Before I start my constructive criticism, change the title to "My Best Indian XI to take on Pakistan in the First ODI" or something that implies that it is your choice and you are not imposing the choice,
Okay.
?!
Metaphor. Comparison between two unlike things without using like or as.
The pressure and intensity of an India Pak game is equivalent to that of a war.
Maybe change prize to pride? If this is a blog entry 'us' is acceptable but not in an article.
It was originally a blog entry.
"Have the ability to both hit to long ball"?!? TBH, the whole paragraph is awkwardly phrased. I also advise using a simply line break instead of the sorta half line break you use.
I think I copied and pasted that wrong. It was supposed to say "Have the ability to stick through pressure situations and hit the long ball". From memory.
'experience to face, well, anything', stick to basic language and use informal language when you have more confidence with your writing. Add a 'The' for the beginning of the next sentence. 'Cover-drives' should not be capitalised. Tendulkar is not 'still going strong', he can't make it to 90 without cramping and his fielding is in unarguable decline.
Okay.
Gambhir*. Put a semi-colon, comma or hyphen after the age. No hyphen needed after 32.
Thanks.
Put (wk and capt.) or other words in brackets to the same effect. *+ just looking odd. Strike rates of 83.80 coming in at four in ODIs? Tests? T20s? 'He has a thing for Pakistan' is a bit strange phrasing and again, the hyphen is not needed.
I think the "thing for Pakistan" is more American-lingo. They use it alot when comparing two teams in the NFL.
This is an ODI, after all. Why should other formats come into it?
Instead of saying his average in 2006 and 2007, just say how he has averaged in the last three years. Much simpler. 'Six Sixes' should not be capitalised.
Okay
That is a good paragraph. Talk about which ODI it was which he won though. in terms of first, second, third, forth...etc...
Thanks and Okay.
'A successfully World T20' doesn't make sense. '80 runs per hundred balls', don't mix numbers and words during a phrase, just pick one for each phrase. Number overload there, keep numbers short and sweet, a maximum or two figures per paragraph as a rule of thumb.
Successful world T20. I think that too was C+Ped wrong. About the strike rate, gotcha.
Variation? He has just been bowling flat, quick off breaks with the odd tossed up one. Amongst fear over his action, I haven't seen him bowl a doosra in terms of the ball actually spinning away, in ages.
I have seen an improvement vs Australia, I must admit. And he did have Punter flummoxed an a few occasions with the flighted doosra.
Good paragraph but why Kartik over Chawla who was impressive in England? Not arguing, but you have to explain your opinions.
I did in the lastish sentance. Something about form.
Good.
Thanks
Might want to mention he was India's top wicket taker against Australia even though he did not play all the ODIs. 'He has a good slower delivery', he has two slower deliveries, a leg break and a back of the hand variation.
