India Team Discussion

[asprin]

Have kind of mixed feelings about this move. On one hand I feel Rahul did a good job of staying at the crease (if I'm not wrong, he played around 60+ deliveries for not much on the board on a couple of occasions) but given that he is free flowing player, perhaps that was not what was expected of him. On the other hand, one could feel that he didn't looked entirely comfortable at that position.

However, I do not feel Rohit is the right choice. Of course, the fact that we are playing at home will add to his advantage. But I do not feel he has it in him to survive testing conditions. Having said that, I'll try to keep an open mind and see how he performs.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

How great would be it (in my opinion) to have a time machine now where we can go back in time and make sure Sehwag does not succeed as a test opener? This Rohit experiment is because the Sehwag experiment freakily worked and also because the guy who pulled off the Sehwag experiment (Ganguly) has vouched for Rohit as test opener.

It's absolutely ridiculous. I want to know what Rahul Dravid thinks about this move. I rate him as the best mind in Indian cricket and I sincerely hope he is not in the same page as far as this is concerned. If I really want to pick a makeshift opener, I would pick a batsman with a solid technique. Test opening is a very tough ball game, more so in conditions which are sporting. You are facing the new ball and you don't have the luxury of playing only for 20 or 50 overs. You bat time and you have bowlers coming hard at you with the new ball.

Ganguly is a PR robot now. He sings praises of Kohli's captaincy ffs. He himself is going to try become coach and I assure you from my friends in the CAB that he is one of the front runners to actually become BCCI chairman as well. I keep mentioning this on this forum that it only matters what Virat Kohli thinks and I can understand that the 00's era is having a hard time accepting this nonsense. Even I am. It doesn't matter what people like Dravid or for that matter even Narendra Modi thinks. Kohli is the chairman, selector, coach and captain. This is our knee jerk reaction to the Chappell era. Make the captain over powerful!

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

it only matters what Virat Kohli thinks

Sorry to interrupt but I don't think so Captain has much of say in team selection these days. In modern Cricket a Captain is only restricted to on-field decisions. I've followed Indian Cricket very closely in the major part of last decade or so and what I've seen is the selector himself advocates some particular players to the Captain and he is given certain options by the selectors from which the Captain has to make his choice from. The Captain can just give suggestions but the Final decision is taken from the selectors and the board. Let us take an example of 2015 WC episode when Stuart Binny made it past Yuvraj Singh despite of Dhoni speaking in Yuvraj's favour which shows that the final decision is taken by the selector itself. And I feel like most of the Kohli criticism comes in line of Anil Kumble's exclusion as the coach but at the same time you also need to remember that during the start of Kumble's tenure Kohli always spoke in Anil Kumble's favour and went on to say that he could prove to be the best coach that India can have. I can't actually say what had happened back then just on the basis of few reports and news headlines that created all the hype around Indian team but what I can say is that this sort of attitude of the Indian fans needs to change. We need to forget what has happened and just be optimistic regarding the team's performance. There are far bigger issues in the Indian team that needs to be concentrated on rather than to wait for an opportunity to be illogically critical towards Kohli's decisions and catching hold of him when it's not actually his fault alone.

 

[Aalay]

In modern Cricket a Captain is only restricted to on-field decisions.

Sure.

But he can choose the coach.

Let us take an example of 2015 WC episode when Stuart Binny made it past Yuvraj Singh despite of Dhoni speaking in Yuvraj's favour which shows that the final decision is taken by the selector itself.

Dhoni never spoke in Yuvraj's favour at that time. If you know Dhoni, you would know that he loves his all-rounders. He is in complete command at CSK and you will see how many all-rounders he fills his team with. For his entire regime as an Indian captain, he was starved of a proper fast bowling all-rounder simply because we didn't have anyone good enough to perform that role at International level. That was the reason why we saw Jadeja feature so much during Dhoni's captaincy because he was looking at Jadeja to perform that all-rounder role. Dhoni did not rate Rishi Dhawan at all and the other reason for Stuart's selection was because his dad was in the selection panel.

you also need to remember that during the start of Kumble's tenure Kohli always spoke in Anil Kumble's favour and went on to say that he could prove to be the best coach that India can have.

No he didn't.

We need to forget what has happened and just be optimistic regarding the team's performance.

I agree

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

No he didn't.

https://sports.ndtv.com/west-indies...its-the-role-of-head-coach-virat-kohli-422439

 

[Bevab]

I agree with people suggesting Dhawan as the solution if the management wanted a talented, aggressive test opener who is susceptible to swing. Unlike Rohit, Dhawan actually has some minimal credit in the bank in overseas tours as an opener.

I’m more surprised with people saying that Rohit deserves a chance. It makes complete mockery of the established selection process and Ranji Trophy. It took years and years of consistent performances and grinding those tough runs on difficult pitches from Vihari and Mayank to get them into the side and they still aren’t established players either (then again, who is in this RTG dominating mess?). What incentive or motivation would any domestic player now have, when IPL performances seem to dominate the selection process for not only the main side but also the A team now?

 

[wasteyouryouth]

I agree with people suggesting Dhawan as the solution if the management wanted a talented, aggressive test opener who is susceptible to swing. Unlike Rohit, Dhawan actually has some minimal credit in the bank in overseas tours as an opener.

I’m more surprised with people saying that Rohit deserves a chance. It makes complete mockery of the established selection process and Ranji Trophy. It took years and years of consistent performances and grinding those tough runs on difficult pitches from Vihari and Mayank to get them into the side and they still aren’t established players either (then again, who is in this RTG dominating mess?). What incentive or motivation would any domestic player now have, when IPL performances seem to dominate the selection process for not only the main side but also the A team now?

I think captains, coaches and selectors are getting too clever for themselves. You'd think Roy's performance would serve as a warning.

 

[Aalay]

https://sports.ndtv.com/west-indies...its-the-role-of-head-coach-virat-kohli-422439

Yeh still didn't see "he could prove to be the best coach that India can have." anywhere in the article or video.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Yeh still didn't see "he could prove to be the best coach that India can have." anywhere in the article or video.

He suggested the same thing though.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

Dhoni never spoke in Yuvraj's favour at that time. If you know Dhoni, you would know that he loves his all-rounders. He is in complete command at CSK and you will see how many all-rounders he fills his team with. For his entire regime as an Indian captain, he was starved of a proper fast bowling all-rounder simply because we didn't have anyone good enough to perform that role at International level. That was the reason why we saw Jadeja feature so much during Dhoni's captaincy because he was looking at Jadeja to perform that all-rounder role. Dhoni did not rate Rishi Dhawan at all and the other reason for Stuart's selection was because his dad was in the selection panel.

Not at that time but before that during 2014 WT20 where he was consistently backing Yuvraj to do well and also spoke in his favour when he failed during the Final. The same thing he did during Asia Cup 2016 when he backed Yuvraj. Dhoni never favoured Binny for the all-rounder's role but for a bowlers role which Binny's batting position itself suggested it. And again your last line suggests that the Captains don't have much of say in the selection.

 

[Aalay]

He suggested the same thing though.

No he didn't.

Not at that time but before that during 2014 WT20 where he was consistently backing Yuvraj to do well and also spoke in his favour when he failed during the Final.

Well he has to because he is the captain of the team. He can't start blaming an individual for the loss but we all knew where we lost that game.

Dhoni never favoured Binny for the all-rounder's role but for a bowlers role which Binny's batting position itself suggested it.

What are you talking about? Binny batted or was slotted to bat at number 7 in 12 out of 14 ODI's that he played. Your bowler doesn't come out to bat at number 7 in ODI's. It's either a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder. The only reason he was in the team is because he could bat and can bowl some overs so Dhoni doesn't have to use part-timers. Jadeja was dropped during that time because he wasn't performing. They even tried Akshar Patel as a like to like replacement for Jadeja. This was done because they actually wanted an "all-rounder" in that position, not a bowler.

And again your last line suggests that the Captains don't have much of say in the selection.

No it doesn't suggest that. You have completely missed the point.

 

[Bevab]

I think captains, coaches and selectors are getting too clever for themselves. You'd think Roy's performance would serve as a warning.

And there were warning signs prior to the Roy experiment too. Finch and even Guptill before him.

What makes it even more maddening is that India have competent openers in the waiting who have also scored plenty of runs for years. Rohit should have been the absolute last resort for an opening role. The last time he had an opportunity to open, Vihari was chosen ahead of him to play as a makeshift opener who just blocked every ball. Apart from a decent 50 on that day in the middle order, what else has Rohit showed in the meantime in tests or first-class cricket to show that he deserves to play, let alone in a totally unfamiliar and risky position?

If Rohit and the management were serious about him opening, they could have made him do so for the ‘A’ side at the very least prior to the West Indies tour (it was not like he was going to be selected barring a catastrophic failure from Rahane) or selected him for the current two games versus South Africa A. Dropping him in unprepared versus the express pace of Rabada and Ngidi will be stupid if there is any sort of assistance for the duo.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

No he didn't.



Well he has to because he is the captain of the team. He can't start blaming an individual for the loss but we all knew where we lost that game.



What are you talking about? Binny batted or was slotted to bat at number 7 in 12 out of 14 ODI's that he played. Your bowler doesn't come out to bat at number 7 in ODI's. It's either a batting all-rounder or a bowling all-rounder. The only reason he was in the team is because he could bat and can bowl some overs so Dhoni doesn't have to use part-timers. Jadeja was dropped during that time because he wasn't performing. They even tried Akshar Patel as a like to like replacement for Jadeja. This was done because they actually wanted an "all-rounder" in that position, not a bowler.



No it doesn't suggest that. You have completely missed the point.

Let us not rather get into this and it is leading to a lot of confusion. Let us concentrate on the upcoming series as that would be a smarter thing to do.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

I think India needs someone to step up in the T20I format to score quicker among the top 3. I think it should be Rohit who should take up the role and let Kohli play freely as he would like to. I think for sure this would help India. I think we should move on from Dhawan entirely if in case he is not delivering. The management needs to think about it and try to push Dhawan to perform well.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

On the Rohit opening issue on a personal note I would like to add something to this

I think this has to be the most confusing situation for me if asked for. I would be happy to see Rohit Sharma perform at the position he is getting to bat despite me being against the fact of sending him to open. But again I feel for someone like Abhimanyu Easwaran and Subhman Gill that they had to get a chance as well. I am worried about them being fading away like Unmukt Chand by not getting a well deserved chance on time. It is not necessary that for all seasons they would be scoring these many runs. I feel someone like Prithvi Shaw would be an obvious choice and a first starter in the playing XI once his suspension period gets over. I am utterly dissapointed with KL Rahul but still I feel somehow he has to comeback. I am happy that the team thought of him and left him out for his good and I hope he does get to play some matches in Ranji trophy and gains his confidence back and starts playing the way he was playing during the early stages of his career. Somehow he has to comeback now!