India in Australia

[karnog]

I think India have a good shot at making the finals and as England proved last year anything can happen in the finals. I'm a bit worried with the batting for India though.

I was wondering what people think of SL's ODI squad. Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Dilruwan Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Chanaka Welegedara, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekera, Muttiah Muralitharan, Farveez Maharoof, Ishara Amerasinghe.

They've made a huge mistake by not playing Bandara who would be helpful when playing in Sydney and Adelaide. Good to see they dropped Fernando cause he was pitiful and Welegedara is an excellent prospect. Anyone know of Ishara Amerasinghe.

Give you a warning for your sig. Its too big buddy...

Um you referring to the Bingle one or the one i have at the moment?

 

[SciD]

I think India have a good shot at making the finals and as England proved last year anything can happen in the finals. I'm a bit worried with the batting for India though.

I'll be surprised if we win 2 games.

 

[SaiSrini]

Selectors are "Bunch of Jokers". They have ignored the performances of Badri, Pujara, Kaif and Parthiv to take those guys who are averaging 25 in domestic cricket. :crying

Dada has 1 more year of ODI in him. We needed him for experience of Australian pitches only.

Where do you have the place for those guys? Tiwary and Badri are waiting on the sidelines for a spot, but guys like Gambhir, Uthappa and Sharma are promising and have done well too. Uthappa has the potential to become one of our permanent ODI stars. Gambhir has also shown good form. Sharma is not getting the chances he deserves

I have no problem with the selection itself, but the timing was very poor coming just after such a victory. What would be Dravid's and Ganguly's states of mind after this announcement going in to the crucial 4th Test?

I think the ODI teams should always be selected after the Test series is over.

As Rajput has said, the controversies around the Sydney test was an even bigger distraction, but the players came out of it really well. I think Ganguly and Dravid are used to all this, and will play their best game. In fact I think they might go out there and give it their best to prove a point or two.

 

[.Mob]

Scion - you can't take everyone now, can we!

The people who have been chosen, deserve their places.You could argue about Sehwag, but I think he'll come good, and I don't want Gambhir opening (disaster).

 

[SaiSrini]

I think India have a good shot at making the finals and as England proved last year anything can happen in the finals. I'm a bit worried with the batting for India though.

I wont be surprised even if we win the tri-series. Once the ODI's come, I expect Yuvraj to re-capture his ODI form. Dhoni has been improving with every outing in the tests, and I expect him too to get going in the ODI's. I guess we might have some practice match (apart from the Twenty20 on Feb 1) for Uthappa, Gambhir and Raina are to get the taste of Aussie conditions

 

[Manohar]

That's why I qualified it with "if it is true."

I don't agree with any captain influencing selection. It's ridiculous to play favourites. Does nothing to the team spirit at all...

I missed that "if it is true". One should be careful not to spread rumours and hearsay. It is in the news that Ganguly fans have stopped trains in Kolkotta and protesting to reinstate Ganguly. I think that sites like Rediff and Indiatimes are spreading such rumours that Dhoni is selfish etc., People are reading this and I wonder what they would do. It is insane.

Certainly ODI's are a basis for building towards the next World Cup, but is that all they are? For Australia, certainly we have been using limited overs cricket, including Twenty20 more recently, as a way of trialling youngsters, mixing it up and getting a good team together for test cricket and also for the upcoming World Cup.

My question is, should teams not be trying to win more ODI's and focus less on an event that does not occur for over 3 years?

I think that one has to strike a balance between doing well at present and planning for the future. For India all the dropped seniors playing now will be to aim for winning at all cost now and worry about the future later. Having said that India's short comings are in running between the wickets and fielding which has cost India many matches and continuing with seniors does not help at all in this regard. If the new look young team can put up runs on the board they may not do too bad as the bowling and fielding looks a lot better. Ability to rotate the strike and better running between the wickets will further help in batting.

 

[0601731]

I wont be surprised even if we win the tri-series. Once the ODI's come, I expect Yuvraj to re-capture his ODI form. Dhoni has been improving with every outing in the tests, and I expect him too to get going in the ODI's. I guess we might have some practice match (apart from the Twenty20 on Feb 1) for Uthappa, Gambhir and Raina are to get the taste of Aussie conditions

India doesnt have any practice matches,after the 4th teast its the 20-20 match and then straight into the odis.

 

[sohum]

If people in Kolkata are actually causing civic turmoil because Ganguly wasn't selected they need to get a life, in my opinion. I have no respect for most of the cricket-lovers of Kolkata. They supported South Africa when India was playing against them at the Eden Garden's, for heaven's sake.

 

[SaiSrini]

If people in Kolkata are actually causing civic turmoil because Ganguly wasn't selected they need to get a life, in my opinion. I have no respect for most of the cricket-lovers of Kolkata. They supported South Africa when India was playing against them at the Eden Garden's, for heaven's sake.

This time, no one cares about them. They exactly dont have a scapegoat this time unlike last time when they had Greg Chappell, I wish Ganguly retires from ODI's and relieves all the pressure on the selectors and the team

 

[.Mob]

I don't see why they are this angry, I mean, it's only a matter of time till Tiwary gets in.

 

[hindustani]

why didnt tiwary get chosen? he's been waiting for a spot since the bangladesh series. wouldve played too if it wasnt for the injury.

 

[Cricketman]

why didnt tiwary get chosen? he's been waiting for a spot since the bangladesh series. wouldve played too if it wasnt for the injury.

I know. I personally would have liked to see him ahead of Raina....

 

[SaiSrini]

I know. I personally would have liked to see him ahead of Raina....

Its fine. Raina also deserves the comeback after doing well in domestic cricket. Since the series is being held in Australia, Raina has the experience of playing at the international level and having succeeded at it once. Tiwary would actually be making his debut, and Australia would not be the right place for debutants.

 

[SciD]

why didnt tiwary get chosen? he's been waiting for a spot since the bangladesh series. wouldve played too if it wasnt for the injury.

Tiwari is very much like Sehwag in approach. SLAM BAM and OUT.

Hes young guy and will get his opportunity. Raina is best among all youngsters. He has presense at crease.

 

[Ponting_14]

Matthew Hayden back to silence Indians

Richard Earle

January 22, 2008 12:00am

OPENER Matthew Hayden says he is fit to play India this week after a hamstring strain forced him out of the Third Test - breaking his 86 consecutive Test streak.

Hayden's streak of 86 consecutive Tests ended when a hamstring strain forced him out of the third Test loss to the tourists in Perth.

An hour-long net session with national coach Tim Nielsen at Adelaide Oval yesterday convinced Hayden he could regain his position from fill-in opener Chris Rogers for the fourth Test starting on Thursday.

"I am in. It is as simple as that. I have already done fitness tests this week," said Hayden, who has scored 307 runs at 76.75 this series.

"I feel comfortable where I am at with my hamstring and I have prepared like I would for any Test.

"Right now I am ready to go. I am in pretty good shape. Even at the WACA on the last day I was up around 85 per cent (fit)."

Hayden wants to shatter Indian veteran Sourav Ganguly's claim that the tourists have been the better this side this summer.

"I would say there is no other side in the world that comes close to us when we are playing our best," Hayden said.

"We have had a little glitch in the radar. I don't suspect that will be in our mindset in preparing for this Test.

"Ultimately, we are still 2-1 up in the series, so I am not sure we are bottom-dwellers just yet."

Hayden, 36, also took issue with Indian bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad, who said the tourists' attack was now the best in the business.

"We will see," Hayden said.

"We have a very talented side. It is unbelievable. A week ago cricket was boring because Australia was so dominant. We have a very good bowling line-up going into these conditions. We saw that in Sydney."

Hayden tipped left-arm spinner Brad Hogg to return for the fourth Test.

"I would have thought Hoggy will definitely come back into the line-up, but I am not a selector," Hayden said.

But Hayden said Shaun Tait, who was underdone and under-utilised in a four-man pace attack in Perth, would have much to offer in the Adelaide Test and beyond.

"I think the conditions will also suit Taity with a little bit of reverse swing and good pace in the wicket as well," he said.

"He's had a little bit of cricket under his belt, which is always going to be a good thing for Shaun."

Hayden said there would be no repeat of Australia's brittle batting in Perth.

"Our challenge is to bat like we know we can, and that means doing nothing different, the same things we do day in, day out leading into every Test," he said.

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