India's Tour of South Africa Dec 21 - Jan 22

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The decision to appoint Bavuma and Elgar as captains is looking a brilliant one right now. Their top four of QdK, Janneman, Bavuma and Rassie is in supreme form. Markram seems the only weak link, but he’s been good in T20Is. This team with Rabada and Nortje can be a contender in 2022 and 2023.
You're forgetting their 12th man though. Chokie Chokerson.
 

Targaryen

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One thing I'm optimistic about is the confidence people are in for Rohit taking up the captaincy. It's a very risky bet though, what IF it doesn't work out? Do we have back-up?

My concern about sudden Kohli's removal from captaincy was that, atleast they could've extended it to a point where he could groom someone. I know he isn't a great captain and all. But the knowledge transfer would've been crucial. Again, Rohit doesn't need grooming but likes of Rahul, Pant, Iyer or whoever it is, really do.

Giving a captaincy directly without a proper pipeline has led to this debacle. Hope Rohit turns things around for us. If not, forget WC23.
 

Targaryen

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One more thing, Rohit is prone to injuries.
 

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One thing I'm optimistic about is the confidence people are in for Rohit taking up the captaincy. It's a very risky bet though, what IF it doesn't work out? Do we have back-up?

My concern about suddenly Kohli's removal from captaincy was that, atleast they could've extended it to a point where he could groom someone. I know he isn't a great captain and all. But the knowledge transfer would've been crucial. Again, Rohit doesn't need grooming but likes of Rahul, Pant, Iyer or whoever really do.

Giving a captaincy directly without a proper pipeline has led to this debacle. Hope Rohit turns things around for us. If not, forget WC23.

Rohit has to be the one who should groom the next guy. Its unfortunate that Rohit was not available for this series. When Kohli was at the helm and Rohit was the vice captain, how would you even groom the next guy? Both Kohli and Rohit were not ready to let go of their leadership positions (understandable that Rohit harbors to lead India; any Indian will want to).

The results under Kohli in limited overs cricket have been underwhelming for quite sometime and it is understandable that when Kohli jumped the gun and quit T20I captaincy, the selectors and BCCI found the right opportunity to remove him from ODI's too. Having Rohit captain T20 and Kohli captain ODI's would only have intensified their internal squabbling (there's definitely some strong smoke to those rumors of the Kohli-Rohit rift).
 

Targaryen

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Rohit has to be the one who should groom the next guy. Its unfortunate that Rohit was not available for this series. When Kohli was at the helm and Rohit was the vice captain, how would you even groom the next guy? Both Kohli and Rohit were not ready to let go of their leadership positions (understandable that Rohit harbors to lead India; any Indian will want to).

The results under Kohli in limited overs cricket have been underwhelming for quite sometime and it is understandable that when Kohli jumped the gun and quit T20I captaincy, the selectors and BCCI found the right opportunity to remove him from ODI's too. Having Rohit captain T20 and Kohli captain ODI's would only have intensified their internal squabbling (there's definitely some strong smoke to those rumors of the Kohli-Rohit rift).
Yeah, I get that. Just take this series for example. Did Rahul have any expertise in captaincy? Rohit is out and we are hung with group of future-captain candidates with no experience whatsoever.

Kohli could still help Rahul in field though. But that would mean remote controlled captain.
 

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We sorely miss a natural leader like MSD at this point of time.

Kohli vs BCCI has had its natural effects on the team’s performance and left leaderless and rudderless.

The only silver lining is that this is an Inconsequential series and there’s time to correct course.
 

SaiSrini

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We sorely miss a natural leader like MSD at this point of time.

Kohli vs BCCI has had its natural effects on the team’s performance and left leaderless and rudderless.

The only silver lining is that this is an Inconsequential series and there’s time to correct course.

Absolutely! This entire tour was ruined by the politics that was kickstarted when the team was about to board their flights onto South Africa.

Yeah, I get that. Just take this series for example. Did Rahul have any expertise in captaincy? Rohit is out and we are hung with group of future-captain candidates with no experience whatsoever.

Kohli could still help Rahul in field though. But that would mean remote controlled captain.

I am saying the same thing too. KL Rahul is a very bad choice for captaincy and it pisses a lot of people here in this forum as to why was he even considered when the entire world got to see his meltdowns when captaining Punjab Kings in the IPL? IPL is a high profile tournament and the pressure is almost as big as international cricket.

The choice of vice captain was very bad. But the idea to handle Rohit with the captaincy across all limited overs formats was indeed the right one. With the ODI WC 2 years away, this was the time to change as the nucleus building should start now.
 
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The Selection Committee needs to be sacked.

I am saying it for the second time.

They tweaked up big time - Poor Squad selection,the whole Kohli fiasco, 1st round exit in an ICC event since 2007.
 

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The decision to appoint Bavuma and Elgar as captains is looking a brilliant one right now. Their top four of QdK, Janneman, Bavuma and Rassie is in supreme form. Markram seems the only weak link, but he’s been good in T20Is. This team with Rabada and Nortje can be a contender in 2022 and 2023.

Apart from a few minor issues such as Bavuma’s role in T20Is, the reliability of Miller in ODIs and Malan’s game versus spin they do seem strong indeed. What I like the most about them is that they’ve got their top four settled in both formats and their regulars who aren’t necessarily stars seem to be cogs in a well oiled machine at the moment.

The main worries would be Markram’s role in all three formats going forward. I’ve seen calls for him to become the number four in tests and despite his good showing in Pakistan, I’m not entirely sure if his spin game is up to scratch for it. It also seems to result from this belief that your most talented batsman must be at number four even if their natural position is elsewhere. The same was said for KL Rahul and he seems to be doing fine as the opener after an extended slump. In ODIs I’m far less certain. He has made himself undroppable for now with his adequacy in the bowling department, something that the Proteas have struggled with for YEARS. At the same time, he cannot bat ahead of RvdD who is easily the second best batsman in this side and a complete natural at four. Again, the parallels with Rahul ensue. Will the number five position also prove to be salvation for him as his secondary skill secures his place in the side? In T20Is he must be the opener with QdK.

The other huge worry (and this is huge) is the immediate future of Mark Boucher. What he is being accused of is very serious and makes his position in my eyes untenable after his recent actions. I know the team has steadily improved with him at the helm but I do think he has flattered to deceive on many ocassions and that there are still issues with the side both on and off the field that remain unsolved due to him (and Graeme Smith to a lesser extent). The replacements being suggested are a combination of Klusener and Allan Donald and quite honestly? I think they would be a solid duo.
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The other huge worry (and this is huge) is the immediate future of Mark Boucher. What he is being accused of is very serious and makes his position in my eyes untenable after his recent actions. I know the team has steadily improved with him at the helm but I do think he has flattered to deceive on many ocassions and that there are still issues with the side both on and off the field that remain unsolved due to him (and Graeme Smith to a lesser extent). The replacements being suggested are a combination of Klusener and Allan Donald and quite honestly? I think they would be a solid duo
Let’s see how his hearing plays out, although normally the practice in corporate environments seems to be that you are suspended while a disciplinary hearing is ongoing. So he will be working for an employer that is legally arguing to dismiss him.
 

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After a long time, I have been able to watch an entire ODI series ball-by-ball due to the current WFH situation - and here are my 2 cents on India, a team that I have followed for the best part of almost 3 decades.

Here is my rating for the team (feel free to disagree with these)

Firstly, what happened to India!! I feel like with Kohli gone as captain the energy that always surrounds the team seems to have completely dissipated. Even Kohli himself seems subdued and passive in the field.

1. KL Rahul - (5/10) For some time now, I have noticed his change of role from the usually attacking batsman that broke into the side to a real passive strike rotator for both Punjab Kings and India. I guess he aims to bat through the innings like a Joe Root but seems a waste when you already have Kohli for that role at 3.
2. Shikhar Dhawan - (8/10) No real complaints about him, went out and played his shots and got India off to decent starts in all the ODI's - good half-centuries and at a good pace.
3. Virat Kohli - (8.5/10) Once again, literally nothing to complain about. People keep raging on about the lack of a 100 but he is still hitting solid half centuries and doing his role well - the 100's will come when they come, its just a matter of time
4. Rishabh Pant - (6.5/10) Extremely talented lad! Definitely something special but just like everyone says needs to just use his brain a little more. Horrendous shot to get out in the last game that too off the first ball. Should really be the one guiding the chase - did a great job in the second game and should have scored an easy 100
5. Shreyas Iyer - (5/10) - Once again, same as Pant. Definitely a guy for the future but I feel he is playing a spot lower than he should. Ideally, he should be at 4 with Pant at 5. I think teams have started to notice his vulnerability to the short ball and have started to exploit it.
6a. Venkatesh Iyer - (4/10) Too small sample size to judge but don't really see the point of including him as an allrounder. Doesn't seem anything at all special to play as an allrounder especially if he struggles to get wickets in the first two games where the pitch would have suited his style of medium pace dollies. I assume its a like-for-like replacement of Hardik Pandya's power?
6b. Suryakumar Yadav - (6/10) Really like him as a batman but you can't play him the low - it's a completely wasted slot for a genuine batsman.
7a. Deepak Chahar - (7/10) Obviously a decent swing bowler and can definitely swing the bat a bit - can't complain about his performance
7b. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar- (2/10) Honestly he is done as an opening bowler in ODI's - waste of bowling slot. How can your premier front line seamer have an average of 35??? Survived so long by finishing the games well as a death bowler but complete waste in the XI.
8. Ravichandran Ashwin - (6/10) Decent in ODI's as he has always been but always seem to lack the potency. Nothing new - seem to be a recurring theme with him. Once again, his batting gives him an edge over others.
9. Jasprit Bumrah - (7.5/10) - UNPOPULAR OPINION but Bumrah is completely wasted opening the bowling especially when the likes of Bhuvi are bowling in tandem. Batsman knows just to play him out and get the runs with Bhuvi or the other end. He has only taken 2 wickets in the first 10 since the 2019 WC. He's a class act and one of the best at the death and always the go-to for a wicket. Better of using him in the middle and end, maybe bring him on as a 3rd seamer.
10. Yuzvendra Chahal- (6/10) Decent leggy, seems to always be a little unlucky with his bowling and seems to lose it a little when the batsman make an effort to go after him - as Rassie did for his 100 and Bavuma for his
11. Prasidh Krishna - (6/10) Tall guy with a decent bouncer but I feel like he will a USP - don't seem to be a swing or seam bowler nor got that pace to trouble the batsman - will observe him a bit more. Saw him get taken to the cleaners a little in the IPL.

Feel free to disagree with those ratings but India in this ODI series (and the later stages of the Test Series) has been nothing short of shoddy against a bowling lineup that doesn't even include Nortje or Rabada. You can complement the Saffer's batting to put on those decent totals and chase but at the end of the day, India's batting has been completely toothless in those chases - and not to mention these pitches weren't too dissimilar to Asian tracks that India would have played on at home with the ball keeping low and turning. The bowling has been absolutely mediocre and unable to tie down or attack the opposition. I feel in a couple of years time with Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Dhawan coming to the end of their respective careers - it might actually expose a few problems in Indias order unless a few individuals step up.
 

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