Who should open the innings with Sehwag in the Tri-Series?

[bharat]

Who should open.
I feel it should be Youvraj Singh.

Here's an article:

NEW DELHI: With just three days to go for the cricket tri-series in Sri Lanka, the debate over who should open the batting with Virender Sehwag is hotting up.
Sachin Tendulkar's absence due to an elbow injury and Sourav Ganguly's uncertainty over participation owing to an ICC ban has forced the team management to try out a new combination for the series beginning on Saturday.
VVS Laxman, who last played an ODI in November in thePlatinum Jubilee match against Pakistan in Kolkata after being dropped from the side for the Bangladesh and Pakistan series, is widely tipped to don the role of the opener.
According to reports, coach Greg Chappell is in favour of the stylish Hyderabadi to partner Sehwag and the player himself is willing to shoulder the responsibility.
The Indian team thinktank, however, is keeping the cards close to its chest and there was no consensus even among former cricketers who were asked for their views.

For Dhoni
While some said Mahendra Singh Dhoni should open the innings, others suggested newcomer Suresh Raina for the job.
Former Test opener Chetan Chauhan was all in favour of Dhoni who slammed an aggressive 148 against Pakistan in the one-day series at home.
''Dhoni has performed very well recently. He can team up with Sehwag and dominate the bowlers right from the word go," said the former Test batsman.
But Kirti Azad, also a former selector, did not think"it was prudent to send in Dhoni to face the new ball, saying such a move could backfire. "You cannot have two aggressive batslI).en'opening the innings. Dhoni. and Sehwag have similar style of batting, if we send in Dhoni as an opener we would reduce his effectiveness as an aggressive batsman."
By the same yardstick, how does the Sehwag- Tendulkar partnership click?
"Their case is different, if one attacks, the other takes on the role of a grafter."
According to Azad, 18-year-old Uttar Pradesh batsman Suresh Raina should be given the mantle of an opener.
''Raina should be utilised as an opener, he suits the role, also he should not have much difficulty because the playing conditions in Sri Lanka are similar to what we have here. Laxman is also a good option because he may find it difficult to negotiate the old ball," Azad said.
But another former cricketer Maninder Singh believes Yuvraj Singh is best suited for the job.
''Yuvraj has the experience of playing in over 100 ODIs. He is a match winner but he comes down at fifth or sixth position and hardly gets to play 5-6 overs. - PTI

 

[carl johnson]

i feel dhoni should

 

[Ryand]

I agree.Dhoni should open

 

[muhammad_inzi]

VVS Laxman should open the inning.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Laxman

 

[bharat]

A left-right batting combination is good.
Also Yuvraj is not as Agressive as Dhoni.

Laxman would be my second choice after Yuvraj

 

[Sureshot]

Eh?

Am i really out of date or doesn't Ganguly open? :upray

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Eh?

Am i really out of date or doesn't Ganguly open? :upray

He does but how will he when he isn't in the squad...

 

[bharat]

No Ganguly ,No Tendulkar for this series.
That's why i asked this question.

 

[amolbhatia85]

Id say let laxman open, at any other position hes just going to slow us down. Hes a poor runner between the wickets and generally doesnt pick the 1st and 2s. So i can see him being most effective early on. BUT then again he isnt he most comfortable against quality pace.
I think its important to promote yuvraj. He needs to now step up and take responsibility. He has to now stake a claim as one of our top batsman rather than this young hotshot who comes in and swings at the ball. I want to see yuvraj at 3 or 4.

 

[Mahesh Babu]

Rahul Dravid with M Kaif

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Yuvraj can't bat properly at international level. He keeps slogging, and only he and God knows why. Unless he wants to keep his place in the team, he will keep slogging.
Kaif is better suited at 4, has a strike rate of 70, ideal. Dravid should be at three, and -at full strength- Ganguly should open, Tendulkar at 5/4(shuffling with Kaif). Yadav or Raina -if they do well- should merit a permanent place in the team. One of them can come in at 6 with Dhoni at 7/vice versa. This will give them a flexible batting lineup, aggression in the form of Raina/Yadav, Dhoni and Sehwag, and calmness in Kaif and Dravid. Ganguly and Tendulkar don't have to lose their heads now, and can bat normally. If needed Tendulkar could open and Ganguly can come in at 5-like i said, very flexible. Bowling will be spearheaded by lower order hitter Pathan, sloggers Harbhajan and Zaheer, and the rabbit style batting of Balaji/Nehra. Tendulkar and the one allrounder(Yadav/Raina) will be bowler 5.
If Yuvraj keeps his head, we will lose some aggression. We need him to be aggressive, not slog from ball one, and when he does that, he can stay.
We also have Agarkar and Mongia. I'd like to see them in the team again. However, Pathan has stolen Agarkars position and Mongia has to fight it out with fellow allrounders Yuvi, J.P. and Raina.

 

[muhammad_inzi]

Eh?

Am i really out of date or doesn't Ganguly open? :upray

No more.

 

[ZexyZahid]

India have opening problem. :help

I think it will be Laxman.

But no matter who the opener partner will be, the team performance will depend most on Sehwag. If he gives runs, then rest of Indians can build it up. If not, it's difficult to win the match. That has been the recent trend. The only other reliable person is Dravid.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

You know...Dravid has opened the innings before, in the sense that a wicket falls in the first five overs...why not let him do it?