Extending Faisal Sheriff's idea of using key players for critical roles in Indian cricket, here is a suggestion.
Split the 50 overs into 3 stages and identify players who can play key roles in those stages. First 15 overs, need a good momentum, pencil Sehwag and Yuvraj for the opening partnership. 15 to 35 needs stability and accumulation. No. 3 is Dravid, 4 is Sachin. Overs 35 thru 50 is the final onslaught and pencil Ganguly at 5, Kaif at 6 and Dhoni at 7 with clear instructions to go for broke. 8 thru 11 is occupied by four regular bowlers.
The only flexibility is a pinch-hitter at no. 3 based on the situation and target. Dhoni can be used occasionally in that role, pushing Dravid down.
nice to read all your views, so i thought its time for one from my side. I really do not think that our current Indian team needs big changes, but some, yes ofcourse .. In my opinion its time to handover captaincy to the most senior batsman, Mr.Sachin tendulkar.Maybe he was a flop in the past, but i really feel that its more because of politics. And Sachin should step down the batting order and has to play the way Inzamam does for Pakistan. It will strengthen our middle order.We should try and get either Alan Border,Mark Taylor or Steve Waugh as our coach. And if its an Indian then i would prefer Ravi Sastri. Let Sehwag and Dhoni start the innings with dravid,sachin,kaif/yuvi/ganguly (according to the current form),then the bolwers to follow.I too feel that we need 5 bowlers. Playing Agarkar as a fifth bowler will strength the batting order as well. And i have a request to rediff.com that they should try and make our selectors and players read this forum so that they can take some ideas, if not all. Hope our team will come out good and will play to their potential. Cheers Sameer
Well...I am not a regular writer here, but I have been reading all your comments for the last few days. Its quite surprising to see the short memories of our Indian fans. They are seems be after all blue boys...like it was in the last world cup.There are reasons for that ofcourse...but I am sure that the fans again will go to see the match....throw up cheers for our blue boys....just one big win again will make sitaution as like earlier...they will again be hero.To be quite frank, they are actually hero:)...just think about the pressure they have when they go to the field..and look at the records of few of our players....you might start giving me example of Australia....but guys..just think how many people in australia..do know about cricket or come to the ground to see the match. Pressure is very less.Think if Ricky doing captancy of India....he would have vanished much before...Playing for India...is not only about the pressure of opponent team...its a pressure of more than 100 crores Indians on the top of that...do you think..guys its easy to handle?...its not...even Prem knows that.And about Critics...simply one thing...they perhaps show us some example by playing for India.
Lot of reforms need to be done first with the selectors and then the team.A board full of politics will lead you nowhere. shuffle the batting order, give the deserving young men a chance, ask the so called seniors to play domestic matches and learn cricketing basics like fielding, running bet wickets etc.,The present pitches here wont help.Well lot of supporters still on for Sourav. Accept he has brought greater strength and changes to the Indian side but time and again he's been failing more often. Some comments about Dravid not hitting a six is also seen. It is absolutely ridiculous to say that you will have a player as the team captain only if he is able to hit a six. Dravid has done that and nobody has the right to comment on his credentials as a leader and a player. Tendulkar, am afraid wants to prolong his cricketing career and is a confused man.he is in a shell. Sehwag never moves his feet.accept he provides a good start but.. Look at his dismissal in the last match. Bowlers have to learn the basics. If rana can bowl then we shld also be able to do.
