nothing to gain from the remaining matches except some pride. The fourth ODI between the two teams will be played at the Vivian Richards Stadium on Monday and the hosts will have to come up with something better than what they've dished out so far to stop the confident Indians.

Darren Sammy, it seems, has been lacking the vision of a leader and the authority that comes along with it. For someone who has to lead by way of example, Sammy's own performance in the field and his ordinary bowling has not helped the team's cause. Last week, the skipper spent most of his energies signing press releases that said how local media had been showing him in poor light for not attending a particular awards function recently.

Cricket, somehow, doesn't seem to be the primary focus and that's been showing in the team's performances.

There have been flashes of brilliance, like that of Andre Russell's 64-ball 92 in the last game, Devendra Bishoo's attacking leg-spin and Ramnaresh Sarwan's two timely half-centuries. However, the players have not been able to convert these good performances into match-winning ones.

India, on the other hand, have stuck to their gameplans well, and maybe the West Indies will have to take a leaf out of the India's book. While India intend to go into the game with wholesale changes in the squad, it is unlikely if the West Indies will try any such thing. Instead, they'll want the Pollards and Sarwans and Bishoos to come forward with something extraordinary.

Chris Gayle's participation in the ODI series now is completely ruled out, especially because he's yet to meet with the officials of the West Indies Cricket Board. The home team will have to make do with the resources they already have and come up with something special.

India's captain Suresh Raina, meanwhile, lauded India's bench strength and hinted that now that the series had been won, more youngsters would be given opportunities. The remaining two ODI might see players who've been warming the bench so far – R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, R Vinay Kumar and Wriddhiman Saha – getting into the action.

Ashwin has been unlucky so far considering the team decided to include a leg-spinning option in Amit Mishra for the first three matches. "We wanted to have that option (of leg-spinner) and it was unfortunate to leave Ashwin out. He's a very important bowler for us and you can expect to see him play the next game," says Raina.

Ishant and Vinay made way for the more experienced Munaf Patel and Praveen Kumar but both the medium-pacers are now likely to get a game each. And as far as the batting goes, Raina is still trying to figure how he can fit in Tiwary for the next game. That leaves Saha, the wicket-keeper-batsman who seems to have been the selectors' pick.

toi