India tour of Australia - 2018/19

[NILAYSHAH60]

I am not sure if Rohit reached back home in time for his daughter's birth, but that is more important than playing for BCCI's "India". Again and again I have said this on this forum, playing for BCCI's India and serving India in a war is not the same. BCCI is private entity and any patriotism there is totally misplaced.

There's nothing called BCCI's India or anything. To use the name India, the BCCI requires approval from The GOI and the PM of India. At the end of the day BCCI represents India, so playing for BCCI is playing for India. So, you are playing for your Country. What Rohit said was he was looking to play Test Cricket for India as a permanent member from a long time and if he now leaves the team mid-series he is not sticking to his own words. And again I say I don't mind him doing that as far as his opinion is concerned. But after that, if he still thinks he would get opportunity in the Test side easily then he has made a mistake leaving the team mid-series. Time doesn't wait for anyone. Maybe someone might take his place by the time he comes back to the Test side. In that situation he will have himself to be blamed[DOUBLEPOST=1546333316][/DOUBLEPOST]

If this was a WC I am sure he would not have left the place in the first place. Its just a test series which will happen again in another 3 years time.

Playing Test for your Country > Playing the WC (unless you win it)

 

[Master Bates]

What}?

 

[Velocity]

There's nothing called BCCI's India or anything. To use the name India, the BCCI requires approval from The GOI and the PM of India. At the end of the day BCCI represents India, so playing for BCCI is playing for India. So, you are playing for your Country. What Rohit said was he was looking to play Test Cricket for India as a permanent member from a long time and if he now leaves the team mid-series he is not sticking to his own words. And again I say I don't mind him doing that as far as his opinion is concerned. But after that, if he still thinks he would get opportunity in the Test side easily then he has made a mistake leaving the team mid-series. Time doesn't wait for anyone. Maybe someone might take his place by the time he comes back to the Test side. In that situation he will have himself to be blamed[DOUBLEPOST=1546333316][/DOUBLEPOST]

Playing Test for your Country > Playing the WC (unless you win it)

Why does this have to get so much attention? It's his kid, this is something personal and outside of cricket. It's just absurd if you don't family first. It is the cricketer's decision not the BCCI's or anyone else. Dhoni and Shami waited purely based on their personal judgment and decisions.

This doesn't even need to be in question.

 

[Velocity]

Yes Kuldeep's inclusion will weaken the batting a little but we should be good enough with 7 batsman (including Jadeja).

Perth showed how India went with the bat with 7 batsmen. Having 4 #11's did not help one bit. If Australia run through the lineup again at the SCG, there's no consolation and late runs to be scored.

If Kuldeep is to play, one of the seamers has to go and Hardik comes in. But it would be incredibly ridiculous and brash to even do that. The only change should be Ashwin coming in for Rohit. That way there's a good balance.

 

[SaiSrini]

There's nothing called BCCI's India or anything. To use the name India, the BCCI requires approval from The GOI and the PM of India. At the end of the day BCCI represents India, so playing for BCCI is playing for India. So, you are playing for your Country. What Rohit said was he was looking to play Test Cricket for India as a permanent member from a long time and if he now leaves the team mid-series he is not sticking to his own words. And again I say I don't mind him doing that as far as his opinion is concerned. But after that, if he still thinks he would get opportunity in the Test side easily then he has made a mistake leaving the team mid-series. Time doesn't wait for anyone. Maybe someone might take his place by the time he comes back to the Test side. In that situation he will have himself to be blamed[DOUBLEPOST=1546333316][/DOUBLEPOST]

Playing Test for your Country > Playing the WC (unless you win it)

BCCI has called itself a private organization and has refused to come under the "Right to Information Act" that the Indian government has been pushing the BCCI on. And this "Right to Information" act is where the watching/paying public gets to know all the information that happens behind the scenes in Indian cricket (e.g. with regards to match fixing and all).

Just getting license to call yourself "India" is not enough. Refusal to come under RTI and calling yourself a "private entity" gives a clear understanding that BCCI operates on it's own. And ICC also has rules in place that restricts government intervention on certain issues. Anyways all this is immaterial. By losing a cricket match, nobody loses food on their plate (nor the income withheld). It's an entertainment sport at the end of the day and not worth missing your child birth (any child birth; even if you bear 3-4 children).

 

[hammadahmed88]

Yes...excellent stuff. Highlight of the series so far. haha.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Kohli just said Ashwin was unfit for selection in the PC and then BCCI names him in a 13 man squad!

They should have opted for Pandya this test and played Kuldeep.

 

[SaiSrini]

It looks like Rahul is returning for this test, in place of Rohit. This will send Vihari back down the order, which is good news.

Ishant is also out of this test, which means either Kuldeep or Umesh takes his place depending on pitch. I think Ashwin won’t play. Too risky when we’ve history to make here. I think Kuldeep should play. He has the bowling to confuse and kill Australia.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Someone really needs to take a look at Ashwin. He isn't playing all the formats and has been unfit in crucial encounters in England & Australia. If him or BK don't play, our tail gets very long.

 

[Velocity]

I'm surprised that Bhuvi is not in the 13. Having Umesh and Kuldeep means India will have a very long tail once more which is a clear weakness. Bhuvi should have been the more likely pace bowler to replace Ishant, he gets the ball to swing and keeps it tight like him as well. Not keen at seeing Shami and Umesh playing in the same XI. Both go for runs and Bumrah can't always keep it tight either. Had Bhuvi played, it may have been an excellent opportunity to play Kuldeep as an X factor. If Ashwin does not play, I expect another long Indian tail.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

My XI for tomorrow-

Rahul
Agarwal
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Vihari
Pant
Jadeja
Kuldeep
Shami
Bumrah

I honestly don't like the XIII selected. I think it's a very very defensive selection. I am even more confused now about Vihari opening the last game. It just would be plain stupid now to go back to Rahul suddenly now. What's changed? He suddenly is back in form? Personally, I would have had in an ideal world had two quicks, Pant, Ashwin and Jadeja as 6,7,8,9 for this test and while I would play Rahul, since Vihari opened last game and did the dirty work then may be open with him. It would be a very defensive ploy if we play 6 batters, Pant, Jadeja and 3 quicks. This is one track in Australia where you have to play 2 proper spinners. But, knowing Kohli he will use Vihari as the second spinner.

 

[SaiSrini]

I think India is going in with the thought that SCG being expected to be a 'dry pitch' and not seaming around like Perth, the long tail should not be a huge problem since their 7 batters can be more than enough. Yes in an ideal world, your No. 9 and No. 10 should also be able to bat dourly for quite sometime but we are nowhere there yet and still we get wins overseas. I wonder when and why did Ishant Sharma lose all his batting skills? There was a time when Ishant used to stick around with his bat in test cricket and used to frustrate opposition. He seems to have totally lost that skill now.

I think India just took a lottery last game by dropping both openers and pushing Vihari up to open. I was confident that Rahul was not completely out of their plans (Rahul has backing of the captain; plus his newly found aggressive game and his temperamental personality and his young age all is a big plus factor for the current captain/management). India was lucky that they won the toss at MCG and so their lottery paid off. Had we lost the toss at MCG, we could've been sitting on an entirely different discussion by now.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

I think India is going in with the thought that SCG being expected to be a 'dry pitch' and not seaming around like Perth, the long tail should not be a huge problem since their 7 batters can be more than enough. Yes in an ideal world, your No. 9 and No. 10 should also be able to bat dourly for quite sometime but we are nowhere there yet and still we get wins overseas. I wonder when and why did Ishant Sharma lose all his batting skills? There was a time when Ishant used to stick around with his bat in test cricket and used to frustrate opposition. He seems to have totally lost that skill now.

I think India just took a lottery last game by dropping both openers and pushing Vihari up to open. I was confident that Rahul was not completely out of their plans (Rahul has backing of the captain; plus his newly found aggressive game and his temperamental personality and his young age all is a big plus factor for the current captain/management). India was lucky that they won the toss at MCG and so their lottery paid off. Had we lost the toss at MCG, we could've been sitting on an entirely different discussion by now.

That discussion could yet happen if we bowl first tomorrow.

 

[SaiSrini]

Good to see Cheteshwar Pujara opening the innings with Mayank Agarwal!

 

[WubbaLubbaDubDub]

This is it, this should seriously be it for Rahul. He is talented smart but so is Rohit. Rahul has been given enough chances and he just does not learn from his past mistakes. I dont give a fearsome tweak that he scored a century in a dead rubber match. He has been so inconsistent throwing away his wicket. He should go back to domestics play there and earn his spot back. Shaw once fit should play whenever we play the next test match without any question.

Another good innings from Mayank and yet again lost his wicket in 70’s. We are in only with 3 bowlers and 1 all rounder. Kuldeep could either be an ex factor or disaster like the England test.