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raj2rif
December 25th, 2007, 02:42 PM
Well, long awaited Australian tour begins tomorrow. It would be interesting to see how the stalwarts perform. Guessing and predicting any thing in Cricket is the most dangerous thing.

I am amazed that inspite of a long discussion on Virender Sehwag’s performance in the past, no one has made a mention of him, now that he is with the team. Obviously, none of us thought of his selection considering his form and performance even in the Ranji Trophy and the few chances he got in one day series. Having taken him on the tour and not playing him would be the biggest blunder. While Sehwag has let down every one in recent times, I still believe that one good innings should bring his confidence back. He is the most dangerous player when in full flow and Australians know it too well.

While, Dravid would be opening, it looks absurd to me to ask him to open when there are three specialist openers in the team. My predictions are that, Yuvraj, Tendulkar, Dhoni, Pathan, Zaheer and Kumble are likely to perform as per expectations. If, I have my say in selection for the playing 11, I would go with the following combination:

Virender Sehwag
Wasim Zafar
Yuvraj Singh
Saurav Ganguly
Sachin Tendulkar
VVS Laxman
M S Dhoni
Irfan Pathan
Anil Kumble
Zaheer Khan
R P Singh/ Ishant Sharma (to give variety to the bowling attack as all those in this line up are left arm seamers)

12th Man: Dinesh Karthik

I will try to rotate Dravid in the middle order so that each of big four plays three tests each. I would definitely like to give at least a game each to Ishant Sharma, Pankaj Singh, Dinesh Karthik and Harbhajan Singh. Acutally Harbhajan should be playing at least two test, i.e. Brisbane and Sydney.

Let us have the discussion.

jitender_singh
December 26th, 2007, 12:24 AM
Hi,

Fully agreed sir.. sehwag should play in 1st test match in melbourne ..
as he had a fantastic record in melbourne..
but I heard that dravid is going to open in 1st test match ..
let see what happens on boxing day...

cheers
Jitender

kabir
December 26th, 2007, 06:39 PM
Well, long awaited Australian tour begins tomorrow. It would be interesting to see how the stalwarts perform. Guessing and predicting any thing in Cricket is the most dangerous thing.

I am amazed that inspite of a long discussion on Virender Sehwag’s performance in the past, no one has made a mention of him, now that he is with the team. Obviously, none of us thought of his selection considering his form and performance even in the Ranji Trophy and the few chances he got in one day series. Having taken him on the tour and not playing him would be the biggest blunder. While Sehwag has let down every one in recent times, I still believe that one good innings should bring his confidence back. He is the most dangerous player when in full flow and Australians know it too well.

While, Dravid would be opening, it looks absurd to me to ask him to open when there are three specialist openers in the team. My predictions are that, Yuvraj, Tendulkar, Dhoni, Pathan, Zaheer and Kumble are likely to perform as per expectations. If, I have my say in selection for the playing 11, I would go with the following combination:

Virender Sehwag
Wasim Zafar
Yuvraj Singh
Saurav Ganguly
Sachin Tendulkar
VVS Laxman
M S Dhoni
Irfan Pathan
Anil Kumble
Zaheer Khan
R P Singh/ Ishant Sharma (to give variety to the bowling attack as all those in this line up are left arm seamers)

12th Man: Dinesh Karthik

I will try to rotate Dravid in the middle order so that each of big four plays three tests each. I would definitely like to give at least a game each to Ishant Sharma, Pankaj Singh, Dinesh Karthik and Harbhajan Singh. Acutally Harbhajan should be playing at least two test, i.e. Brisbane and Sydney.

Let us have the discussion.

Indian think-tank doesn't think on these lines and, I am afraid, neither do I. Rotation during such a tough tour is not the best idea. Against the ruthless Aussie, who are on a winning streak, India need to put their best foot forward if they have to have a chance.

Out of form he might be, Dravid is still India's best batsman overseas. He just can't be relegated on the bench. We can't leave Yuvraj on the sidelines either. He has to be accomodated. The only choice is that Dravid should open the innings -- he best equipped to negotiate with the new ball. Besides, the kind of form (or the lack of it) he is in, he can't do any worse than this no matter which position he comes out to bat.

Coming to Sehwag, the only that gives him a benefit of doubt is his past record. But then Dravid's is even better. Isn't it?

raj2rif
December 26th, 2007, 07:11 PM
Dear Mr. Raghuvanshi,

I really appreciate your comments as well as views. Surely, Dravid is a wonderful batsman and can’t be confined to bench, but so are few others whether on form or on talent. It will be unfair to keep any one of these player on bench. While Australia is the best team, they are not invincible.

I am happy, to see the first day proceedings. Kumble and Zaheer have done as per my expectations (I would not call it predictions for that would be suicidal). Let us see how quickly and how economically they get the last wicket.

The onus will be on the famous batting line up to put up their best and thus wrest advantage. If they can get past Australian total, and take say about 150 runs lead, it will become interesting contest. Australian like any other team are also prone to pressure. If India can avoid the last day batting and have enough on board to get them out second time, that is their best chance. Let us wait and watch.

As for Dravid vs. Sehwag, one can keep arguing. To me if Sehwag has been taken there as an opener and as a X factor, then he should be played. What else, on a breaking wicket, he might just be another option to Kumble to break any partnership. Remember, both Zaheer and RP are left arm bowlers and bowling on over the wicket will leave some foot marks and rough on the off side of a right hand batsman. Thus a good off spinner should be able to use that rough to bring the ball in. Another option could be using Yuvraj in patches and asking him to use the arm ball against right handers.

amitchhikara
December 27th, 2007, 04:59 AM
We are going to need atleast one other bowler to step up for this long tour. Zaheer and Kumble are sure to have off-days so we need RP Singh to chip in with some early wickets.

Sehwag will have to wait as you can't justify him taking anybody's position in the playing XI right now. He barely made it in the team after Gambhir's injury.

raj2rif
December 27th, 2007, 08:24 AM
When one is not in form, even the best fail. 66 ball, 5 runs, Such a run rate only puts bowlers in command. To fight an aggressive side you have to take fight into their camp.

No offence, for Dravid is an excellent player, probably technically most perfect among the present lot, but to ask him to open when you have two specialist and one make shift opener does not sound logical to me. If they had not taken Sehwag on this tour, that was fine, but since they asked for him then might as well make him play. I don't know if Sehwag would have lasted 66 balls, but if he did, then 5 was likely to be 50.

I would definitely like to gamble on Sehwag on this tour.

dreamer
December 27th, 2007, 11:32 AM
I would definitely like to gamble on Sehwag on this tour.

Me Too :confused::confused::confused:

raj2rif
December 27th, 2007, 05:54 PM
212 Degrees F


When water is hot at 211 degrees nothing happens, one degree later it starts boiling and start producing steam. It then can drive a locomotive and produces energy.

I think that one degree was missing from the Indian Batting line up on day 2 of this match. The openers had done well against lesser opposition (211 Degree Bowlers) The true test came today when they were up against the surgeons of the pace bowling. Both Wasim Zaffar and Dravid were found wanting on that score. Even against the best of attack playing 15 maidens at the beginning of the innings is nothing but suicidal. You just give the confidence to the bowler that he needs at the beginning of the innings and scare your team-mates in dressing room, making a good bowling a hostile bowling.

If as a bowler I get couple of maidens at the start of my spell, I would try all the things to attack a batsman that I would not try if I am being hit around. Zafar and Dravid just helped the bowlers and put extra pressure on the later batsman.

India can make the score 1-0 of the series as it stands today for it would require a 180 degree different approach to save this game or come out a winner.

vijay
December 27th, 2007, 06:52 PM
Poor performance by Indians !

Most of the time they just meow whenever expected to roar.

Including or excuding Dravid have nothing to do with this performance. But one thing is sure, Dravid is suffering due to his gentle and co-operative nature. Team Management is sacrificing his last few years for their experiments or just to accomodate another player.

The present batting order and team combination are totally unfair to both Dravid and Sehwag respectively. Sehwag is the widely recognized opener and he must be there to open.

Let's see what happens after 1-0. :mad:

vijay
December 29th, 2007, 02:24 PM
Second innings supressed the record of first innings :rolleyes:

I am still searching for the so called "aggressiveness' which they were talking about since last few weeks. And i find out that aggression in them while coming out and going back to the pavalion ONLY. :)

Aussies totally intimidated our superstars in every department of the game. It seems like professionals are playing with a amature club team.

This doesn't mean that i have doubts on Indian Team, but i wonder when they will be consistant and totally professional instead of playing good in patches.

What's wrong and where ?

raj2rif
December 30th, 2007, 06:26 PM
I think the Indian Batsmen lost the game in mind even before they reached the crease. This was all due to an over cautious approach taken by Wasim Zaffar and Rahul Dravid on in the first innings of the match.

We need to understand, that you can’t become big if you don’t even think big. Your talk needs to match your actions. These players talked about being aggressive but played like scared crows.

It is neither a technical nor a temperamental problem. It is purely a psychological problem. Before the series started, every one talked about the weak link of the team was their “Bowling”. When after an excellent start to the innings, by Australia when they we bundled out for 343, our batsman thought there is “Ghost” in the pitch. They instead should have given the credit to the hard work done by our bowlers.

It was a spineless and meek surrender by the famous four or say now seven. How can one justifies the score of this team in the match when they have number 8 batsman having scored a hundred in the test matches and have over 2000 runs under his belt. If, I am not wrong even Harbhajan and Zaheer have scored either a half-century or some thing close to that in test matches.

What they need to do. They need to put Sehwag at the top of the order, preferably with Dinesh Karthik (having seen Zafar’s approach in the first match, I have my own doubts) and tell them not to see the new ball off, but to tear this Australian Attack with best of their abilities. Tell them no matter how much they score; they will get the next match only if they tear this bowling attack apart. If they score run a ball fifty or closer to that they will be persisted with, while if they score labored and subdued hundred, they might not.

While Dravid is an excellent batsman, I would still like him to play couple of tour matches to bring back his confidence. I would like to go in the match with the following batting order:

Sehwag, Karthik, Yuvraj, Ganguly, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dhoni, Pathan, Kumble, Zaheer and RP Singh. I will use the resources of Sehwag and Yuvraj as the second spinner. I will also use bowling skills of Ganguly and Tendulkar when needed.

sumitsehrawat
January 3rd, 2008, 12:38 AM
I think The BCCI could have done something about it. Our cricket team did not get enough practice matches in Australian Conditions. There was just one which too got washed off. No wonder the pitch at MCG appeared to us as like the one in Perth. Scoring like 20 runs in 200 balls was kind of amusing to me.

And, yes the argument has point. Why have they taken Virender Sehwag there? It is my personal opinion that we can only fight back by a counter-attack. Sehwag should be playing as an opener. I think Karthik can keep the wickets well and the ODI Captain Dhoni can be made to sit out. Atleast for one test we can try this combination.

Second test day one is over. Once again my favourite of all current players Andrew Symonds played awesome. I hope our very own Veeru learns from him. Symonds has transformed himself from a 'always-hitting-hard' batsman to one with a calculative and a thinking mind. His performance and presence in the field compliments his magnanimous personality. Shades of Steven Waugh...huh!!

I think Ishant Sharma will do well in this series.



just my views,
Sumit