What use is IPL if efforts are not recognised?

Indian selectors need to reward performances in the Indian Premier League during the upcoming busy international schedule. The IPL is something between a domestic tournament and an international one, what with so many foreign players in the fray, and the selectors need to treat it just that way – an event played on the local circuit with bars raised because of the big names in the competition. Performances here should count, even though T20 needs a different set of skills, when selectors sit together on May 30 to decide who all go to play in Bangladesh in a tri-series also featuring Pakistan.

The grueling summer that had traditionally been an off-season has been used by the cricket Board to create an event that some worry may spoil the equilibrium of international cricket and most expect will have an affect on the calendar. But it has to be treated better than just a new property that is financially beneficial for people on and off the field.

There are several players who are good in both Test cricket and One Day Internationals and similarly, there will be many who will be good for both forms of limited overs games. The likes of Yusuf Pathan, Amit Mishra, Abhishek Nayar and Swapnil Asnodkar are names that selectors should have in mind as regular features in ODIs and more versatile players like Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma for all forms of the game.

India need to take a cue from Sri Lanka, who recalled veteran Sanath Jayasuriya to their one-day squad seeing his aggressive batting in IPL matches.

The signals sent out by Indian selectors so far have been mixed. Central Zone selector Sanjay Jagdale has indicated that IPL performances would probably do little more than identify fringe players. On the other hand, Bhupinder Singh has said that performances would definitely be considered. Chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar has averred that form and fitness will be paramount, which again means that performances in the IPL will be taken into account when selectors list down players.

The Indian cricket scenario has changed considerably in recent months. From a pyramid that had just a few at the top and a large base of players at the bottom, it is now diamond-shaped with only a few at the top and at the bottom, with a large number of players in the middle. That needs to be consolidated.

There is another good reason for the selectors to take the IPL seriously. While money may be the carrot doled out to players, the chance of making it to the national side will provide that much more incentive. It will help them perform with more zest in the IPL, lifting both individual efforts as well as interest in the tournament in the long run.

India etched out a memorable victory in the CB Series in Australia some months ago with Sachin Tendulkar’s experience combining with the exuberance of youth. The tournament in Bangladesh is just the right time to further the cause of youth. The selectors should hope to get the team settled in the intervening time including the Asia Cup, and then come up with a crack team for the Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan in September.