Gautam Gambhir is India’s best one-day batsman in the current year. Has he done enough to oust Wasim Jaffer from the Test opener’s slot?
Does Suresh Raina, on current ODI form, deserve a place in the Test line-up?
How many pace bowlers to pick? Two spinners are likely in the playing XI on the slow pitches in Sri Lanka, but considering the injury problems, should they have a fifth seamer in the squad as insurance?
Is Irfan Pathan a risk considering that he failed to report his side strain to the selectors ahead of the Asia Cup, missed the initial games, and has been in poor form since?
Will Pragyan Ojha be called into the squad as a back-up spinner ahead of Piyush Chawla?
Based on the rate of stroke-making/strike-rate and selection of shots, Gambhir has the ability to up the ante and match Sehwag in this department. For tests, between these two, my selection is Gambhir as Jaffer has the ability to stay there longer and play a slow innings but if India gets a false start from the beginning, let it be Gambhir who can play a few shots.
Suresh Raina is one of the promising fielders/batters in the side, and he should be given a more prominent role in the team. I feel he will make an effective contribution to the Indian test side.
How many pace bowlers and how many seamers? It is on slow wickets in Sri Lanka. Mohammad Asif was the man of the series when we last played on their turf. A combination of four pacers and 2 spinners (a third pacer acting as a backup) will be of importance if one pace bowler gets injured or doesn’t perform on par. Having an extra pacer on a slow wicket is the key to it.
Irfan Pathan needs management’s backing. Ever since his long stint on the bench last year and not getting selected for matches even though he was fit (but declared unfit due to selectors not willing to include him in the team). His role in Dravid’s team, after coming back, was very decent, performances after his comeback. He just needs to be up there with the current lot of bowlers. I don’t believe ‘rest’ will do him any good.
Ojha and Chawla - I have seen the latter and think he could prove to be beneficial to the team if given chances and groomed properly. Have not seen him Ojha in action.
Re: India in Sri Lanka 2008 - Five questions before the selectors
For Sri Lanka , I just want 2 changes :
Uthappa should be dropped from the team and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. He should be charged with misleading the gullible public, should be made to repay all his earnings and preferably banished from the face of the earth never to be seen again on a Cricket field.
Yousuf Pathan should be considered only for Twenty20s.
Rest is cool. Not much wrong with the current Indian team really. The dead Karachi pitch should not be used to judge the performance of the bowlers.
I thought they might give Yuvraj another crack, but he does not deserve it. Also I guess they are moving on with respect to Wassim Jaffer as India's test opener.
Re: India in Sri Lanka 2008 - Five questions before the selectors
Thankfully Wasim Jaffer is dropped.
Also, the selectors did the right thing with Yuvraj. He would not have played any Tests even if he was selected for the tour given the packed middle order. So, it makes sense to omit him altogether and allow him to rest.
Among the new breed of batsmen, only Rohit Sharma looks likely to succeed at the Test level. So his selection is understandable.
Re: India in Sri Lanka 2008 - Five questions before the selectors
I must say I have been impressed with this selection committe under Vengsarkar. He did some stupid thing early on but then he got things right. I have been very impressed with the way selector decided to phase out Fab four. With the likes of Rohit and Raina in team, future of Indian middle order doesnt look as bleak as one thought 2-3 years back. Rohit does seem to have temperament issues but I think it can be improved. I have been more impressed with Raina after watching him during IPL(yes I got FTA and I can watch everything for free ;) ) and recent series. He finally started to fulfill the promise that Greg Chappel saw in him 3 yrs back. I think Raina needs some chance in Test matches too.I hope he will get it soon.
Biggest worry for Indian selectors right now should be lack of good spin bowlers and lack of pace bowlers who can bowl in subcontinent. Although we have seen some decent bowlers in recent times who have excelled well outside continent but what we lack is bowler of Srinath's or Kapil's caliber who can take wickets in subcontinent. What is puzzling me a lot is inability of Indian domestic system to produce good spin blowers. We always had decent spin bowlers but it seems like there is no one their to replace Anil Kumble. No one is even close. India owes a lot to Anil for the decent tst record that they had in subcontinent during last 17 years. With Anil gone, Indian team will become a team of 80s. I think among Seniors, Indian's will miss Anil most when he retires. India didnot have bigger match winner than Anil in its cricketting Test history.
Chawla should have been retained. His tempermant needs to be better though. He would be useful in test when batsmen will not be thinking of smashing him out of the park in every ball.
Chawla should have been retained. His tempermant needs to be better though. He would be useful in test when batsmen will not be thinking of smashing him out of the park in every ball.
agreed. I have seen sparks of brilliance in him. But I dont think he has in him to replace Anil. At best he will turn out to be a mediocre spinner.
Re: India in Sri Lanka 2008 - Five questions before the selectors
^F&B, Welcome back Sir.....aap aaye bahaar aayee !!
btw, Vinesh babu....if Chawla "should have been retained", who do you think "should have been dropped" to accommodate him ? There can only be so many players in the team you know.
^F&B, Welcome back Sir.....aap aaye bahaar aayee !!
btw, Vinesh babu....if Chawla "should have been retained", who do you think "should have been dropped" to accommodate him ? There can only be so many players in the team you know.
Probably the 3rd spinner: Pragyan Ojha
Doubt any of them would get a chance anyways, and since Chawla has played test cricket and been in that group, they are probably giving the same opportunity to Ojha.
^F&B, Welcome back Sir.....aap aaye bahaar aayee !!
btw, Vinesh babu....if Chawla "should have been retained", who do you think "should have been dropped" to accommodate him ? There can only be so many players in the team you know.
Most likely they wont play more than 2 pacers in the starting line up. Hence either rp or munaf should have a rest and chawla could have been included .
The problem with Chawla is that he is lost when he is being attacked. He doesnt have a come back ball like most of the other spinners have.
Re: India in Sri Lanka 2008 - Five questions before the selectors
^ Well, we already have a "leggie"...his name is "Anil Kumble" who also happens to be the Kaptaan.....are you saying we should have a "second leggie" even if he would most likely not play any game.