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For Ireland and Scotland I’d pick the following eleven. If seen from the perspective of occurring injuries, there would always be one to replace the other at any given position:
Gautam Gambhir / Robin Uthappa (alternate between them)
Sourav Ganguly
Rahul Dravid (capt)
Sachin Tendulkar
Yuvraj Singh / Rohit Sharma (alternate between them)
Dinesh Karthik
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (vice-capt, wk)
Ramesh Powar / Piyush Chawla (alternate between them)
Agarkar / RP Singh (alternate between them)
Zaheer Khan
Sreesanth
For the three tests, I’d pick the following playing eleven. Again casualties could easily find a replacement, however, the fielding will always be weak in any constellation:
Wasim Jaffer
Dinesh Karthik / Gautam Gambhir (alternate between them)
Rahul Dravid (capt)
Sachin Tendulkar (vice-capt)
Sourav Ganguly
VVS Laxman / Yuvraj Singh (alternate between them if and when necessary)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk)
Anil Kumble and/or Ramesh Powar
Zaheer Khan
Sreesanth / Ishant Sharma
RP Singh / Ranadeb Bose (only if necessary)
I’d make the squad for the ODIs against England dependent on the individual performance in the Ireland ODIs and England tests.
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quote: Originally posted by mirchy:
Good point, Rob. Indian batsman, in general are vulnerable to bounce and that's why I kept on saying Harmison is going to be your main weapon, if he can only hold his line.
Swing really causes all batsmen problems, no matter where they come from. Both Sehwag and Jaffer are vulnerable to the in-coming ball, be it seam or swing. To be really honest, I think Alistair Cook seems to me the most accomplished opener on either side.
I was just thinking ahead and wondering if England will persist with playing two swing bowlers (presuming Flintoff is unfit) or bring in another "bounce" bowler like Mahmood or Tremlett. Having Sidebottom and Hoggie at least provides some variation, one being an inswing and the other an outswing bowler.
Tapir Liberation Front
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not picking sehwag will come back to haunt india. munaf, despite the poor attitude, is a classy bowler and zak-santh-munaf wouldve been a decent attack. harbhajan deserved to be dropped - his test form has been average for a while now.
rp singh for munaf and sehwag for gambhir - cant grumble about the other test selections.
the odi squad is pretty much spot on too - a decent showing from bose and ishant would more than likely oust agarkar.
VRV shouldve found a place somewhere too.
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quote: Originally posted by mirchy:
Chandan,
I've given you my views on the opening pair seen through the technique required by an opener. I'd only be repeating myself. If given some slack, Dinesh Karthick has great promise as an opener. For that matter so does Gambhir, if he could cut out his impetuosity. Jaffer we seem to agree on.
I do not understand your preference for Munaf. The man has no pep and is a liability in the field. He has only one thing going for him; his accuracy at 125 kmph and maybe reverse swing with the old ball. You can forget him with the new ball. RP Singh is far more effective with it. At least for now. Then there is Ishant, who, I think, has all the makings and will likely develop into a class act.
The reason I'm "wasting" matches with Tendulkar/Ganguly is because they have been selected in the squad and did not get any practice against BD. I would gladly have exchanged one or the other for Rohit Sharma. But I have to go by the squad selected.
It seems you did not read my previous post. I too would have liked to see Harbhajan in the squad. But he's not in it. And eh? Powar couldn't take wickets in BD? Powar is an attacking off spinner and has proved himself as one. His flight is deceptive and his pitch variations have made life difficult for many.
Mirchi, I suppose you forgot how handicapped we were in Kumble's absence in the first test vs BD. Why couldn't Powar take wickets there? I tell you that he'll struggle terribly against good batsmen in alien conditions. But lets hope for India's sake that I'm completely wrong. And Munaf...he is a supeb bowler. If he lacks anything, he should be asked to work on that. If he is still unable to improve, at least try to know the reasons for it. If the reason is laziness, drop him. Didn't Chappell tell him stick to line and length? Did anyone tell him what they want from him? This kind of wasting talent will cost India dearly. He could have been preserved for the tests only. We need him there. And Sehwag's omission will also cost India. He is a 28 year old batsman with no young batsman on the horizon for tests. If India wastes him like that, means they are not working with a vision. This is absolutely stupid. |
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quote: Originally posted by Rob:
I was just thinking ahead and wondering if England will persist with playing two swing bowlers (presuming Flintoff is unfit) or bring in another "bounce" bowler like Mahmood or Tremlett. Having Sidebottom and Hoggie at least provides some variation, one being an inswing and the other an outswing bowler.
If Flintoff is not available, IMO, your best bet is three of the four, Harmison, Hoggard, Sidebottom and Tremlett (to replace Flintoff). That is likely to cause a few problems. There is variation from pace to seam to swing in that combo and enhanced with Monty I could break out in cold sweat. A second spinner in case of injury to Panesar would surely be a great asset to the English squad. How India progresses depends very much on Sachin and Rahul Dravid's ability to take them on. Add to that Ganguly and Laxman, and we may have an adequate counter balance. In any case it promises to be an exciting series. Hope the weather holds. |
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Ash, as far as Sehwag is concerned I do agree with you. He had begun showing signs of a comeback in Bangladesh. But somehow I think he'll always remain prone to a sudden rush of blood at times and that will always cost his wicket. But I'm sure we haven't heard the last of him yet. It was time Ishant got a longer stint. I reckon he is very much the type of bowler Munaf could have been. I've heard good things about Bose too, who seems to be an effective swinger (of the ball, I mean,  ). If he is, I think he'll do nicely in England. I'm only wondering when he'll get a chance to play, assuming there are no injuries of course. |
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Mirchy - I would like to think this tour could decide where Sachin stands at the crossroads as a batsman. Since the Pak success in 2004, he has been average in test cricket and rubbish especially overseas [Not counting Zimboks and Bangals]. On current form and record, it looks like he will struggle again, unless he survives the initial anxiety. I hope he will prove me wrong, but it looks like he is running out of time faster then the rest.
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quote: Originally posted by mirchy:
Ash, as far as Sehwag is concerned I do agree with you. He had begun showing signs of a comeback in Bangladesh. But somehow I think he'll always remain prone to a sudden rush of blood at times and that will always cost his wicket. But I'm sure we haven't heard the last of him yet.
Nevertheless mirchy, Sehwag's omission must surely still come as somewhat of a shock. I can understand Harbijan's and Patham's omission from the team - but I would have thought Sehwag was an inked in certainty. I'd warrant that the England bowlers might just be slightly relieved! |
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Ash - Regarding Sehwag, both his technique and concentration has deterioted much rapidly last year. His vulnerability of flashing outside the off stump and against rising deliveries will totally be exploited in English conditions. Gambhir is no better. But one has to also earn his place and Sehwag hasn't done enough of that. A couple of hits against Bangals or in the just concluded Afro Asia Cup on the flat tracks cannot be an indication of his problems being apst him. Sehwag needs to win back his place the hard way. And the only way he can solve his batting woes is by hitting the nets and playing a season of domestic cricket so he can iron out teh chinks, something the pressure of international cricket and excessive travelling will not permit him to do. If you want to see a stronger, mroe reliable and consistant Sehwag emerge from the current clown he has become, he needs this break and reworking moe than anyone else.
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quote: Originally posted by RedDuster:
Nevertheless mirchy, Sehwag's omission must surely still come as somewhat of a shock. I can understand Harbijan's and Patham's omission from the team - but I would have thought Sehwag was an inked in certainty.
Although I too would have liked to see Sehwag in the squad, I'm not surprised by his omission as his form is still very iffy and somehow he gives the impression of stagnation in his art of batting. I think, specially in England, you need to be able to adapt to the weather conditions and the momentary requirements of the team. A good example of such ability is Dhoni. To be very honest, I think Hoggard would have had him for breakfast in English conditions. Dinesh Karthick, if he survives the initial five overs, is certainly a better option as he proved in SA (in the only chance he got) and BD. Jaffer, who is basically and primarily a backfoot player and more adept at playing bounce well, is definitely better equipped than Sehwag. |
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Vikas, without doubt Sachin is at a crossroads in his career. On the one hand he is still young enough to continue, on the other, his 18 years in cricket have taken a toll on his physical endurance. IMO, his reflexes are not what they once were or even what they should be for a 34 year old. Still, in test cricket, he has a place in the Indian side for the time being. However, he should have retired from ODI cricket a while ago. I say this although he still turns up with the occassional star-performance.
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But this ODIs take a much greater toll on you. It is a fast paced game there with no margin for error anywhere. Sachin should at least opt out of these masala matches so that youngsters can be given chance.
But selectors approach such chances with a muddled thinking instead of a long-term vision.
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Many fans are optimistic but I somehow just can't convince myself that we can do even as much as we did last time in 2002.
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Hoggard and Panesar definitely, Harmison probably. I have my doubts about Sidebottom. I reckon in late summer there won't be as much swing as there is now. Take the swing away and Sidebottom becomes a Pathan-like bowler. The weather will certainly determine whether he'll be successful. However, without Flintoff they seem a bowler short as what I've seen of Liam Plunkett and Anderson, I'm not too worried.
If Panesar isn't used like Hussain used Ashley Giles, and if he doesn't bowl a predominantly leg-stump line, he'll definitely be a very effective bowler against the Indian right handers. He has a good arm ball but is slightly limited in his variations. But to get him going, the English will have to offer wickets like the ones now. If they do, and provided Sachin finds a good line, his tweeky leg-spinners will definitely bring about a few furrows on English foreheads. Kumble, I guess, will be his usual.
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Dravid will have to bowl Sachin first. He's always been reluctant in using 'part-timers', even when they clearly have a lot of ability with the ball like a Sachin or Sehwag.
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