Rotation policy shouldn`t affect team`s interest

Noida: Former India pacer Javagal Srinath has no qualms with national cricket team management`s newly-introduced rotation policy, as long as it does not affect the team`s interest.

"Rotation is a good thing, but it should not happen at the cost of the team`s interest. If someone is performing well, like Gautam Gambhir, give him a longer run. If someone is struggling, drop him for more than one game. It should not be written in stone but be flexible," said Srinath. As part of Indian team`s rotation policy, opener and vice-captain Virender Sehwag did not play the first ODI of the ongoing Commonwealth Bank series against Australia at Melbourne, which the hosts won by 65 runs (D/L method). In the second match against Sri Lanka at Perth, the other opener Gautam Gambhir was `rested`, which India won by four wickets. Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar was the next to be rested as part of the rotation policy for India`s next game against Australia at Adelaide, which the visitors won by four wickets. It was the turn of Sehwag again to be rested for the game against Sri Lanka at Adelaide, which resulted in a tie. Meanwhile, speaking on the retirement issue of senior India players like V V S Laxman and Rahul Dravid after back-to-back Test series defeats against England and Australia, Srinath said, "I had never expected Dravid, Laxman and Gambhir to fail in the Test series against Australia. "Transition should happen at the right time. It`s up to the national selectors to take a call on these players. It takes a lot to go out of the team. If you think that you have reached the high of your game, then you`ll have the satisfaction (of retiring)," said Srinath said during a panel debate There were reports during the Test series against Australia, which the visitors lost 0-4, that Laxman and Dravid were contemplating retirement. The 42-year-old former pacer, who accounted for 236 wickets from 67 Tests and 315 scalps in 229 ODIs, said that in order to revamp the domestic cricket structure of the country, pitches should be prepared that suit the fast bowlers. "To improve the domestic structure, prepare fast wickets. You will not see much success for fast bowlers in India until and unless you prepare lively tracks that suit them." He also advised upcoming bowling sensations – Ashok Dinda and Varun Aaron -- to play county cricket in England for at least one year to hone their skills and avoid injury issues. "My advise to them is to play county cricket for one year. Your body will shape in the right direction and you will understand the depth of fast bowling. Look at Zaheer Khan...after completing his stint with Worcestershire, he became an altogether different bowler," he said. PTI