SHARJAH, DEC 12: Why is Rahul Dravid being messed up with? The young right-hand batsman, along with left-hander Saurav Ganguly, is India's most succesful batsman in recent times. Yet, while Ganguly, brimming with confidence, gave India a fine start in their chase of England's 250 in the Akai Singer Champions Trophy cricket tournament on Thursday, Dravid cooled his heels in the pavilion.

On Wednesday evening, skipper Sachin Tendulkar hinted that Dravid might be omitted from the playing eleven in accordance with the selectors directive that Navjot Sidhu, not Tendulkar, should open the batting.

A diplomatic Tendulkar claimed that if his coming lower down the innings reduced the opportunity for a middle-order batsman (read Dravid), it provided vistas at the top of the innings for an opener.

From Tendulkar and the selectors comments back home, it was expected that Dravid would be sacrificed only to accommodate a rejuvenated Sidhu as an opener.

But under the cover of lights this evening, it was evident that Dravid had been robbed of his rightful place in the team.

Instead of Sidhu, Saba Karim was sent to open the batting with Ganguly.

Why Sidhu was retained in the playing eleven when he was not expected to open the batting is a baffling mystery.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.