Is Sachin fit to be in the National squad?

Mumbai, Sep 1 (UNI) Is Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar fit to be in the National squad? Was the decision taken by the Aussie umpire against ball tampering right? Has the Chappel experimentation gone wrong on players like Pathan these were some of the splitfire arguments made here at a panel discussion.

Leading television anchor and actor Mandira Bedi along with former cricketers Sanjay Manjrekar and Milind Rege, accompanied by veteran sports editors Bobili Vijay Kumar and Ayaz Memon, debated the finer aspects of Indian cricket on the sidelines of the forthcoming 'ICC Champions Trophy' to be played from October this year.

Ironically, the panelists deemed the Australian and Sri Lankan teams as a strong contender for Champions Trophy giving the benefit of doubt against the National squad. However, Ayaz Memon, sports editor for the DNA, said the Indian squad was a strong contender and cannot be dismissed on the basis of recent performances or controversies.

Milind Rege reasoned that the Lankan team is being led by a strong captain and the team has been performing well in last few months. Hence, underestimating the Lankans would be wrong for its opponents including the Indian squad.

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