Indian ODI cricket - What should be done?

[Animator!]

Kaif or Suresh would not save you 40 runs a game, 15-20 maybe but not 40. Not because they're not great fielders, but because that amount is ridiculous.

 

[manee]

Kaif or Suresh would not save you 40 runs a game, 15-20 maybe but not 40. Not because they're not great fielders, but because that amount is ridiculous.

15-20 runs added to an average of 30 runs is 45-50 runs with the bat...these are the sums Indian management need to do.

 

[Adarsh]

A typical Indian bowling performance is as follows:
Zaheer Khan - 10 - 50-2
Second quick - 10 - 65-1
Piyush - 10 - 55-2
Powar - 10 - 40 -1
5th bowler - 10 - 60 - 1

Total opponent score - 270. This is an optimistic estimate. Some days the Indian batsmen easily manage that. Some days they fail miserably.

 

[prarara]

Did you add in the 30-40 extras? It becomes chasing 300 or more.

That's why we need some solid fielders to keep it to at least 250+ or around that (unless someone has a good performance or a few can only go for around 30-40 runs.)

 

[manee]

A typical Indian bowling performance is as follows:
Zaheer Khan - 10 - 50-2
Second quick - 10 - 65-1
Piyush - 10 - 55-2
Powar - 10 - 40 -1
5th bowler - 10 - 60 - 1

Pretty accurate IMO.

 

[Cricketman]

A typical Indian bowling performance is as follows:
Zaheer Khan - 10 - 50-2
Second quick - 10 - 65-1
Piyush - 10 - 55-2
Powar - 10 - 40 -1
5th bowler - 10 - 60 - 1

Total opponent score - 270. This is an optimistic estimate. Some days the Indian batsmen easily manage that. Some days they fail miserably.

zaheer normally doesn;t go 5RPO. He did in England (ODI;s) but he wasn't at his best...
If each bowler can knock 10 runs we're good.

 

[Justcrazy]

guys a new young bowler is growing up in USA name Kanu Talati...a great fast bowler for future India...

 

[iloveireland]

guys a new young bowler is growing up in USA name Kanu Talati...a great fast bowler for future India...

Can we see his figures? How do you know he is so good?

 

[harishankar]

I would consider bringing Kaif back in. He's a genuine fighter and a good fielder to boot. But only if his form with the bat is good enough. We need an in-form Kaif in the middle order to finish matches off. Just his fielding ability won't do.

Pathan? Once again, it depends on whether he can rediscover his bowling form. He's not a good enough batsman in my opinion to make it into the side purely on that count.

Sreesanth? He's a good fielder and gives 100% with the ball all the time. I would definitely bring him into the ODI side if only to give the bowling some more sting. He has definitely more pace than Agarkar these days.

I won't mess too much with the batting, but I don't want to see Gambhir in the team. If it has to be between Gambhir and Dinesh Karthik, I would go for Karthik. He brings in the right attitude both with the bat and on the field.

Munaf Patel? He's not good enough. Until he can prove that he can bowl at a decent pace (and not struggling to touch 80 mph) he cannot get back without improving his fielding skills dramatically.

 

[manee]

I would consider bringing Kaif back in. He's a genuine fighter and a good fielder to boot. But only if his form with the bat is good enough. We need an in-form Kaif in the middle order to finish matches off. Just his fielding ability won't do.

He is captain of India A, I imagine that means that they are almost looking for a good performance to place him into the Indian team, hopefully his fielding and batting will impress in the South Africa A three ODIs.

Pathan? Once again, it depends on whether he can rediscover his bowling form. He's not a good enough batsman in my opinion to make it into the side purely on that count.

Even though I said this about Munaf, I am sure that Pathan has rediscovered the bowling form he had before his decline.

Sreesanth? He's a good fielder and gives 100% with the ball all the time. I would definitely bring him into the ODI side if only to give the bowling some more sting. He has definitely more pace than Agarkar these days.

He is quick but he has poor List A and ODI records, what about him has changed?

I won't mess too much with the batting, but I don't want to see Gambhir in the team. If it has to be between Gambhir and Dinesh Karthik, I would go for Karthik. He brings in the right attitude both with the bat and on the field.

Karthik does not seem to have the hang of ODIs enough to open or bat seven and failed two or three times at three. He is a slow starter and a nervous one at that, the only position I would have him is four but no room for him there yet. With an ODI average of 32 and strike rate of 76.42, Gambhir's start to his ODI career has been fine, why drop the future opener?

Munaf Patel? He's not good enough. Until he can prove that he can bowl at a decent pace (and not struggling to touch 80 mph) he cannot get back without improving his fielding skills dramatically.

I had so much faith in him and he comes back bowling rubbish. So much talent with a high arm action and all but sadly just does not have the mental or physical strength for international cricket.

 

[harishankar]

He is captain of India A, I imagine that means that they are almost looking for a good performance to place him into the Indian team, hopefully his fielding and batting will impress in the South Africa A three ODIs.

Hope he does well. We need more dynamism on the field at present and he would be the perfect fillip to a sagging team on the field.

Even though I said this about Munaf, I am sure that Pathan has rediscovered the bowling form he had before his decline.

An in-form Pathan would definitely add balance to the side... let's hope he makes a successful comeback.

He is quick but he has poor List A and ODI records, what about him has changed?

I think his attitude is positive and he has learnt his lessons as far as attitude is concerned. A focussed Sreesanth would definitely be an asset even in the ODI format. Purely on his aggression and attitude, the bowling would step up a couple of notches.

Karthik does not seem to have the hang of ODIs enough to open or bat seven and failed two or three times at three. He is a slow starter and a nervous one at that, the only position I would have him is four but no room for him there yet. With an ODI average of 32 and strike rate of 76.42, Gambhir's start to his ODI career has been fine, why drop the future opener?

Agreed. He is strange though. He seems far more comfortable in Test matches. I would still not rule him out of the ODI side though. Like Sreesanth, he carries that indomitable attitude we need so much on the field.

I had so much faith in him and he comes back bowling rubbish. So much talent with a high arm action and all but sadly just does not have the mental or physical strength for international cricket.

True, true. At one time (before he made his international debut), I think one of the Indian commentators, I think it was Arun Lal or Manjrekar called him the fastest bowler in India in competition with VRV Singh...

 

[Monty57]

India need to imrove their fielding they dont have to be amazin but giving away silly singles can losse the match. But india will be struggling when their best players retire

 

[Leggie]

Munaf Patel is probably the laziest fielder and person in the India team, not just his fielding, but overall his general commitment to the side, like wearing someone elses shirt all the time and last year i remeber him wearing test pads to an ODI, all these little things add up...

 

[sohum]

He needs to work on his fitness.
He's a great bowler though.

Powar is not the fittest bloke but he's not the worst fielder. His only problem is he cannot move fast. I don't think he gives away too many runs through misfields, though he gives away a few runs on the boundary just because he shouldn't be there.

Did you add in the 30-40 extras? It becomes chasing 300 or more.

That's why we need some solid fielders to keep it to at least 250+ or around that (unless someone has a good performance or a few can only go for around 30-40 runs.)

Don't know where you're getting that figure from. We only gave away 105 extras in the 7-match ODI series which comes out to be exactly 15 per game.

Now, I don't think we need to restructure too heavily. However, a few changes are required. There are two ways the Indian team management can go about it: plan for the future or stick to the past. I personally prefer the former. I would select the following team trying to balance the utility of a player based on his experience, his fitness and his ability in different facets of the game:

1. Sachin Tendulkar (looks in fine batting touch)
2. Robin Uthappa (our future ODI opener)
3. Mahinder Singh Dhoni+ (has had success up the order)
4. Rahul Dravid* (captain by elimination)
5. Manoj Tiwary (when fit) / Rohit Sharma
6. Yuvraj Singh
7. Irfan Pathan / Mohammad Kaif
8. Piyush Chawla
9. Ramesh Powar
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Santhkumaran Sreesanth

Ganguly and Gambhir are players that I have dropped. Tiwary needs to be brought into the team asap, until then Rohit Sharma should get his spot. There will be times when we will need 7 batsmen and that is when Kaif becomes useful. Also I would consider swapping Yuvraj up to number 5 and Tiwary/Sharma down to 6. From the bowling pov we need to find a decent quickie fast.

 

[Cricketman]

Powar is not the fittest bloke but he's not the worst fielder. His only problem is he cannot move fast. I don't think he gives away too many runs through misfields, though he gives away a few runs on the boundary just because he shouldn't be there.


Don't know where you're getting that figure from. We only gave away 105 extras in the 7-match ODI series which comes out to be exactly 15 per game.

Now, I don't think we need to restructure too heavily. However, a few changes are required. There are two ways the Indian team management can go about it: plan for the future or stick to the past. I personally prefer the former. I would select the following team trying to balance the utility of a player based on his experience, his fitness and his ability in different facets of the game:

1. Sachin Tendulkar (looks in fine batting touch)
2. Robin Uthappa (our future ODI opener)
3. Mahinder Singh Dhoni+ (has had success up the order)
4. Rahul Dravid* (captain by elimination)
5. Manoj Tiwary (when fit) / Rohit Sharma
6. Yuvraj Singh
7. Irfan Pathan / Mohammad Kaif
8. Piyush Chawla
9. Ramesh Powar
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Santhkumaran Sreesanth

Ganguly and Gambhir are players that I have dropped. Tiwary needs to be brought into the team asap, until then Rohit Sharma should get his spot. There will be times when we will need 7 batsmen and that is when Kaif becomes useful. Also I would consider swapping Yuvraj up to number 5 and Tiwary/Sharma down to 6. From the bowling pov we need to find a decent quickie fast.

We have to use our Oldies as much as we can before they retire.
Dropping Ganguly is just..Stupid.
And Dinesh Karthik is our future, like it or not. More so then Uthappa.