I just did a round of Indian BB’s and they are all talking about who should open. Looks like Indians are scared of opening against Shoaib. And in the same sentence they also declare that the Pakistanis scored on the first day because the wicket is placid!
With two genuine openers on the bench, the biggest dilema for Indians is who will face Shoaib with a new cherry.
Re: No Indian Batsman Willing to Face the Music
It is same wicket as Multan where Sehwag scored 300+ along with his 10 catches that Pakistanis dropped! And indians regard sehwag as a great batsman because of that inning and now that Pakistan has scored some runs, they want to fly FLAT wicket idea. Na edhar khus na udhar khush
Re: No Indian Batsman Willing to Face the Music
Frankly I don't believe any Indian batsman (with the exception of Ganguly) is scared of facing Shoaib....you Pakis can do any amount of wishful thinking but I believe this is a fact.
There is some report in the media that Ganguly had an argument with Dravid before the toss and simply refused to open if India batted first. If this is true, Ganguly should be Kicked out...no dumped...no packed off to Kolkatta forever. He can run his restaurant for the rest of his life. All that this bugger is doing is distablizing the team.
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It has to be fear of facing Shoaib. India apparently didn't have a big openers issue against Srilanka. Why sit out two regular openers in Gambhir and Jaffer?
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See my friend…this is not School Cricket…so take this “dar gaya” suggestion out of here… .at this level of Cricket..batsmen back themselves to face the fastest and the meanest. They wouldn’t have reached this point if they were “scared” of facing fast bowling.
However Ganguly’s case is different. 3 Years ago , he would have had no issues facing Akram, Waqar or Akhtar. Now he is short-on-confidence, fighting to retain his place in the side…but most importantly has a known weakness against fast bowling…so he is trying despertaely to “save his behind”.
As for leaving out the regular openers, the reasoning is simple…they had to be sacrificed so that a certain Mr Ganguly could be accommodated…sorry to disappoint you..but I dont believe this has got anything to do with openers being “scared” to face Shoaib… even suggesting so is laughable.
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If they are not scared then what was the animated discussion between Dravid and Ganguly? And why is the batting line-up still a secret? Don't tell me it's team tactics. BS.
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If you read Chappel’s infamous email in full, he mentioned that Ganguly made excuses so he did not have to face the new ball even in the Zimbabwe series.
So unless you think Mahwire, Blignaut or Heath Streak are as fast as Shoaib, your argument does not hold water.
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As for the batting line-up being secret...this is how it was even in the series against Sri Lanka...so what's your point. For all you know, it may be Pathan opening with Sehwag.
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And why would you single out Ganguly of being scared if there are 6 other batsmen in the team? The issue of him being scared (I use that word for lack of a better word..u can use 'uncomfortable') arises because others are also NOT willing to raise the hand. SO, in a nut shell most Indian batsmen are scared or uncomfortable with new ball.
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^That is what you and most Pakis wish was true.
It is ridiculous to suggest that players of the calibre of Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman would be saying ...."no...please I dont want to face Shoaib. He is too fast".
Also, like I said this is no friggin School Cricket...openers are not decided by asking this question..."OK who is willing to go open and face Shoaib...raise your hand".
Re: No Indian Batsman Willing to Face the Music
Also, like I said this is no friggin School Cricket...openers are not decided by asking this question..."OK who is willing to go open and face Shoaib...raise your hand".
You are in for a shocker. Actually, during team meetings such issues are resolved with raising of hands. I have been involved with team USA and some county cricket. So, I know it from first hand. Nothing unusual about it. But when I said raising of hands in my earlier post, I did not mean it literally.
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The underlying assumption behind your assertion is that it is OK for anybody in the playing eleven to open just like in gully or school cricket.
They might as well do what we used to do in our bachpan days :
Write 1,2,3,4... on the ground cover it with a bat and ask each player to choose the line drawn against the numbers.
Now dont tell me, you saw Team USA doing this too !!
Re: No Indian Batsman Willing to Face the Music
Go back and read again, I said six batsmen and not all eleven. Looks like you can use some sleep. Or may be you won't be watching it tonight. :D
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No…I did not believe Harbhajan or Kumble could open…sleep or no sleep.
As for the others… I don’t see how Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman or even Yuvraj would suddenly be asked if they could please open…since the specialist openers were too scared to face Shoaib.
Not that I doubt your Team USA credentials.
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Good for you if indian-scared-of-shoib crap makes you feel good. Dont be freaking stupid.
When it comes to openers, India would have gone with regular opener but to accommodate Ganguly they have to sacrifice an Opener. Question comes, who should open now. Common sense says that, why unsettle Sachin,Laxman, Yuvi and Dravid from their usual position where they enjoyed immense success.
Media report says that Ganguly was asked and he refused. Hence Dravid being a captain took on himself and volunteered. Ganguly's issue is different and some1 explained it. Where is the question if being scared. No one else is asked. I know you guys are jumping out of your pants simply because Shoib had a great series and it makes you think that Shoib is the best thing happened to cricket after Don Bradman.
This hype of shoib, reminds me of another hype that I saw on this forum, only to find out he was spanked all over the park. Just pray that that doesnt happen again.
To think that players of Dravid,Laxman and Sachin's calibre are afraid of facing Shoib is dumb and ridiculous. In their 10-12 years of career they have faced Ambrose, Walsh, Bishop, Wasim and Waqar.
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what a childish topic, and on top of that, a childish conversation...
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^On top of it...please do not forget March 1, 2003 in a jiffy...when a certain FASTEST BOWLER ON PLANET EARTH was clobbered to all around the park...so much so that the FASTEST BOWLER ON PLANET EARTH was said to have requested his captain (Waqar Younis) to be taken away from bowling after just 1 over which the captain promptly complied to.
Scared of facing Shoaib....my foot. Players at this level have too much pride to even give out this impression.
Re: No Indian Batsman Willing to Face the Music
funguy, your argument lacks depth. It most probably holds true for Ganguly but generalising it for the entire team is preposterous and you very well know that ;). If you just want to rub it in, then well whatever rocks your boat, but yeah the argument still remains as dumb as it is now.
No doubt Shoaib is a much more improved and intelligent bowler now, but it would be wiser for you to just relax and wait till the moment when Indian batsmen open against Shoaib.
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I miss Umair316. Come one post from your new nick Umair.
Hight of cockiness..
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I think this argument of 2003 should be put to rest now. He had an off day or Sachin was in irrestible form, but on another day in Calcutta he clean bowled the BEST BATSMEN ON PLANET EARTH, FIRST BALL. Everyone has a story to tell. So forget the past and move on. 