*Official* World Test Championship Final at The Oval – June 7–11, 2023

[OverratedSanity]

Haha I only just realised Rahane is back. He was always my favourite out of the Indian middle order but it's so defeatist to have so many blokes banging down the door and recall a 34 year old with a mediocre record anyway, especially after doing not much other than slap a few dingers in the IPL since his (well-overdue) dropping.

They'll probably debut Sarfaraz in 2028 and dump him forever after a couple of failures.

 

[Socerer 01]

without reading it i predict cricket subreddit to have a field day and praise the move to call back Rahane

 

[Prince EWS]

without reading it i predict cricket subreddit to have a field day and praise the move to call back Rahane

@Athlai should start tapping the sign when people talk about dire cricket subreddits IMO.

 

[Socerer 01]

@Athlai should start tapping the sign when people talk about dire cricket subreddits IMO.

idk what the context of this meme is. could you please elaborate?

 

[Xix2565]

Haha I only just realised Rahane is back. He was always my favourite out of the Indian middle order but it's so defeatist to have so many blokes banging down the door and recall a 34 year old with a mediocre record anyway, especially after doing not much other than slap a few dingers in the IPL since his (well-overdue) dropping.

Honestly I don't think it's that defeatist. I get why he'd get picked and even if I don't like it that much it's hard to criticise it straight up unlike SKY getting picked. But hopefully he doesn't play anyway (for my hopes of the 6 man bowling attack).

 

[honestbharani]

So, its gonna be...

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Virat
Rahane
Rahul (wk)
Jaddu
Ash / Shardul
Umesh
Shami
Siraj

I would actually go -

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Virat
Rahane
Rahul (wk)
Jaddu
Ash
Unadkat
Shami / Umesh
Siraj


Shami is in great form but also generally sucks with the ball in England. Umesh was great the last time we played in England but not sure of his current red ball form. He was not good against Aus in one of the last tests. I feel like Unadkat will be a very good addition but they may well play him as the 4th seamer and #8 bat. I suppose the weather and pitch condiitions at Oval being normal or as expected, would usually mean 2 spinners is a decent option.

 

[Molehill]

Shami is in great form but also generally sucks with the ball in England. Umesh was great the last time we played in England but not sure of his current red ball form. He was not good against Aus in one of the last tests. I feel like Unadkat will be a very good addition but they may well play him as the 4th seamer and #8 bat. I suppose the weather and pitch condiitions at Oval being normal or as expected, would usually mean 2 spinners is a decent option.

I doubt you'll be wanting 2 spinners at the beginning of June (unless Jadeja is essentially played as a batsman). The FC game played on it so far saw three 250 odd scores before it flattened out and Pope breezed a ton in a 9 wicket victory. Not a single wicket was taken by a spinner.

 

[Daemon]

It’s utterly embarrassing that Rahane’s been recalled on the back of a few sixes in the IPL. Putrid decision honestly.

 

[Socerer 01]

I doubt you'll be wanting 2 spinners at the beginning of June (unless Jadeja is essentially played as a batsman). The FC game played on it so far saw three 250 odd scores before it flattened out and Pope breezed a ton in a 9 wicket victory. Not a single wicket was taken by a spinner.

Jadeja essentially deserves to play as a batsman at this point, he is India’s current best middle order batsman lol

 

[Socerer 01]

It’s utterly embarrassing that Rahane’s been recalled on the back of a few sixes in the IPL. Putrid decision honestly.

if sky can get into test team on the back of few sixes in ipl so can Rahane! - selectors be like

 

[ankitj]

It’s utterly embarrassing that Rahane’s been recalled on the back of a few sixes in the IPL. Putrid decision honestly.

We haven't groomed anyone. Iyer is injured and SKY didn't grab his opportunity.

 

[Socerer 01]

So, its gonna be...

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Virat
Rahane
Rahul (wk)
Jaddu
Ash / Shardul
Umesh
Shami
Siraj

I would actually go -

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Virat
Rahane
Rahul (wk)
Jaddu
Ash
Unadkat
Shami / Umesh
Siraj


Shami is in great form but also generally sucks with the ball in England. Umesh was great the last time we played in England but not sure of his current red ball form. He was not good against Aus in one of the last tests. I feel like Unadkat will be a very good addition but they may well play him as the 4th seamer and #8 bat. I suppose the weather and pitch condiitions at Oval being normal or as expected, would usually mean 2 spinners is a decent option.

how can Rahul be keeper when he does not even keep for his ipl team and only does in odis because he knows his position will be under threat otherwise? he is **** at keeping and will only injure himself in two days if he keeps knowing his past injury history

 

[Daemon]

We haven't groomed anyone. Iyer is injured and SKY didn't grab his opportunity.

Sky was actually a worse decision so kudos to them on the improvement I guess

 

[Nintendo]

Why are people so upset at india picking rahane for a one off test? Iyer and pant are injured, and rahane has been in good form across ranji and the IPL. He's always been decent away from home, particularly vs pace, (even if that skill got degraded by the wobble seam increasing in popularity) which is a skill most indian bats coming straight out of ranji don't have. If you asked me who I thought was most likely to make runs vs cummins-starc-haze/boland in eng conditions right now at 5 for india rahane seems like the best choice.

If the managment had groomed sarfaraz or somoene like that over the past few years instead of brainlessly backing rahane when he clearly wasn't up to it this would be a different story, but I can't fault them on the call given the current situation, even if this is mostly created by their own conservative selection policy in the past.

 

[ankitj]

I hope Ashwin plays. Just to mess with Smith. Will be a big tactical miss if they don't pick Ashwin.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Ashwin not playing would be dumb. He bats nearly as good as the next specialist bat off the rank anyway

 

[Xix2565]

Why are people so upset at india picking rahane for a one off test? Iyer and pant are injured, and rahane has been in good form across ranji and the IPL. He's always been decent away from home, particularly vs pace, (even if that skill got degraded by the wobble seam increasing in popularity) which is a skill most indian bats coming straight out of ranji don't have. If you asked me who I thought was most likely to make runs vs cummins-starc-haze/boland in eng conditions right now at 5 for india rahane seems like the best choice.

If the managment had groomed sarfaraz or somoene like that over the past few years instead of brainlessly backing rahane when he clearly wasn't up to it this would be a different story, but I can't fault them on the call given the current situation, even if this is mostly created by their own conservative selection policy in the past.

People don't need much to make noises.

 

[Xix2565]

So, its gonna be...

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Virat
Rahane
Rahul (wk)
Jaddu
Ash / Shardul
Umesh
Shami
Siraj

I would actually go -

Rohit
Gill
Pujara
Virat
Rahane
Rahul (wk)
Jaddu
Ash
Unadkat
Shami / Umesh
Siraj


Shami is in great form but also generally sucks with the ball in England. Umesh was great the last time we played in England but not sure of his current red ball form. He was not good against Aus in one of the last tests. I feel like Unadkat will be a very good addition but they may well play him as the 4th seamer and #8 bat. I suppose the weather and pitch condiitions at Oval being normal or as expected, would usually mean 2 spinners is a decent option.

Give up this KL (wk) nonsense please. This is Halba tier posting if you persist.

 

[ankitj]

Ashwin not playing would be dumb. He bats nearly as good as the next specialist bat off the rank anyway

Yeah and for same reason Jadeja plays. So we play 2 spinners.

 

[CricAddict]

Haha I only just realised Rahane is back. He was always my favourite out of the Indian middle order but it's so defeatist to have so many blokes banging down the door and recall a 34 year old with a mediocre record anyway, especially after doing not much other than slap a few dingers in the IPL since his (well-overdue) dropping.

It’s utterly embarrassing that Rahane’s been recalled on the back of a few sixes in the IPL. Putrid decision honestly.

It is not just a few sixes in IPL. He got 600+ runs in Ranji at an average of 60, has loads of international experience with a decent away record and only got in due to all the injuries and with not much back-up apart from Sarfaraz who hasn't played any test so far. So, the selectors didn't have much choice really.