***Official*** Australia in India

[Richard]

Why? He was never any good as a number-six in OD cricket. At least there was a time when he was a damn good opener, even if that was one hell of a long time ago now.

And his bowling's never been worth much IMO, either.

 

[Richard]

Rohit Sharma out without a game.

Don't know that he's "out", TBH. Often waiting "that bit longer" for your first game means you don't get a nasty "introductory" phase where you struggle a bit.

Rohit Sharma, I've said it a few times, looks to me to have all the tools required to be a top ODI batsman. It won't do him any harm at all to wait another year to play his first IMO.

 

[Richard]

MS Dhoni (c), Y Singh (vc), S Ganguly, S Tendulkar, R Dravid, R Uthappa, G Gambhir*, D Karthik*, Z Khan, RP Singh, I Pathan, S Sreesanth*, R Powar, P Chawla

The asterisked players would miss out if better options arise. Sharma, Badrinath and Agarkar (...) have an outside shot.

Surely there must be hundreds of better options than Karthik? I mean, people who can, you know, average 30 in domestic cricket? Heck, I'd imagine Karthik wouldn't even get into a best England ODI team.

 

[adharcric]

Why? He was never any good as a number-six in OD cricket. At least there was a time when he was a damn good opener, even if that was one hell of a long time ago now.

How long ago was the last time he batted as a #6? That statistic means a lot less than intuition about how he may do at #6 after having watched him bat.

And his bowling's never been worth much IMO, either.

I'll just assume you haven't watched him bowl lately, either. He's easily India's most reliable part-time option.

 

[adharcric]

Surely there must be hundreds of better options than Karthik? I mean, people who can, you know, average 30 in domestic cricket? Heck, I'd imagine Karthik wouldn't even get into a best England ODI team.

Once again, his domestic record means very lilttle at this point - we have far more meaningful evidence to go by. Not saying he should be in the side, but I disagree with your reasoning.

 

[TT Boy]

For whoever sorts this sort of stuff out...

http://www.cricketweb.net/forum/showthread.php?t=27145&page=1

 

[Richard]

Once again, his domestic record means very lilttle at this point - we have far more meaningful evidence to go by. Not saying he should be in the side, but I disagree with your reasoning.

Such as what? His wonderful ODI record which has suggested that his domestic OD record is an inaccurate reflection of his OD batting ability?

I'd say quite the oppoiste, personally. I always thought there were several wicketkeeper-batsmen who deserved ODI selection ahead of Karthik, and as for specialist batsmen... well, it beggars belief that he's ever been remotely considered as one in ODIs. Absolutely beggars belief. And I think his record in ODIs to date suggests I was right to think that.

 

[Richard]

How long ago was the last time he batted as a #6? That statistic means a lot less than intuition about how he may do at #6 after having watched him bat.

I honestly don't think he's changed in the slightest as a batsman down the years. He plays exactly now as he did when I first watched him in Bloemfontein in 2001\02, and presumably as he did before then too.

I never rated his chances as a number-six in ODIs, because his game is not suited to said requirements. It does appear to be suited to those required in the first 10 overs, and for a time he succeeded there. However, that was a fleeting period and is now long, long in the past. I think the best thing for India would be to forget about Sehwag completely in ODIs and unless he does something seriously sensational in domestic cricket maintain that.

After all - would he have played as many ODIs as he has, nor be in any contention whatsoever for a recall had he had no Test success?

I reckon the only reason people still hold-out ODI hope for Sehwag is because of his deeds in Tests. Which, obviously, as everyone knows, I find a silly attitude.

There must surely be many batsmen with better ODI credentials than Sehwag. If he never played another ODI again, that'd do very well for India.

I'll just assume you haven't watched him bowl lately, either. He's easily India's most reliable part-time option.

I don't rate any of them TBH, and think that if you have 10 overs composed of Ganguly, Tendulkar, Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh they should go for 80 or 90 if the batting's good. That's not to say I'd pick 5 bowlers, though, because I wouldn't.

 

[Jono]

LOL! Sharma doesn't play any of the 7 ODIs in England, and then gets dropped. What the hell?

 

[Richard]

As I say - it's not "getting dropped" as such if you view it as Sharma just being picked ITFP in order to "get the feel".

Lara, after all, always said that he thought he benefited greatly from "being around" West Indian parties in 1990 and 1991, even if he did end-up playing one impromptu Test during the time.

Sharma's time will come, surely no-one doubts this?

 

[R_D]

As I say - it's not "getting dropped" as such if you view it as Sharma just being picked ITFP in order to "get the feel".

Lara, after all, always said that he thought he benefited greatly from "being around" West Indian parties in 1990 and 1991, even if he did end-up playing one impromptu Test during the time.

Sharma's time will come, surely no-one doubts this?

haha.. this is Indian cricket... once you get dropped than everyone forgets including selectors.

 

[Richard]

So Sharma's just going to sink without trace?

Surely not?

 

[adharcric]

haha.. this is Indian cricket... once you get dropped than everyone forgets including selectors.

That's probably the most overused cliche with Indian cricket. Fortunately, it's not really true anymore, especially for someone like Rohit Sharma.

 

[adharcric]

Such as what? His wonderful ODI record which has suggested that his domestic OD record is an inaccurate reflection of his OD batting ability?

Karthik clearly got an opportunity because of the promise he showed and the way he batted in South Africa, and before that in some domestic match that Vengsarkar (or someone else) was watching. Yes, you should be looking at the way he has batted in ODIs and that is not limited to his ODI average. His domestic OD record means very little right now.

I'd say quite the oppoiste, personally. I always thought there were several wicketkeeper-batsmen who deserved ODI selection ahead of Karthik

Name a few.

and as for specialist batsmen... well, it beggars belief that he's ever been remotely considered as one in ODIs. Absolutely beggars belief. And I think his record in ODIs to date suggests I was right to think that.

You can't just look at the "record". I'm sure you would have said the same thing about him in tests but for the fact that he's batted like a specialist batsman in that form despite having a subpar FC record. For me, Badrinath should be brought in for Karthik very soon but that's because Karthik hasn't made runs after his initial promise, not because he has a poor domestic OD record.

 

[adharcric]

There must surely be many batsmen with better ODI credentials than Sehwag. If he never played another ODI again, that'd do very well for India.

Look, we don't NEED Sehwag in the one-day team but if he does return, it should be in a different role.

I don't rate any of them TBH, and think that if you have 10 overs composed of Ganguly, Tendulkar, Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh they should go for 80 or 90 if the batting's good. That's not to say I'd pick 5 bowlers, though, because I wouldn't.

80 or 90? Where'd you get that from?

 

[SJS]

Why may I ask?, he's not a very good one day player.

He is not as good a one day player as he is a test batsman but India could do with his rehabilitation.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Coming in and batting at 6 is a hugely different role, and one that I'm not sure that Sehwag is used to. He's never been a great rotater of the strike, and I think in Test cricket the more attacking fielding positions suit his game more. Coming in at 6, with 5 men on the boundary and working singles isn't really Sehwag's game - at least now when he is first in.

 

[SJS]

Coming in and batting at 6 is a hugely different role, and one that I'm not sure that Sehwag is used to. He's never been a great rotater of the strike, and I think in Test cricket the more attacking fielding positions suit his game more. Coming in at 6, with 5 men on the boundary and working singles isn't really Sehwag's game - at least now when he is first in.

Agreed. If he plays in one dayers he has to open.

Frankly I want him in the test side and if the route to that is through the odi team, so be it.

 

[adharcric]

Agreed. If he plays in one dayers he has to open.

Frankly I want him in the test side and if the route to that is through the odi team, so be it.

In that case, I'd rather leave him out altogether. Ganguly, Tendulkar, Uthappa and even Gambhir are all more likely to provide consistent starts at the top of the order.

 

[jeevan]

In the post-Ganguly,Tendulkar era - there will be a gap not just in the batting but also in the part time bowling department (which Uthappa, Gambhir dont fill).

Sehwag can. Despite his limitations as a batsman, this may be something to chew on (esp with the vulnerabilities of Yuvi's part time bowling). Of course, if we managed to develop say Yusuf P or Praveen Kumar into batsmen capable of being in the top 6 of the order - this may be moot.