Indian tour of South Africa, December-January 2010/11

[surendar]

Some interesting picks for the test squad but I doubt whether they get chance though.

Yadav, Saha picked for South Africa Tests

India squad for South Africa Tests: MS Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha, Umesh Yadav, Jaidev Unadkat, Pragyan Ojha.

India news: Umesh Yadav and Wriddhiman Saha picked for South Africa Tests | Cricket News | India v New Zealand | ESPN Cricinfo

With current strength, it is really tight for the young players to fit into the team XI. No wonder that Dhoni accepted that he has forgotten Pujara in second test Vs Kiwis.

 

[SaiSrini]

I am not worried about our bowling. It will do well on more juicier wickets. Its our batting that has to face the might of Steyn, Morkel and co in their own backyard. If we can do well against them, we have a great chance of winning the series.

Good team picked!

 

[surendar]

Doesn't Gambhir's/Raina's struggle with the short pitched ones make sense to give way for Vijay & Pujara? Not that they would be comfortable against short deliveries, but they deserve a good chance to prove themselves at critical situations.

 

[War]

I am not worried about our bowling. It will do well on more juicier wickets. Its our batting that has to face the might of Steyn, Morkel and co in their own backyard. If we can do well against them, we have a great chance of winning the series.

Good team picked!

The Indian attack like any pace attack will always enjoy a wicket with something in it for them, which they will encounter in SA.

But i'd back the SA batsmen to be able to handle more often than not, whatever the Indian quicks bring @ them. Far more than the Indian batsmen (except for Tendy & Laxman on current form) being able to handle what Steyn/Morkel will bowl to them.

 

[pcfan123]

Will be interesting to see Yadav play on pitches offer help. He has been absent from the national side for a bit so hopefully he is a little less raw than he was when I saw him last and HOPEFULLY he has not lost his pace.

 

[AkshayS]

Will be interesting to see Yadav play on pitches offer help. He has been absent from the national side for a bit so hopefully he is a little less raw than he was when I saw him last and HOPEFULLY he has not lost his pace.

He ain't gonna get even a single test until 3 seamers gets injured.

Good team picked, just missing Rahane.

 

[aditya123]

Will be interesting to see Yadav play on pitches offer help. He has been absent from the national side for a bit so hopefully he is a little less raw than he was when I saw him last and HOPEFULLY he has not lost his pace.

Yadav and Unadkat both have a lot of promise. I`m pretty excited by the pace attack we have picked for SA. Ishant and Sree should enjoy SA conditions and if Zak is fit, we could pose a formidable challenge with the ball. I back our batsmen to pull it off if our bowling remains decent.

If Sree or Ishant seem off boil, I would`nt mind Unadkat or Yadav being used as a wildcard. I would have liked one of them to be chosen for the NZ ODI series instead of Vinay Kumar! Vinay Kumar is`nt going to be playing for us in the WC. It makes no sense to play him when Praveen Kumar would also be a part of the XI. Would`nt it make sense to play someone with a bit of pace like Yadav or Unadkat rather than a T20 trundler like Vinay Kumar.

 

[stefan]

The Indian attack like any pace attack will always enjoy a wicket with something in it for them, which they will encounter in SA.

But i'd back the SA batsmen to be able to handle more often than not, whatever the Indian quicks bring @ them. Far more than the Indian batsmen (except for Tendy & Laxman on current form) being able to handle what Steyn/Morkel will bowl to them.

Yeah I agree with that assesment. The bounce on the SA wickets will cause the indian batsmen issues as it has done on previous tours. The SA batsman are used to this and should cope with it.

 

[aditya123]

Yeah I agree with that assesment. The bounce on the SA wickets will cause the indian batsmen issues as it has done on previous tours. The SA batsman are used to this and should cope with it.

I agree that SA will start favorites but not by much. Same was said when we faced SA at Jo`burg in 2006 and we saw what happened. We were not supposed to pose a challenge at Perth in 2008 and we know what happened. Our seam bowling would not rate as the best in the world but when it comes to getting the job done, they`ve done little wrong on helpful tracks.

 

[stefan]

I agree that SA will start favorites but not by much. Same was said when we faced SA at Jo`burg in 2006 and we saw what happened. We were not supposed to pose a challenge at Perth in 2008 and we know what happened. Our seam bowling would not rate as the best in the world but when it comes to getting the job done, they`ve done little wrong on helpful tracks.

The wanderers pitch for that test was a green seamer, that's not the type of the pitch SA will want. They will want a fast bouncy wicket, its the bounce that bothers the indian batsmen. Even thought indian won that test , SA still went on to win the other 2.

 

[aditya123]

The wanderers pitch for that test was a green seamer, that's not the type of the pitch SA will want. They will want a fast bouncy wicket, its the bounce that bothers the indian batsmen. Even thought indian won that test , SA still went on to win the other 2.

SA have lost a test match in most home series for the past couple of years. Their home record is not too flash in tests in terms of not losing tests.

 

[pcfan123]

Indian batsmen records is not too flash in South Africa either. IIRC correctly most of them average less than 40 there, even the big names.

 

[stefan]

SA have lost a test match in most home series for the past couple of years. Their home record is not too flash in tests in terms of not losing tests.

Those were against england and australia ,sides who genereally are suited to the SA tracks.

There is a reason india only has one test win ever in SA.

But we will see come 16 December.

 

[SaiSrini]

Good thing for us is, our top batsmen are into form now against NZ (Gambhir, Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman) which sets our batting up really well to face the hostile conditions in SA. Our bowlers too (Ishant and Sreesanth) have got into a groove this last test vs NZ and Zaheer is our best bowler by miles, so that area too keeps us well. Its Harbhajan-Ojha's bowling form and Dhoni-Raina's batting form that worries, but if the others can do their job well, we shouldnt be hurt much. Dhoni should keep Pujara on the hooks and should look to replace Raina if he continues not to do well. Dhoni cant replace himself unless the selectors do it.

 

[War]

I agree that SA will start favorites but not by much. Same was said when we faced SA at Jo`burg in 2006 and we saw what happened. We were not supposed to pose a challenge at Perth in 2008 and we know what happened. Our seam bowling would not rate as the best in the world but when it comes to getting the job done, they`ve done little wrong on helpful tracks.

Perth 08 turned out to be a flatish track though. It wasn't anywhere near as bouncy as AUS thought going into that match.