Yes, but do we have a place for Parthiv in the team just for his batting? I am sure we have many other specialist batsman around in India who are better than Parthiv. And with Dhoni and Karthik in the team, Parthiv just has all the doors closed on him.
I feel that Parthiv Patel is weak in the 50 over game and that any prospective selection should be in test matches and not ODIs. Regardless of which, I feel that Badrinath and Yuvraj should be ahead of him in terms of test match selection.
Back on topic, Harbhajan is
fit for the 2nd ODI against Australia.
Since the topic of India's bowling has been brought up, I feel highly uninspired by India's bowling, its all a bit "meh" for me. I feel that Zaheer Khan and RP Singh are highly uninspiring in ODIs and that Powar and Harbhajan are in truth fighting for the second (or reserve) spinner role because I feel Chawla the far better choice in ODIs (not tests yet where I feel that either Powar or Harbhajan will be brilliant). Many countries see little of leg spinners and Chawla is one, and a good one at that. Against England, he showed a class about him in terms of his accuracy and the calmness he had whilst bowling to even someone like Kevin Pietersen. I really rate him and although I do not approve of him being pushed so early in his life, now that he is in the team, I think he should play when fit.
Zaheer Khan is uninspiring, as I said earlier but he is accurate enough to play in ODIs. I would prefer to see him pitch the ball up a bit more because at the length he bowls, batsman can leave the good balls and pull and cut all else. RP Singh I have never been sure of in ODIs; his List A record (89 wickets at 28.64, econ = 4.96), is hardly great. I only feel he succeeded in twenty20 because he had the short spells to bowl quickly and it seems that his natural run rate he concedes is 5-7 runs per over which is great in twenty20 but not in ODIs. He dishes up wide ones and short ones all too often and needs to mature more for ODIs.
I would personally love to see Ranadeb Bose in the team instead of RP Singh. Bose has a fine domestic List A record (89 wickets at 21.64. Econ = 4.47), and watching some footage of him bowling in a tour game, he seems RMF, so not rapid but he has great accuracy and a good cricket brain as far as when to bowl slightly fuller/shorter/straighter. Good record, in good form and at the age of 28, I feel he is currently in his prime.
Irfan Pathan, as you all know, rules! I would however, rather him bowl a tad with the new ball, at between 125-140kph, he is by no means slow and I feel that inswing is still a major weapon for him and it is key for him to bowl with the new ball, if only for 4 overs. He is so mature as a bowler for a 22 year old with top accuracy and a tinge of swing whilst the pace being good. I also highly rate Sreesanth, I have before criticised his poor record in ODIs but the pace he was bowling against Australia (135-147kph) showed that he is shaping up to be a fine agressive bowler; if he can get two or three wickets a match, no matter of the cost (within reason), he would have done his job.
). The reason I am playing Uthappa and Dhoni high up is to give them the responsibility that I feel they will have post-Big Three. It is also for team balance, Uthappa is there to continue the attack after the openers and help dominate in the powerplays. Dhoni can help with this, as can he help to rebuild and grind out as he has done well in the past. Dravid is down at five (I would too have Ganguly at six too), to add experience lower down and help shepherd the batting the all rounders/bowlers and also to not make it too top heavy. Both Dravid and Ganguly are able hitters when needed too in the latter overs. While Ganguly is injured, I would probably have Karthik there but he needs to score a few fifties to stay in the ODI side methinks.
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