This whole series has been washed out by the pathetic display of Yuvraj.The batting order was changed to fit him in and this was a bad move clearly.It has ended in disaster.He just has no focus.I think he shd be banished from Tests as he does not have the attitude.Enough of holding his hand.The team management shd have played Sehwag in Melbourne and not Yuvraj.The whole series may have been different.Perhaps Sehwag may have also failed then we could have given Karthik a go.Instead we messed up with Yuvraj.Unmitigated disaster!
Persisting with Jaffer as announced is bad news.He is looking awful in Tests with his footwork.He can play of the backfoot but lazy.The Aussies will have him for breakfast.Karthik would have been better.They went by tag of regular opener.Jaffer has no such character.Give him a chilly before he goes to bat so that his feet move and he is fully awake.
India squandered a great chance for a draw at Sydney.Maybe umpires robbed them of a win. But at Perth it can be a massacre if we play the usual way.How to handle the bounce?Take body padding and don't be scared to be hit.Once you do that you have a fair chance.A lot of wickets will be fending awkwardly.Second India must bowl well to have any chance.R.P.Singh can be a handful if he keeps a good line.Pathan to use swing bowling into the Free.. doctor.Even Kumble with the bounce.If Ishaant bowls closer to the off stump and slightly off stumpish to lefties he could be a real surprise.
Guys from Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, J & K...you people are tall and strongly built, on an average, probably more than any other states in India...why can't we get some fast bowlers who can consistently bowl over 140 kmph from these states?
We expect u to match upto the physiques of Imran, Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib...Kapil paaji kuch kaaro!!!
RE:Where are the strong guys from North India?
by Tera Baap on Jan 15, 2008 04:34 PM
There are few emerging fast bowlers from J&K but never considered bcoz of BCCI politics!
1. Abid Nabi is 20. He stands 6 feet 2 inches tall, has wide, strong shoulders, and wants to bowl fast. A year ago he caught Dennis Lillee's attention at an MRF Pace foundation bowling camp. Lillee alerted Greg Chappell, and soon Nabi was bowling in the India nets.
2. Samiullah Beigh, 20, a tall, upcoming fast bowler, and Nabi's team-mate, thinks they can't move forward by playing safe all the time. "If I want to be a great player, I have to sacrifice something." Beigh is in his final year at engineering college, and aims to devote all his time to the game once he graduates.
3. Nineteen-year-old Mohammed Mudasir, who started to take a serious interest in the game two years ago, and attended the MRF camp in 2006, says his parents are now asking him to work harder and follow Nabi's example.
RE:Where are the strong guys from North India?
by Karunakar Patil on Jan 15, 2008 06:03 PM
Politics is lame excuse. you have to work hard to get India cap.
For that matter North India never produced genuine fst bowler above 140KPH.
Currently Sreesanth, Munaf and Agarkar are the only who generate speed over 140. All from south or west india.
In past we have seen Srinath, Prasad, Shekhar, Kuruvilla, Balaji & Pathan (Initial years).
Feel we need to have a look at Manoj Tiwary who comes across as an above average 2nd innings batsman...he has shown termendous mental strength and temperament in domestic cricket...attributes rarely seen in Indian batsmen in times of crisis.
Moreover, he is an outstanding fielder and also has it in him to bowl leg spinners...
He was drafted in the Indian team for the Bangladesh tour but unfortunately had to return due to shoulder injury during practice...
Strongly feel this guy along with Rohit Sharma are going to be the pillars of Indian batting in days to come. They should be around the Indian team all the while...won't mind an odd opportunity to them...
Based on his superlative performances everywhere prior to his injury and after that in the shorter version of the game and his obvious talent, Yuvraj Singh should be given full support by the team management to have a confirmed place in the test side here onwards and given an extended run for at least an year. I'm sure he will be in the best position to fit int he middle order when Sachin/ Saurav/ Rahul/ VVS when any one of them retires...
At the same time Yuvi should understand this stand and his responsibilities and should give more than his 100% for his country both on and off the field...He should understand that a player of the stature of Rahul Dravid is having to make a sacrifice for him...
RE:Don't put Yuvi under threat
by deepa on Jan 15, 2008 11:12 AM
Let's pardon Yuvi; He lost concntration because of Deepika padhukone. Ask Deepika to leave Australia. He will be back to form. Anyway, if Yuvraj does not know to play Symonds, how can he play Tait, Lee, Clarke & Johnson......
RE:Don't put Yuvi under threat
by Kaushik Ghosh on Jan 15, 2008 11:20 AM
Deepa,
Thats why i mentioned both on and 'off' the field he has to remain dedicated to Indian cricket..
Your doubting his ability to play Symonds is not acceptable..his failures may be attributed to lack of confidence/ concentration more than anything else...ability wise i feel he is next only to Sachin...
He deposited Lee for the biggest six in T-20 not to forget Broad Jr...
Last time in Aus, he played one of the finest innings in one-day cricket against Lee and Co at Sydney...gifted us an unforgettable century...
Do not doubt the ability and talent of this young man.
RE:Don't put Yuvi under threat
by Supratik on Jan 15, 2008 11:23 AM
I have nothing against Yuvraj but sometimes it is actually a good thing to be dropped, even from a player's viewpoint. The media makes a big fuss when someone's dropped but it is an important development opportunity for a young player. It gives him time to reassess his game, go back to basics and come back a better player and rediscover his hunger.
There's nothing worse for a player than struggling to put bat to ball (like Yuvi is now) and the team management playing him game after game in the name of "giving a player a fair go". If the player looks like he's gonna turn a corner very soon then sure, give him an extra few games. But at the moment Yuvraj looks completely out of his depth and playing him in one more match would be like shoving another failure down his throat. That time would be better off being spent taking a break and doing a bit of soul-searching.
Jaffer is different. I saw his 50 against ACT and it looked like he was slowly getting used to Australian conditions and fighting his way back into form so it would be wrong to drop him now.
Perhaps there was a time in Indian cricket when being dropped would mean the end of the world for a 20-something yr old cricketer, but the cases of Jaffer, Ganguly and Zaheer show that the scene's changed in India recently. Even Pathan and Parthiv Patel are well in the selectors' vision.
So I'd be inclined to drop Yuvi for this match and take Pathan in his place.
RE:RE:Don't put Yuvi under threat
by deepa on Jan 15, 2008 11:27 AM
Supratik, Latest news!! Sehwag has replaced Yuvraj. Another gamble worth taking. If it clicks, we can square the series.
RE:Don't put Yuvi under threat
by Supratik on Jan 15, 2008 02:54 PM
Yeah Yuvi needs a break badly. But I don't know about Sehwag coming in and Jaffer getting dropped. This is a really unfair selection. I would've gone in with 5 bowlers with Irfan coming in for Yuvi.
I'm not optimistic about Indians winning in Perth but either way selections like these have bad long term consequences. What happens if Sehwag succeeds now but has a bad couple of games like Jaffer? Is he going to be dropped then as well? You can't just keep chopping and changing like this: players will never get the time to be the champions they're required to be.
RE:Don't put Yuvi under threat
by Kaushik Ghosh on Jan 15, 2008 11:48 AM
Deepa,
Forget abt winning at Perth...we do not have a chance with this bowling attack...R.P., Zaheer, Sreesanth were needed...too much to expect out of Ishant and Irfan.
RE:RE:Don't put Yuvi under threat
by Kaushik Ghosh on Jan 15, 2008 11:29 AM
3 Test matches on the trot...Bangalore, Melbourne and Sydney...is that a fair go?
Can u think of the one-day team in Aus without Yuvraj? Can u accomodate an 'in-form' Jaffer in the tri-series?
I will be inclined to believe if Yuvi can get back his form in another 4 innings...India will be better served in the tough ODI tri-series ahead...
1. Virendar Shewag 2. Wasim Jaffer 3. Laxman 4. Dravid 5. Tendulkar 6. Ganguly ( In case of Ganguly not recovering from illness Pankaj Singh should be included since that pitch well suits seamers ) 7. Dhoni 8. Pathan 9. Kumble 10. RPSingh 11. Zaheer Khan
RE:My Team
by RahulS on Jan 15, 2008 11:21 AM
I think Dravid should Bat on no 3 position i.e. 1 down position. He is best at this position.. Zaheer can be replaced by Ishant Sharma.. & Ganguly may replaced by Yuvi or Kartik if Ganguly not recovers from illness !!
RE:My Team
by Deepak Shah on Jan 15, 2008 05:13 PM
Good team except Ishant for Zaheer. I would keep Laxman at 3 and drop Dravid to 6. His coming in late can provide some substance to lower middle order and extend innings.
RE:My Team
by devendra Ganurkar on Jan 15, 2008 11:03 AM
i think this is the right indian cricket team i also suggest that virendra shewag should open in the third test
If australia would have dropped Ponting after the 2001 india series, they would never have had such a great batsmen.
All said and done yuvi is the best batsman india has and he is the batsman for the future, he should still continue batting at No. 6 and jaffer should be replaced by Sehwag.
We need to groom players for the future and not just chop a player after he fails in 2 tests.
Not being harsh on Jaffer but he is not any where near to Yuvraj in terms of his over all cricketing capabilities.
RE:Yuvraj cannot be ignored
by deepa on Jan 15, 2008 10:07 AM
Jaffer is a compact player & has all the attributes of an opener. He played well in West Indies, England & SA. His only failure is in Australia agst Australia. He is a proper Test batsman whereas Yuvraj is not so; Yuvraj does not know to play Symonds off-spin as we saw that he could not save us a Test match when Kumble nearly did it. If Jaffer is a hiccup; then Yuvraj is a total failure when it comes to technique & defense.
RE:Yuvraj cannot be ignored
by Kaushik Ghosh on Jan 15, 2008 10:52 AM
Tej and Deepa,
Appreciate both of ur view points. Still would want to go with Yuvi as he has to stay back for the tri-series. Moreover, Yuvi has to be an important part in the middle-order as the fantastic four will retire sooner than later. Yuvi needs to be backed to the full and assured of his spot in the side. I'm sure he has enough talent in him to make the desired adjustments in test cricket and come up trumps...the more experience and tough challenges like these he faces now, the better is it for him and Indian cricket in the future as Yuvi has more days of international cricket left in him than Jaffer...
This is not to undermine Jaffer's ability in any ways. Its just a sacrifice one has to make to get the best results for Team India.
Moreover, if u play both Shewag and Jaffer, Dravid has to come in at 3 and Laxman will have to come in at 6 which will be unfair as Laxman has done reasonably well at no 3 also.
Per me Shewag should come in place of Jaffer at Perth. Dravid should continue to open.
RE:Yuvraj cannot be ignored
by Karunakar Patil on Jan 15, 2008 06:23 PM
Dont confuse test with ODI. For One day Yuvi is very much needed. But he never performed well in test in trying conditions. He shold score heavily and stay longer in domestic 4-day matches. Then only he should be picked.
RE:Yuvraj cannot be ignored
by deepa on Jan 15, 2008 11:06 AM
I would prefer Karthik to open with Sehwag. Laxman,Dravid,Sachin,Sourav,Dhoni & Pathan can follow.Kumble,RP & Ishant can fill the remaining places.
RE:Yuvraj cannot be ignored
by amit on Jan 15, 2008 10:49 AM
Mere bhai where is the future, Future ko kya chat ne ka, Bahat sare batsman bahar bethe hue hain. Unka kya hoga
RE:RE:RE:Yuvraj cannot be ignored
by devendra Ganurkar on Jan 15, 2008 11:05 AM
ur right yadi koi batsman nahi chal raha hai tu use kuch matcho ke liye bhar kar dena chayae
