Six Reasons Why Laxman Should NOT be Picked for the Australian Tour

For a long time, I have wondered why a sword hangs over Laxman's head in the Test team. A little bit of research, and some shrewd analytical thinking has led me to believe that the answer is as clear as my hair is of dandruff after my morning shampoo with Sunsilk (pink).

1. Although Laxman is not out of form, he has not scored a 150 for India since the last Australian tour. His fifty to hundred conversion rate is appalling, and the Indian team cannot afford such mediocrity in the batting order. He has a bad habit of getting out in the 70s and 80s, which will not do for a player in that Indian Middle Order.

2. The law of averages says that Laxman has finished his quota of success in Australia. His heroics in the last tour are more than what most batsmen have achieved there in a lifetime. Therefore, he is unlikely to score there again. Compare this with Yuvraj Singh or Joginder Sharma, who have never played a Test Match in Australia - by the law of probability, their chances are bound to be better.

3. Laxman is ill-suited to modern day cricket. His last century against Pakistan in the ongoing Kolkata Test Match had no 2s or 3s. The Indian team would value a smaller score with more 2s and 3s more than a large score where runs are scored in boundaries. After all, the boundaries in Australia are longer making the more difficult to reach.

4. The Indian team must engage in building a team for the future, and at the same time balancing our current interests. We can achieve the latter by giving the other veterans their time in the sun (and against the fast bowling) and achieve the former by dropping Laxman.

5. Laxman is ill-suited for the current role he is playing at No. 6, and the rest of the batting order is etched in stone. There are enough players who can play at this position better than Laxman. He does not manipulate the strike well enough. He cannot score quickly.

6. Laxman's close catching skills are of no use in Australia. India will have to rely on its fast men, and we need better fielders at point and gully, where Laxman and his unbending attitude to fielding cannot make things happen.

Therefore, drop Laxman. We do have Arjun Yadav, India's greatest prospect, waiting in the wings.