***Official India & Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates***

[adharcric]

In my opinion, we're best off with the Sehwag-Tendulkar opening pair. Sehwag's mode of run-scoring is primarily boundaries, especially that bludgeoning off-side slash. Dravid, on the other hand, gets his share of boundaries but operates more through taking singles and rotating the strike. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but a middle-order batsman should be adept at rotating the strike. Sehwag and Yuvraj are two contrasting stroke-makers in our team ... while Sehwag gives more chances and hits a few in the air, Yuvraj just drives powerfully down the V of the ground. That's why I feel Sehwag's impact is maximized with the fielding restrictions early on. Then again, coming down the order might protect him from the short-pitched stuff, but I have a feeling that won't be as big of a problem as it seems at the moment. Once he regains confidence (perhaps he has with that Abu Dhabi knock), he can upper-cut those deliveries the way he does in his pomp.

Now, this doesn't rule out experimenting with Sehwag down the order, something which Dravid hinted at recently. If he proves capable of rotating the strike and playing a stable innings, then that'll give us even more options. Also, if we choose to play 6 batsman at some point it's possible that Uthappa/Gambhir/Dhawan (the reserve opener) will be preferred to Kaif/Venu (the reserve middle-order bat). In that case, we can probably send Sehwag down to #4, followed by Yuvi and Raina.

 

[adharcric]

A Brief Glance at the Indian Batsmen

I did some (slightly flawed) calculations to judge how our cricketers bat, specifically how often the score boundaries, score non-boundary runs and play out dot balls.

Sehwag: 15% boundaries, 35% non-boundary runs, 50% dot balls
Tendulkar: 10% boundaries, 44% non-boundary runs, 46% dot balls
Ganguly: 8% boundaries, 38% non-boundary runs, 54% dot balls
Dravid: 6% boundaries, 45% non-boundary runs, 49% dot balls
Yuvraj: 10% boundaries, 44% non-boundary runs, 46% dot balls
Kaif: 6% boundaries, 47% non-boundary runs, 47% dot balls
Laxman: 7% boundaries, 43% non-boundary runs, 50% dot balls
Raina: 8% boundaries, 46% non-boundary runs, 46% dot balls
Dhoni: 12% boundaries, 47% non-boundary runs, 41% dot balls
Pathan: 10% boundaries, 38% non-boundary runs, 52% dot balls

That's why Sehwag, Ganguly and Laxman aren't the strongest one-day middle-order options. These figures also are inaccurate because they span the entire career of a player. For example, Ganguly has been far worse than those figures indicate lately, as perhaps has Laxman in rotating the strike. Dravid has been excellent at rotating the strike lately. Tendulkar, Yuvraj and Dhoni are clearly all-round one-day batsmen.

 

[Anil]

Not me...he had 2 good games..meaning he will be selected for the next 50 games and he won;t perform in at least 44 of them

that's because he is just letting the others perform as well, don't you get it...he will perform "magnificently" for 6 matches in between just to show his "greatness" and then "encourage" the others to "pick up the slack"....you have to understand the mind of the "great eared one"......

 

[honestbharani]

that's because he is just letting the others perform as well, don't you get it...he will perform "magnificently" for 6 matches in between just to show his "greatness" and then "encourage" the others to "pick up the slack"....you have to understand the mind of the "great eared one"......

At least the no. of doubters has come down.

 

[adharcric]

At least the no. of doubters has come down.

Well, I had applied for AAAS membership earlier. I'll rescind that or rather put it on hold until AA turns in 5 consecutive good performances for India ... or puts on some trashy shows and gets dropped. If either of those take place, I'll apply for permanent membership, ok?

AA's trial run starts NOW.

 

[honestbharani]

Well, I had applied for AAAS membership earlier. I'll rescind that or rather put it on hold until AA turns in 5 consecutive good performances for India ... or puts on some trashy shows and gets dropped. If either of those take place, I'll apply for permanent membership, ok?

AA's trial run starts NOW.

conveniently ignoring his recent good performances early this week.

 

[Armadillo]

Could some Indians help me here?
Isn't Powar primarily a batsman?

 

[adharcric]

He's a bowling all-rounder. Primarily a conventional off-spinner and then a 7/8 batsman with quick-scoring and resistive ability.

 

[alternative]

I don't know where to post this or even if anyone has posted this little info anywhere.. But since this was discussed here before i thought i would post the result here tooo

Well in 39 overs India Seniors 255 for 7 (Azharuddin 82) beat Pakistan Seniors 251 for 5 (Sohail 64, Azam 71) by three wickets

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/pakistan/content/story/245219.html

 

[Jono]

Azhar's wrists evidently still have it.

 

[honestbharani]

Azhar's wrists evidently still have it.

u mean the money?

 

[alternative]

u mean the money?

hahahah

 

[Anil]

u mean the money?

yeah the cheating scumbag....

 

[honestbharani]

I was watching a 98 match at Sharjah between India and Zim just now and Jadeja put down the sitter of all sitters at long on off Tendulkar. I am sure I didn't think much of it then, but it all seems rather murky now.

 

[Sanz]

Hindsight is a great thing

 

[honestbharani]

it is. but seriously, what do you think?

 

[Sanz]

How about 'I dont know'.

Besides why are we always so harsh on our cricketers ? Okay he did commit a mistake, dont we all ? He has paid the price for it and for me its enough.

I have seen players drop sitters after sitters (e.g. Lax against aus in an ODI).

Most Indians steal electricity, find ways to defraud the govt by not paying proper taxes, bribe govt staff to get undue favor etc etc, are they any less of cheats ?

 

[honestbharani]

I don't know. I guess I just got worked up about it all. U are watching games, supporting these guys and thinking they are doing the best for their country and then it turns out they weren't... You know the feeling.