Faisalji, would you please tell me on what reasoning your writing works? Sometime the logic you would give in your articles is simply baffling. I also do not understand why you are in such a great hurry to see Kaif spending rest of his life in Allahabad and not in the team. Read for yourself what comments people are making in rediff.com after reading your piece.
1. You want to select Laxman in one-day team because he played a good knock in TEST 30 months ago!!! What a reason? I think he should have been called to South Africa once India reached the final of the world cup!!!
2. You want to close your eyes on all the positive points of Kaif which include a good knock of 64 at no. 3, his running between the wickets, his excellent all time great fielding abilities.
Constant shuffling of his batting order has made life difficult for him. Even if he makes a century coming at no. 3, he is sent back to no. 7 where he faces 9 balls, makes 15 runs and then people like you call him "out of form".
Stop discouraging a lovely person like kaif. He is a great team man. He is definitely an asset to the team. He is definitely an integral part India's one day plan. Encourage him!!!
I do agree with this subject the top 6 Batsman do their duties without failing. Sachin always like to Dominate the Australians and let him do that his own way. The others should support him strongly. Rest leave to the bowlers. India have to opt 5 Regular bowlers. If I would have been in the selection for the game my bowlers would be Ajit, Avishkar, Zaheer, Kartik & Bhajji. Zaheer has to learn some tacts from Ajit the way he(Ajit) bowled in this series is Faboules. His swings, approach line and Length is much better than ever. He also is a useful batsman. The more the bowlers more the choice to switch between them. Kartik has out bowled with his turn and economy unlike Kumble. People have started reading Kumble and they can play verywell against him than Kartik. Kartik has a ability to turn the ball more than Bhajji and Kumble and should be given chance in the Grand Finale.
hi, the quintessential need of odi's is to play according to the need of the hour and this is where i feel omitting kaif is a huge mistake. apart from his great fielding, which can save a good 15 to 25 runs, kaif is a good lower order batsman who can slog as well. but laxman fails in all these departments and he is a good batsman, but alas only that. odi's need players who canm do a bit of everything, or atleast most. on the other hand bringing in murali for anil is a good move. anil has been strugling, even at home and it is good to go by form and not by record. if u need any proof on this theory, look at the ausies...
Sometime I wonder how come you can write things like this. How on earth you can remove Kaif from the playing XI when your eyes have seen that he played a disciplined know of 64 runs in difficult conditions when sent at no. 3, He made 15 out of just 9 when sent at no. 7. Apart from this, his presence on the field simply means that the entire team is inspired to do better in fielding and he saves 30-40 runs just by his outstanding fielding. And then he can always come out with an astonishing run out or with a superb out of this world catch, which proves a certain boost to the proceedings.
Man, come on, think positive. He is the one who keeps suffering in the dressing room "just waiting for his turn" and yet never looks depressed or never wear his emotions, he always looks a man raring to go. He loves to bowl but never tried, yet he remains absolute jubliant in sharing the happiness when a part time bowler gets the wicket. He is a great team man. Confirm it from Ganguli. He has said it.
You can not play Laxman whole of his life because once he made 281. And, yes, you need young legs and lungs in one-day. It's enery game Mr. Faisal. Not the slow movers who turn 2 into 1
ya 5 bowlers seems to be the need of the hour...but to omit khumble and play avishkar salvi, who hasn't had a match practice for quite sum time, wud be INSANE... infact to me itz hard to comprehend the logic behind playing 3 pacers and 2 spinners... esp when both khumble and kartik have been performing better than our pace brigade... and itz the spinners who will hold the key as the ball won't cum on the bat and also the fact the aussies are more at home with the pacers...
as far as laxam vs kaif debate goes, i wud pick laxman into my team, primarily becoz 1stly kaif, going by his current form doesnot deserve to even feature in the indian 11 and laxman had few decent scores with the bat against the aussies...there is another reason for axing kaif, ya the 281 magestic knock by laxman was scored here on this very pitch so history also says in favour of laxman... curremt form+past performances => laxman wud be my man...
all in all i know whatever 11 india plays in the finals, only way they r gonna win is by putting up a HUGE total batting first..best of luck india
It is not a bad idea.India can actually go with five bowlers and let some of the guys who are living with past glory to sit out (guys like Kaif, Kumble, etc.,). It would be a good combination to have Zaheer, Agarkar, Salvi, Murali Karthik and Harbhajan in the attack. But then if Harbajan has not been playing well consistantly!!. He is also a sort of guy who is living with past glory. He shoul also be shown the door if not performing well.
Just the thoughts that Prem blasted the selectors for... to select a team for the test on the basis of ODI performance...
And here goes Faisal saying that to drop Laxman from an ODI on the basis of his test performance would be a travesty.
Whatever a class batsman he may be I would bet Laxman would not be able to make into an top three teams' eleven based on his ODI performance. That is a fact, and compare Kaif's presence in the field to Laxman's and the difference becomes that of night and day.
Laxman right now is the heavy weight hanging around the Indian team's neck... just the take the team's performance with and without him in the recent past into account....
If the thought has some validity that Ganguly's presence in the team somehow lifts the players up... then couldn't it be possible the Laxman's is weiging them down...
Class may be great, as Boycott told Dravid once, it runs and wickets that win matches.
Sehwags ugly swats are more valuable that Laxman's graceful cover drive every once in a long while...
Looks like you guys don't like Kumble and thats the only reason you have drooped him from your eleven. So whats your problem with Kumble. Don't you like Old(er) people succeeding?? Just because someone is old don't write them off. Kumble is still effective and penetrating. He is well respected. If you know your facts right. he was the only bowler in the Hyderabad match to bowl a Maiden over between both the teams. If you want a bowler to bowl 10 overs not giving more than 40 runs Kumble is your man. Granted Murali Karthik is shaping to be a fine bowler and I am sure his chance will come. But Kumble is still good. Don't throw him out like you guys threw out Srinath.
