Originally Posted by Arjun
Umesh Yadav is India's frontline pacer. He just helped bowl Vidarbha to victory over Haryana. Could have won it single-handedly.
Punjab, with batting contributions from Harbhajan Singh, are all over Hyderabad. We won't see the centurion and double-centurion in contention for a place in the national side, but they've done their bit in flattening the team with VVS Laxman in their ranks. Oh, and Pragyan Ojha went for over 200 runs in 50 overs, with two wickets. Harbhajan, on the other hand, was very tight, going for under two an over, but didn't pick up wickets.
Ishant Sharma struggled against UP, who scored big with contributions from Dagar, Kaif (still trying to prove a point) and Praveen Kumar (also trying to prove a point after being left out lately)- the first choice as India's swing bowler also took a few wickets (still trying to prove a point, in more ways). Is he an alternative to Irfan Pathan, for Tests? Maybe another match will tell. Meanwhile, there's an injury concern for Sehwag.
Rishi Dhawan may be a better alternative for Pathan than Praveen, but a little too raw. Figures in 16 games are delicious (four wickets a game, a century in this game and four fifties) but he hasn't yet run through a batting side. He's held up his batting side in this game, though.
As for Irfan Pathan himself, he too scored a century, to stay in the hunt for a place in the Test side. Not too many wickets to show, though Baroda rolled over Karnataka and have a firm grip on the game. Maybe in the second dig he'll get more than a few. The century, and a few wickets, will make him a proper contender for the revolving door number six position (and the only way to lock that door is with a bowler).
Mumbai vs Railways is being played on a flat deck. Centuries for Tendulkar, Rahane and even Nayar. Rohit Sharma must be kicking himself, but reports indicate he was unlucky to be run-out, and made his sentiment clear.
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