TEAM INDIA IN WONDERLAND

There is not too much to quibble about the Indian squad for the Twenty20 World Cup, even without the big three - Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid. After all, with or without them it's a foray into the unknown. Not just for the team but also for the cricket-obsessed public.

It's a peep into the future with Dhoni as captain. Even Sehwag and Harbhajan of the old guard who fell from grace, are not on the wrong side of time and can look at redeeming themselves. But one irritant remains that eternal enigma Ajit Agarkar, who's repeatedly teased only to exasperate.

The bigger worry though is inexperience, stemming from BCCI's tardiness in waking up to the Twenty20 concept. Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand are far more adept at this form of the game. As it is, the likes of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have moved ahead in brute slam-bang power in the 50-over game, which will serve them well over 20 overs.

Even Sri Lanka and Pakistan have played more Twenty20 international matches. India's lone match was in South Africa last year under Sehwag's leadership, when they scraped through to victory over South Africa with just one ball to spare. But mind you, India got those crumbs after being thrashed in the ODI series. And while chasing, there was no Pollock, Ntini or Nel to deal with.

Ironically the combined Twenty20 first-class experience of Tendulkar, Ganguly and Dravid does not add up to that of the most experienced Twenty20 campaigner in India - Dinesh Mongia who's the only one to play more than 30 such matches. Seems strange for a cricket-obsessed nation, considering Twenty20 emerged in English county cricket first in 2003.

But then the BCCI's never needed Twenty/20 to set the cash registers ringing so far. Which means players hardly got an exposure. It was finally in April 2007 that the BCCI belatedly organised an inter-state Twenty20 tournament with leading stars, keeping the World Cup in mind. But it passed by with hardly a ripple.

And for the Board to shake off its slumber, Twenty/20 needs public frenzy. The lack of which also explains why there was hardly a murmur after the team selection. Public interest can arise only through more international cricket, which can be propelled only by success in South Africa.

But then India is notorious for responding slowly to innovations in the game. Remember the humiliations of the 1975 and 1979 ODI World Cups, remembered for Sunil Gavaskar's notorious 36 not out in 60 overs (1975) and the loss to Sri Lanka (1979) who was then not even a test-playing nation.

All the same there's no saying what one can achieve, away from the limelight. India has history on its side. After all, there is that stunning upset win over the formidable West Indies in the 1983 World Cup final. If a repeat act does happen, then Twenty/20 will emerge as a rival to the 50-over game for fans' affections.

All Dhoni has to show from Twenty/20 is a second-ball duck against South Africa last year. He has miles to go, if he's to be the torch-bearer of Team India's future. And also for India to find its space in the future of international cricket too.