***Official*** IndianOil Cup in Sri Lanka

[Arjun]

who is this S.Raina???

Just one batsman too many who'll bat at number seven and struggle to make big scores.

 

[Arjun]

He is unproven, untested. So you cannot make such a huge statement.

You have a packed middle-order with Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Yuvraj and Kaif (the last two shouldn't make the side) and even otherwise, you have Sriram, Jadeja, Manhas and Mazumdar as options. All of them are far more seasoned than this tyke. Moreover, if he gets a match, he may end up batting at seven or eight, which will ruin his career more than help. Each time he comes in, he'll have to start smashing balls around, which is what Yuvraj and Kaif had to do- little wonder then neither have played fully to their selections in the team.

 

[Arjun]

Pathan got absolutely belted. Not good signs at all.

7.2 overs, 1 for 58 and the 1 wicket was Dravid, and was the ball before Dravid XI hit the winning runs. Yadav hit a 4 off his first ball to finish.

Yet the selectors seem to think there's nothing wrong with him. Clearly, they're making a mockery of their own job.

 

[Arjun]

OFFICIAL SQUAD: Dravid(c), Sehwag(vc), Laxman, Kaif, Yuvraj, Raina, Venugopal, Dhoni, JP Yadav, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer, Balaji, Nehra, Kumble, Harbhajan

 

[honestbharani]

I think this is almost the same squad as adharcric picked, with Rao in for Gambhir, I guess. I think that Sriram could have been selected ahead of this Raina guy. Sriram is perhaps more used to playing in the 7 slot and bowling some decent left armers for 4 or 5 overs than Raina. I would actually prefer to see Raina bat at 4... Ganguly does that with his fast bowlers. You see any new medium pacer come into the side and he immediately throws them the new ball. It happened with Zaheer, Pathan, Balaji, and even that guy who played against Bangladesh (forgot his name, damn my job). Ideally, I would like to see THIS side...


Sehwag
Dhoni
Laxman
Raina
Dravid
Yuvraj
Kaif
4 bowlers


Especially with the supersub rule, I think someone like Rao could be the supersub, allowing India the option of a good fielder who could send down some useful overs if India bat first (he can replace Laxman) and if India bat second, he can easily replace someone like Nehra or even Kumble.

 

[Arjun]

I think this is almost the same squad as adharcric picked

Don't expect any miracles from the team you've picked, since it's similar in make-up to the current Indian side, which has been far from successful.

• With that opening partnership, the chances of an early wicket go up. Sehwag himself doesn't run too many singles, a prime cause of his struggles in recent ODI series.
• Dhoni does not have a hint of the technique needed to face the new ball- it's like opening the innings with Zaheer Khan. His best innings have come in the middle-overs.
• Mohammed Kaif is a liability at number seven. Either he plays at three, four or five or he doesn't play at all.
• That pacer in BDesh was Joginder Sharma and he's a better new-ball bowler than when he's called on first-change.
• Agree about Raina's selection, but the super-sub pair should be Laxman and Venugopal, or Ganguly and Venugopal (why not?), but they play JP Yadav at seven.
• That super-sub rule is a joke and shouldn't be taken seriously. It won't be of any help.

 

[honestbharani]

But it is on for trial for 10 months and it is better to use it to find out how good some of the youngsters are without sacrificing the seniors. Anyways, now that you remind me about Dhoni's technique (or the lack of it), I think this side might be a better answer.....

Sehwag
Yuvraj
Laxman
Raina
Kaif
Dravid
Dhoni
bowlers


I think Yuvraj has no clue of playing spin and could be more useful at the top of the order. Dravid at 6 is too low, I know, but I really want to see what this Raina guy is capable of and is better to test him out at 4 straightaway, just so that he doesn't lose his technique because of having to bat at 7.

 

[Arjun]

I think Yuvraj has no clue of playing spin and could be more useful at the top of the order.

Yuvraj has often played a few good innings against spinners in the recent past, but his shot-selection needs improvement. Otherwise, he's not too bad in the middle-order, but the last time he was tried as an opener, back in mid-2001, he was dreadful. He's not an opener by any definition and the idea should be benched. This just shows how little the selectors trust their Test openers, even though one of them scored 47 off 39 against a frontline (more or less) Indian attack.

Dravid at 6 is too low, I know, but I really want to see what this Raina guy is capable of and is better to test him out at 4 straightaway, just so that he doesn't lose his technique because of having to bat at 7.

Fully agree with that idea. Not only will it be easy on Kaif and Raina, but Dravid is also better suited to the final overs- flash back to a match against NZ in Hyderabad, where he tore apart that attack scoring 50 in 22.

 

[SJS]

OFFICIAL SQUAD: Dravid(c), Sehwag(vc), Laxman, Kaif, Yuvraj, Raina, Venugopal, Dhoni, JP Yadav, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer, Balaji, Nehra, Kumble, Harbhajan

Batting Order :

1. Sehwag
2. Raina
3. Laxman
4. Dravid
5. Kaif
6. Yuvraj
7. Dhoni
8. Zaheer
9. Balaji/Yadav
10. Kumble
11. Harbhajan

Sorry for not being able to accomodate Bahutule the greatest all rounder produced by Dawdi Chawl

 

[Pratters]

If he'll not fit into the side balance, then surely such a statement is perfectly valid?

not really. unproven as I said before. The logic given is there is already too many batsmen so where will he fit in. Now if that logic was used always, how many players would have got a chance to play!

 

[Arjun]

Preferred lineup:

• Sehwag
• Yuvraj (who else?)
• Laxman
• Kaif/Venugopal
• Dhoni(wk)
• Dravid
• JP Yadav (RM, new ball)
• Harbhajan Singh (OB)
• Zaheer Khan (LFM, new ball)
• Kumble (LBG)
• Nehra (LFM, first-change)

 

[Arjun]

not really. unproven as I said before. The logic given is there is already too many batsmen so where will he fit in. Now if that logic was used always, how many players would have got a chance to play!

What does the team need more? When they need all-rounders and tearaway quicks, the last thing they need is another batsman.

 

[Pratters]

What does the team need more? When they need all-rounders and tearaway quicks, the last thing they need is another batsman.

So according to you we dont need to try out any new batsmen AT ALL even when the so called World Class batsmen have had an inconsistent season?

If Jadeja, Azhar had not gone due to match fixing, Kaif and Yuvraj, whom you back so much now, would not have got the chance. You would have used the same logic back then.

There is no harm in trying some new promising people.

 

[vic_orthdox]

not really. unproven as I said before. The logic given is there is already too many batsmen so where will he fit in. Now if that logic was used always, how many players would have got a chance to play!

Arjun only said that there were already too many batsman in the squad, and that it was a negative towards team balance. The fact that he's unproven is irrelevant - you could call back Badani, Kambli, Azhurradin (sp) and the argument is still the same.

 

[Pratters]

Arjun only said that there were already too many batsman in the squad, and that it was a negative towards team balance. The fact that he's unproven is irrelevant - you could call back Badani, Kambli, Azhurradin (sp) and the argument is still the same.

Okay if there are too man batsmen, should a new young talent, say Tendulkar in 89, or a young Lara or a legend of the past been denied a chance? I am not saying Raina is that. But showing the futility of the argument of 'too many batsmen'.

The Indian one day team has had a pathetic season, particularly because of inconsistent batting. If you dont try new batsmen right now, 2 years before the cup, it will be too late if left to later.

In one dayers, teams do like to try out various options they feel they might have. I dont know why such a issue is being made of it resprting to team balance, too many batsmen like etc.

 

[Arjun]

Okay if there are too man batsmen, should a new young talent, say Tendulkar in 89, or a young Lara or a legend of the past been denied a chance? I am not saying Raina is that. But showing the futility of the argument of 'too many batsmen'.

The Indian one day team has had a pathetic season, particularly because of inconsistent batting. If you dont try new batsmen right now, 2 years before the cup, it will be too late if left to later.

In one dayers, teams do like to try out various options they feel they might have. I dont know why such a issue is being made of it resprting to team balance, too many batsmen like etc.

If the Indian team should try out new players, let them be in areas of relevance. The last thing they need is a seventh batsman. They need an all-rounder. They need a new spinner. They need someoen who can bowl VERY fast. Pick prospects for those roles instead. You have Tendulkar, Laxman, Dravid, Yuvraj and Kaif. Why do you need yet another middle-order specialist batsman?

 

[Arjun]

So according to you we dont need to try out any new batsmen AT ALL even when the so called World Class batsmen have had an inconsistent season?

If Jadeja, Azhar had not gone due to match fixing, Kaif and Yuvraj, whom you back so much now, would not have got the chance. You would have used the same logic back then.

There is no harm in trying some new promising people.

If you want to promote new promising players, why not try these?

• Irfan Pathan- He is the second-best six-hitter in the Indian side after Rahul Dravid and can be used as a hard-hitting number seven.
• Vikram Singh- This Punjab bowler is a lot faster than the typical Indian medium-pacer and that adds power to the attack.
• Joginder Sharma- Batting style similar to Mohammed Kaif (with more big hits) and capable of getting good shape on the new ball.
• S Vidyut- Potential frontline spinner and hard-hitting batsman with success opening

These may not be hyped as much as Raina, but they are far more relevant.

 

[marc71178]

not really. unproven as I said before. The logic given is there is already too many batsmen so where will he fit in. Now if that logic was used always, how many players would have got a chance to play!

Players when there is a space available in the side...

 

[marc71178]

Okay if there are too man batsmen, should a new young talent, say Tendulkar in 89, or a young Lara or a legend of the past been denied a chance? I am not saying Raina is that. But showing the futility of the argument of 'too many batsmen'.

No, you're the only one showing futility here.

There's a batting line-up that they want to take them through to the WC - therefore there's not space for new people.

 

[aussie]

Jai Prakash Yadav, an interesting selection in my view since i remember playing againts the WI in 2002 & didn't look that impressive but it seems as though his performaces in india's domestic setup has given him the call up again, so it will be interesting to see how he goes..