Injuries to Laxman & Sreesanth

Well the latest news is that Indian middle order batsman VVS Laxman and Sreesanth would be out with injuries for the second test against Bangladesh that would be starting on January 24th. This is something fishy one can say. For, when someone like VVS Laxman has to sit out of a test match due to injuries is a great loss not only for the team or himself but also for the reason that he sustained injuries while dropping a catch rather than holding onto one. How funny isn't it? On the otherhand, Sreesanth's selection should be thought about twice by the selectors from now onwards.

Statistics suggest that Sreesanth is available only for one tenth of the total number of matches that are played by India. And out of that Sreesanth is found giving a so-called splendid performance in only one out of the ten games he playes. The last time a considerably better performance by Sreesanth was in the second test against Sri Lanka where he picked up 5 wickets to earn the man of the match. Including someone like Sreesanth would be just a waste of money and efforts for, he is given a practice only to be termed unfit for most of the games played.

Though the fact is that injuries are not welcomed by any player nor anyone is happy with being injured and hence forced to warm the benches, one has to take care not to be injured. Though sounds funny, this is not exactly the case whatsoever. The only place where VVS Laxman plays is the test match and all he does is to bat and of course field that is inevitable. One would have hardly seen VVS Laxman bending his body to dive in an attempt to pull off a stunning catch. Most of them remember Laxman for dropping catches in the slips and the fact that DineshMongia was chosen over Laxman for the 2003 WC for Laxman's lack of fielding abilities is still fresh in our minds.

Neither does Laxman play the other formats of the game nor does he involve himself in other roles be it bowling or serious fielding. But, Laxman can make news for sustaining an injury. There are lot other players who would be waiting for a chance to make it big at the international stage but have to settle for something less due to lack of opportunities. Injuries to someone like Dhoni can well be understood for his multiple roles of a wicketkeeper and a batsman. So is the case with Harbhajan Singh who is to a little extent quite handy with the bat as well and can field in any position. But, when Laxman & Sreesanth are forced to miss out due to injuries, it is not a risk worth taking.