India tour of South Africa - 2013/14

[sifter132]

^Agree with your suggestion 2 games vs each side in a tri-series would give you 6 matches, plus a final - there's your 7. I guess they felt Ind-Aus wouldn't be as interesting for the locals. Or there was some scheduling difficulties.

 

[shravi]

India matches are interesting everywhere because there are Indian immigrants everywhere. They were probably more worried about South Africa vs Australia .

 

[greymatter776]

I think after the series against zimbabwe the Indian seam attack may undergo changes.B Kumar has secured his place in ODI. But I Sharma and Yadav has not been upto expectations. Oh yes theuy picked wickets in the triseries but has been too costly and has not been so convincing. India has sent many young seamers to Zimbabwe like Mohit,Shami Ahmed and Unadhkhat.One of them may replace Yadav or Sharma in the SA tour.

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

Indeed Bhuvi is one guy who is in for a run now, atleast for a while. And Ishant, hasn't been overly impressive, but things suggest he's to stay here. He plays every single test match, and has cut down his pace quite a bit, and worked a lot on his seam and swing. Talking about test matches, and he hasn't been bad there as well. So he's pretty much in the picture, atleast till Dhoni stays.

Umesh doesn't seem to learn a lot. Someone, who has a natural swinging action, has to have a lot of potential, given his pace. But he seems to be all over the place. Guys like Umesh and Shami need a lot of matches IMO.

Don't think if Unadkat is that capable. Isn't skiddy like Ahmed, pacy like Umesh, not sure about how well he moves the ball! And Mohit Sharma right? Who is he, never heard much about him in the domestic circuit. And why isn't there place for someone like Awana, he's been impressive in the domestic, and you don't judge bowlers potential based on a couple of T20I's.

The good thing is, Varun Aaron in recovering well. He can definitely move the ball off the pitch, and much much faster than anybody in India. Looking forward as to where he lands up in the coming 6 months.

 

[SaiSrini]

I think after the series against zimbabwe the Indian seam attack may undergo changes.B Kumar has secured his place in ODI. But I Sharma and Yadav has not been upto expectations. Oh yes theuy picked wickets in the triseries but has been too costly and has not been so convincing. India has sent many young seamers to Zimbabwe like Mohit,Shami Ahmed and Unadhkhat.One of them may replace Yadav or Sharma in the SA tour.

Are you kidding me? Umesh Yadav is a certainty for the SA tour atleast for the test matches. Yadav has had better success in the tests, and he should play for India in the tests against SA. He is a frontline bowler for us in tests. I would also keep Ishant Sharma too for the test matches due to his experience. Sreesanth would have been a good pick for the SA tests, but then he tarnished his image/reputation so badly with the spot fixing thing that you can't even think of him anymore in India cap. Bhuvi needs his test cap soon, and the rest would be Shami Ahmed and Unadkat. Unadkat for the left arm variety, and the fact that he has played test cricket for India before.

 

[aditya123]

Are you kidding me? Umesh Yadav is a certainty for the SA tour atleast for the test matches. Yadav has had better success in the tests, and he should play for India in the tests against SA. He is a frontline bowler for us in tests. I would also keep Ishant Sharma too for the test matches due to his experience. Sreesanth would have been a good pick for the SA tests, but then he tarnished his image/reputation so badly with the spot fixing thing that you can't even think of him anymore in India cap. Bhuvi needs his test cap soon, and the rest would be Shami Ahmed and Unadkat. Unadkat for the left arm variety, and the fact that he has played test cricket for India before.

I would`nt write off Zaheer yet for tests. He is only 32/33 and still can get in a couple of years of test cricket. From the news, it looks like he has been training hard under a professional fitness trainer in France. Knowing Zak, every time he comes back fit, he looks different as a bowler. I would go with the same seam bowling squad as yours with Zaheer coming in for Unadkar.

Lets not forget, along with all the energy and enthusiasm you would still need pedigree and skill in the tests in SA.

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

I would`nt write off Zaheer yet for tests. He is only 32/33 and still can get in a couple of years of test cricket. From the news, it looks like he has been training hard under a professional fitness trainer in France. Knowing Zak, every time he comes back fit, he looks different as a bowler. I would go with the same seam bowling squad as yours with Zaheer coming in for Unadkar.

Couldn't agree more. Never imagined an Indian team abroad without Zaheer, infact the tests are at such time, that he could prove his match fitness in the Ranji. But the thing is, does the team still look back at him?

Also to add, his role has been minimal in India in the recent past with MSD preferring spinners over the fast bowlers with the new ball. Zak, is not at fault then.

 

[SaiSrini]

I would`nt write off Zaheer yet for tests. He is only 32/33 and still can get in a couple of years of test cricket. From the news, it looks like he has been training hard under a professional fitness trainer in France. Knowing Zak, every time he comes back fit, he looks different as a bowler. I would go with the same seam bowling squad as yours with Zaheer coming in for Unadkar.

Lets not forget, along with all the energy and enthusiasm you would still need pedigree and skill in the tests in SA.

If Zaheer can come back at full fitness and assure that he is not going to break down pretty quickly (more so in the midst of a tour), we can take him back gleefully. But how is he going to be giving us such reassurances? A fully fit Zaheer is always a big weapon, but he breaks down too often that I have lost hope in him. His attitude towards fitness seems very lackadaisical.

 

[Aalay]

The good thing is, Varun Aaron in recovering well. He can definitely move the ball off the pitch, and much much faster than anybody in India. Looking forward as to where he lands up in the coming 6 months.

Where the Mark is Varun Aaron? I was so excited when he arrived in the ODI team. He wasn't as quick as Umesh Yadav but he was brilliant with reverse swing and bowled very well in the death overs against West Indies. I really thought he can solve India's death bowling problems but than he just disappeared completely. I guess it's been 2 years since he hasn't played? I hope he comes back soon because Varun Aaron is a better ODI bowler and Umesh Yadav is a better test bowler.

I saw Mohit Sharma during last IPL and he was bowling well. I liked his bowling but as you pointed out, it's not right to bring someone in the team based on IPL and Awanna or even Praveen Kumar deserves another chance. Jaydev Unadkat is total waste. He is not quick and does not even move the ball. I am not sure why selectors have picked him. I still remember him playing insted of injured Zaheer Khan in a test match against South Africa on a green track even though we had Umesh Yadav in the squad and he bowled total ----. He has definitely matured since than but still he is not that special.

If everybody is fit than bowling department for SouthAfrica tests should be

Zaheer Khan
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Umesh Yadav
Ishant Sharma
Varun Aaron
Ravichanran Ashwin
Pragyan Ojha

That is 7 bowlers + Jadeja. Usually India go with 4 fast bowlers but I want them to bring one extra fast bowler there just because the conditions will help fast bowlers.

For ODI's:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Varun Aaron
Ishant Sharma
Umesh Yadav
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravindra Jadeja

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

Where the Mark is Varun Aaron?

As you would remember, he wasn't a part of the team which toured down under, because just before that, he had some kinda injury! I was really excited to see Aaron and Yadav bowling in tandem in Tests down under, but unfortunately, it was not to happen. For the update, a month ago he has started training again, and has shown good signs of recovery.

I don't think he is landing in the team for atleast 6-7 months from now, but he has to be the most probable contender before Unadkat (really?him ), Mohit, and Shami! Aaron for all I remember was very good in winding up the tale, something which India has to learn abroad!

Jaydev Unadkat is total waste. He is not quick and does not even move the ball. I am not sure why selectors have picked him. I still remember him playing insted of injured Zaheer Khan in a test match against South Africa on a green track even though we had Umesh Yadav in the squad and he bowled total ----. He has definitely matured since than but still he is not that special.

Indeed, I've seen Unadkat in the domestic, he's not impressive! It is a bad choice.

 

[zeustrojanstark]

So nobody except me wants Kaif and Jaffer back

 

[SaiSrini]

So nobody except me wants Kaif and Jaffer back

Its time for you to forget about their returns. India is moving forward, it would be totally stupid to move backwards now. What's Kaif doing/did anyway right now in domestic cricket? Regarding Jaffer, scoring runs for Mumbai or a domestic team is different from scoring for India. A lot of domestic veterans/run machines have failed badly for India. Examples are S Badrinath, Sridharan Sriram, Amol Muzumdar, Jaffer, etc.

 

[Gaurav_7]

Not Badrinath, please. He deserved more chances than anyone else tbh. What he got was actually nothing compared to his talent.

 

[shravi]

Its time for you to forget about their returns. India is moving forward, it would be totally stupid to move backwards now. What's Kaif doing/did anyway right now in domestic cricket? Regarding Jaffer, scoring runs for Mumbai or a domestic team is different from scoring for India. A lot of domestic veterans/run machines have failed badly for India. Examples are S Badrinath, Sridharan Sriram, Amol Muzumdar, Jaffer, etc.

While I agree with what you're saying about Kaif and Jaffer, you should do some research before just brandishing names. Muzumdar never played international cricket, and Badrinath was never even given a proper chance.

 

[Epic]

Who exactly is/should be our reserve opener in Tests? Pujara is a decent makeshift, but he's only that, a makeshift, we'll need a reserve opener on tour.