Looking Ahead - India's tour of South Africa 2013-2014

[Epic]

Yes but how many first class wickets has Ashwin got AFTER he started playing for India in ODIs and T20Is?? That is the real question because I'm arguing that once you make the Indian team in limited overs, it's very difficult to play a lot of first class cricket to boost your Test chances. It's the same situation for Virat Kohli. These are guys who haven't made their case for a Test spot through their first class form, they've made it through playing well in limited overs cricket for India. Yet fans are holding ODI/T20 form AGAINST Raina saying that it shouldn't count. You can only play the cricket that's on the schedule.

I see what you're saying, but the guys you mention have the FC record that backs up their ODI performances. Raina on the other hand, not really, an average of 42 in the Indian Domestic circuit is nothing special, especially when you have guys who are better.

Ajinkya Rahane

Subramaniam Badrinath

Rohit Sharma

Manoj Tiwary

Robin Bist

5 guys who are better than Raina, right there.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

as I said in a thread a while ago, I think manish pandey is surely warranting a spot on the radar. still maybe a bit to go before he's a real contender but I think he deserves to be at least talked about.

he plays like a total nutter apparently though, which can be hard to sort out as you have to get him playing with confidence without being wreckless.

 

[Aalay]

Well it's obvious that Raina is a talented player, and the selectors/Dhoni rate him highly as a future player (like Rohit Sharma). It's also obvious that Raina got worked over in England. But then again, how long should that series be a black mark against his name for? He did well against SL in the ODIs immediately before this current NZ series, so given his talent, why not pick him when he is in form? Instead everyone's clambering for Rahane who failed hard against West Indies 'A' in June. I'm playing devil's advocate a bit here, but at least I can see why Raina is getting a run.

And you saw how he went in the test series, right? Yes he made 55 but he was still looking scratchy in that inning. In the second inning of second test showed his temperament issue as well. Raina is talented, infect one of the best when it comes to shorter formats of the game but somehow he is not meeting up to test requirements. He also has been given fair chances. He has played 17 tests so far with an average of 28. I still remember Badrinath's inning in Ngpur test vs South Africa when everybody was failing to make double digits against Steyn and co, he made 56 runs. So Rahane and Badrinath should also be given at least some chances before deciding that who is a better test player.


btw how about Mandeep Singh. I really think he is a test material. Saw him playing last year in ranji trophy where he scored a ton and looked completely flawless. Never know why selectors always get this young players to play in T20 at first.

 

[Epic]

Mandeep Singh's too young, needs more time at FC level for me, like 1 more year.

 

[Epic]

Any one remember this? I kind of went back to it after the intense discussion in the IND vs NZ thread. At the time when he said what he said people were making claims that it was stint to take the attention away from the team(losing 4-0 in Australia) and put it on himself, take the heat if you may. But now that I think about it, I believe he was totally serious.

 

[icyman]

As I mentioned in that thread as well, he clearly has felt the pressure of leading a Test side and he ought to step down. Maybe, he will do so after the tours of Australia and England at home.

 

[Epic]

You want to debut a new captain in South Africa? I say he steps down after the tour of SA(if he does step down that is).

 

[icyman]

A new one wont be the likes of George Bailey,would it ? I am expecting Gambhir to take the reigns here. Plus if MSD stays till 2013- it will be as good as staying on till 2014 cause the SAF series will be held in December. Should he be thinking of quitting the Tests, he should do so with effect from the end of the Aus home tour this season.

 

[Epic]

A new one wont be the likes of George Bailey,would it ? I am expecting Gambhir to take the reigns here. Plus if MSD stays till 2013- it will be as good as staying on till 2014 cause the SAF series will be held in December. Should he be thinking of quitting the Tests, he should do so with effect from the end of the Aus home tour this season.

No, definitely not someone like Bailey.

Don't quote me on this, but I don't think we play a single test match from Australia at home to South Africa away, that's absolutely zero practice for whoever that gets named Test captain in this made up scenario.

 

[Epic]

Still probably too early to bump this from the dead, but meh.

The sides changed, from say the Australia tour to now there have been massive changes, mainly in terms of the batting side.

1. Virender Sehwag
2. Gautam Gambhir
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. VVS Laxman
6. Virat Kohli
7. MS Dhoni*?
8. Ravichandran Ashwin
9. Zaheer Khan
10. Ishant Sharma
11. Umesh Yadav

We've gone from that to this:

1. Murali Vijay
2. Shikhar Dhawan
3. Cheteshwar Pujara
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Virat Kohli
6. MS Dhoni*?
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Ravinchandran Ashwin
9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
10. Ishant Sharma
11. Pragyan Ojha

Happy with the changes that have been made? If not, who in, who out? I know we've only beaten a weakish Australian team in transition, but still, we've done well, just got to do it in South Africa now.

 

[Aalay]

Vijay
Dhawan
Pujara
Sachin
Kohli
Dhoni
Jadeja
Ashwin
Bhuvi
Umesh
Zaheer

Back up: Gambhir, Rahane, Manoj (selectors are likely to go with Raina), Ojha, Varun Aaron, Ishant/Sreesanth/Praveen

 

[SaiSrini]

Even though we have just beaten a weak Australian team, I am still happy with some of the finds that we have got in recent times, like Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Shikar Dhawan. And I am also happy that Vijay and Dhawan have made sure that we need not think about Sehwag and Gambhir when we tour South Africa. Our backup opener for South Africa should be Abhinav Mukund (since Rahane is flatly considered only for the middle order). Or if Pujara is seriously considered for the makeshift opener position, then Mukund can be swapped for Tiwary.

Openers: Vijay, Dhawan, Mukund/Tiwary

Our middle order right now is pretty decent with Pujara, Tendulkar, Kohli. I would persist with Ajinkya Rahane for the mere fact that he came in at a pressure situation and if we got to groom people, we got to give them time. With Dhoni now going with the 5 bowler policy and with Pujara, Tendulkar and Kohli locking their spots, its very tough for Rahane to get a look-in. But its fine, because if we need backup, he is more than enough to do the job

Middle Order: Pujara, Tendulkar, Kohli, Rahane

Keeping: You can't look beyond MS Dhoni for this job, but I would personally like to see a backup keeper just in case MSD pulls up with something. And for that, we have good backup keepers who have played quite a few tests. Personal preference is Wriddhiman Saha, but Dinesh Karthik can also be a good choice

Keeper(s): Dhoni, Saha/Karthik

Allrounders: Jadeja with that performance books himself a spot guaranteed. But having a fast bowling allrounder would be a great asset in South Africa, and I prefer Irfan Pathan if he passes fit before the tour. He has quite a bit of experience, and is a handy bat and a useful bowler.

Allrounders: R Jadeja, I Pathan

Bowlers: Bhuvaneshwar Kumar has made rapid strides in recent times, and has surely booked a ticket to South Africa. And Yadav once he is fit, locks in another spot. Ashwin locks his spot among spinners 200% after his Man of the series performance. Ojha would probably have to be dropped here because taking 3 spinners seems a luxury for South African conditions, and Jadeja has proven to be more than able to be the 2nd spinner after Ashwin. That leaves two more spots to be filled for the fast bowlers and I would persist with Ishant Sharma and also take Sreesanth. Sreesanth has enjoyed success before in South Africa, and now would be hungry to perform since the competition in the team has heated up.

Bowlers: Umesh Yadav, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth

That's my 16 man squad for South Africa (barring future injuries to the above mentioned players).

Vijay
Dhawan
Mukund/Tiwary
Pujara
Tendulkar
Kohli
Rahane
Dhoni
Saha/Karthik
Jadeja
Pathan
Bhuvi Kumar
Yadav
Ashwin
Ishant
Sreesanth

 

[Epic]

Vijay
Dhawan
Pujara
Sachin
Kohli
Dhoni
Jadeja
Ashwin
Bhuvi
Umesh
Zaheer

Back up: Gambhir, Rahane, Manoj (selectors are likely to go with Raina), Ojha, Varun Aaron, Ishant/Sreesanth/Praveen

Going back to Zaheer are we? Can't say that I'm too keen on that tbh, let's look at getting as many young guys in as possible yeh.

1. Murali Vijay
2. Shikhar Dhawan
3. Cheteshwar Pujara
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Virat Kohli
6. MS Dhoni*?
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Ravichandran Ashwin
9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
10. Praveen Kumar/Ishant Sharma
11. Umesh Yadav

12. Abhinav Mukund
13. Ajinkya Rahane/Manoj Tiwary/Rohit Sharma
14. Wriddhiman Saha/Dinesh Karthik
15. Ishant Sharma/Praveen Kumar
16. Pragyan Ojha
17. Varun Aaron/Sreesanth

And that will do for me.

 

[shravi]

My XI:

Murali Vijay
Shikhar Dhawan
Cheteshwar Pujara
Sachin Tendulkar (since he's not retiring... but if he does, Rahane)
Virat Kohli
*+MS Dhoni
Ravindra Jadeja
Ravichandran Ashwin
Praveen Kumar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Varun Aaron
Umesh Yadav

 

[Satan666]

Ramchandra Guha: Why Tendulkar must retire now | Cricinfo Magazine | ESPN Cricinfo

Interesting article, looks likely SAchin is interested in the SA series, he wouldve retired by now, his continued inability to score runs can make him a liability on this hard tor!