India in Pakistan

[SaiSrini]

For India, I hope Ganguly makes a strong comeback to the team and hits a superb century!

If that happens, you get tons of reps from me!!

I am waiting for that moment! Ganguly can definitely pull that off!

Its imperative for the team winning the toss to field first because the grass will not be there after the first day.

Karachi finally gets a test match! How long have we waited for this to happen? The last time Pakistan played here (3rd ODI against England), the Karachites were given a treat to watch as Pakistan absolutely battered England. I hope Pakistan continues its winning ways in Karachi and bring joy to us Karachites!

Yeah!

Somehow, a match in Karachi between India and Pakistan always arouses great expectations! And more so after that classic ODI that the two played last time in 2004! That ODI still remain in our memory! What a match!

Am definitely going to lose sleep over the next five days! But I dont care! This is what a showdown is!

Fielding first has it's disadvantages. Most teams tend to choke most of the time in the fourth innings of a Test.

But if you get the team batting first for a low score, then you get to bat on Day 2 and Day 3 on a pitch that would have eased out by much and can have the advantage of putting up a big total and shutting the other team out of the match!

But India have also done well batting first (well I think most of the time they have done well batting first!).

 

[cricket_lover]

Well, its always good to win the toss and bowl on a green track. I'm sure both teams would want to make use of the conditions early on and pose some problems to the batsmen. When teh pitch settles down, and with batsmen in ominous form, it will be a boring game again.

India should go in with three pace-bowlers, i say Agarkar should be included! He can vary the ball and has one of the best out-swingers in the game. Khan and Pathan will be the other bowlers along with Kumble.

I hope Ganguly is selected for the test and may be try Dravid as an opener again.

 

[SaiSrini]

Ganguly's recall hinges on Inzamam Ul Haq

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/pakvind/content/story/234808.html

I dont think Inzamam's exclusion would mean a shaved off pitch. If it happens, then Pakistan will have sent out the clear message that

"We are not interested in fighting! We are first interested in saving ourselves and only then will fight if we have the time to"

This attitude wont help an international team become a top side in the world! NEVER EVER!

Hope this is not the case with Pakistan!

Well, its always good to win the toss and bowl on a green track. I'm sure both teams would want to make use of the conditions early on and pose some problems to the batsmen. When teh pitch settles down, and with batsmen in ominous form, it will be a boring game again.

India should go in with three pace-bowlers, i say Agarkar should be included! He can vary the ball and has one of the best out-swingers in the game. Khan and Pathan will be the other bowlers along with Kumble.

I hope Ganguly is selected for the test and may be try Dravid as an opener again.

Well, the pitch would settle down after Day 1 or by lunch on Day 2, but I think the track might provide spin on the final days of the test!

Since this might be a track with bounce, why not India go in with Harbhajan and drop Kumble? Well I know this opinion would be met with lot of opposition but I feel Bhajji is more equipped than Kumble to extract bounce from the wicket! Turn and bounce for Bhajji means danger for the batsman! I dont think Kumble will be really successful on this pitch!

 

[aussie1st]

Ganguly's recall hinges on Inzamam Ul Haq

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/pakvind/content/story/234808.html

I dont think Inzamam's exclusion would mean a shaved off pitch. If it happens, then Pakistan will have sent out the clear message that

"We are not interested in fighting! We are first interested in saving ourselves and only then will fight if we have the time to"

This attitude wont help an international team become a top side in the world! NEVER EVER!

Hope this is not the case with Pakistan!

Lol I've never seen a pitch that would be changed just before the game for one player. It would be interesting seeing what happens if Inzi is ruled out but best we don't take a risk of another boring draw so get well fast Inzi!

Since this might be a track with bounce, why not India go in with Harbhajan and drop Kumble? Well I know this opinion would be met with lot of opposition but I feel Bhajji is more equipped than Kumble to extract bounce from the wicket! Turn and bounce for Bhajji means danger for the batsman! I dont think Kumble will be really successful on this pitch!

I agree Bhajji is more dangerous with bounce and spin as Aus found out during the 01 tour to India but isn't bounce also what Kumble relies on?

 

[SaiSrini]

Lol I've never seen a pitch that would be changed just before the game for one player. It would be interesting seeing what happens if Inzi is ruled out but best we don't take a risk of another boring draw so get well fast Inzi!



I agree Bhajji is more dangerous with bounce and spin as Aus found out during the 01 tour to India but isn't bounce also what Kumble relies on?

Since Kumble isnt a big turner of the ball, even if he gets bounce, its not of much help to him! Whearas Harbhajan is a specialist turner of the ball and when he gets turn and bounce, its tough to handle him! Kumble relies more on his variations whearas Harbhajan relies on the wicket's bounce to help him!

 

[donkey]

ON what account? Batting?

Obviously not as a batsman, we already have more than enough batting talent in our team. Agarkar cud make the most out of this green pitch unlike Ganguly and he cud swing the ball both ways. Besides he is a handy batsman down the order, but more importantly his inclusion will contribute to our weak bowling attack. I wouldnt wanna experiment too much with our batting line-up though.

 

[Pak_cricketer]

Inzi Says on GEO that him and Shoaib are fit to play.

 

[Wahindiawah]

Obviously not as a batsman, we already have more than enough batting talent in our team. Agarkar cud make the most out of this green pitch unlike Ganguly and he cud swing the ball both ways. Besides he is a handy batsman down the order, but more importantly his inclusion will contribute to our weak bowling attack. I wouldnt wanna experiment too much with our batting line-up though.

Ajit is obviously better than Gang as a pacer, i can't blame Gang for that.

I would personally would have liked Munaf Patel to have been the fouth bowler, but that since Ajit is the only option we have, i think India should go with Ajit.

 

[usy]

BTW ; is Imran Farhat playing ??

 

[Wahindiawah]

BTW ; is Imran Farhat playing ??

NO

because

1, Inzi have little faith in him

2 Akmal did well as an opener in last test so Inzi will persist with him, rather than brining in a new player who will be under pressure to play a good innings to cement his place in the team.

 

[SaiSrini]

Inzi Says on GEO that him and Shoaib are fit to play.

Fantastic!

I hope for grass to be retained!

Ajit is obviously better than Gang as a pacer, i can't blame Gang for that.

I would personally would have liked Munaf Patel to have been the fouth bowler, but that since Ajit is the only option we have, i think India should go with Ajit.

Munaf Patel is not selected in the 16 member squad for this tour!

But on a long term, I want the Indian team to blood Munaf and/or VRV Singh sooner or later!

 

[Wahindiawah]

Inzi Says on GEO that him and Shoaib are fit to play.

I just read in Pak newspaper "the News" that Inzi is out of test match.

Here the article.

Inzamam out of Test, Umar may play

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Pakistan on Saturday night short-listed 12 players for the third and final Test against India with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq not included in the final squad from which the playing eleven would be selected before the toss.

"At the team meeting the players has been told that Inzamam was still facing problems with his back and is unlikely to play on Sunday. And for the moment they have short-listed 12 players with pacers Mohammad Sami and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan also out of contention," a team source told ?The News?.

The 12-member squad from which Pakistan is expected to pick its final eleven includes Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Faisal Iqbal,

Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Asif and Umar Gul.

If Inzamam does not play then Younis Khan will lead the side, the second time he will do so in a Test after the first Test against the West Indies in Bridgetown last year in May.

Pakistan lost that match for which Inzamam was not available due to an ICC ban.

The source said Umar Gul who last played a Test against India at Lahore in April 2004 and took five for 31 to set up a big win is likely to play the Test after recovering from a stress fracture of the back.

 

[vibs89]

Oh that's sad news not including inzi. But anyway Younis is not a bad captain. He can lead the side. He just new captain as Rahul Dravid is. Umar Gul seems to me dangerous he can prove in this test match. Well Let's see what the outcome will be.

 

[usy]

come on, we want imran farhat, we want him back in the XI, we want Imran farhat

 

[Wahindiawah]

come on, we want imran farhat, we want him back in the XI, we want Imran farhat

Another rubbish batsman by Pak.Hameed is far better