Did you take the chance to ask Chandu Borde, the chairman of India's selectors, a question about the team or his own career? Here's the third batch, with Chandu's answers. There will be another one in a fortnight's time, on the first day of the Headingley Test, so if you want to ask a question send it now to ask@wisden.com The perils of being a selector of a losing Indian cricket team came sharply into focus when five people tried to send viruses to Chandu after India's abysmal performance in the Lord's Test. We managed to intercept them, and sent him the genuine queries instead. Here are this week's replies:

I know there has been a lot of press coverage about this, but are the selectors concerned that Sachin Tendulkar never seems to make a big score when they are most needed - when India need runs in the fourth innings to win or draw? asks Rajesh Bhasin

Sachin Tendulkar has set exceptionally high standards for himself with his amazing consistency over the past 13 years. People talk about a slump, but he has scored 359 runs in his last six Tests, and 336 in the last six one-day matches. His form has dipped only when benchmarked against his own previous performances. The selectors are not at all worried about Tendulkar's batting. We are confident that he will silence his critics very soon, and come up with a super performance when the team needs it most.

I think Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan are real finds, but I do feel they are bowling too aggressively, and this allows opposing teams to get off the hook. Wouldn't it be wise to involve Javagal Srinath, as a mentor? And secondly, what has happened to Vinod Kambli? I'd have thought he was a natural No. 3 - especially in the one-dayers says Keyur Dave from Cape Town

I agree with your observation that both Zaheer and Nehra have sometimes been carried away at the prospect of bowling on green-tops, and have sprayed it all over the place. But both are young, and are learning quickly with experience. Javagal Srinath as a mentor is a good idea, but I believe he would have been a huge help to these young seamers had he actually been playing in the team. His experience and guidance would have been very beneficial to Zaheer and Nehra, who are excellent prospects but are still finding their feet in the international arena.

Vinod Kambli is an excellent batsman, but his fielding is certainly below international standards. If he works hard and improves that aspect of his game, he could be extremely useful in the one-day line-up.

We all know how ineffective bowlers like Anil Kumble are when India tour - but still we keep picking them on the basis of experience ... last week you answered a question about blooding new players by saying "Where's the place for bowlers like Murali Kartik?" I don't think the answer to that one is too difficult ... what do you think? asks Mohammad Iqbal

The pitches overseas generally assist fast bowlers to neutralise the effectiveness of our spinners, and because the Indian batsmen don't like to play on green-tops. Kumble hasn't had much success on those wickets, yet he is generally feared by the opposition batsmen. Kumble and Harbhajan Singh are undoubtedly India's two best spinners at the moment. Murali Kartik is young and promising, and we're certainly tracking his progress - he has been selected among the 20 probables for the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, and I'm sure his turn will come.

What has happened to Robin Singh - have the selectors forgotten about this old-young-fit fighting cricketer? I don't think his one-day spot has been adequately filled yet. Has he been dropped just on age grounds? asks Prakash from Dubai

Robin has performed splendidly for India in the one-dayers, but his recent domestic form was less than satisfactory, and so the selectors decided to look for younger players to fill that slot. Robin is currently the manager of the Under-19 team, and his experience should be handy in guiding those boys.

Apart from Retinder Sodhi and Sanjay Bangar, who don't quite seem to fit the bill, do the selectors have anyone else in mind for the important one-day allrounder position? asks Cyril Manuel

I don't agree with your observation that neither Bangar nor Sodhi fit the bill. Both are talented and deserve a longer run to prove their worth. Apart from these two, another promising player who has caught our eye is JP Yadav. He can open the innings or bat at No. 7, is a handy medium-pacer, and is sprightly in the field. He is among the 20 probables for the Champions Trophy. We are hoping at least two out of these three put their hands up and fill the allrounder's vacancy in the team.

My father is from Baroda and played under DK Gaekwad at university. He says Gaekwad should have played more for India, and was kept out by Vijay Hazare. But I've looked at Gaekwad's record, and it isn't great. Do you agree that he should have played more? asks Vishal Bhupendra Desai (ps: your knocks against West Indies at Delhi are still talked about in Baroda!)

I have had the good fortune of playing with both Hazare and Gaekwad. Both were excellent cricketers, and gentlemen. Gaekwad started off as an opener as that was the only position vacant in the batting order, but failed to make a success of it. Later, he got opportunities at No. 3 - his favoured batting position - and lower down too, but the runs eluded him. Had Gaekwad succeeded, he would have kept his place in the team. Hazare was never opposed to Gaekwad's presence in the team. Those who say Hazare deliberately kept Gaekwad out of the team are talking through their hats.

Regarding my knocks against West Indies [Chandu scored 109 and 96 in the drawn Test at Delhi in 1958-59], I consider them my best Test innings. A lot of people mention them to me, and I'm happy that those innings are still remembered today.

Have the selectors ever considered using Mohammad Kaif as a Test opener? He seems to have both the technique and temperament to do the job well says Vikas Singh

Mohammad Kaif is an excellent middle-order batsman. He seems comfortable batting in that position and has achieved a fair amount of success. I would be loath to disturb that by having him open the batting. I agree that he has the technique and temperament to open, but I wouldn't like to push him up the order at this stage. It would also be unfair on the regular openers - they deserve more chances to prove themselves.

Our World Cup matches will be on fast and bouncy tracks in South Africa. In our existing line-up we lack a good allrounder who can prove useful under those conditions, who can bowl medium-pace - someone like Ronnie Irani or Ian Harvey. If Dravid is going to keep wicket, wouldn't it be more sensible to try Sodhi, Bangar or Robin Singh? asks Rahul Dongre from Mumbai

I agree that a good allrounder would lend enormous balance to the team for the World Cup in South Africa. Our aim is to find and groom players who would make a success of that slot. As I've stated above, Bangar, Sodhi and now Yadav are three allrounders we're looking at closely. They all look good, and we hope they deliver on the potential that they undoubtedly possess.

I was looking at some old Test scorecards on the Wisden site and found the name KS Indrajitsinhji. He seemed to have a good record when he kept wicket for India. I have two questions: do you know if he was related to KS Ranjitsinhji, and why didn't he play more? Were Engineer and Kunderan better wicketkeepers? asks Bilal Patel from Houston, USA

I know Indrajitsinhji very well. In fact, I remember the two of us winning India a Test match against Australia at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai [Borde and Indrajitsinhji added 32 unbeaten runs for the eighth wicket as India chased a fourth-innings target of 254]. I'm not aware if he is related to Ranjitsinhji. Indrajit began his career well, but later on his performances in domestic matches slipped a few notches, allowing Farokh Engineer and Budhi Kunderan to break into the team. Once in, they never gave Indrajit another chance.

Who was the best player of your time who never won a Test cap? asks John Jensen from Derby

Padmakar Shivalkar, the left-arm spinner from Bombay, was without doubt the best cricketer never to play a Test. He took a phenomenal 589 first-class wickets at 19.69, but unfortunately played in the same era as Bishan Bedi, and hence never managed to break into the Indian team.

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