Indian domestic season 2006-07

[Arjun]

That is something I don't understand. The Challenger may be a mere exhibition tournament, while UP, national champions, will be facing their counterparts from across the border. Hopefully they're playing for a win against Sialkot...

[Arjun]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

Uttar Pradesh (w/o Kaif, Raina but with other Challenger Trophy names):

Pravin Kumar (19, rhb/rfm)
Shivakant Shukla (20, lhb/ob)
Rizwan Shamshad (33, rhb/rm)
+Amir Khan (20, rhb/wk)
JP Yadav (29, lhb/sla)
Gyanendra Pandey (34, lhb/sla)
batsman (Mohammad Saif, Rohit Prakash, Ali Murtaza)
Ravikant Shukla (19, lhb/ob)
Piyush Chawla (17, lhb/lb)
Ashish Zaidi (35, rhb/rfm)
bowler (Praveen Gupta, Shalabh Srivastava, Ali Murtaza again )

Tell me Pravin Kumar is not opening in this match. He's the Indian answer to Shahid Afridi and Dwayne Smith. Rohit Prakash is an opener who's missed more than a few matches recently, so he should open. You've missed out RP Singh here, unless you expect him to make the Challenger series. Then there's the veteran GK Pandey. The question is, do they play him here or go in for the younger Praveen Gupta? A bowling lineup of Singh/Zaidi/Kumar/Chawla/Pandey (or Gupta for Pandey or Srivastava for Zaidi) will be just right. Now let's look at Zaidi. How fast is he? He's often spoken of as a faster bowler.

[viktor]

I remember reading Kaif and Raina would be available for the match against Sialkot.

[Pratters]

Originally Posted by Arjun

That is something I don't understand. The Challenger may be a mere exhibition tournament, while UP, national champions, will be facing their counterparts from across the border. Hopefully they're playing for a win against Sialkot...

It is the way things are in Indian domestic cricket. The challenger has always got much more attention than 2-3 such one day matches deserve.

[adharcric]

Originally Posted by Pratyush

It is the way things are in Indian domestic cricket. The challenger has always got much more attention than 2-3 such one day matches deserve.

I don't see why it shouldn't get the attention. You've pretty much got the 40 top cricketers in the nation facing off in the span of 3 days. Not necessarily the best way to award national call-ups, but it definitely gets people noticed and it's definitely exciting to me.

As for the UP-Sialkot match, it would be interesting if Asif and Naved also played. Besides that, I really don't care about the Sialkot team or the UP team apart from the national prospects they possess. Some of the players who will be playing aren't even special, whereas everyone in the Challenger Trophy is the real "cream of the crop" in Indian cricket.

[Pratters]

Originally Posted by adharcric

I don't see why it shouldn't get the attention. You've pretty much got the 40 top cricketers in the nation facing off in the span of 3 days. Not necessarily the best way to award national call-ups, but it definitely gets people noticed and it's definitely exciting to me.

Basically, you shouldn't judge based on just 2-3 games in an extreme manner. If I had a good day and scored a 100, doesn't mean I necessarily will be good enough or should be chosen.

[adharcric]

Originally Posted by Pratyush

Basically, you shouldn't judge based on just 2-3 games in an extreme manner. If I had a good day and scored a 100, doesn't mean I necessarily will be good enough or should be chosen.

I'm certainly not disputing that principle. You must admit though that the Challenger Trophy has made a big difference. Just look back to last year's version: Sreesanth, Chawla and Uthappa were all noticed there and got increased opportunities. Obviously nobody's going to build a career based on a CT success, but it does open up doors for talented youngsters. Once in a while, it lands a real talent closer to a national call-up and helps the national team a good deal. Other times, it isn't a very accurate prediction and certain players have to return to domestic cricket to further prove themselves worthy. Finally, an important part is that Dravid and the selectors watch these players in action and personally can see who they are impressed by. That's why it's more meaningful than any old Ranji or Deodhar OD match. Everyone who makes it to the CT is there for a reason: potential.

[Pratters]

Originally Posted by adharcric

I'm certainly not disputing that principle. You must admit though that the Challenger Trophy has made a big difference.

I am not arguing that it doesn't make a difference. However, the selectors shouldn't need a Challenger Trophy. India has the Zonal One Dayers and so many tournaments. If the selectors take these tournaments more seriously, plan the itinary properly to get the top stars in the zonal and crucial Ranji matches, such a tournament isn't needed despite so many FC teams being there in India.

[adharcric]

Originally Posted by Pratyush

I am not arguing that it doesn't make a difference. However, the selectors shouldn't need a Challenger Trophy. India has the Zonal One Dayers and so many tournaments. If the selectors take these tournaments more seriously, plan the itinary properly to get the top stars in the zonal and crucial Ranji matches, such a tournament isn't needed despite so many FC teams being there in India.

Spot on. The lack of proper administrative planning is a big reason why we need this event as a one-off opportunity to get all the top contenders on the field together.

[Pratters]

Originally Posted by adharcric

Spot on. The lack of proper administrative planning is a big reason why we need this event as a one-off opportunity to get all the top contenders on the field together.

It is just an excuse and unfair to players too. You may be performing well all through the domestic one day season and a bad challenger trophy and you can say your chances bye bye for the near future.

Also, there is no concept of team which a domestic state or even zone side has.

So many reasons I don't like this tournament at all.

[pug]

Originally Posted by Pratyush

Basically, you shouldn't judge based on just 2-3 games in an extreme manner. If I had a good day and scored a 100, doesn't mean I necessarily will be good enough or should be chosen.

I still think it's a good idea, the Challenger series. The players for the three teams represent the best few in the country based on their performance in the domestic circuit. Bringing them to play with the first XI of the country would put things in perspective.

However, it shouldn't be the only, or even the main criteria of judgement for the selectors. But then, so many things is screwed up with the selection process, this is just one more.

[Arjun]

CHALLENGER TROPHY: In a few points...

FOR

• Good workout for the Indian main team
• Gets a few players noticed
• Performing domestic players or promising newcomers face each other and the Indian team– reasonable learnign experience
• Played in ODI-style conditions

AGAINST

• Not enough play to decide a national team
• Pitches/outfields may not be ODI standard
• Some promising youngsters or relevant performers may miss out, since three teams are not enough
• Team selections are often mixed up and don't satisfy the purpose of the event.

IDEAL

• The India Seniors team should be the regular, full-strength Indian side.
• The India A team should have the next best players, and India B, newcomers/youngsters, with an odd one here and there.
• Nobody should just make up the numbers.
• Pitches should be ODI standard.
• Players in each team should be picked and teams composed based on relevance– what the Indian team needs most.
• And of course, it shouldn't rain!

[Arjun]

You can't fault the administrators of the Maharashtra Cricket Association for not trying hard. They tried to get an Australian coach (later the Director of Cricket), then some big-name Mumbai players and their last coach, now foreign players as well. Not to mention, the marketing they're doing. I don't know how many foreigners they'll pick, since they wanted Matthew Hayden, Stuart MacGill, Darren Gough and now Jermaine Lawson. Anyway, this is an assumption of what the team may look like when at full strength, with the foreigners.

• Jadhav
• Aphale
• Kale
• Kanitkar
• Marathe
• Satbhai (WK)
• Bahutule (LBG)
• Munaf (RFM)
• Sanclecha (LM)
• Gough (RFM)
• Lawson (RFM)

[Arjun]

Let's look at what foreign player each team needs. The bigger the name, the better. We're only looking at the Elite teams here, and Maharashtra are already choosing theirs.

Mumbai needs some consistency at the top of the order, and they're not getting it with the current opening combination. The big names are ageing and the youngsters are not up to the mark or underperforming. They can pick up the stressed-out England opener MARCUS TRESCOTHICK, who's now out of favour with the England selectors. If two overseas players are allowed, they can also opt for SIMON KATICH and add some strength to their middle-order.

The brittle Baroda batting lineup could do with some power. They can use some big-innings temperament, so a proific middle-order batsman would do just fine. With KEVIN PIETERSEN, they get even more– power play. Their best opening combination for a long time, Parab and Williams, are not quite as prolific as they used to be, so a new opener may be just right. They can try ALISTAIR COOK.

While Gujarat are an average team all-round, they definitely need an all-rounder to compete. Obviously, FLINTOFF is the best option for them, but he'll have a major task too many at hand playing for this team. As for Saurashtra, they're newly promoted, and we don't know what they're particularly lacking.

Heading southward, Tamil Nadu could do with a genuine opener. MATTHEW HAYDEN comes to mind instantly. The young Karnataka side could do with a top-notch spinner, hopefully not an off-spinner, so they can call STUART MACGILL. Hyderabad is another team that lacks an all-rounder, so ABDUL RAZZAQ wull be just right for them. As for Andhra Pradesh, well, they could do with a lot of beefing-up, especially a fast bowler. They may need more than one foreign player. Choose them.

Railways need pace. Extra pace. Name SHOAIB AKHTAR. Uttar Pradesh will need a middle-order stalwart or an opener. So many to think of. Maybe MOHAMMED YOUSUF or YOUNIS KHAN for the middle-order? Rajasthan are also a newly-promoted team, so we don't know what's weak in them.

Eastward, Bengal needs a frontline spinner. They can try DANISH KANERIA or opt for a stock spinner like SHOAIB MALIK, who can also score runs. Heading North, we look at Delhi first. This team needs an all-rounder, and how much! Try SHAHID AFRIDI, whose leg-spin will suit this team nicely. Punjab needs some solidity at the top of the order, so SALMAN BUTT may get the nod. Haryana need some pace to open the bowling, so choose your bowler.

All these names are just those that come to mind at first, but we know what these teams need, and which overseas players will suit them.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by Arjun

Mumbai needs some consistency at the top of the order, and they're not getting it with the current opening combination. The big names are ageing and the youngsters are not up to the mark or underperforming. They can pick up the stressed-out England opener MARCUS TRESCOTHICK, who's now out of favour with the England selectors. If two overseas players are allowed, they can also opt for SIMON KATICH and add some strength to their middle-order

Um. Hopefully this is entirely hypothetical, because I don't think Trescothick would play for an Indian team a month after declining to tour India for the second time in six months.

Mind, with the other options you've got there, it looks that way.

Edit: Also, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina and R. P. Singh will all play in the Sialkot v UP clash.