India Cricket: Irfan Pathan and 3 Other Players Who Deserve Another Shot

In a country where cricket is treated as a religion, the toughest job is not to get into the national cricket team, but to actually retain your spot.

Some players are talented and lucky in terms of chances, with injuries to others often paving the way for numerous comebacks. And then there are some who are just not that lucky.

In this slideshow, I will focus on the players who I feel have not had the rub of the green going their way and merit one more chance to prove their worth.

1. Robin Uthappa

I remember seeing Uthappa for the first time against West Indies, and although he was by no means the next Sachin Tendulkar, he sure did have a lot of talent.

Plus, with Uthappa, you get a great finisher. One can't help but remember his partnership with Mahendra Singh Dhoni against England in the 6th ODI in 2007 that saw India level the series. You never really know what to expect from him, and in a way, that is what defines him. 

In all honesty, I don't see him playing Test Match cricket for India, but the team could really benefit from having someone like him in the shorter formats of the game.

2. Irfan Pathan

Why does this man not get into the team? That particular question has been addressed to the selectors several times over the past two years with a mixed response. Most selectors choose to comment on Irfan's speed, or in that case, lack of it. 

That gets me even more confused. How can they say that speed is such a big criteria in terms of selection and still end up picking bowlers like Rann Vinay Kumar and Sreenath Aravind? 

Irfan Pathan is a terrific bowler in swinging conditions, and had he been selected to play in the tour of England, I can't help but feel that India would've registered at least one victory on the tour.

Also, he is a genuine all-rounder and has showed his ability with the bat on numerous occasions in the past.

3. Mohammad Kaif

A real grinder. He will fight for those runs when you need them in difficult conditions. He will look to convert those one's into two's. He will save you at least 20 runs in the field.

By no means is he the most gifted batsman in the country, but he's the sort of player that a captain would typically want in his team. It's not always the best players who should make the team.

You need team players. Players who would put the team's interests ahead of their own. You don't want to choke your team with selfish players like Ravindra Jadeja, who tend to nudge the last ball of the innings to get to their fifties, or do you?

4. Pragyan Ojha

Having made his ODI debut in 2008, he is probably India's best left arm spinner.

His strength is his accuracy, and he has all the attributes, except for the unorthodox style of batting, to be the next Daniel Vettori for world cricket. 

That will happen only if he is given a chance. I'm not saying he won't be given another chance, but the Indian selectors seem to enjoy playing this game of musical chairs with all the new players, and constant shuffling will only lead to one thing—loss of confidence of the player in his own ability.