-
Welcome to the Cricket Web forums, one of the biggest forums in the world dedicated to cricket.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join the Cricket Web community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.
***Official*** India in Australia
- Thread starter pasag
- Start date
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
You have a fair point there, but if anyone came out and bag Karthik's selection when he was doing well, they'd get shouted down then as well due to the fact that it was working.How opportunistic. Love how everyone with this "only proper openers can open" stance sat quietly when Karthik played better than our openers usually do in difficult conditions and are now ready to pounce on him as a mere "patch of form".
Give the guy a chance FFS. Karthik can still be a solid test opener for India - whether he gets a chance is another story.
I'm very much undecided on this Karthik issue. He definitely has the technique to do it as well as the right frame of mind, but I have doubts over his concentration and consistency - two things very important when it comes to opening. Really, to expect someone to do better at test level with the bat than at Indian domestic level is generally just going to be wishful thinking, and whilst I really like Karthik as a player, I don't think he's going to be a successful test opener unless he decides that's what he wants to be and works on that rather than being caught between his keeping, his middle order batting, his test opening batting and his claims to get back into the ODI side. I could well be wrong though and it wouldn't really shock me at all if I wish, and I always find myself wishing him into the team and hoping he does well when he gets there.
As far as this tour goes, I'd definitely rather see him in the side than Sehwag, but equally, I'd have Jaffer, Dravid and Chopra (yes, I know he wasn't selected) opening before him.
In Karthik's defence, he may not ever have been in a strong enough position to dictate or choose which of those he wanted. And has tried his hand at all of the above, just to belong. (And his poor ODI showing unfortunately may have spilled over into tests, because he was doing quite well as a test opener).
Hope (esp because there isnt another stable opener in the squad) that the selectors remember that his last test innings is a 50, scratchy or not, on a 5th day pitch that some think was very easy to get wickets on.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
I'm aware of that; that's the problem. I just don't think he'll be much good at anything if he keeps trying to be the everywhere man and fill five different roles. If he wants to be a test opener, he needs to focus on that and leave the keeping as something he can do in an emergency, much like what Michael Papps, Mathew Sinclair, Lou Vincent and AB De Villiers have done. This would mean doing it at domestic level as well and devoting much less time to practicing his keeping. Conversely, he wants to continue to push for the wicket keeping role, he needs to keep practicing his keeping and bat in the middle order in first class cricket (which is exactly what he has done thus far, which perhaps tells us something).
I don't think he'll be much of a success at anything if he keeps trying to plug his case for several different roles at once.
Mister Wright
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Definitely think Noffke should leapfrog Hilfenhaus in the test match 12. Took another 7 wickets in the recent Pura Cup match and now has 30 wickets before Christmas, and that includes being injured for a bowling innings and his batsman not giving him too many 2nd innings bowling opportunities, and hamstring injuries. The guy is on fire!
SirBloody Idiot
Cricketer Of The Year
Funniest part is that Harbhajan isn't half the bowler of Warne or MacGill either.
Anyway, Harbhajan isn't likely to even get a gig in the test team, is he? All good and well to be throwing insults from the pine, son.
social
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Hmmm - substitute "Hogg" for "Harbajhan" and then compare the latter to Murali and the Australians will be definitely be looking forward to the MCG
Sanz
Hall of Fame Member
Harbhajan should think about his own performance. As of now He averages 169 in Australia and the way he has been bowling, I dont see much chance of it improving either.
pup11
International Coach
Only to get trashed by the Aussies in the end!
pup11
International Coach
Yeah he surely should be in the 12 for the boxing day test would be a perfect Christmas present for Noffers, just a shame that Hilfy is not doing as well as a man of his talent should so i hope he get himself into some sort of form soon.
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
SJS
Hall of Fame Member
You forget Ganguly's terrible run of scores in England.
social
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
However, Sehwag is a far better test cricketer than Sourav could ever dream of being (ave 50 vs 40 is enormous)
Evermind
International Debutant
The trouble is that Sehwag is so woefully inconsistent. His average is boosted by massive double centuries - I don't think he's as valuable to the team as his average might suggest.
viktor
State Vice-Captain
Except that Harbhajan is the second choice spinner and Hogg, as of now is the first.
Anyway, this is the kind of talk the Aussies usually indulge in...wasn't Tait looking forward to bouncing out the Indian batsmen even though he might not get into the XII?
Funny to see somebody from India try it though..I guess Bhajji and Sree are now competing for the resident idiot status in the Indian team now.
Social is right.
Sehwag has a 50+ every 3.6innings or so, including the patch of the last 10-20 innings where he's been out of sorts. Similar to Ganguly (1 in 3.6), not too different than Laxman (1 every 3.4 innings) but behind folks like Dravid (1 in 2.6) and Tendulkar (1 in 2.7).
He has 3 double centuries in those 87 innings, none against minnows, so his average is not artificially boosted by a few innings.
He's had a very long bad patch(ongoing, needs to get out of) and a very long good patch (over a few years). Not really inconsistent as most people would understand the term. Couldn't have peaked at the #2 spot in player rankings if he was.
But nevermind.
ps. I dont believe he should be in the present Indian squad until he finds domestic form (was rooting for Chopra). So hardly a rabid Sehwag fan.
Last edited:
pup11
International Coach
Australian XII for the boxing day test has been announced :-
1.Phil Jaques NSW
2.Matthew Hayden QLD
3.Ricky Ponting TAS
4.Mike Hussey WA
5.Michael Clarke NSW
6.Andrew Symonds QLD
7.Adam Gilchrist WA
8.Bradley Hogg WA
9.Brett Lee NSW
10.M.Johnson QLD
11.S.Clark NSW
12.S.Tait SA
I am happy with the squad we have picked now let's hope they do well.
1.Phil Jaques NSW
2.Matthew Hayden QLD
3.Ricky Ponting TAS
4.Mike Hussey WA
5.Michael Clarke NSW
6.Andrew Symonds QLD
7.Adam Gilchrist WA
8.Bradley Hogg WA
9.Brett Lee NSW
10.M.Johnson QLD
11.S.Clark NSW
12.S.Tait SA
I am happy with the squad we have picked now let's hope they do well.