When are we going to learn - Indian Cricket Team?

In the past, team selection has been the 'achilles heel' for the Indian Cricket team. They always believe in playing to the strategy of 'horses for the courses' rather than playing to their strengths and belief.

Personally feel, that Indian Team is repeating the same mistake once again by not playing their best players. Over the years, Indian team has won matches by unleashing their 'spinning missiles' on the doubting minds of batsmen worldwide.

Whatever may be the state of the pitch, you need to play with bowlers who are going to help in picking up 20 wickets in a match. And one person who has definetely proved in the past that he would do no harm to that cause, is none other than our own "TURBANATOR". He is a quality spinner who has proved in past that he is not over-dependent on the pitch conditions for the purchase of the wickets. And with Jumbo firing in from the other end, they both would form a dangerous proposition for any seasoned campaigner on any track.

But with no 'turbanator' and no 'pathan' let's look at the bowling options that India wishes to use to create a dent in SA armor

Zaheer - playing his first test match after a long forced sabbatical and as the experts say test match is a different ball game than the ODIs. Hope he carries his form from the shorter version to the longer one.
Sreesanth - has not grown the stature where Indian team can pin their hopes of leading the bowling attack
VR Singh - is all raw pace and knowing that SA batsman are great players of pace...don't you feel that the SA players would be just happy to receive this 'wrapped gift' just before the 'christmas'
Kumble - has vast experience and a lone figure who may be able to make some impression, but god help India if SA players start negating his expertises...

Let's take the case scenario, if one or two of the four bowlers is taken to the task by the SA batsman who is the 'WALL' going to fall back upon -VIRU n SACHIN no way..Will the Bengal Tiger be asked to bowl...these should not be your options at all.. Don't you think it would have been a better proposition to have the following players in the script

Jaffar, Sourav,Dravid,Sachin,Laxman,Dhoni,Zaheer, Pathan, Sreesanth, Harbajan,Kumble

Blinking..u have too..VIRU is dropped in my list...with the form he is in..give him a dose of 'drop'... at the most he will get you some runs which Ganguly can also and with 'pathan' in the list you can definetely bet ur penny on having more runs on the score sheet. Pathan would give a double-edge to the team.. he would definetely add runs to the total with the form he is in..and even in his bad bowling form..he would be a better prospect than the 'raw power' of VRSingh. With Bhaji n Jumbo bowling in tandem, India stand a better chance of getting past SA... It was these two great spinners bowling in tandem that helped India record their first series win in 35 years on a WI soil. Between them they had taken 12 wickets, out of the 20 needed to win a test match. On the sidenote...VIRUBHAI's contribution was a total of 4 in the whole match and no wickets.

During the WI tour there was this fantastic article on how well kumble n harbhajan bowl in tandem. It proves that article has definetely not been read by 'think-tank' of Indian team.

Guys... lets just hope n pray for the best... hope the 'raw pace' of VRS get a 5-wicket haul...aur apna VIRU Bhai score a 196 and set the tune for INDIA's march to many milestones.. Personally, would luv India win with any combinations... Wish the BLUE BOYS all the best.