13 Feb - India vs Australia - Warmup

[AngryPixel]

Yes he got a sound head but TBH he's been hopeless since IPL 2010. Never looked like the gambir we used to know. Yusuf has cemented his place. Raina,Yuvraj, Kohli and Gambhir are fighting for their place. Only 3 of them can play. It would be foolish to drop Kohli who happens to be No.2 ODI batsman in the World. He's proven time and again his usefulness and he's got a sound head. So its premature to assume that Gambhir is only one batsman with sound head. I guess you forgot certain little master from mumbai.
So now its between Raina,Yuvi and Gambhir. Yuvi is out of form but he's a better player overall for SC conditions. His bowling is useful and he's a decent fielder. And Dhoni got a huge crush on Yuvi So he'll play.
Now you got two players Raina and Gambhir. This is a really tough choice but looking at some facts makes it easy. Sachin and Sehwag are obvious choice for opener. Playing Kohli anywhere below 3 is foolish. He's perfect player to come in at 3. Yuvi has number 4 slot. Pathan comes at 7 preceded by Dhoni. So only slot that remains is number 5. You need a player who can slog a bit and has a wide variety of strokes as more often than not he'll come in after 30 overs. Gambhir is a really good number 3 player but he's not a slogger. His game is more suited to deft touches and nudges. Those are useless in the slog overs. So Raina beats him by a huge margin here. He's got a wide variety of strokes and can slog too. And he's got a golden arm with the ball
So if team India picks a team according to batting slots that is according to which player is perfect for which slot., then Gambhir should not make it to the playing XI unless he plays a big knock tomorrow.
/rant end

 

[Gaurav_7]

I don't really know what you have been smoking. Gambhir has been hopless after IPL 2010? Wow, that is something new. He will bat at number 3 and should bat there. Kohli to play at 4, then either Raina or Yuvraj to play at 5. This is it, and I feel Yuvraj will play with Raina sitting out. He has technical flaws while Gambhir is technically sound.

 

[Kabooka]

I feel Yuvraj will play with Raina sitting out. He has technical flaws while Gambhir is technically sound.

Dont forget that Yuvraj can bowl a bit too .

 

[AngryPixel]

Well two hundreds against piss poor Kiwi attack doesnt count. Even Bhajji scored 2 test hundreds against them

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And Gambhir is suited for opening or number 3 slot only. And he's getting the serious competition from Kohli for that spot.

 

[Gaurav_7]

Dont forget that Yuvraj can bowl a bit too .

Yeah, so Raina will sit out unless he does something tomorrow but that too won't cement his place for the first match. There will be selection headaches for the management.

And Gambhir is suited for opening or number 3 slot only. And he's getting the serious competition from Kohli for that spot.

Kohli can bat at 4. And, I'm sure Gambhir is better batsman than Raina on any given day.

 

[AngryPixel]

All depends on tomorrows match. If Gambhir fails again and Raina plays a cameo down the order then who knows

 

[Gaurav_7]

No, it changes nothing. Gambhir was always a certainty and it was only between Raina/Yusuf/Yuvraj/Kohli. With Yusuf doing well and Kohli performing, it has come down to Raina/Yuvraj. With Yuvraj doing with the ball, it leaves Raina to be left out.

 

[mohit_dude10]

Gambhir will not sit out. He might be rusty because he is coming off an injury but Raina surely doesn't deserve it to make it to first 11. He has been absolutely poor with bat.