Several mails in, in response to the notebook post of yesterday. Here's the first, from Soumya Bannerjee:

You quite rightly pointed out that the test team needs even more work than the ODI team. I don't know what Chappell's contract says but ever since he has come on board he has constantly harped on the fact that he is building a team for WC 2007. He probably has a vision for the test side too but he needs to share that with us. In Pakistan a few reports had him questioning journalists - "Do you know of any fast bowlers?" Maybe that was facetious but shouldn't he be directing his questions to the selector who was on site?

In the long term, what India needs is youngsters who can face the moving ball. There was a time when pace made us run back with our tails between our legs but we have since mastered that. Even Kumble faced Shoaib with ease albeit on a flat pitch. In you blog we had discussed the fact that domestic matches were becoming shorter and more bowler-oriented instead of being the usual run fest that they usually are.

We spoke too soon - look at the Bengal-UP Ranji final. We need pitches that assist seam movement and we need to practice on those pitches. If local boards can prepare a green top to spite a former captain and the current captain then why not make that a norm instead of an exception?

In the short term, we need to tinker with the team. We definitely need a regular opener. It's my opinion RD is not comfortable with the role. I will never understand why he chose to open in Pakistan when he had refused the role for years and when Ganguly was available. No. 3 he has been and No. 3 he should remain.

Sehwag is clearly at a loss against the moving ball but his potential for providing India with explosive starts and demoralising the bowlers is of immense value. Not all wickets provide appreciable seam movement and Sehwag clearly is too old to be taught basic skills. He should definitely open. His partner - in my opinion, Akash Chopra. Since we are tinkering and since we have set a precedence, why not have two openers in the team and use them on a rotational basis until one of them proves to the chosen one. Wasim Jaffer is there, use him and Chopra alternatingly.

Kaif deserves to be in the team as well. He has stood on the wings for a long time. It's true he has not delivered consistently but he has also been in and out of the team. His biggest asset - his determination. I'm pretty sure he would have produced a gritty innings in Karachi. He needs to come in for Laxman.

Ganguly, Laxman and Tendulkar - if the board is too shy (read scared) to drop them, use them on rotational basis too and fill up their slots with youngsters. We are talking of team building here - we will lose the no. 3 slot and slide for a while but that is the way teams are built (look at Pakistan).

Dhoni and Pathan are regulars. But Pathan needs to increase his pace. Pathan had been bulking up to bowl faster but somehow that robbed him of his ability to bring the ball in. We need a good bowling coach to work with him. Inspite of his hat-trick Pathan did not look like the strike bowler that is his role in the Idian team.

RP needs to persisted with. He bowled intelligently in spells but his inexpereince showed. That will come with age. I think VRV and Munaf should be vetted.

England will be here in March. Let us not prepare wickets so that it's the usual Kumble-Harbhajan duo that gets wickets. Let's not worry about ICC rankings. Let us prepare Karachi-like wickets and blood our young talent. That's the only raod map that's going to work. Remember Pakistan went through a lot of internal turmoil before the present team took shape. We should not be afraid to try out young talents and let our fading seniors help them shape up.