With just about a year to go before the 2003 World Cup gets underway, it's inevitable that Indians journey back in time to 1983, a year when they won one-day cricket's biggest prize after starting the competition in England as dark horses.

Chandu Borde, the present selection committee chairman who was on the 1983 selection panel, will probably whisper in private that the horses in the present Indian team are more suited for hill-station fun-rides than a major race. Borde and Company have an unenviable task: India's World Cup preparations are a shambles and they are not even sure about the jockey.

Last February, Sourav Ganguly looked like India's long-term captain. He led with passion and verve, was refreshingly non-parochial, rallied around his young charges by sticking his neck out for them and showed a spirit of tactical adventurism rare among Indian captains. His field settings and bowling changes might have backfired at times, but a new captain is allowed a few mistakes and given time to grow in to the job.

A year later, he is unrecognisable from the captain who led India to victory against the Australians. Defeats in Sri Lanka and South Africa followed by a none-too-impressive showing against England at home have dented his credentials. From a leader in command who risked the wrath of the establishment to back his young players, he has been reduced to defending his place in the team.

The tour of South Africa also saw Ganguly and India further underline their reputation as chockers in one-day finals. Five of India's nine successive losses in finals have been under Ganguly and his scores in the last four read 3, 28, 1 and 9. That's not just failure as a batsman but also as a captain who can carry his team along when most needed. Yet, in his latest column he argues that Virender Sehwag has to develop the ability to win games and not throw away his wicket when there is no need to risk big shots. Ganguly is quite oblivious to the fact that was guilty of the same crime in the series against England – and on more than one occasion.

Many of Ganguly's troubles stem from his problems with the bat. Despite his healthy Test average, he has always been suspect against genuine pace, but that weakness now encompasses sharp, but hardly menacing, bowlers. Half-vollies outside the off stump which were once dispatched to the cover boundary with a silken touch now too often find the edge en route to the slips. Irrespective of his good performances in one-day cricket, Ganguly looks out of sorts and out of his depth in Tests. Captaining the Indian side is not the easiest job in cricket and a man-in-crisis isn't best equipped to handle it.

Ganguly needs a break from the burden, and the time and space to sort out the technical mess his batting has become. He may not care much for the views of former Indian cricketers in the commentary box, but he should heed the advice of Geoff Boycott - an unabashed Ganguly admirer. Boycott believes Ganguly's wrist is not straight when he meets the ball and that his right shoulder falls forward.

Ganguly's current form does not warrant a Test place: his last 19 Tests have yielded 723 runs at 24.93 with just three half centuries, and those came against Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. His weakness against the short ball has left him exposed and has affected the other aspects of his batting. Ganguly isn't the only batsman with a suspect technique against the short ball, but players like Mark Waugh and Gary Kirsten have learnt to live, and indeed prosper, with their limitations. Ganguly has a good seven years or so ahead of him in international cricket. If he can't overcome his limitations, he must find a way around them.

There is time for a second coming for him as captain. But for the moment the selectors should do him a favour by choosing a new man to lead India against Zimbabwe. Anil Kumble is the man for the moment.

H Natarajan is senior editor with Wisden.com in India.

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