Ishant bowls a good ball, makes team.

Before that he bowled a cracker of a spell to Ponting, earned himself life membership to the Indian team. When the life membership lapsed, he applied again through a brief spell in Sri Lanka in one of the tests. That signed him into the one day side again.

Trouble is, the selectors, like us, have very little to go by – nobody watched the first two tests before the one-day side was picked. It was based entirely on experience in the Island, and Ishant has that in spades. Never mind that he was clubbed by the Lankans, he is all heart, and is still very much an uncut diamond. One look at his stern demeanor, and you know he’s no joker.

Seeing as nobody has watched this series, the numbers could make Mithun appear like the senior bowling pro; but the selectors will love to have both in for their batting to add to strong lower middle order – imagine a side that has Bhajji, Mithun and Ishant at 8, 9 and 10. With so much batting, who needs bowlers?

Oh right, Bhajji is being rested, in that case the responsibility will only make Ishant a better cricketer.