Have India gone soft?

[ARay]

Well I really do not want yuvraj anywhere near the fold. Get Kohli or even Vijay in. I think they well play way better than him. I am really not sure about Agarker though. His peak is behind him now and he is no Glen Mcgrath. I really think players like Irfan/ Sreesanth is the way to go.

I really would like players like Ishant/RP Singh/ Munaf Patel to play more county cricket. I mean all of them have the potential, its sad to see them disappearing from the OD field.

Players like Manoj Tiwari/ Dhawan aren't even being given a chance. I like the idea of having Robin Uthappa in place Rohit Sharma. I would like to go for a bold selection and see how these younger players handle pressure. I mean they cant get any worse than it is now

Gambhir
Sehwag
Kohli/Manoj Tiwari
Uthappa/Dhawan
Vijay
Dhoni
Irfan Pathan
Harbajan Singh
Praveen Kumar
Ashish Nehra
Zaheer Khan

I know its rather a radical change. But I think they should use the pre-world cup run up to build up the next generation of players. I think persisting with failed players are hurting India.

 

[manee]

But Ravi Jadeja? The guy who lost us the T20 WC? Who is a crap batsman (seriously, he bats at number 8) and doesn't bowl well either? what is his role in the team???

There is a lot of Jadeja hate, but I don't think it is warrented. He is a useless T20 batsman, but in ODI cricket, he has four fifties from twenty innings, which is solid for a number seven/eight batsman, he averages 34.53 which is also solid and his bowling is surely just what is warrented from a fifth bowler, occasionally poor and occasionally can get through ten overs to good reward.

Get Irfan Pathan back in the team. He can't do worse than these pie chuckers can he

I think he can, he was an entirely useless ODI bowler since his comeback in 2007 with his new action, which he slowly seems to be abandoning.

India's decline has been surprising. Cricket is so popular and they have so many young players coming through. Surely, you would think they could maintain the good work of rising to the top.

What decline is this? We drew in Sri Lanka, which is a good achievement - we've been close to faultless in Test cricket recently, with the one blip against South Africa at home and we won the Asia Cup just a month or two ago so I'm not entirely sure what you are talking about.

 

[aditya123]

What decline is this? We drew in Sri Lanka, which is a good achievement - we've been close to faultless in Test cricket recently, with the one blip against South Africa at home and we won the Asia Cup just a month or two ago so I'm not entirely sure what you are talking about.

Exactly. We have been playing in series involving SL so often that it has lost any context and I don`t think even the players care about these series now. Less than a year ago, we won a tri-series involving NZ and SL. I don`t think we`ll lose games like the one we lost on Monday again in this series.

As you pointed out, we have`nt lost a test series since 2008, won the Asia Cup quite easily even without Tendulkar and beat SA at home in an ODI series earlier this year. I don`t think it can classify as a decline, unless you attach too much importance to the T20 format of the game and consider the two T20 WC debacles.

 

[angryangy]

I guess people see the recent form as a decline, because in a nutshell it seems like any side without Tendulkar in it just doesn't seem to click. The old guys in the Test team still do their jobs, but the fans query the direction in which this young India are going.

I don't hate Jadeja, but I don't think he really fits into his position. He's not the kind to smash some quick runs at the end of an innings. I think his appeal would be if he can get some hundreds; he's not going to get those at 7 or 8. Let the riskier batsmen bat behind him and see if he's capable of producing a big score when the spotlight is on him.

 

[manee]

I guess people see the recent form as a decline, because in a nutshell it seems like any side without Tendulkar in it just doesn't seem to click. The old guys in the Test team still do their jobs, but the fans query the direction in which this young India are going.

They can query all they like, the fact is that Tendulkar is taking a rest from ODI cricket, he has not retired and will return to the side. This young side will be inconsistent, as will all young sides. However, as the T20 WC in 2007 and the Asia Cup victory in 2010 and the good ODI form imbetween showed, there is enough potential in the young Indian unit.

I do ask what recent form people are talking about though? Where is this bad form that people are talking about?

I don't hate Jadeja, but I don't think he really fits into his position. He's not the kind to smash some quick runs at the end of an innings. I think his appeal would be if he can get some hundreds; he's not going to get those at 7 or 8. Let the riskier batsmen bat behind him and see if he's capable of producing a big score when the spotlight is on him.

Yes, it is a difficult position for him to play in. He is actually a middle order batsman (four or five) playing at seven or eight, where quick runs are required. Someone like Yusuf Pathan or Robin Uthappa would be useful in that batting position. However, Jadeja does offer better bowling than Yusuf or Uthappa and that is what keeps him in the team. However, I think India are right to give him a chance, an all rounder is such a value to a team and so giving the youngster some experience and keeping him in, despite poor performance is what he may need to push on. I compare the faith given to him with the faith given to young Yuvraj, who was an inconsistent hitter, but slowly and surely gained the consistency which made him a quality ODI batsman - unfortunately, he does seem to have declined somewhat in the past few years.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Jadeja just doesn't fit, as posted above. He's a fine batsman, but not a late-innings hitter. And his bowling holds a lot of potential for limited overs cricket. He's just in fairly poor form. Good fielder too.

I think Yuvi is done for. He's had his chances.

Rohit Sharma showed good temperament in Zimbabwe, deserves a few games.

Our pace attack is horrid. Nehra, Praveen, Zaheer make a good trio, but we need backup. RP should be playing more FC cricket, he's a good talent. Sreesanth when he''s back from injury. Ishant when he's in form. And I dunnow, dig up Irfan or Munaf and see if they can offer anything. Mithun has potential too.

Spinners...Ojha showed he is effective if the pitch has something to offer in Test matches. But on flat tracks we need better bowlers. Murali Kartik, though the best choice, is out of the question. Harbhajan is poor and Mishra is bowling well below his potential. Here's hoping Ashwin rises to the challenge...

 

[pcfan123]

The decline has just started, I predict awful tours for India in 2011. All are away and on DECENT wickets with pace and bounce. They don't stand a chance in hell, especially if Tendulkar/Dravid/Laxman retire or get injured.

The 1st thing Id look for if I was the Indian coach was decent seamers, you don't win Test matches without taking 20 wicekts.

 

[Dare]

We haven't given up on him because we know he has the talent. Whenever he clicks he almost unplayable. Remember how he made Jayasurya his bunny in 2006 series which india won 6-1. Again in 2003 series he caused aussie to collapse to 193 allout in second innings of a test match. He took 6 for 40 odd runs there. He has a century in tes matches and has scored 95 batting 3rd in ODI's. It is just that he is highly inconsistent. He would go down as a player who has wasted his talent along with afridi.

Moreover, he is quickest of the current lot of fast bowlers

You said it your self, he was good in 2006 and 2003. Thats 4 and 7 years ago. He is 32 now and more on his way down then his way up. Bringing him in ahead of some youngster or Irfan Pathan would be a big step backwards.
He doesn't have talent, he had talent and its no good to him anymore.

 

[SaiSrini]

The decline has just started, I predict awful tours for India in 2011. All are away and on DECENT wickets with pace and bounce. They don't stand a chance in hell, especially if Tendulkar/Dravid/Laxman retire or get injured.

The 1st thing Id look for if I was the Indian coach was decent seamers, you don't win Test matches without taking 20 wicekts.

I expect Sachin, Dravid and Laxman to be there for the tours of SA, Australia and England that will cover up until 2011. And as far as our bowlers go, we do better if we get a track with good help. So taking 20 wkts wont be the actual issue overseas. The issue overseas would be if our batsmen can withstand the opposition bowling and score enough runs to get a victory. Gambhir and Sehwag are good in tests against short pitched bowling, Dravid/Sachin/Laxman are great players, Dhoni can manage against short pitched bowling, Raina will be taking his first big test. So I dont predict awful tours at all until Dravid/Sachin/Laxman remain.

 

[pcfan123]

If those 3 manage to play through all the tours then yes but I thought Sachin was retiring somewhere in the middle (WC2011) and you never know when Dravid will pull a Ganguly out of no where and retire, same with Laxman

Mark added 1 Minutes and 55 Seconds later...

Also just because conditions are good does not mean your seam attack will miraculously perform. You have to know how to bowl in conditions and I suppose that is where ZAK will come in handy. However, I doubt he will play majority of the matches before succumbing to injury, then you have Sharma and ?????????

 

[rocky_g]

One bad inning and India have gone soft? lol. Wait until this tournament ends. This is the same team that chased 267 against Pakistan here in Dambulla. And Pakistan had a much stronger bowling line up than NZ.

boney_g added 2 Minutes and 41 Seconds later...

I think Yuvi is done for. He's had his chances.

Please tell me what are you smoking? This isn't a test match. We are talking about limited over cricket here.

boney_g added 1 Minutes and 50 Seconds later...

We haven't given up on him because we know he has the talent. Whenever he clicks he almost unplayable.

Talk about yourself dude. Agarkar is history.

 

[Dare]

One bad inning and India have gone soft? lol. Wait until this tournament ends. This is the same team that chased 267 against Pakistan here in Dambulla. And Pakistan had a much stronger bowling line up than NZ.

Would that be a good thing or a bad thing?

Please tell me what are you smoking? This isn't a test match. We are talking about limited over cricket here.

To be honest he has been in some horrible form in all forms of the game.

 

[rocky_g]

You said it your self, he was good in 2006 and 2003. Thats 4 and 7 years ago. He is 32 now and more on his way down then his way up. Bringing him in ahead of some youngster or Irfan Pathan would be a big step backwards.
He doesn't have talent, he had talent and its no good to him anymore.

+1

Irfan Pathan is a better choice.

boney_g added 3 Minutes and 43 Seconds later...

Would that be a good thing or a bad thing?

I would atleast wait for this tournament to end. Batting under lights in Dambulla is never easy. Sri Lankan top order were in similar situation in the final of the Asia Cup.

To be honest he has been in some horrible form in all forms of the game.

In tests yes. But in limited overs he still deserves more chances.

 

[shravi]

Would that be a good thing or a bad thing?



To be honest he has been in some horrible form in all forms of the game.

I think he'll be fine after some match experience. He's been in and out with injuries so he hasn't had enough time to regain his touch and form.

 

[Dare]

True, injuries have had the better of him for a while. I just hope that India arent wasting a spot of some youngster.