Former India opener Arun Lal, in an exclusive chat with espnstar.com hailed Rahul Dravid’s return to the ODI team.

By Rajarshi Gupta

Twenty years since Lal played the last of his 16 Tests, the right-handed, hard-working former opener now knows the game and indeed knows what he is talking about.

Therefore, it did not come as a surprise when Lal sounded upbeat about the return of ‘The Wall' in ODI colours.

"I am very happy Dravid is back for the ODI's. He lends solidity into the batting order and it was important that the selectors brought him back after some of the youngsters were found wanting in recent times.

Really, there is no denying Dravid's greatness."

Dravid, who is the most vital cog in the Test team played his last ODI as many as two years back and when it seemed like his limited overs career was almost over, came a well-deserved call.

The former India captain was brilliant with the bat for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second edition of the Indian Premier League in South Africa.

All that ‘Jammie' needs to prove a point is a willow. That does it for him.

While Dravid maybe coming back into the Indian ODI team, it is also worthwhile to reflect on a year of Indian cricket without Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble, who quit all forms of the game late in 2008.

How well has the team coped with the transition phase?

"I think India have done exceedingly well. You had world beaters like Ganguly and Kumble, who are no longer part of the team and yet the side has won so many matches at home and away."

In fact, Lal opined that India have done better than Australia in dealing with the exodus of great players.

So, while the Baggy Greens kept sliding down hill, India stormed their way up the ladder.

With the Sri Lankan tri-series and the ICC Champions Trophy lined up one after the other, Lal was optimistic of a good show by the team despite the absence of strike bowler Zaheer Khan.

"It (Zaheer's absence due to injury) is a great opportunity for someone like RP Singh, who will now be the senior most pacer in the team. I think (leg spinner) Amit Mishra is a good talent as well.

It's not easy finding a replacement for Kumble but I am sure Mishra will do a good job in tandem with Harbhajan Singh."

With just a few days left for Dravid to play his first ODI in two years, the connoisseurs of the game must be getting restless. How will he fare?

After all, this is what cricket is all about. Fighting back, when your back is against the wall.