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A squad mentality is the way forward in cricket

England's Ian Bell (right) hits a shot off the bowling of Australia's Steve Smith as Brad Haddin (left) looks on during play on day 3 in the Fifth Ashes Test between Australia and England at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011. (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
Roar Guru
29th August, 2013
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Many people, including Michael Vaughan, have trouble deciphering the whole cricket picture in their mind.

He and many of the English commentators have that ability to paint a picture, however, neither are sure about the new world squad mentality which has cropped up since Twenty20 came into being.

One thinks that cricket at international level is a 11-man game, well, not anymore.

There are three versions of the game and these three versions are, eventually, meant to provide names for a Test XI.

At least, that should be the aim, as Test cricket is still the Creme de la Creme of cricket.

Start with 30 contracted players, with 12 batsmen and wicket-keeper batsmen, 12 fast bowlers and all-rounders with six spinners cum-all-rounders.

After testing them out in each format, make a call and trim the squad down to choose a starting XI.

So when Vaughan expressed his disapproval of ECB for allowing people such as Ian Bell, Alastair Cook, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann to miss certain ODIs, he and others around him were clearly missing the point.

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There was no Twenty20 back in his day. He lacks the experience that Andy Flower and Darren Lehmann now have.

The task at the hand of modern coaches is to decide who to rest, who to play in particular matches and to keep the whole squad fit and healthy instead of just the starting eleven.

Also, they have to manage their run-ins with competitions across the globe like, Big Bash, IPL and others.

Andy Flower and Darren Lehmann have got it spot on with their selection, for both Tests and the upcoming ODIs and Twenty20s. Also, one sees no point why the squad should not be rotated to keep all the members of the squad happy.

After all, cricket is a no more a team game, it is a squad game.

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