Indian Cricket ... what next?

[adharcric]

Drawing the test series was a disappointment, but India's showing in the one-day series was simply disastrous. This bashing at the hands of Pakistan, who I applaud for their excellent batting, bowling and fielding in the latter part of the series, should serve as a major wake-up call to the selectors and the players. As if there wasn't enough already, Ganguly has complicated the situation (some may say he has simplified it) furthermore. So where do we go from here? Some things to consider:

-Who should be the next Indian coach? Whatmore, Chappell or a former Indian player?
-Should Dravid be made the permanent captain or should Ganguly be reinstated?
-If Dravid becomes captain, what are the chances of Ganguly finding a spot in the team based solely on merit (and not captaincy) in the future?
-Should anything be done with Tendulkar?
-Do Kaif and Yuvraj belong in the team right now, and if so, what role do they play?
-Dhoni was one of the positives of the one-day series, but where should he bat now?
-Is VVS Laxman due for a one-day return anytime soon?
-Should guys like Dinesh Mongia and Sridharan Sriram get opportunities?
-Where should we look to introduce new faces (openers~Dhawan, middle-order~ Venugopal/Raina, bowlers/allrounders~Bhandari, Yadav, Powar, etc?...), if at all?
-What about our seamers? (Khan, Nehra, Pathan, Balaji, Agarkar)
-What about our spinners? (Harbhajan, Kumble, Kartik)

There are so many more questions, just want to know the various thoughts of all the Indian and non-Indian fans out there . . .

 

[adharcric]

ODI Lineup
Sehwag
Tendulkar
Kaif
Dravid
Yuvraj
Dhoni
???
Agarkar/Pathan (Pathan when he's fit and in form)
Khan/Balaji (Balaji when he's got a rhythm)
Kumble/Kartik/Harbhajan (in that order)
Nehra/Balaji (only if Nehra keeps taking wickets, as he is quite expensive)

What do you think?

 

[veeru2810]

I'd give Ganguly one more series as captain and see how he goes. Also IMO, its time ganguly is tried at the top of the order once again. Tendulkar hasn't been himself foq quite a while now.

Another guy I want to be given a chance is Hemang Badani. Every time he played, he impressed but never was given a chance.

My team in batting order for ODIs will look like:

1. Ganguly
2. Sehwag
3. Tendulkar
4. Kaif
5. Dravid
6. Badani
7. Dhoni (wk)
8. Pathan
9. Kartik/Harbhajan
10. Balaji
11. Nehra

 

[adharcric]

I'd give Ganguly one more series as captain and see how he goes. Also IMO, its time ganguly is tried at the top of the order once again. Tendulkar hasn't been himself foq quite a while now.

Good point. I just hope Ganguly can get going as an opener so a player of his talent can actually contribute to the team like he should. I don't know what should be done of Yuvraj, he seems so talented but just can't perform. I still think Kaif (especially) and Yuvraj are too important in the field for India, unless Yuvi can be challenged by another batsmen/solid fielder like Badani, etc.

Ganguly, Sehwag, Kaif, Tendulkar, Dravid, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Pathan/Agarkar, Kartik/Singh/Kumble, Khan, Nehra/Balaji

 

[Duncan]

Dhoni
Sehwag
Kaif
Yuvraj
Tendulkar
Laxman
Ganguly
Pathan
Singh
Khan
Balaji

It's time the younger guys have a go...

 

[adharcric]

Dhoni
Sehwag
Kaif
Yuvraj
Tendulkar
Laxman
Ganguly
Pathan
Singh
Khan
Balaji

It's time the younger guys have a go...

no dravid? ... and you include laxman, ganguly AND yuvraj?!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Dhoni
Sehwag
Kaif
Yuvraj
Tendulkar
Laxman
Ganguly
Pathan
Singh
Khan
Balaji

It's time the younger guys have a go...

What use is Ganguly at 6? If you're playing him down there then it must surely be purely for captaincy. If you're playing him purely for captaincy, bat him at 11 and get another batsman in there somehow. Point? It makes no sense picking and batting an out-of-form batsman at number 6 in an ODI lineup.

 

[SJS]

Indian Cricket ... what next? ....

.....a series against Sri Lanka in September

Seriously, everyone, not least the fans and arm chair critics (they are the same in India...one billion fans and one billion experts), need to realise that every thing they have said and done so far seems to concentrate on the individual in a team game.

- Sachin is God
- We cant lose we have sachin
- Sehwag is the next sachin
- Sehwag is the best opener in the world
- Sehwag can win matches single handedly
- Dravid is the wall of India
- Dravid has impregnable defense
- as long as Dravid is there we cant lose
- Yuvraj is God's gift to Indian cricket
- India will start winning if Yuvraj is sent higher up
- Laxman is the cause of India losing
- Ganguly is the cause of all problems
- Remove Ganguly
- Bring back Ganguly
- sachin should retire
- Dravid should lead
- Dravid should keep wickets
- Dravid should not keep wickets
- SS Das is too slow should be sacked
- Bangar should be sacked
- bring Akash Chopra
- Chopra is no good let Yuvraj open
- India need specialist opener bring Gambhir
- Gambhir is Indias solution to opening problem
- we have a long term prospect in Gambhir
- Gambhir is another Chopra
.........

on and on we go. Finding piecemeal solutions and finding Gods among individuals and wanting them to decend from their heavens and make us number one in the world and rid the team of the devils and banish them to hell.

We need eight Sehwag's is the latest such outcry one has heard....it wont be the last.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

We need eight Sehwag's is the latest such outcry one has heard....it wont be the last.

Did Sehwag himself lead that outcry?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

You make a good point SJS, but some of the things you listed directly affect the team dynamic. Whilst they may appear to be dwelling on individual performances, the likes of:

- Remove Ganguly
- Bring back Ganguly
- sachin should retire
- Dravid should lead
- Dravid should keep wickets
- Dravid should not keep wickets

... in particular do influence the team as a whole. The sooner those issues are sorted out, the sooner India can rebuild.

 

[SJS]

Did Sehwag himself lead that outcry?

I hope not

An Indian fan did so on another thread !!

 

[SJS]

You make a good point SJS, but some of the things you listed directly affect the team dynamic. Whilst they may appear to be dwelling on individual performances, the likes of:

- Remove Ganguly
- Bring back Ganguly
- sachin should retire
- Dravid should lead
- Dravid should keep wickets
- Dravid should not keep wickets

... in particular do influence the team as a whole. The sooner those issues are sorted out, the sooner India can rebuild.

You are absolutely right.

I started with these and then got carried away and mixed it up with the tendency to keep changing our priorities and not allowing a decision once taken to be tried and tested before discarding it.

But you are abs right.

 

[masterblaster]

SJS proves another brilliant point. There is no I in team, and the team in itself needs to be looked at.
Bowlers and all rounders is what are needed here. There's plenty of room for better and Irfan Pathan/Balaji/Nehra/Zaheer and Agarkar are NOT indispensable.

The selectors should watch domestic cricket, take a look around and actually start grooming a few up and coming fast bowlers into this Indian lineup. Im sure the new boys won't do any worse than the current crop of dismal bowlers we have at our disposal.

Repeatedly Ramesh Powar misses out, as well as JP Yadav, and for a reason I have no clue about. We seriously need 5 bowlers who can cut it and provide a low economy rate. All our bowlers are going at least over 5.5 runs per over. Thats far too much.

Yuvraj Singh is proving to be dead weight as well, perhaps its time for another stint in domestic cricket? Hemang Badani would be a far better option, and an everytime he's played for India, he's performed quite well.

A good ODI squad here for me would be....

Sehwag
Tendulkar
Dhoni
Ganguly (Captain)
Dravid
Badani
Powar/Yadav
Harbhajan
Bowler 1/Kumble
Bowler 2
Bowler 3

Bowler 1/2/3 spots are still available for anyone to step into, and I've still retained Ganguly as skipper, but I think his time is coming to an end.

 

[Sudeep]

I do believe that Kaif isn't being given a fair chance to prove himself. The guy has to bat at #7, and nine out of ten times, he's going to fail in a pressure situation - everyone will. But the problem is, with the top order we've, making a place for him there is virtually impossible.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I do believe that Kaif isn't being given a fair chance to prove himself. The guy has to bat at #7, and nine out of ten times, he's going to fail in a pressure situation - everyone will. But the problem is, with the top order we've, making a place for him there is virtually impossible.

Unless you consider that Dhoni is perhaps at his best when he's hitting the ball, so he can go down the order to be utilized in the late innings role that Kaif would struggle with.

Considering names such as Dravid, Sehwag and Tendulkar in the Indian top order, why is the aggressive play of Dhoni needed so early in the innings?

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Sehwag
Tendulkar
Dhoni
Ganguly (Captain)
Dravid
Badani
Powar/Yadav
Harbhajan
Bowler 1/Kumble
Bowler 2
Bowler 3

Is Powar a good enough batsman to afford 4 bowlers after him? From memory he averages in the low 30s in FC cricket and about 20 in OD cricket. That doesn't strike me as overly competent, given Indian batting pitches.

 

[SJS]

Did Sehwag himself lead that outcry?

Here is one idea

Out with Tendulkar and let's start grooming future Sehwags.

My only worry is, now that this is in the public domain, every goddamn country will do the same

 

[masterblaster]

Unless you consider that Dhoni is perhaps at his best when he's hitting the ball, so he can go down the order to be utilized in the late innings role that Kaif would struggle with.

Considering names such as Dravid, Sehwag and Tendulkar in the Indian top order, why is the aggressive play of Dhoni needed so early in the innings?

Maybe perhaps the only time he's succeeded has been at number 3. At number 7 against Bangladesh he was pathetic.

 

[Sudeep]

Unless you consider that Dhoni is perhaps at his best when he's hitting the ball, so he can go down the order to be utilized in the late innings role that Kaif would struggle with.

Considering names such as Dravid, Sehwag and Tendulkar in the Indian top order, why is the aggressive play of Dhoni needed so early in the innings?

Agreed. But Dhoni himself seems to be more comfortable with a top order batting #. He has hardly batted lower down in domestic cricket either.

 

[masterblaster]

Is Powar a good enough batsman to afford 4 bowlers after him? From memory he averages in the low 30s in FC cricket and about 20 in OD cricket. That doesn't strike me as overly competent, given Indian batting pitches.

He's a gritty individual (a lot like Paul Collingwood) but also can play the big shots when required. He's a hard working cricketer, always looking to impress which is always a positive. His off spinners have a lot of variation and also are pretty accurate.

We really need to strengthen bowling, and it'll be valuable if he contributes a quickfire 20-30 runs on average, and scores a big innings when needed.

I'd say if Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ganguly, Dravid, Dhoni can't score on a given day, then you can't really expect much from a 7th batsman.

At least Powar provides solid and gritty play down the bottom of the order, and he provides a competent fifth bowling option.

Much more valuable than a Yuvraj Singh/Dinesh Mongia in my opinion.