MOHALI. Oct 10: Some of the decisions taken by the coach and the selectors imply that the Indian policy now is to blood youngsters and bid by the old guards.

Cricketers like Ajay Jadeja. Harbhajan Singh and Debashis' Mohanty have been benched to make rooms for three rookies. MSK Prasad. Vijay Bharadwaj and Debang Gandhi, today.

Three of the five selectors made it quite clear that they were looking towards the future. "At Toronto and Nairobi did anyone really miss the likes of (Mohammad) Azharuddin and Nayan Mongia or for that matter even Anil Kumble?" asked one of the selectors.

The bottom line is winning. And if you win with whatever you have in hand then there Is no cause for worry."

On the chances of Azhar, the highest runscorer in one-day cricket, and Mongia making it back to the Test side, the three in cohesion said. ’’We cannot really say at the moment."

However, the discussion clearly spelled out that both Azhar and Mongia have a very remote chance of making a comeback provided that the present group performs according Io the expectation.

One of the selectors. Madan Lal, said. “We have a few exciting youngsters. Why not give them a proper try.”

At present. Gandhi and

Bharadwaj will at least have four innings to prove their mettle in this series. Prasad will have all the three matches.

Azhar, the most successful Indian captain so far. has more causes for worry because at the moment, as the Indian think tank is planing to utilise the

services of Ajay Jadeja In the middle-order should anyone fail. th

Azhar's 100 Test cap now looks very, very remote for the log-serving Indian cricketer.

The selectors are also not worried about Kapil Dev being a high profile character and dominating Sachin Tendulkar and the other present stars of the

game in India. "Why look at it that wav. asked Ashok Malhotra. "One should feel now that Indian cricket is in hands of two of the greatest cricketers that the country has produced. If they cannot lift the game here, nobody else can.

"And Kapil is making all the right moves at the moment. By dropping Ajay and Harbhajan he has proved that he is a neutral man who will go according to the requirements of the situation."

One-day vice-captain Jadeja however naturally was a bit downcast. But he has taken his exclusion In the true spirit. 'The selectors and the team management probably feel that I will not be required for the Test match. I was looking forward to this game in Chandigarh. but then you cannot really question the cricketing wisdom of a man like our coach. It is he who has made me what I am today."

The selectors also made It clear that they were looking forward to utilise the services of Jadeja in the Test matches in Australia. That is one of the main reasons why we have kept him in the 14." said one selector.

They also made it clear that If Gandhi failed to deliver, they were going to fall back to WS Laxman of Hyderbad. but not to veteran opener Navjyot Singh Siddhu.

"He is not in our plans right now." said a selector.