Why Daren Ganga?

Daren Ganga has been chosen to replace Brian Lara for the upcoming Indian tour of India next month. Some would ask the question, why has Ganga been chosen for this tour? Perhaps the question could be, what elevates Ganga over the heads of other regional batsmen? It is yet another mystery which has become the feature of West Indies' cricket over a period of seven years or so.

The first serious point concerns Ganga's Test average. He has played 12 Test matches and scored 563 runs at an average of 20.85, which is hardly inspiring to say the least. His rise to prominence in West Indies' cricket is well documented and his list of accomplishments include being Trinidad and Tobago captain and recently captain of the West Indies 'A' team on its tour to England and Canada earlier in the year.

The fact that a player of the calibre and talent of Brian Lara could be replaced by a player with the inexperience at the Test level such as Ganga is interesting. Lara, one of the best batsmen produced by the West Indies in the last decade and a half, is capable of impacting the game plan of any opposition he faces.

His presence in the West Indian line-up is an inspiration to his teammates and especially in one of the most hostile and difficult places to play cricket ? on the subcontinent.

The fact that Ganga has played only a handful of Test matches at the test level is also interesting. One had hoped that the West Indian selectors would have looked for an experienced batsman to replace one. As it stands only West Indies captain, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, of the batsmen, and Cameron Cuffy of the bowlers, in the current West Indies line-up have played cricket in India before at the Test level.

The last time West Indies visited India, Hooper was third in the batting averages, with 262 runs at 43.66, while Chanderpaul played just one match.

The team to India is greatly inexperienced. To some extent, it is understandable if we are to believe that West Indies? cricket is in the process of rebuilding.

Mervyn Dillon leads the pace attack with 27 Test matches. Pedro Collins with 13 Test matches. Cuffy, who visited India in 1994, took five wickets at 38.00. He has played only 13 Test matches to date.

The team includes players such as Daren Powell, Jermaine Lawson, Gareth Breese, Ryan Hinds, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Marlon Samuels, who collectively have played 19 Test matches between them. Add Ganga to the mix and seven players out the West Indies 16 have played only 29 matches. Chris Gayle with 23 matches and Wavell Hinds with 24 Test matches must be included, which brings the total to 76, still less than the 90 matches played by Lara.

One had hoped that some sense would have prevailed and an experienced player would have been chosen. Sherwin Campbell was given that responsibility against Pakistan earlier this year when Lara was injured; what happened this time? His performance was not disappointing, so his non-inclusion after he fulfilled the requirements by playing in the Busta Cup competition is surprising.

Age seems to be the determining factor with regard to the selection of the side. Most Test-playing countries have struck a balance between experienced older players and younger players. As it stands Chanderpaul and Hooper will be the key batsmen in the line-up against the Indians.

Chanderpaul has earned two Man of the Match awards against the Indians in the Caribbean. However the subcontinent is different and one must remember that the Indians play better cricket at home, although they took West Indies to the limit recently. India lost the series to the West Indies, 2-1, after winning the second Test match. Therefore, the middle order will again be heavily depended upon.

The choice of Ganga adds new intrigue to this situation. One could speculate and argue that Ganga's choice will cause adjustments to the line-up. He, no doubt, will be called upon to open the innings with the apparent number one choice for the job, Chris Gayle. Wavell Hinds, seemingly will drop to number three, with Ramnaresh Sarwan at four and Hooper and Chanderpaul remaining at numbers five and six, respectively.

The selectors' choice has revealed something also. Obviously the opening partnership with Chris Gayle has been under scrutiny for a while and has been under pressure to perform. Wavell Hinds, who bats at number three for Jamaica, will no doubt slip down the order and Ganga will ease in. Therefore, three openers have been chosen and the other middle order players chosen, Ryan Hinds and Marlon Samuels will be lucky if they play at all.

To sum it all up, the choice was not surprising or shocking. The history of selection choice by West Indian selectors hardly shocks one anymore. Ganga's progression back into the West Indies side was just a matter of time in coming.

He was named A-team captain and also quietly attended the ICC captains' meeting in England earlier this year when Hooper and Lara did not attend. It is a process which is intriguing and must be closely watched.

* SOURCE: Barbados Advocate.