Sourav Ganguly's decision to bat at No. 3 is a brave one. The first and the latest Tests of his career have been in that position, and he has made centuries in both, but there is nothing to suggest that he is a natural No. 3. Every time India have faced a quality opposition in testing conditions - like South Africa in 1996-97 - he has had to take refuge down the order; and normally, Rahul Dravid has been the man to take his place. Part of Ganguly's intent is clearly to confront his ghosts head on. He is supposed to be vulnerable against the quick and short-pitched stuff. Even if the West Indian bowlers and pitches have declined in pace over the years, they will be enough to test him. His message to the world is: he is not scared. He is ready to take anything you throw at him.

If he comes good, the team will benefit from a captain who has regained his confidence and leads from the front. But in the process, he is doing severe damage to the team itself. This move can surely not be particularly morale-boosting for Dravid and VVS Laxman, who are routinely and expediently shunted around the order, regular fall-guys in the Indian team. When the going was easy, as against Zimbabwe, Ganguly came right up to No. 3. When it gets tough, as has happened so often in the past, you can bet that Dravid will go right back up the order.

This is grossly unfair. Dravid and Laxman need to be given relatively long-term places in the order, so that they can mentally prepare themselves for the roles they have to play. The guiding principle in such a decision has to be: what is good for the team.

If Ganguly did some serious strategic thinking and concluded that the team needed him at No. 3, his decision would be justified; that is the captain's prerogative. But the reason he gave was that he was getting 'too tired waiting for [his] turn to bat at No. 5.' This is frivolous nonsense, and a man with such a mindset has no business playing international cricket.

But he is the captain of the Indian team.

Amit Varma is assistant editor of Wisden.com India.

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