Seamers aim to stake their claim

Over the next five days, in a splendid new stadium off National Highway 7 on the outskirts of Nagpur, three fast bowlers will get a chance to fight for their international futures.

There are two national spots up for grabs: RP Singh and Ishant Sharma look likely to be dropped, given their recent performances in South Africa. Unfortunately, Irfan Pathan will miss the chance to showcase his skills due to an ill-timed injury but Sreesanth, Munaf Patel and Sudeep Tyagi get an early crack at the coveted India job.

The three contenders couldn't have more differing personalities. There is nothing to be said about Sreesanth that is not known, but it will suffice to say he's trying to rediscover himself. Munaf Patel, currently the earthiest Indian cricketer, has found and lost himself in the past but, right now, he is the most self-aware of the lot. And then there is Tyagi, with genuine talent and hunger, beginning to walk the path towards self-discovery and that India cap.

The three couldn't be more different in their bowling styles as well. Sreesanth looks for early swing before shifting focus to seaming the ball. Munaf is your steady hit-the-deck bowler, who doesn't surprise the batsman with any tricks but will try to wear him down with his discipline. Tyagi is a combination of Sreesanth and Munaf; he tries to be steady with his short-of-a-length attack and looks to extract bounce and seam movement.

Sreesanth's capabilities are well known: that wonderfully steady, vertical seam rushing from his hand towards the batsman has featured in many slow-motion replays on television. But he is also capable of self-destruction: his capricious mind, his outlandish comments, and his, for lack of a better word, "antics" which have featured more on Page 3 than the sports pages. However, he has been unfairly tainted with the criticism that he isn't serious about his game. He is and it hurts. When you speak to him, you know it. But he is still a boy who, it seems, refuses to grow up.

A week ago, he was in the papers again with some quotable quotes: "I am a changed man," he told DNA. "As in, I don't get mad on the field anymore. I've worked on it. Every time I'm hit for a boundary off a good ball, I congratulate the batsman. I clap and say 'good shot, man. And when I dismiss a batsman, I have learnt to say 'sorry to get you out, mate'." Not one journalist or fan I've spoken to thinks it's anything more than an "antic". It's a reputation he will have to live with for a while, and only performances can put it to rest. He is fresh from a stint with Warwickshire, under Allan Donald's supervision, and this Irani Cup will give us a glimpse of how far he has come.

These days, Munaf is everything Sreesanth isn't. He offers what Ishant and RP failed to give MS Dhoni: consistent line and length, and an ability to bowl to a field. He is not a visually arresting bowler like Sreesanth - the ball won't dart in and out. He no longer gets the bounce of Tyagi, but lands the ball on a spot and makes it cut in a bit. And he is the one bowler, apart from Ashish Nehra, who is in complete control of his art. RP has lost his swing and is a misfit on batting tracks, Ishant has lost his radar, pace and, crucially, his confidence, Irfan still can't be trusted to bowl steadily without leaking too many runs, Sreesanth is still an quixotic commodity, Praveen Kumar had lost his stock ball - that lovely inswing to right-hand batsmen, and Tyagi is still raw. Under the circumstances, Munaf, though unspectacular, will be steady. He can hit the back-of-a-length more often than not and if the pitch offers help, make use of it to cut it around.

Tyagi, the tyro, is a talent for the future. He had a great first year but injuries affected his second season, and he is steadily moving towards re-discovering his zing. His strength is the bounce he gets from short-of-a-length at an impressive pace and a good offcutter. In his first year, he also had a cracking delivery that left the batsman, and took quite a few wickets with reverse swing. The injury forced him to tinker with his bowling action and the outswinger was the first casualty. It's said that he is in the process of regaining it; the Irani Cup game and the coming domestic season will offer proof.

The Irani Cup, like most domestic tournaments facing the IPL onslaught, has increasingly lost its sheen but the current bowling crisis in the Indian team presents the three men in focus a great opportunity to seize the day.