India tour of South Africa - 2013/14

[Aalay]

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.

Rahane or Rohit?

 

[Cricketman]

Rohit as test match opener in South Africa?!?!

 

[Aalay]

Definitely! I would pick him over Murli Vijay any day.

 

[vaibhavtewatia]

Rohit as test match opener in South Africa?!?!

He has finally started to show that temperament. So I'll not be surprised though, but yes, not too sure about this.

 

[Epic]

Rahane or Rohit?

Dhoni and co. have made it fairly clear that they don't see Rahane as a genuine opener in the longer form, and rightly so, he doesn't even open for Mumbai, and Rohit, I see his long term future across all forms in the middle order... we need a proper back-up option and just the mere fact that we don't know who it'll be has me thinking they'll recall one of the 2 guys no one wants to see, you know exactly the 2 I'm talking about.

 

[SaiSrini]

Definitely! I would pick him over Murli Vijay any day.

I would play Murali Vijay until he fails. He did very well against Australia to score those two centuries. Right now, can't think past him for the regular opener slot in our test XI. Same with Dhawan.

Seeing the India-A squad to South Africa, our selectors are thinking about using either Pujara or Rohit Sharma (Karthik or Rahane too probably) as reserve openers in case Vijay or Dhawan fail to make the XI for any of the test matches in SA. There is no backup opener selected for the India-A tour too, which tells me that the selectors think having a makeshift opener if the regular opener is injured, would be good enough.

 

[Aalay]

Dhoni and co. have made it fairly clear that they don't see Rahane as a genuine opener in the longer form, and rightly so, he doesn't even open for Mumbai, and Rohit, I see his long term future across all forms in the middle order... we need a proper back-up option and just the mere fact that we don't know who it'll be has me thinking they'll recall one of the 2 guys no one wants to see, you know exactly the 2 I'm talking about.

I don't know but I am pretty sure Rohit has to be the back up opener unless they decide to go with Gambhir again. I am really not sure who the other successful openers are currently in domestic circuit. To me, it looks like that as soon as Tendulkar leaves from test cricket, Rohit is likely to take his place in the team. So I think it is fair to bring in him and keep him with the squad. Because I can say the exact same thing about Murli Vijay after watching how he batted against South Africa last time we were there.

Vijay as test match opener in South Africa?!?!

 

[zeustrojanstark]

In tests,i would again actually go with Murali Vijay for the Saffers tour,but if he fails,i will look at Rahane.

 

[Epic]

I would play Murali Vijay until he fails. He did very well against Australia to score those two centuries. Right now, can't think past him for the regular opener slot in our test XI. Same with Dhawan.

Seeing the India-A squad to South Africa, our selectors are thinking about using either Pujara or Rohit Sharma (Karthik or Rahane too probably) as reserve openers in case Vijay or Dhawan fail to make the XI for any of the test matches in SA. There is no backup opener selected for the India-A tour too, which tells me that the selectors think having a makeshift opener if the regular opener is injured, would be good enough.

Mhm, taking this into account, my 17 for the Tests: 7 specialist batsmen (2 proper openers), 2 keepers, 1 all-rounder, 2 spinners and 5 seamers

MS Dhoni (capt.), Virat Kohli (vice-capt.), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron.

And my XI from that 17:

1. Murali Vijay
2. Shikhar Dhawan
3. Cheteshwar Pujara
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Virat Kohli
6. Ajinkya Rahane/Rohit Sharma
7. MS Dhoni*?
8. Ravichandran Ashwin
9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Umesh Yadav

Bit harsh on Jadeja I know, but I really feel as though we need the extra batsman given it's South Africa and our long history of struggles in the country for big runs.

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Oh, and, if Varun Aaron is unfit for yet another tour () I'd stick in either Parvinder Awana or Mohammed Shami in his place.

 

[Aalay]

I like that squad but I don't think Irfan Pathan is anywhere near selectors radar as far as tests are concerned. Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj Singh are currently training with a professional trainer and if Zaheer can maintain his fitness and show a bit of form at the start of the Ranji trophy season, I am pretty sure he will be on that tour to South Africa.

And I guess Jadeja will stay in the final 11 even though I would like to see that extra batsman. Just because how Jadeja has performed this year, it will be interesting to see what Dhoni does.

 

[Epic]

In that case I'd be more than happy to stick Zaheer Khan in the squad and the playing XI, but he better be looking like Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

 

[Satan666]

3-0 to SA!

 

[Cricketman]

I am a bit worried about Vijay at the top of the order as well but we have to remember that he scored runs in the last test series he played. Will be good to keep an eye on the A tour to see his progress in SA conditions.

Yeah, wonder what will happen to Jadeja in SA. I was a doubter, but he has been vital to our recent success this home season (27 wickets in 5 tests at 19). He was an able 5th bowler. But this was on dusty, spin friendly Indian tracks. And with the bat, he averaged a partly 19.

Hard to look past Bhuvi, Ishant, and Umesh. Pretty crappy 3 man test attack though. Maybe it will be bolstered by Zaheer Khan's return as well? But having Dhoni at 6 and Ashwin bat at 7 is a scary thought.

I'm eagerly anticipating this series. Calling it as Tendulkar's last, announcement after the series to avoid as much hub-bub and external pressure as possible.

 

[zeustrojanstark]

I am a bit worried about Vijay at the top of the order as well but we have to remember that he scored runs in the last test series he played. Will be good to keep an eye on the A tour to see his progress in SA conditions.

Yeah, wonder what will happen to Jadeja in SA. I was a doubter, but he has been vital to our recent success this home season (27 wickets in 5 tests at 19). He was an able 5th bowler. But this was on dusty, spin friendly Indian tracks. And with the bat, he averaged a partly 19.

Hard to look past Bhuvi, Ishant, and Umesh. Pretty crappy 3 man test attack though. Maybe it will be bolstered by Zaheer Khan's return as well? But having Dhoni at 6 and Ashwin bat at 7 is a scary thought.

I'm eagerly anticipating this series. Calling it as Tendulkar's last, announcement after the series to avoid as much hub-bub and external pressure as possible.

All our thoughts are put up in a clean manner here

 

[greymatter776]

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.

Ok.Its for the tests . In ODI I dont think India could afford to play both of them.Both these seamers are aggressive in nature and tries more to pick up wickets than keeping it tight. We need one bowler with that attitude but cannot keep two bowlers of that nature.That why I suggested a young talent ahead of I Sharma and Yadav in ODI.