Dravid questions skill, ability and talent of Indian players

Former skipper and the Wall of Indian cricket team, Rahul Dravid, on Monday came down hard on the current Test side following their abject capitulation to England in the third Test at Kolkata.

Indian batsmen as well as bowlers looked totally off colour in the third Test at the Eden Gardens, losing that match by seven wickets, to give the tourists a 2-1 lead in the four-match series. The veteran middle-order batsman, who retired from all cricket in March this year, questioned the skill, ability and talent of MS Dhoni and Co featuring in the ongoing four-match Test series against the Three Lions.



"People talk about attitude...but the main thing is their lack of skill and ability, which is more worrying for me. It raises questions as to the talent and quality of players coming through," Dravid told BBC Test Match Special.

The ODI skipper of Pakistan Misbah-ul-Haq wanted the out-of form all-rounder Shahid Afridi in the one-day team for the forthcoming tour of India, revealed a source on Monday.

The Iqbal Qasim led PCB selection committee on Monday named separate squads for the two T20Is and three One Day Internationals against arch-rivals India later this month, dropping the experienced all-rounder from the ODI squad, while keeping him for the two T20 Internationals in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

"Misbah who captains the one-day squad wanted Afridi in the squad at the cost of Umar Akmal but the selectors rejected his suggestion," a source said. "Misbah's argument was that Afridi remains a match winning player...and...his presence would put pressure on the Indian side,” added the source.

India has called up uncapped Ambati Rayudu as replacement for injured Manoj Tiwary for the two-match T20 series against Engalnd.

Tiwary, the 27-year-old talented Bengal batsman, was on Monday ruled out of action for at least six weeks due to a serious back injury, which he had sustained during a Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra on Sunday.

"The MRI report has come and I am leaving for Bangalore tomorrow," Tiwary told PTI yesterday. "I’ll follow what physio Nitin Patel tells me to do once he checks the report."