India's Tour of Sri Lanka

[Chetan0304]

Great start from India R Dravid what happened? and Sachin too?? Sourav?

Sehwag go 200+ :happy

 

[Insomniac]

Get Laxman early tomorrow, and India are bowled out for under 250-265.

I don't think anybody expects Karthik to do anything after the last test...

 

[manee]

I still think that it suits both Karthik and Sehwag well in the long run. Karthik is a much better batsman at the top than he is coming in at the end of the middle order. He will not be comfortable playing with the tail enders and shepherding them to a good score if India is in trouble. Sehwag's played well here, but I would much rather take him over Karthik when the middle order is in trouble and he comes in to form a partnership with either Laxman/Tendulkar/Ganguly and the tail-enders. Karthik has been terrific opening in tests. He lead India in runs scored against England in the last series in England. You've said that one of the reasons you want to see Sehwag at the top is that he can take advantage of the pacers, but Sri Lanka usually only bowls their pacers for 10 overs at the start of the innings and then a few later. They are rarely expected to have an effect on the match, compared to their spinners. Yes, Sehwag has played a commendable innings here, but in the long run, I would rather use Karthik in the opening spot in order to extract his full potential and use Sehwag in the role that Gilchrist played for the Aussies in tests. Gilchrist still played huge innings even though he came in at the end of the middle order. I consider Sehwag to be pretty similar to Gilchrist in their attacking styles.

Nah, that is rubbish. Sehwag has opened for a large portion of his FC and Test career, since coming on to the international scene and he has done so with massive success. It is simply not an option to drop such a successful opener for no other reason than to accomodate a reserve player's deficiencies batting down the order, it is insanity!

 

[pal]

Nah, that is rubbish. Sehwag has opened for a large portion of his FC and Test career, since coming on to the international scene and he has done so with massive success. It is simply not an option to drop such a successful opener for no other reason than to accomodate a reserve player's deficiencies batting down the order, it is insanity!

Nah, that's pretty nonsensical. You haven't understood my point, or the qualification of the point, clearly. Sehwag has been successful opening, but if you're going to play Karthik, then you want to extract his full potential, while also allowing Sehwag, who is the better player of the two, room to make use of his talents. Karthik is averaging around 48 opening and around 20 coming in at the end of the middle order. It's obviously stupid to continue to restrict his potential and to make the middle order weak. But, again, Sehwag has been successful opening, but he's also proven himself to be successful shoring up the middle order. He's averaged 70 in the couple of matches he's been allowed there. When the team is in trouble and there is a collapse in the middle order, which is becoming ever more common these days, I would rather have Sehwag batting with Laxman/Ganguly/Dravid and then the tail-enders than Karthik. You've got to understand that this caveat only applies if you're playing Karthik, who has shown himself to be an effective opener and an ineffective middle order batsman in tests.

 

[usy]

The match was on Zee today, I watched like last 5/6 overs. Well played Sehwag.

 

[manee]

Nah, that's pretty nonsensical. You haven't understood my point, or the qualification of the point, clearly. Sehwag has been successful opening, but if you're going to play Karthik, then you want to extract his full potential, while also allowing Sehwag, who is the better player of the two, room to make use of his talents. Karthik is averaging around 48 opening and around 20 coming in at the end of the middle order. It's obviously stupid to continue to restrict his potential and to make the middle order weak. But, again, Sehwag has been successful opening, but he's also proven himself to be successful shoring up the middle order. He's averaged 70 in the couple of matches he's been allowed there. When the team is in trouble and there is a collapse in the middle order, which is becoming ever more common these days, I would rather have Sehwag batting with Laxman/Ganguly/Dravid and then the tail-enders than Karthik. You've got to understand that this caveat only applies if you're playing Karthik, who has shown himself to be an effective opener and an ineffective middle order batsman in tests.

Meh, still not convinced. It is simply not a valid option to move Sehwag who has been such a successful opener all around the world to someone who has only opened successfully against Test class opposition in one entire series against England and one innings against South Africa. Let's not forget how he flailed against Akhtar in India in 2007 in two Tests. Similarly, Sehwag has only impressed in the middle order sporadically - just 10 times. In the event that he replaces Karthik, he will likely bat seven, in which he has scored 164 runs at 27.33 - you have merely manipulated stats by saying he has averaged 70 in the middle order as he average 70.00 at number six, not in the middle order, where he will very unlikely play.

 

[Cricketman]

It may be a good move in the future, though, after the fab four have retired.

Karthik
Gambhir/Successful Opener at that point in time
Badrinath
Dhawan
Raina
Sehwag - To play a gilchrist-esque innings if all goes well
Dhoni
Bowlers.

 

[manee]

I'm sorry, but dropping Sehwag down the order is not an option - I can't believe you're even considering it. He is one of India's best ever openers and has an average record in the middle order - India are always looking for openers, why throw one away into the middle order, it makes no sense.

 

[Cricketman]

It's always an option.

Few years down the line our middle order may be weak. It could need some strengthening, Sehwag can bring that.

I always thought he was much better as a middle order batsman in ODI's, at least.

 

[pal]

Sehwag has only impressed in the middle order sporadically

Did you look through the matches in which he was played at 7? Only in one match was he allowed to play the same position in both innings. In the rest of the matches, he was played as an opener in one innings and then was forced to play at the seventh position in the other. Another example of the boneheaded tendencies of our selectors. They are not a fair reflection of his capabilities. Karthik was successful as an opener in the series against Bangladesh, England, and the match he was allowed to play as an opener against South Africa. Yes, he failed in the two matches he played against Pakistan, but he's generally shown himself to be a far more capable batsman at the opening position than in the middle order.

For now, it's evident that he will be dumped as soon as Dhoni considers himself to be suitably rested. As long as Karthik doesn't continue his terrible run of form in the middle order and finds himself replaced by Parthiv Patel, Sehwag's century has cemented the batting order for the series, so this is a non-issue now anyways. Let's hope he can gather himself and play a solid innings today.

 

[karnog]

Why get rid of bloke averaging over 50 at the openning slot for a guy averagin 30ish at the same position? Why get rid of a bloke who scores double and triple centuries for a guy who has scored probably only 1 or 2 centuries? Why increase Kartik's workload when he is already struggling as a keeper? Why break an openning pair who seem to bat well together?

Its not worth it. Kartik should be looking to bat well with the tail. Dhoni does it well and thats who he is competing with. Kartik needs to focus on keeping and getting the to 30s-60s in nearly every innings.

 

[Dare]

i can see Gambhir and Sehwag doing good things for India if they are left to open together in both forms of the game. Something like Langer and Hayden to a lesser effect. Gambhit can take his time while Sehwag attacks, their real test will come once they go on tours to SAF, Australia and England and open the batting but I like them both as openers.

 

[khalek]

What a superb knock by Sehwag, it was a joy to watch... he now knows how to play Mendis... Also well played by Gambhir... Now I feel like laughing at all the seniors except Laxman... the batting of Ganguly and Dravid is just aweful..

 

[SaiSrini]

i can see Gambhir and Sehwag doing good things for India if they are left to open together in both forms of the game. Something like Langer and Hayden to a lesser effect. Gambhit can take his time while Sehwag attacks, their real test will come once they go on tours to SAF, Australia and England and open the batting but I like them both as openers.

Gambhir will do well outside of India too. He loves playing fast bowling, and he is very good at spin too. His backfoot shots are a treat to watch most of the times. But yes, he will be tested outside the subcontinent but he will come off good.

Its time to say 'bye bye' Dravid (and may be Ganguly too!). I never expected Dravid to fall in his career so badly. He just doesnt fit into this game anymore. I guess he is more of a 'peak' player whose peak is past him, and it doesnt look good to see him without his peak period.

Very good innings from Sehwag that has handed India some respectability. if Laxman, Karthik, Kumble and Bhajji can give support, we could possibly think of 400+ which will be great on this pitch.

 

[Dare]

Gambhir will do well outside of India too. He loves playing fast bowling, and he is very good at spin too. His backfoot shots are a treat to watch most of the times. But yes, he will be tested outside the subcontinent but he will come off good.

Its time to say 'bye bye' Dravid (and may be Ganguly too!). I never expected Dravid to fall in his career so badly. He just doesnt fit into this game anymore. I guess he is more of a 'peak' player whose peak is past him, and it doesnt look good to see him without his peak period.

Very good innings from Sehwag that has handed India some respectability. if Laxman, Karthik, Kumble and Bhajji can give support, we could possibly think of 400+ which will be great on this pitch.

Looks like Sehwag might end up not out here.

I have a question for you about the part that I put in bold.
Why do the Indian fans say that about Dravid and Ganguly but not about Tendulkar. He has struggled as much as the 2 previously mentioned batsman but nobody seems to be calling his name. And he has struggled with injuries in the last year more than Ganguly and Dravid in their careers it seems.

What India need to do is start introducing some of these youngsters to the team. Badrinath, Uthappa and whoever else they have in mind for the future.