George.Hinton
Banned
If India are looking at pace bowling options ahead of their forthcoming tours given Zaheer's dodgy fitness and Ishant's dodgy fitness, reckon they should should look at these six guys ONLY.
Don't think there's anyone else in the Ranji trophy who I think is worth considering.
Not all of these guys may cut it at the highest level but I think they're the best India have.
I know Praveen Kumar has his fans on this forum but I honestly don't think he will trouble international batsmen at test level unless the ball is swinging like bananas.
He struggles to get Ranji batsmen out when he doesn't get conditions exactly in his favour.
Pankaj SIngh - probably first cab of the rank. Excellent Ranji season so far and has height (believe he is 6 foot five which would make him the 2nd tallest Indian to ever play tests), so he'd bring similar attributes to Ishant to the table.
I don't know how quick he is - if he can consistenly bowl above 130 kph, I'd pick him for the Caribbean - tall, hit the deck bowlers are always handy there.
When I saw him in IPL1, I wasn't that impressed - he maxed out at 127/128 kph but he may have improved.
Sudeep Tyagi - Always thought Tyagi was a prospect worth looking at by India.
Tall lad (around 6 foot three) and he's probably one of the quickest India have.
Again, I would see him, like Pankaj as a direct replacement for Ishant.
Munaf Patel - Munaf certainly has the skill to trouble international batsmen. The big questions though are 1) Is his fitness up to scratch ?
2) Can he maintain a decent enough speed ?
If so, I'd have him in the team in a flash because I think he is easily India's most accurate pace bowler (Zaheer included).
RP SIngh (England only) - wouldn't pick RP for the Caribbean but I would for England. Thought he bowled pretty well in 2007 ( got 12 wicket at 30 I believe and was a good foil for Zaheer) and has some County experience. If Zak was to get injured, I think he'd definitely be a better replacement that someone totally raw like Unadkat.
AN Ahmed - Probably the bolter in this lot. Abu Nechim reminds me a lot of a young AA circa 1998 (can swing the both ways at decent speed but with better accuracy IMO).
He's a skiddy type of bowler who I think is worth looking at for the Caribbean.
Abhimanyu Mithun - always thought the Indian selectors treated him unfairly after the Sri Lanka series. Wasn't brilliant there but the pitches were flat as and he was on debut.
Still think he's a better option than Yadav or Unadkat.
For spin, obvious Bhajji is still India's best bet at this stage.
As for the second spinner, has to be Ojha - neither Chawla nor Mishra have done enough to displace him and with India likely to play 3 pacemen + 1 spinner on these tours, don't think it makes a lot of sense to pick wristies who are inaccurate when the pace attack is not that accurate in the first place !
Thoughts - Indian fans ?
Don't think there's anyone else in the Ranji trophy who I think is worth considering.
Not all of these guys may cut it at the highest level but I think they're the best India have.
I know Praveen Kumar has his fans on this forum but I honestly don't think he will trouble international batsmen at test level unless the ball is swinging like bananas.
He struggles to get Ranji batsmen out when he doesn't get conditions exactly in his favour.
Pankaj SIngh - probably first cab of the rank. Excellent Ranji season so far and has height (believe he is 6 foot five which would make him the 2nd tallest Indian to ever play tests), so he'd bring similar attributes to Ishant to the table.
I don't know how quick he is - if he can consistenly bowl above 130 kph, I'd pick him for the Caribbean - tall, hit the deck bowlers are always handy there.
When I saw him in IPL1, I wasn't that impressed - he maxed out at 127/128 kph but he may have improved.
Sudeep Tyagi - Always thought Tyagi was a prospect worth looking at by India.
Tall lad (around 6 foot three) and he's probably one of the quickest India have.
Again, I would see him, like Pankaj as a direct replacement for Ishant.
Munaf Patel - Munaf certainly has the skill to trouble international batsmen. The big questions though are 1) Is his fitness up to scratch ?
2) Can he maintain a decent enough speed ?
If so, I'd have him in the team in a flash because I think he is easily India's most accurate pace bowler (Zaheer included).
RP SIngh (England only) - wouldn't pick RP for the Caribbean but I would for England. Thought he bowled pretty well in 2007 ( got 12 wicket at 30 I believe and was a good foil for Zaheer) and has some County experience. If Zak was to get injured, I think he'd definitely be a better replacement that someone totally raw like Unadkat.
AN Ahmed - Probably the bolter in this lot. Abu Nechim reminds me a lot of a young AA circa 1998 (can swing the both ways at decent speed but with better accuracy IMO).
He's a skiddy type of bowler who I think is worth looking at for the Caribbean.
Abhimanyu Mithun - always thought the Indian selectors treated him unfairly after the Sri Lanka series. Wasn't brilliant there but the pitches were flat as and he was on debut.
Still think he's a better option than Yadav or Unadkat.
For spin, obvious Bhajji is still India's best bet at this stage.
As for the second spinner, has to be Ojha - neither Chawla nor Mishra have done enough to displace him and with India likely to play 3 pacemen + 1 spinner on these tours, don't think it makes a lot of sense to pick wristies who are inaccurate when the pace attack is not that accurate in the first place !
Thoughts - Indian fans ?
