India tour of New Zealand - Jan to Feb 2014

[Aalay]

Of course there is no Bond like bowler in current New Zeland team but they still have two very good bowlers who have been performing very well for them for quite some time now. Their opening bowlers Boult and Southee are both very good bowlers. They are not quick as Steyn or Morkel but they are very good swing bowlers. Don't forget that none of the top order Indian batsmen have played in NZ before except Dhoni. Plus there is talks about Vettori and Ryder returning to the side which will give them even more experience and stability in the side. Jesse Ryder loves the Indian bowling attack averaging 60 against India which is 20 more than his career average. Daniel Vettori is not at his best but he is still much better than the new spinners that they have right now. As I have said before on the last page that this will be an exciting series to watch and hopefully India come out on the top again.

Just to add, I would still pick Dhawan as our opener and give him chance to prove himself. Yes he is not performing well in current South Africa tour but that does not mean we should just drop him after one bad tour that too even against world's best side. I think selectors should give him some more chances to prove himself because I am sure he will definitely get better.

 

[surendar]

That is what I meant, their bowlers are good but not threatening. I am not underestimating but calling one of the top quality batting lineups being concerned on NZ soil for pitch conditions is just an 'over' estimate of hosts to me.

Only threat I foresee is Ross Taylor. Pure domination if this chap gets going. Other than that, it should be an even contest with slight edge to India as Dhoni is now quite experienced enough to know how to get the job done.

 

[War]

Hey, I`m not a blind fanboy either but when people start ranting about how BCCI would influence the pitches overseas without any reports to suggest that is no less ludicrous. I reiterate, I`m no BCCI backer. I hate the fact that the current SA test series is just 2 tests and so is the NZ series but to suggest that if the wickets are not greentops, it is the BCCI influencing it (without anything concrete to suggest that) is stretching it way too far.


So War, you feel those pitches in 2002 were fair! I seriously challenge you. Just watch some of those games and you would know how much of an advantage bowling first was on those wickets. Secondly, if they were to dish out pitches like those now India would be better suited to rout NZ with far better seam attack than in 2002 (Bangar, Yohannan and Agarkar with Zak). Also, if those wickets in 2009 in NZ were roads, how did the Indian seam attack manage to pick so many wickets while their NZ counterparts could`nt? India were a better side in 2009 and would have gone on to win regardless of the conditions.

I'm sharing the potential of non-greentops in the test series on a combination of BCCI influence, TV companies manipulation and NZC financial struggles.



On the 2002/03 series, This argument is old a boring my friend. I saw that series live and i've always maintained for the last 11 years those pitches & conditions were no different to many very pace friendly conditions i've seen in many series.

- IND in ENG 2011
- AUS vs PAK in ENG 2010
- SA vs ENG @ Jo Burg 2010 test match
- England vs Windies @ Headingley 2000
- Most early season May test in England @ Durham in the last decade
- AUS vs NZ @ Hobart 2011

These are just the ones that come to mind right now. And in 2002/03 just like some of these series - it was close to what i would call the "ultimate" bowler friendly conditions - where bowlers unusually in the age of roads, have all the advantage over the batsmen. The batsmen who survive/make runs have to be really good.

Bond in that series was bowling world class & he owned most of the IND batsman & that IND bowlers returned the favour too. So all that talk of "unfair" conditions was always over the top.

 

[aditya123]

I'm sharing the potential of non-greentops in the test series on a combination of BCCI influence, TV companies manipulation and NZC financial struggles.



On the 2002/03 series, This argument is old a boring my friend. I saw that series live and i've always maintained for the last 11 years those pitches & conditions were no different to many very pace friendly conditions i've seen in many series.

- IND in ENG 2011
- AUS vs PAK in ENG 2010
- SA vs ENG @ Jo Burg 2010 test match
- England vs Windies @ Headingley 2000
- Most early season May test in England @ Durham in the last decade
- AUS vs NZ @ Hobart 2011

These are just the ones that come to mind right now. And in 2002/03 just like some of these series - it was close to what i would call the "ultimate" bowler friendly conditions - where bowlers unusually in age of roads, have all the advantage over the batsmen. The batsmen who survive/make runs have to be really good.

Bond in that series was bowling world class & he owned most of the NZ batsman & that IND bowlers returned the favour too. So all that talk of "unfair" conditions was always over the top.

I never cribbed. I just pointed out that if such conditions were dished out this time around, India are better equipped. We only had Zaheer back in 2002. Now, in Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Yadav, Shami and Zak we might have enough firepower to return the favor.

 

[harishankar]

No, no, what I remember about that series is that most Indian commentators and even some of the neutral commentators felt that the pitches were too seam bowler friendly.

It was not the usual "sporting" pitches you get in Australia or South Africa.

I think they used drop-in pitches in NZ at that time because the native pitches were considered too slow. It sure was a controversial move.

 

[surendar]

Still those conditions of 2002 looked to me worse than WACA! I also saw every ball LIVE, but can hardly think or recollect such a deadly assistance in other country venues which pacers got during 02/03 NZ tour. Definitely not similar to any pitches that I have seen in 17 years of my cricket following.

By the way, like I mentioned, current line up of Kiwis(batting/bowling) is more vulnerable than the side of 02/03. So I would assume a backfire even if conditions are going to be bowler friendly for the hosts. Bring it on!

 

[scratch978]

Well, the news is that, Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, has called for green pitches when India tour New Zealand in January-February 2014.

He said,
"We certainly don't get any favours when we travel, so I'd be disappointed if we provide any at home."

Source :- Hesson calls for green pitches for India Tests

 

[Aalay]

Well, the news is that, Mike Hesson, the New Zealand coach, has called for green pitches when India tour New Zealand in January-February 2014.

He said,
"We certainly don't get any favours when we travel, so I'd be disappointed if we provide any at home."

Source :- Hesson calls for green pitches for India Tests

Captain obvious strikes again.

 

[Aalay]

India Cricket News: Yuvraj Singh likely to make way for Cheteshwar Pujara | ESPN Cricinfo

Small grounds and no Yuvraj?

 

[greymatter776]

I hope they would give a chance for either Yuvraj or Raina when playing on seamer friendly pitches.Either Pujara or Rahane could replace and I am not even against replacing them both.

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

India in New Zealand 2013-14 : Ishwar Pandey gets maiden India Test call-up | Cricket News | New Zealand v India | ESPN Cricinfo

Anyone else surprised to see Binny in the team? Not sure how well he's been performing in the domestic season. It's finally time India realise that Pujara can be used well in the foreign conditions, and he may well be vital for India's preparation to WC.

ODIs
MS Dhoni (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Ishwar Pandey, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron
In: Ishwar Pandey, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron
Out: Yuvraj Singh, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav

Was expecting Aaron to be a part of the Test squad too. Omitting Ojha may come as a surprise to any, but tbh, the way Jadeja bowled in the last test leads me to believe that Ashwin may not find a place in the abroad test matches.

TESTS
MS Dhoni (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishwar Pandey
In: Ishwar Pandey
Out: Pragyan Ojha

 

[surendar]

Wow squad announced looks surprising to me, how good are these Pandey & Binny? Yadav not playing in ODI is bit worrying as he did well in Aussie conditions, but I am assuming the same line up which played SA will be playing Kiwis as well. Would be surprised if these new people gets chance to wear their first test or ODI cap.

Test inclusions - Pandey in for Ojha. ( am guessing that Jadeja will be preferred in playing XI if Rohit flops )

ODI inclusions - Pandey, Aaron, Binny in. Yuvi & Yadav out.

So people with higher milestones(Viru, Gambhir & Yuvi) struggling to be fit & keep going for long time now. Hope they don't give up, especially Viru seems to struggle like 40YO already.

 

[Aalay]

India in New Zealand 2013-14 : Ishwar Pandey gets maiden India Test call-up | Cricket News | New Zealand v India | ESPN Cricinfo

Anyone else surprised to see Binny in the team? Not sure how well he's been performing in the domestic season. It's finally time India realise that Pujara can be used well in the foreign conditions, and he may well be vital for India's preparation to WC.



Was expecting Aaron to be a part of the Test squad too. Omitting Ojha may come as a surprise to any, but tbh, the way Jadeja bowled in the last test leads me to believe that Ashwin may not find a place in the abroad test matches.

I am just happy that they have not picked Vinay Kumar and finally given a chance to Varun Aaron. Varun Aaron is a really good ODI bowler and he has to be there. I am surprised to see Stuart Binny being picked but I feel that is just because Dhoni's love for all-rounders and wanting that 5-th bowling option in overseas conditions. Ishwar Pandey has featured quite a lot in the "India A" team for a while now. I haven't seen much of him so hopefully will see him at some point on the tour. Raina has also been struggling lately so it will be also an important tour for him. I feel if he fails here, Pujara will come into the ODI line-up.

Pragyan Ojha again is unlucky. He hasn't even played a single match on the South Africa tour but still finds himself out of the team. Yes, Jadeja has bowled very well but at least give one chance to Ojha to show what he is capable of. Ashwin has been absolutely horrible overseas but he still is there in every overseas test. I feel Ojha needs some backing of captain. Varun Aaron should have been in the test squad as well.

 

[SaiSrini]

Happy with the inclusion of Ishwar Pandey in both the test and ODI lineups. He has been deserving it for quite sometime now. But I am wondering why the continued ignoring of Pujara in ODI's? As many have said, Pujara could be vital to our World Cup preparations since the upcoming WC is going to be held in Australia/NZ where conditions will be challenging for subcontinental batsmen and where we need batsmen with tight techniques and good patience.

Aaron for Yadav in ODI's might be a good decision. Aaron has showed in IPL's that he can be very frugal/economical (I know IPL can't be used as a yardstick but what else can we use to measure when it comes to Aaron's ODI inclusion). I am surprised too by Binny's selection, but I think its a good gamble to take. If it clicks, we might have found a seam bowling allrounder. And good that we got rid of Yuvraj. Him, along with Sehwag, may as well hang their boots.

Ojha had to be dropped to accomodate an additional fast bowler. And they can't have two left armers when you have Ashwin's off spin and also his more than useful batting. Ashwin's batting will keep favoring him in the selection stakes as long as its as useful as it is now.

 

[playkid12]

You can't help but to feel for Ojha for not being selected. His last match was Tendulkar's 200, where he won MoM. Ashwin getting matches above Ojha despite his atrocious performance in SA is baffling to me, but I guess they're banking on his batting talent as well. That's not a great excuse, however. On one side, you have a proven performer being ignored for someone who is clearly out of form.

Pujara's omission in ODIs is disappointing. I believe they did this to Dravid for a while as well, grooming him into a test specialist before realizing that he can be an asset for ODIs as well.

Rohit Sharma is chosen again to show us all how poor he bats outside of the subcontinent. Hurray!

Ishant Sharma will fail again too.

Both of the Sharmas need to go!