England in India

[sohum]

I don't we really need to bring either of Kaif or Laxman into the team, do we? If it's a good pitch, we have 5 batsmen, Dhoni and Pathan to do the job. If it is a bad pitch, it is very unlikely that Kaif or Laxman will add enough to make a difference. Anyways, whatever the team, I hope India go into this game aggressively, and looking for a 2-0 series win. Only bad things will happen if we try to relax on our laurels and pick up a draw and the #2 spot.

As for England's clutching of the #2 spot, most of it came because of 2 easy series victories against West Indies. The South Africa team wasn't on top form then, though the achievement was notable. The victory against Australia holds credit anytime, though. However, when you balance out two away victories against West Indies and South Africa with two away losses (if it so turns out) against India and Pakistan, your ranking's bound to fall.

That said, if England draw this series, then they deserve the #2 spot because they have managed away victories all around the world (except Australia).

 

[barmyarmy]

We also lost to Sri Lanka away before the SA series.

 

[avk2love]

so is india going to wear the new nike kits in the ODI's
it's a home series

 

[cricket_lover]

saisrini80 dont worry every bsest bowler in the wold loose his form when he gets hit badly by afrdi.

arey! Afridi scores only against India, and may be SL. He was almost hunted to extinction by most other countries, even normal bowlers.

We don't want to drop Bhajji. Keep him, let him continue and i'm sure sometime he'll click.
The thing is, he is our future spin spearhead. These things happen in cricket.

India might be tempted to play with 6 batsmen, if the pitch is a turner. Most probably laxman will be back.

 

[sohum]

so is india going to wear the new nike kits in the ODI's
it's a home series

Hmm, looks like we'll finally find out if the kits were actual game kits or just warm-up kits.

 

[SaiSrini]

saisrini80 dont worry every bsest bowler in the wold loose his form when he gets hit badly by afrdi.

'when' he gets hit.. this has been happening only quite lately from when england toured pakistan!

I think that the third Test is a perfect opportunity for India to experiment. Essentially, Chawla was a dead duck so to speak, he took one wicket and didn't bowl that many overs. Now would be the time for them to bring in another all rounder, whether they be pace or spin to give someone else a chance.

experiment? we havent won the series yet and we wont win it if england wins at mumbai.

Harbhajan is very useful in the ODIs where he has the ability to keep the runs down. But in his present form, not so sure about tests....

Absolutely! The last time he played ODI's (against Sri lanka and South Africa), he was brilliantly economical and Dravid even acknowledged that Harbhajan was instrumental in India putting pressure on the opposition batting. He has lost form only after the test matches happened!

arey! Afridi scores only against India, and may be SL. He was almost hunted to extinction by most other countries, even normal bowlers.

We don't want to drop Bhajji. Keep him, let him continue and i'm sure sometime he'll click.
The thing is, he is our future spin spearhead. These things happen in cricket.

India might be tempted to play with 6 batsmen, if the pitch is a turner. Most probably laxman will be back.

I think Laxman's knock of 69 in that Mumbai dustbowl against Australia in 2004 might weigh in his favor!

 

[gaurav_indian]

I think Laxman's knock of 69 in that Mumbai dustbowl against Australia in 2004 might weigh in his favor!

That's the main problem we have,we tends to remember the inning he played
two years ago but forgot how well Kaif played in Nagpur test.We are not seeing the current performance ut remember the two years back performance.
I hope if Australia have done things on such mindsets then players like Bevan,
Gillespie,Harvey could be part of the current Aussie side.

 

[prarara]

I think Harbhajan will get back into form, he needs a comfortable wicket as a launch pad, and the English to be easy prey-lets hope for that.

 

[Kratz]

talk abouy your sehwag can not even make one century aagainst england

so far he makes 91 runs in two test matches :crying :crying
his ass does not have power in his ass to hit flintoof and other bowlers for sixes

and you should me thank ful to god that afrdi got unfit during one day series against india

all tho afrdi muder all england bowlers

do not be jealous of him
i will tell him not to hit sixes on indian bowlers

Come on man. India and Pakistan are friends now. stop this BS now.

 

[Stephen Bailey]

i also think he will get his form back but barjan sholuld never bowl to afrdi agan fter geting in to his old rythm
:crying



afrdi is a match winner for pak
not like indians who play for there records like tendulkar who always get out after geting to his hundred

Look, your getting on my nerves now. Stop this constant off-topic chatter or risk getting mod previewed.

Also, if anyone posts on the Pakistan v India subject, that post will be deleted. This is England in India, lets keep it that way please.

 

[Bala]

While talking about a talent going waste in Ramesh Powar, I certainly am reminded of two more. Mumbai's Amol Mazumdar and Tamil Nadu's Sridharan Sarath. These two have been churning in runs season after season and yet are being overlooked. Sarath might be over the hill now at 34. But Mazumdar certainly deserves a chance in the middle order. Almost 8000 FC runs at 51, if that does not merit a place in the squad, then what does?

 

[SaiSrini]

While talking about a talent going waste in Ramesh Powar, I certainly am reminded of two more. Mumbai's Amol Mazumdar and Tamil Nadu's Sridharan Sarath. These two have been churning in runs season after season and yet are being overlooked. Sarath might be over the hill now at 34. But Mazumdar certainly deserves a chance in the middle order. Almost 8000 FC runs at 51, if that does not merit a place in the squad, then what does?

Your right. I think Sarath has not got the opportunity that he so richly deserves.

Do you think the 6 past & present players will be able to overturn the selection process that has been going on so far? Dravid, Ganguly, Tendulkar along with some past players gonna have a say in the selection process that is in place now. Will something change? I feel we need to find a way by which the regional bias is reduced to a great extent!

For all the praise heaped on Munaf Patel, his development into a fearsome fast bowler is not yet over. Head coach at the MRF Pace Foundation TA Sekhar believes Munaf has the makings of the next Waqar Younis, touching speeds of 150-kilometres plus. All he needs is a few more correction in his action.

"With the sort of reverse swing that he generates, he can easily become as deadly as Waqar," Sekhar told Times News Network from Chennai. "In fact, I believe that he is capable of generating speeds of up to 150 kmph with a few changes." Sekhar has already identified three areas that Munaf needs to work on: his wrist position behind the ball, the position of his left hand and his abrupt follow through.

http://cricket.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-1449034.cms

Well TA Shekar feels that Munaf is very promising and can touch speeds of 150km/hr by correcting a few things in his bowling. Man, if Munaf really does accomplish that much of an increase in speed, I am sure India would be elated to have such a fast bowler in its ranks!

 

[varunvgiri]

I thought Munaf has already been to the MRF pace academy. Dindn't T A Shekar see him then??

The last time an Indian fast bowler changer wrist position was Pathan. He ended up loosing his swing. And when he got his swing back he ended up loosing his pace. There was a time when Pathan used to be quick. I remember during Australia's last tour of India, in the first test Pathan bowling consistently in the mid 140s. I think he went up as high as 146. It was when he increased his pace that I think he lost his swing. When he debuted he used to bowl in the mid 130s with plenty of swing. I hope he can atleast regain his pace to that level.

 

[Bala]

Your right. I think Sarath has not got the opportunity that he so richly deserves.

Do you think the 6 past & present players will be able to overturn the selection process that has been going on so far? Dravid, Ganguly, Tendulkar along with some past players gonna have a say in the selection process that is in place now. Will something change? I feel we need to find a way by which the regional bias is reduced to a great extent!


Well TA Shekar feels that Munaf is very promising and can touch speeds of 150km/hr by correcting a few things in his bowling. Man, if Munaf really does accomplish that much of an increase in speed, I am sure India would be elated to have such a fast bowler in its ranks!

1. I believe the new regime under Sharad Pawar is showing promise by looking into players like Sreesanth, Munaf Patel, Suresh Raina (U.P) and Abid Nabi. These players are from the lesser states where a lot of class acts have gone unnoticed. I believe this is step 1 in scrapping the regional crap.

2. TA Shekar is a good guide, no doubts about that. But I would rather have Munaf bowling at 140 for the next 6 years than having him bowling at 150 for two years and 120 for the rest. Too much of tinkering might not help as Tinu Yohannan would vouch for it. His action correction/ modification was his doom. But I would first wait and observe L.Balaji now, who has modified his bowling and is reportedly quicker than ever.

Last thing, I believe TA Shekar is not Sarfraz Nawaz - 2.

 

[cricket_lover]

'when' he gets hit.. this has been happening only quite lately from when england toured pakistan!



experiment? we havent won the series yet and we wont win it if england wins at mumbai.



Absolutely! The last time he played ODI's (against Sri lanka and South Africa), he was brilliantly economical and Dravid even acknowledged that Harbhajan was instrumental in India putting pressure on the opposition batting. He has lost form only after the test matches happened!



I think Laxman's knock of 69 in that Mumbai dustbowl against Australia in 2004 might weigh in his favor!

It would be sad if his knock of 69 favours him. He should be in the team because he can contribute. He averages 55 something at Mumbai, more importantly he is not among runs very much and that should make him dangerous.

Actually, Laxman is in decent form. Match-winning hundred in december, 90 against Pakistan and some small-decent knocks in the third test before the in-swinger got him.