Changes that HAVE to be made in the Indian team?

[NikhilN]

What changes do you think the Indian team REALLY needs? For me the first would be to drop Ganguly. Rahul Dravid should take his place and captain and I think someone like Kumble should be made vice captain. Next I am not saying drop Tendulkar but take him out of a couple of games just to give the others guys a try. Sachin should still play...but miss a couple of games here and there to let the other people show off what they got. Next get rid of Ghambir and bring Dinesh Kartik in and give him a go. I saw him play against Australia and I think he got what it takes to make a good player. Give Pathan all the games when he is fit. Murali Kartik playing instead of Pathan is just stupid. At the rate Pathan is going right now, he could very will become vice captain in the next 5-6 years and maybe captain the Indian cricket team after that. I also think Kaif should be get more test games. In ODI he comes in late and all he has is like 10 overs to play and thats why he slogs. But in test matches he would have more time to play and have a better chance of getting a good score.

 

[viktor]

Gambhi hasn't had enough chances. He should stay on and anyway, Karthick also hasn't yet proven himself as a keeper, making him open would be too much responsibility.

 

[Nate]

What changes do you think the Indian team REALLY needs? For me the first would be to drop Ganguly. Rahul Dravid should take his place and captain and I think someone like Kumble should be made vice captain. Next I am not saying drop Tendulkar but take him out of a couple of games just to give the others guys a try. Sachin should still play...but miss a couple of games here and there to let the other people show off what they got. Next get rid of Ghambir and bring Dinesh Kartik in and give him a go. I saw him play against Australia and I think he got what it takes to make a good player. Give Pathan all the games when he is fit. Murali Kartik playing instead of Pathan is just stupid. At the rate Pathan is going right now, he could very will become vice captain in the next 5-6 years and maybe captain the Indian cricket team after that. I also think Kaif should be get more test games. In ODI he comes in late and all he has is like 10 overs to play and thats why he slogs. But in test matches he would have more time to play and have a better chance of getting a good score.

nikhil... go do a poo.

 

[Arjun]

I am not saying drop Tendulkar but take him out of a couple of games just to give the others guys a try.

Applies for Laxman and Dravid too, one of the three must be rested for one of those Bangla/Zimbo tours or exhibition ODI series.

 

[Warne is god]

Ganguly had been out of form for to long. Captain or not, he has to be dropped.

 

[Beleg]

Gotta agree with Nikhil, specially on the Kaif, Pathan and Karthik issues.

 

[Simon]

Gotta agree with Nikhil, specially on the Kaif, Pathan and Karthik issues.

someones got to agree with him eventually...

 

[EnglishRose]

Keeping Pathan out of the team for Murali Kartik is ridiculous.

And yeah, I think Kaif needs to play more test cricket - ideally at Ganguly's expense.
Making him the vice captain would also be a good idea -- I'v seen him captain Indian junior sides and he looked very impressive.

 

[honestbharani]

Ganguly had been out of form for to long. Captain or not, he has to be dropped.

I am amazed that I am saying this, but I think Sourav needs to be given a break. He seems to uptight. Perhaps, he should not go to Bangladesh. He should take a break, recharge his batteries and come back as the Sourav of the early 2004, not the Sourav that we are seeing now.

 

[Slats4ever]

nikhil... go do a poo.

hahaha
man i love this man's humour. cracks me up

 

[Arjun]

More than changers in the team, changes in THE WAY THEY PLAY are important, and the coach has an important role here.

 

[nikhil1772]

someones got to agree with him eventually...

Yeah,got to agree with the man who shares my name...especially on Ganguly...dont drop him...KICK HIM hard enough out of the team so tht while he is out,he can try and remember how good he used to be,and come back anytime as he has all the backing from the greatest cricket power in India,Jagmohan Dalmiya...seems a paradox,coz the reason he still is in the team is because of Dalmiya...What say u...

 

[marc71178]

For me it'd have to be stop over-reacting to being beaten by the better side.

 

[Arjun]

For me it'd have to be stop over-reacting to being beaten by the better side.

And how will that help? When betaen by 7 better sides? Why noy look at WHY they were beaten by the better sides? And look at improvements?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

And how will that help? When betaen by 7 better sides? Why noy look at WHY they were beaten by the better sides? And look at improvements?

I'd think that the reason why a team is beaten by a better side is that the opponent is a better side!

 

[Sudeep]

For me it'd have to be stop over-reacting to being beaten by the better side.

Couldn't agree with you more. IMO, this a major folly of Indian fans.

 

[viktor]

yes, but the fans don't have any influence on how the side plays, does it? IMO, India needs to make some tough decisions regarding the make up of the side, esp in ODIs.
We need to go back to 6 batsmen, may be sit Laxman down. I know he is a very good bastman but Kaif brings a better overall package to the table, atleast as far as ODIs go. Ofcourse if some mysterious illness were to strike Ganguly, that would help too, though his captaincy would definitely be missed.

 

[TendulkarFan]

For me it'd have to be stop over-reacting to being beaten by the better side.

As opposed to adjusting and improving to a point where they are better than most sides?

Thanks for the advice anyways.

 

[TendulkarFan]

For starters, they have to get rid of that ridiculously lop-sided contract system. It clearly demonstrates an old-boys club mentality - once you get to the top level you are allowed to rest on your laurels. Implement a contract system where the base salary is in the same range (300,000 up or down at the most) for all of them but performance bonuses are huge. If Kaif averages 45 in a series and Tendulkar averages 30, Kaif should be richer coming out of that series. There should be bonuses depending on team performance - if the team wins, they all get rewarded bigger bonus cheques so they put the team performance ahead of individual ones. Granted this may not be the perfect system but money is, has been and always will be the biggest motivator.

As far as personnel go, I don't see many problems talentwise. More than half the team (Sehwag, Dravid, Laxman, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Kumble & Harbhajan) are world class players. They all just have to be motivated to perform towards the same goal to the best of their abilities. Maybe Ganguly does need to be rocked out of his comfort zone - he is a fighter and still in his prime. If challenged, I think he will rediscover himself as a batsman and as a leader.

Regardless though, you have to have the betterment of the Indian cricket at heart in order to improve it. The shameless, corrupt, money-grabbing bureaucrats that we have at the helm of Indian cricket doesn't give me one iota of hope. They have always relied on the skill of individual players to win them games and will continue to do so.

 

[Anil]

Maybe Ganguly does need to be rocked out of his comfort zone - he is a fighter and still in his prime. If challenged, I think he will rediscover himself as a batsman and as a leader.

after what has happened over the past 3 months or so, if he is still in what you call a comfort zone, he must be regularly smoking something pretty powerful....he has been challenged and has been found wanting, both as a batsman and a leader.....the only reason why he is in the team and at the helm is that the situation is so pitiful that we don't have an adequate replacement for him as a captain......but regarding your other suggestions about the same base salary for all 11 players is good...just like bonuses for good performance, there should also be penalties for poor and/or irresponsible ones....