I need a fixed batting slot to be consistent, says Yuvraj Singh

Its true that till a player doesn't know about his role clearly he can't plan his inning and this leads to inconsistency!

Things were in an absolute mess during Greg-Chappell period as far as batting slots are concerned! I hope now these things can be figured out and each player understands his role.

Time has also come that Yuvraj starts playing in tests abroad. It seems as if the England tour will be a make or break one for Laxman.

I'm not sure Yuvraj earns a place in the test side even with the batsmen in the form they are in.

But we'll have to try to give someone experience pretty soon or else we'll end up with a big hole in our team after 2 years!

About Munaf: He’s fit & raring to prove himself

The forum doesn't want me to cut and paste the article here. So please read it, if you're interested in Munaf.

I wonder how he'll prove himself though since there is no cricket for next 3-4 months. And will he work on his fitness or on his bowling?

I hope he works on fitness so that he can get the pace back as well.

Tough times for Munaf

Munaf — declared unfit after playing in the first two one-day internationals against Bangladesh — was referred to Dr. Abhay Nene, a consultant orthopaedic spinal surgeon at the P. D. Hinduja National Hospital, Mumbai for a thorough check-up. MRI scans revealed an acute problem in a single joint of the vertebrae of the lower back.

Weak back


Touching upon the precise nature of the injury Dr. Nene told The Hindu that Munaf's back is weak. "Munaf has sprained a single joint in his lower back. He has to undergo rehabilitation/physiotherapy to strengthen the muscles around the affected part. The focus is on his back, which was not the case before.''

I am not setting a specific time frame, but he has to undergo four to six weeks of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. He should be back to bowling after the rehab period.''

When asked if the particular injury could recur and nag him right through his career, Dr. Nene said: "It's unlikely, but Munaf has to follow a proper exercise routine to stay fit.''

Four to six weeks?? Well, I think I should abandon any hope of getting him for the tests in England!!

I hope he works sincerely on his fitness and gets back before the Pak tour at home!! I just hope that he works hard!!!

Why does this forum need so much carp about India? No one wants the job of coach, that says it all.

Give it up.

No coach, no managers, India set for long haul

The Indian team leaves on an 80-day tour of the UK late on Tuesday night. It then flies to South Africa for the 20-20 World Cup, and returns to India only at the end of September. There is no coach, no administrative manager and no media manager with the team. The players are on their own, literally. This has never happened in recent memory.

Basically, this means captain Rahul Dravid — with some help from manager Chandu Borde — will have to arrange for nets, coordinate news conferences, and worry about all manner of other off-field work. Plus hammer the hell out of Ryan Sidebottom and company.


Indeed! I can't remember this happening to any team ever since coaches were appointed for India.

No coach can be understood but why no admin manager and media manager???

What the hell is BCCI trying to do here?

The cash strapped BCCI can't affort it. Too many meetings and gatherings at 5-star hotels to be paid for. Maybe the agro-minister could send the assistant agro-minister to save costs.

The scene of Indian cricket is becoming toooooooo gloomy Mirchi.

In that scenario how long even the die hard fans would hang on? It think it is soon going to be completely ruined like hockey!!

Doubt it. Not even these lunatics can destroy Indian cricket. It'll pass and better days will come. I'm still waiting for the mass to revolt someday and raid the BCCI headquarters to demand what really belongs to them.

Anyway, there is solance in the fact that most players forget about the babus once they're on the field. I wonder why I always picture Niranjan Shah wearing a dhoti.

The growing years of Rahul Dravid, the captain

Its an interview.

Please read the whole article.

What do you make out of this?

Has all this talk about frictions inside the team and all that is just a media make up or there is some truth to it?

He says he needs to improve his communication skills. Does this mean that he failed to communicate few things to few of his team mates?

now that theres no coach/manager, india will probably win the england series

What Dravid needs to do is be a lot more pro-active, and innovative. He lets the game slip away a little too much for comfort.

Now, BCCI decides to send an administrative manager

But the candidate has not been finalised as yet!! We may have different managers for Ireland ODI series and the England tour!!

So England, here we come!!

The BCCI has now decided to ape a gory Bollywood melodrama. The sob story comes straight out of a two-page letter written by the BCCI to the members of the touring party to Ireland and England.

"....Indian cricket is passing through a difficult phase after our poor showing in the World Cup, and along with the BCCI, the players have also gone through some tough time....."

"....You are representing the country where all actions of yours will be closely followed and we have to impress upon all the members of the squad to be disciplined, at times, both on and off the field. Please ensure that all the talks in the dressing room and in team meetings is confidential and always respect this....."

And this from a Board that itself doesn’t follow a word of what it preaches. I’m almost sure it drew some smirk remarks from the squad once they were on board the plane.

You're so right Mirchi.

Team India instructed not to leak dressing room happenings

Now who disclosed Shetty's letter to media and why?

Niranjan Shah, methinks.

Rajeev Shukla and Rocky Rufus named administrative managers

Rajeev Shukla is a sensible choice but Rocky Rufus?

Anyway, hope that pressure is taken off Dravid a bit. Meanwhile the team reached Ireland and was greeted by Rain and cold weather. Let us hope that they adapt to this weather quickly!

Monty as big a threat as Hoggard, Harmison : Harsha Bhogle

And he goes on to give reasons for this. But one point which IS quite worrying is that neither Sachin nor Laxman try to leave the crease and loft the spinner out of the park now. We saw that in SA.

If they don't change their gameplan here too, it might result in getting bogged down and finally getting dismissed!

They should change their approach here!

Perhaps they didnt need to leave the crease ...the quality of spin bowling in SA isnt very high

Indians still got scalped by them.

I offered to help, but they rejected me: Engineer

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2007/jun/22harish.htm

Farokh Engineer was, from what I read, a great wk and a team man, but unfortunately he has let himself go. I heard him on radio commentary a few years back and was taken aback by his minimal knowledge of contemporary cricket. That was on cricinfo radio and he was never assigned again. Nonetheless, much of what he says about English cricket and conditions is true, although that too is mostly public domain.

It definitely is not ostensible to promote yourself for an associated job with cricket posing as a walking beer barrel. No wonder he's had no response. The other side of the story is that he's earned his life's evening. He should enjoy that and stick to it.

So folks, the first match that we play is tomorrow, vs Ireland.

Here is how our players training in the chilly and wet weather at Belfast!

Strangers in a strange land

Apparantly they looked a happy bunch, enjoying cricket away from too much of fan and media intrusion!

The wicket is going to be slow or could be a damp terror too, if it didn't receive too much of sun today!

So let us see!