India in South Africa

[cricket_lover]

Just based on this game to say Karthick is the worst runner is "stupidity". Karthick has been a livewire on the field and is a good runner. Today it was one of those mistakes which need not be repeated in future!

Dhoni batting well here. Karthick giving him good company. Hope to see some entertainment from India!

looks like you've seen a lot of Karthik before, more so his judgement.

Karthik never looked comfortable in the middle. He just didn't look to pose any sort of threat, Kaif did.

ah, its upside down now, with bowlers performing and batsmen, every single one, struggling.

Laxman should play in the last ODI, may be Kaif too, he might be given one last chance. Send Sehwag down the order.

Infact, this was the situation where i felt Pathan or Dhoni could be sent at no.4 to increase the momentum. May be Chappell lost his ways of "surprising" the opposition.

 

[Cricket_god]

I am not sure if Dhoni in the field would have been as good as Karthik on the field. Dhoni is stockily built and would be exhausted faster than Karthik while fielding in the outfield. Karthik with his physique was better suited to field while Dhoni was right in keeping! Karthik was brought in as a specialist batsman, not as a replacement for Dhoni!

And we didnt lose this series because of Dhoni's keeping.

There are lots of stories floating around now about Ganguly's possible inclusion tomorrow. Some say the team management now is forced to resort to experience in the wake of the disastrous results in recent times. Some say that the team think tank still wants to have faith on the youngsters and might induct Badrinath into the team instead of Ganguly!

If true, then why Ganguly? Why cant Badrinath threaten Laxman? Does Laxman have a century in the domestic competitions recently? His batting form hasnt been any great shakes in the domestic games. In fact, he is sailing in the same boat as Ganguly is (or even lesser). When Ganguly didnt deserve the place, he was given. When he deserves it, why there are lots of hesitations?

Anyways, there is another rumor going around that Aakash Chopra might be included in the team instead of taking Gambhir. I feel its a superb idea. Aakash and Sehwag had those terrific opening starts for India during their tour of Australia in 2003-04 and invariably, the middle order fed on the great starts and scored lots of runs! Sehwag and Aakash make a better pair than Sehwag and Jaffer. Aakash can be the backup opener for India in South Africa. I wish Irfan is sent back and VRV comes in for him. Let Agarkar stay. Anyways, Munaf and Sreesanth will be preferred over Agarkar (Zaheer is back as our spearhead now, Yahoooooo!).

There is always a arguement over GANGULY place because laxman has scored centuries in test not like ganguly who always failed even in test and domestic cricket.I think it is a step backwards because if india play 5 batsman
then he will not play and if yuvraj singh will come back after the world cup he will again be dropped so its a stop gap arrangement.i could have liked to seen him in odis in india because the conditions are similar in west indies i fear if he fails here it might be his end and he might not play in world cup due to his Test performance in different conditions.My 16 would be



*Rahul Dravid
+MS Dhoni
Harbhajan Singh
Wasim Jaffer
Saurav Ganguly
Gambhir
Anil Kumble
VVS Laxman
Munaf Patel
Yomahesh
Irfan Pathan
S Badrinath
V Sehwag
VRV Singh
S Sreesanth
Tendulkar

 

[cricket_lover]

Who is this Yomahesh?

I believe Karthik will find a spot in the test squad, but Dhoni is in a decent touch, so that might go against him.

Zaheer Khan will probably top the bowling selection, along with Kumble. Pathan might edge through, so will Sreesanth (if MP gets injured). It depends on the track. I don't think India can afford playing two spinners. If Ganguly does get selected, his medium pace might be useful.

As for batting, it might be that old, gold batting quatret we might see.

 

[Cricket_god]

Who is this Yomahesh?

I believe Karthik will find a spot in the test squad, but Dhoni is in a decent touch, so that might go against him.

Zaheer Khan will probably top the bowling selection, along with Kumble. Pathan might edge through, so will Sreesanth (if MP gets injured). It depends on the track. I don't think India can afford playing two spinners. If Ganguly does get selected, his medium pace might be useful.

As for batting, it might be that old, gold batting quatret we might see.

I Do not think karthik will get to play then why keep him?

As about zaheer he is good in odi but in test i do not think he will be better than pathan and as pathan bats then it gives a nice balance.yomahesh is a bowler who hits the deck at 140+ and gets bounce even on docile pitches in india .i saw him in the under 19 world and pakistan and england under 19 tours.Here are india future prospects-

Yomahesh-http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/31732.html
Ishant sharma-6foot 5 inches tall bowler-http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/236779.html
Abid Nabi-another fast bowler-http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/26504.html

 

[gamerkid22]

also i think the selectors should look this way too ......Zaheer brought back in the side and his is bowling well ( Strong reason for that is Experience) ... Kumble brought back in ODI's and got figures of 24-0 and 2 wickets for 40 odd runs in last match ( Strong reason for this is also experience ).....Dravid the experienced man scored 50 in his last match so experience is counting again .......Also another point of view is that Zaheer, Kumble,Sreesanth were kept out of the side and now when the got the chance they are showing that they are playing well than others who are in the side instead of poor run like Sehwag, Raina , Kaif. So if this considerations come into picture the Ganguly will be surely selected today and he will surely make a point after he gets selected ....Certainly he has practised more than the Indian team in SA as they were just doing advertisements before the day of the match . and moreover today i saw in news that Sehwag said " I dont think that i am playing badly ...its just that i am getting starts and then getting out ....also SA middle order has Kallis ,Gibbs so they have a strong middle order whereas we dont have a strong one ....Dravid injured and middle order is weak ....also we have not practised much after coming is SA as 1st ODI was washed out and we didn't had too much time for 2nd ODI and its just that we have got 3-4 practise sessions till now in SA".....How can Sehwag say like this to press certainly the news channel caught his words and are repeating the video again and again and they are showing Sehwag's poor run over the year .

My Opinion : Ganguly should be selected today .

 

[Cricket_god]

also i think the selectors should look this way too ......Zaheer brought back in the side and his is bowling well ( Strong reason for that is Experience) ... Kumble brought back in ODI's and got figures of 24-0 and 2 wickets for 40 odd runs in last match ( Strong reason for this is also experience ).....Dravid the experienced man scored 50 in his last match so experience is counting again .......Also another point of view is that Zaheer, Kumble,Sreesanth were kept out of the side and now when the got the chance they are showing that they are playing well than others who are in the side instead of poor run like Sehwag, Raina , Kaif. So if this considerations come into picture the Ganguly will be surely selected today and he will surely make a point after he gets selected ....Certainly he has practised more than the Indian team in SA as they were just doing advertisements before the day of the match . and moreover today i saw in news that Sehwag said " I dont think that i am playing badly ...its just that i am getting starts and then getting out ....also SA middle order has Kallis ,Gibbs so they have a strong middle order whereas we dont have a strong one ....Dravid injured and middle order is weak ....also we have not practised much after coming is SA as 1st ODI was washed out and we didn't had too much time for 2nd ODI and its just that we have got 3-4 practise sessions till now in SA".....How can Sehwag say like this to press certainly the news channel caught his words and are repeating the video again and again and they are showing Sehwag's poor run over the year .

My Opinion : Ganguly should be selected today .

No Player Should Care about indian media some news channels have a bunch of jokers Commenting.I do not think ganguly will be of much use in tests he is a average test player he is a great odi player though

 

[Gunner786]

Sourav Ganguly has been recalled to the Indian Test team for the forthcoming three-Test series against South Africa. VVS Laxman has replaced Virender Sehwag as the vice-captain of the Test side

 

[cricket_lover]

I do not think ganguly will be of much use in tests he is a average test player he is a great odi player though

good thinking :

Experience matters, i'm sure he would do better than a Kaif or a Raina or someone like that. With the team struggling to even put up a fight, you'll need a character like that. I wish he was the captain currently, you'll need that aggressive instincts as a leader, and it was always lacking to see in Dravid.

 

[SaiSrini]

Who is this Yomahesh?

I believe Karthik will find a spot in the test squad, but Dhoni is in a decent touch, so that might go against him.

Zaheer Khan will probably top the bowling selection, along with Kumble. Pathan might edge through, so will Sreesanth (if MP gets injured). It depends on the track. I don't think India can afford playing two spinners. If Ganguly does get selected, his medium pace might be useful.

As for batting, it might be that old, gold batting quatret we might see.

Yomahesh was with the India U-19 team that lost to Pakistan in that World Cup final. I think he is a tearaway fast bowler, probably from Tamil Nadu! He is said to be a very bright cricketing prospect!

@cricket_god: we have enough youngsters now who have been blooded in the international stage and who have tasted success and failure. Kaif, Raina, Mongia all have tasted both success and failure. Right now, we need to look at our current form and select the right players to keep us winning matches. So the selecrtion of Ganguly is not wrong at all. By selecting Ganguly, we are not depriving any youngster of his chance. They didnt use their chances well. Ganguly deserves another chance. Its not easy bringing him into ODI's. First he has to be brought into the tests, only then into the ODI's depending on how he performs in the tests (have international runs behind him).

Sourav Ganguly has been recalled to the Indian Test team for the forthcoming three-Test series against South Africa. VVS Laxman has replaced Virender Sehwag as the vice-captain of the Test side

Excellent decision(s). Good to see Sehwag being replaced as vice captain. If only Yuvraj was fit, I would replace Sehwag with Yuvraj as vice captain in the ODI's. I feel Yuvraj is an ideal captain, in the mould of Saurav Ganguly - Aggressive, with lot of fire! See Graeme Smith?? Why go for Smith? Our own Saurav was a hugely successful captain! Such aggressive captains who show their aggression are doing really well!

 

[prarara]

Have you guys heard of Badrinath, the Tamil Nad Captain? I heard that the selectors may have considered him.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/26806.html

At least he looks a good prospect for the future.

 

[sohum]

What beats me is why VVS was replaced as captain as the Test side when India have been doing miserably in ODI cricket. In the West Indies series, he had a few starts, a 180 and a 65. He was quieter against England with just one fifty. And of course the 254 against Pakistan before that.

Oh well, I think captaincy is really a moot point. It's not been about captaincy, I feel, as much as it has been about our batsmen not being able to apply themselves and just stay at the crease. We have not been able to bat 40 overs yet in the ODI games!

 

[cricket_lover]

Did you mean Sehwag?

May be give him a break from the pressure of being a vice-captain (insignificant, may be?)

Making Laxman the vice-captain will just boost his confidence, makes him feel wanted. It can help in your cricket.

 

[SaiSrini]

Sehwag needs to be made known that he is not indispensable. He is not a Sachin or a Dravid to be indispensable. I think they have done the right thing by stripping Sehwag of the vice captaincy! I wish they had made Sachin the vice captain, but Sachin I think wont accept any forms of leadership as he has had bitter experiences with it.

If Dravid isnt fit for the first test, Laxman will be captain! Quite a challenging responsibility for him. But he has been a regular in the test team for quite sometime now! So shouldnt be tough for him!

Have you guys heard of Badrinath, the Tamil Nad Captain? I heard that the selectors may have considered him.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/26806.html

At least he looks a good prospect for the future.

He is 26??? According to the Indian selectors and board, isnt that OLD? We have been quite obsessed with our Under-19's and below 20 players...

Anyways, I agree that he is a good prospect. May be he can be tried after the World Cup.

 

[cricket_lover]

I don't think the selection of Jaffer was a good choice, for ODI's. Gautam Gambhir is far far more aggressive, and has done well for India A very many times. He gets starts in ODI's and it'll be great if he's given more chances.

Same with Mongia. I don't think he'll play a big part in WC. We already have Yuvraj, Sehwag, Tendulkar who can fill up the 10 over quota. May be Raina too! So why don't we have a more regular player in.

 

[SaiSrini]

I don't think the selection of Jaffer was a good choice, for ODI's. Gautam Gambhir is far far more aggressive, and has done well for India A very many times. He gets starts in ODI's and it'll be great if he's given more chances.

Same with Mongia. I don't think he'll play a big part in WC. We already have Yuvraj, Sehwag, Tendulkar who can fill up the 10 over quota. May be Raina too! So why don't we have a more regular player in.

I think Ganguly would be a better player for the World Cup. He has been bowling quite often these days and is picking up wickets too. I expect the wickets in the West Indies to have more juice in them when the World Cup starts. This was even hinted by Walsh when he came to promote the Caribbean World Cup in India! So having Ganguly would be better in the World Cup

Some of Vengsarkar's comments after yesterday's selection meeting

"I just don't agree with this grooming process. It's fine at the under-19 or India `A' level but not at the highest level. There, you have to win, and not groom or experiment. You have to be ready to play. Can you ask the opposition to be a little softer on our youngsters saying that they are being groomed?"

http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/01/stories/2006120102672300.htm

Couldnt stop laughing after reading this! That was a huge shot given by Vengsarkar to those who talk about grooming the team in the international matches. You can give them chances if they promise well, but you have to balance between the chances given to youngsters and the victories of the team! This statement appears to be a very good answer to a certain "Guru" who is a big fan of such methods!