***Official*** India in England

[sohummisra]

I assume he meant lower-middle order

Yes, I did.

 

[honestbharani]

The match starts in 25 hours (depending on the weather, of course). I would predict this lineup for the first test, one that I don't agree with on all counts:

1. Dinesh Karthik
2. Wasim Jaffer
3. Rahul Dravid*
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Sourav Ganguly
6. Vangipurapu Venkat Sai Laxman
7. Mahinder Singh Dhoni+
8. Anil Kumble
9. Rudra Pratap Singh
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Santhakumaran Sreesanth

I'm iffy about our middle order, but I think we have to pick this bowling line-up given the resources we brought with us to England.

Well, it is possible for Dravid to be imaginative and make changes when they actually make sense instead of either sticking to the same order for a number of matches or just changing things for the heck of it....



But it is only possible, not probable.....

 

[Perm]

Not so sure about our lower-middle order. I don't think we have high expectations of our openers or our pace bowlers, so we won't feel ashamed by their performances when they come. However, I think Ganguly, Laxman and Dhoni aren't the ideal three for 5-6-7.

Why not? Who would you rather have? Ganguly has been in good form since returning to the Indian side, while Laxman is a proven Test batsman and Dhoni has had a reasonably good start to his Test career.

 

[Fiery]

Not so sure about our lower-middle order. I don't think we have high expectations of our openers or our pace bowlers, so we won't feel ashamed by their performances when they come. However, I think Ganguly, Laxman and Dhoni aren't the ideal three for 5-6-7.

All pretty handy players mate. Not sure you need to be too concerned about that tbh

 

[sohummisra]

Why not? Who would you rather have? Ganguly has been in good form since returning to the Indian side, while Laxman is a proven Test batsman and Dhoni has had a reasonably good start to his Test career.

Ganguly has been in decent form on his return but he has never struck me as a spectacular batsman at Test level. He has had a few great tours but he has also had a lot of ordinary tours. I think he will make the cut simply because Yuvraj doesn't have the experience. However, if he fails in the first two test matches, I could see it being a better idea to axe him for Yuvraj. Laxman is a proven Test batsman, of course, but he has had a fairly inconsistent career (primarily due to being in and out of the team a lot). I'm fine with his selection. Dhoni still hasn't convinced me as being test-quality but he can be a match-winner on his day.

However, we don't really have anyone else to replace them with. I'm just not convinced that these three will get the job done but I sure hope they do!

 

[Manee]

The match starts in 25 hours (depending on the weather, of course). I would predict this lineup for the first test, one that I don't agree with on all counts:

1. Dinesh Karthik
2. Wasim Jaffer
3. Rahul Dravid*
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Sourav Ganguly
6. Vangipurapu Venkat Sai Laxman
7. Mahinder Singh Dhoni+
8. Anil Kumble
9. Rudra Pratap Singh
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Santhakumaran Sreesanth

I'm iffy about our middle order, but I think we have to pick this bowling line-up given the resources we brought with us to England.

That will very likely be the side. England Vs India is always a close tour since both sides have been equal in Test match ability in the past five years. India away from home are always iffy, but RP Singh, Zaheer Khan, Kumble, Dravid, Tendulkar and Ganguly are certainly no strangers to England. The main advantage with that team is the lack of a weak-link, each of the players have good records in either FC cricket or Test cricket.

Wasim Jaffer is the only question mark, extremely inconsistant at Test level. However, with Harmison injured, Jaffer's main worry would be Hoggard. Batsman who prod outside the off stump or leave straight ones like Jaffer does are Hoggard's favourite prey. Hopefully, India's destruction of Adil Rashid can be a sign of things to come for Monty Panesar, attack seems to be the best defence against Monty as the arm ball of his seems to trap many-a-batsman LBW. Can VVS Laxman prove himself as the world's best player of spin as has been stated by a few commentators over the years.

As for England...

1. Strauss
2. Cook
3. Vaughan*
4. KP
5. Collingwood
6. Bell
7. Prior
8. Broad
9. Sidebottom
10. Monty
11. Hoggard

...seems most likely.

Each of those players are playing well in Test matches recently and to be honest, I do not see India dismissing that line up twice in a Test match. It would really take some inspirational bowling from Sreesanth or Kumble to do so. With Broad taking five Indians in the tour match is seems the bowlers for England will have a ball too. There is the possibility that Sidebottom will struggle though with his inswinger straying onto the pads and being dispatched by wristy India batsman.

As touched upon earlier, Monty trapped many West Indian batsman LBW as it hits the pad when they play a front foot defence shot. Last year, these would have not been given but obviously the mood has changed with umpires. This could mean very bright things for Anil Kumble who strikes the batsman on the pad in front of the stumps about 15-20 times an innings.

 

[sohummisra]

With Broad anhiliating the Indian top order in thr Tour match is seems the bowlers for England will have a ball too.

Broad didn't really annihilate our top order. It was in fact Onions who put us on the back foot by picking up Jaffer and Laxman in quick succession. Karthik's dismissal to Broad was not convincing. In fact Karthik is the only top order batsman Broad dismissed. His other victims were Yuvraj (who chased a wide one), Dhoni (who was trying to smash him out of the ground and chopped one on to the stumps), Zaheer and Sreesanth. 5 wickets were good, but he was far from dominating the Indian batting lineup. Of course, given another pitch, results will probably be different.

 

[Manee]

Fair enough...I just thought with five wickets, more would have been earned.

 

[Stapel]

That's primarily because he made his debut at a very young age and for much of the 90's, India's performance almost depended completely on Tendulkar. Secondly, there's the fact that ODI cricket is easily the preferred form of cricket for the Indian public, and Tendulkar is quite a bit ahead of Dravid in that form of the game. Thirdly, Tendulkar has been marketed remarkably well. Brand Tendulkar is extremely popular, something that "Jammy" is not too familiar with.

I believe Dravid is recognized as the best Indian batsman in the current line-up, currently, by most. Tendulkar is regarded as better overall just because he was the one that Indian cricket depended on for most of the last decade.

Thanks,
That's the answer I had been looking for.

 

[TT Boy]

Hoggard a doubt for Lords...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/6904097.stm

If Hoggard misses out than the Indians scoring rate should be pretty healthy, only Sidebottom (to an extent) and Monty have any resonates of ‘control’.

 

[Pratters]

Not happy. Want the best players out there and Hoggard is certainly one of them for this match.

 

[silentstriker]

Wow, I don't want to jinx this, but if this keeps up...we have a really good shot at going 1-0 and repeating our drawn series performance from 2002....

 

[silentstriker]

Not happy. Want the best players out there and Hoggard is certainly one of them for this match.

I'm a bit weird. I want to see the best bowlers, but I wouldn't mind if the entire English batting lineup got the flu.

 

[Manee]

Yes, this is a far too understrength England, Harmison kinda leveled the tables after Munaf Patel was injured but Hoggard was one of England's main weapons along with Flintoff who was injured a little while ago. If India win, it will be seen as a shallow victory and if they lose, they will be seen as losing to a half strength England team.

 

[cover drive man]

Cant wait for tommorows first test. Hoping for a good match. Hopefully England will win. But my mind says either could win. Will be posting my thoughts during matches as much as I can.

 

[Turbinator]

Man I can't wait either, pretty excited tbh. I am just praying for India to pull off something special.

 

[viktor]

Yes, this is a far too understrength England, Harmison kinda leveled the tables after Munaf Patel was injured but Hoggard was one of England's main weapons along with Flintoff who was injured a little while ago. If India win, it will be seen as a shallow victory and if they lose, they will be seen as losing to a half strength England team.

Imagine if the nail us after this!

 

[Manee]

Imagine if the nail us after this!

Exactly. People will suddenly start ignoring that England's main strength at home is their batting and ability to consistantly post over 400 and also that Monty Panesar who is playing is still their main bowling weapon.

 

[silentstriker]

Monty Panesar is hardly 'their main weapon.' They have excellent batting, especially at home, but their quicks are what got them to the #2 spot. Hoggard & Flintoff had a fantastic tour of India, if you remember.

 

[pasag]

Oh dear @ Hoggard. Don't know which side has the worse attack now.