Build-up to Indian Domestic Season 2008-09

[honestbharani]

If at current rates a pitiable 900 USD per match, less than what Dhoni made per ball last IPL.

BTW, Your idea of IPL sides playing Duleep trophy could not be practical as a window needs to be found to accomodate the international players. The ICC would never be willing to bend to that extent i think.

As to legends like Warne or McGrath playing the domestic circuit sounds fantastic, like the IPL they can be offered additional mentoring roles like bowling coach, etc, and finances shouldn't be a problem, with a sponsor thrown in. But i would love them at the Academy for youngsters, as the net for catch will be broader.

As to the Irani trophy, I think instead of Asnodkar and tried-and-discarded Jaffer, Shikar Dhawan and a much improved Akash Chopra be given a chance. Also Kaif be considered a look in.

Well, they dont have to create an exact window.. Whoever is free can come and play and otherwise, the franchises will have to make do with their Indian players.. It would still be a higher standard simply because you will now have 8 teams instead of the 32 in the Ranji Trophy and matches will also have "some" meaning because of the IPL T20 connection..


I honestly don't see why they can't try it out...

 

[Precambrian]

Well, they dont have to create an exact window.. Whoever is free can come and play and otherwise, the franchises will have to make do with their Indian players.. It would still be a higher standard simply because you will now have 8 teams instead of the 32 in the Ranji Trophy and matches will also have "some" meaning because of the IPL T20 connection..


I honestly don't see why they can't try it out...

Well, the international players would well be ruled out. Also the Indian internationals will be busy with their fall/winter engagements. So that would effectively reduce it to a skinnier Duleep, without the guarantee that that year's best performers are given adequate representation, and nor the crowd will be interested without key players. The entire idea of the Duleep trophy is to address the inadequate number of first class matches in Ranji. By giving the best a chance to again showcase their abilities. With privately owned and managed IPL, you can hardly be assured of that.

And brother, i don't think with all their millions spent, the IPL team owners would venture in for such a philanthropy for the good of Indian cricket.

 

[Arjun]

From the front page: Sehwag has been picked to lead a strong 15-man Delhi team for the Mohammad Nissar Trophy.

Virender Sehwag will lead a strong Delhi squad for their clash against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited in the third edition of the Mohammad Nissar Trophy, starting September 15 at the Feroz Shah Kotla. The match is an annual fixture between the first-class champions of Pakistan and India, with Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai being previous winners.

Delhi's 15-member squad has seven players with international experience, including opener Gautam Gambhir and fast bowler Ishant Sharma. However, in-form batsman Shikhar Dhawan failed to make the cut due to a hairline fracture on his right thumb. Aditya Jain and allrounder Sumit Narwal were omitted from the squad that took part in last year's Ranji final.

Ashish Nehra, the left-arm seamer who did not get a game in the 2007-08 Ranji Trophy season, makes a comeback after recovering from an ankle injury. He was picked up by the Mumbai Indians IPL franchise and performed reasonably in the Twenty20 tournament, taking 12 wickets in 14 appearances at an average of 29.

Nehra, though, was cautious about his prospects for the match. "I am not expecting to return to the scene with a five-for in my comeback match," he told the Indian Express. "My aim is to bowl 15 overs and get a couple of wickets and see how to gather my rhythm at the crease.

"The good thing is, I am feeling great with all the technical aspects of my bowling - my swing, pace, line and length are coming along okay," he said. "So it's just about my body feeling okay after having bowled over long spells."

Even though he had played the last of his 17 Tests in 2004, Nehra had still given not up hopes of playing for India again. "I still have a good four to five years of cricket left in me. It's up to the selectors to take a call on me," he said. "There's so much cricket happening all through the year and it gives everyone a chance. My job is to bowl well and line up there in the queue."

Squad: Virender Sehwag (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Aakash Chopra, Mayank Tehlan, Mithun Manhas, Virat Kohli, Rajat Bhatia, Puneet Bisht (wk), Ishant Sharma, Pradeep Sangwan, Ashish Nehra, Chetanya Nanda, Amit Bhandari, Narender Singh, Gaurav Chhabra

Decent squad, though the absence of Narwal is a bit disappointing. He could have made it ahead of one of those extras. With bowling options such as Nehra, Ishant, Sangwan, Nanda and Bhandari, they can choose a strong combination, and Rajat Bhatia can also provide useful backup medium pace. The batting looks strong even without Dhawan, and picking the first XI shouldn't be too tough.

 

[Precambrian]

Nehra's comeback is interesting.

 

[honestbharani]

Well, the international players would well be ruled out. Also the Indian internationals will be busy with their fall/winter engagements. So that would effectively reduce it to a skinnier Duleep, without the guarantee that that year's best performers are given adequate representation, and nor the crowd will be interested without key players. The entire idea of the Duleep trophy is to address the inadequate number of first class matches in Ranji. By giving the best a chance to again showcase their abilities. With privately owned and managed IPL, you can hardly be assured of that.

And brother, i don't think with all their millions spent, the IPL team owners would venture in for such a philanthropy for the good of Indian cricket.

yeah.. I do agree it will be difficult to get those guys to shell out the bucks.. But if they did manage it, for a lesser fee per game or whatever..as you said, a skinnier Duleep Trophy, we would still at least have established teams, instead of made up ones, and with some semi-decent marketing, at least ppl would follow the scores and progress a little bit more than normally happens with Duleep.


And over a period of time, it could end up becoming reasonably popular, at least by domestic competition standards..


And I don't think the owners will have to shell out too much. Read one report not long back in one of the magazines about how much money the franchises have lost in the first year of the IPL and most of them are tipped to get some money back by the second year itself and 2 or 3 actually made profits in their first year itself. The money and sums involved wont be so huge as the IPL T20.. So if someone is smart enough in the BCCI to convince the team owners, it can be done....

 

[adharcric]

Damn, the Irani Trophy should be a cracker. Delhi looks strong and it's starting to look like the rest of the national side will make up the opposition. Potentially, they could just put the test side out there with Uthappa, Jaffer and Sreesanth/Munaf/Praveen replacing the Delhi boys.

 

[Precambrian]

Damn, the Irani Trophy should be a cracker. Delhi looks strong and it's starting to look like the rest of the national side will make up the opposition. Potentially, they could just put the test side out there with Uthappa, Jaffer and Sreesanth/Munaf/Praveen replacing the Delhi boys.

Yep, for the first time since 2003-04, when Mumbai locked horns with Rest of India at Chennai. Was a cracker too.

http://ind.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2003-04/IND_LOCAL/IRANI/BOM_R-O-I_IRANI_18-22SEP2003.html

 

[Arjun]

The ROI squad looks very strong, which is a good thing. This is more like an Indian team. No doubt you have both openers playing for the other team, but the lack of a second opener is a bit disturbing. Are there really no openers in the country after Jaffer and the Delhi batsmen? That needs a re-think. You have Connor Williams, Uthappa, Asnodkar, Vijay Krishnan and a few more. There are also the likes of Bangar, Irfan, Yusuf and Praveen Kumar, who can also bowl more than a few overs and take some wickets. They've blown a chance here, but otherwise, it's a good team.

Delhi should still win this, though not too easily. The Big Four of the middle-order are not contributing enough runs to have an impact on a match, and are anyway down by one in this selection. They have a few liabilities too many (Munaf, Dravid, Laxman, Parthiv and Kumble) on the field, a long (maybe) tail and (with four bowlers) inadequate bowling options. Delhi may not have the stars, bar the openers and Ishant, but the combination looks a lot better.

 

[Arjun]

Here's an article by Makarand Waingankar, a reputed columnist for Mumbai Mirror, on the Irani Trophy selection. Not surprisingly, he isn't satisfied at all.

To begin with, a lot of his complaints are about the selection of a near-Test team for ROI here. This should actually be a workout for the main team, as they usually don't get one. He advocates the age-old selection of youngsters and reserves for ROI so that they can prove themselves for the Indian team. But, as Harsha Bhogle says, when they're not good enough for a Rest of India XI, how can they be good enough for India? If anything, this is the selection to make, and the way forward.

This is the problem with prime domestic cricket series in India. A lot of them are mere selection springboards, concentrating on individual performances. Not a thought is put to team dynamics. The selectors have often picked teams with no thought about how they will perform, when as a team. At least this one can play as a Test team, so it's good.

He advocates rest to Tendulkar, Dravid and Zaheer. While that's definitely a good point, they actually needed a little rest from all those meaningless exhibition ODIs that the Indian team play. In fact, Tests are now shelved to sneak in extra one-dayers. If the Indian Test team has to get better, the top players need to stay focussed on performing in Tests.

He thinks the ROI team is missing a second opener. No doubt he's right. But who are those 'mediocre players with no track record' in this India A team? Let's not forget that there are several ODI reserves and some regulars here. As for the suggested replacements, they add little or no value to the team.

 

[honestbharani]

Yep, for the first time since 2003-04, when Mumbai locked horns with Rest of India at Chennai. Was a cracker too.

http://ind.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2003-04/IND_LOCAL/IRANI/BOM_R-O-I_IRANI_18-22SEP2003.html

I watched the last day or two LIVE

 

[Precambrian]

I watched the last day or two LIVE

Me too. Took off from class for the last two days. Was worth it.

 

[Arjun]

One transfer that isn't good news: Karnataka's offie Ryan Ninan shifts to Goa. Ryan is not a national prospect at this stage, but some respected observers including former international Dodda Ganesh and also Tendulkar himself were highly impressed, during the Royal Challengers' trials. He too is a victim of association politics, which has often had some duds making their way into the Karnataka team, like a couple of star sons we now hear nothing about. Yes, Goa is a Plate team, but there's been a lot more competition in that league than in the more celebrated Elite league, and it's better than twiddling your thumbs (and spinning fingers) and watching. He may just have a shout if he bulldozes every team he bowls to in this league.

As for the other development in this article, it is good news. Orissa are promoted (relatively) newly to the Elite league, and will need the former India spinner's guidance to perform beyond expectations and spring up a surprise, much like Saurashtra did since two seasons ago. Not a glamorous team either, but hopefully things will come together properly for a good team performance.

Munaf shifts to Baroda, in another development. He says it's an hour away from home. Not surprising, since he's possibly the most sluggish cricketer in this Indian team, and possibly the most least athletic, least active cricketer in any ODI team today. What a chance blown. Maharashtra have all the money, and have taken huge steps for improvement of cricket, and have good facilities now. Baroda may not have as much to offer. That apart, with Irfan, Rajesh Pawar and Yusuf (and possibly also Ajit Bhoite), this will be a strong attack.

Elsewhere, good things are said about Sudeep Tyagi. The Australia A coach was quite impressed with the youngster from UP, especially because of his pace. While we'd rule out any possibility of him being a record-breaker, it's a good development. A consistent performance for India A could see him in an India uniform soon. Article coming soon. The one good thing we can get from the news.

And of course, the match between Delhi and SNG will happen on Monday. We don't know if it will be televised, since NEO left out both matches from the Australia A tour of India.

 

[Arjun]

Tendulkar is out of the Irani trophy. His elbow injury flared up again. Badrinath is named as his replacement.

Delhi should play the same team that faced SNG in the Mohammed Nissar Trophy. That's a well-balanced team, reasonably strong.

 

[ramkumar_gr]

The ROI squad looks very strong, which is a good thing. This is more like an Indian team. No doubt you have both openers playing for the other team, but the lack of a second opener is a bit disturbing. Are there really no openers in the country after Jaffer and the Delhi batsmen? That needs a re-think. You have Connor Williams, Uthappa, Asnodkar, Vijay Krishnan and a few more. There are also the likes of Bangar, Irfan, Yusuf and Praveen Kumar, who can also bowl more than a few overs and take some wickets. They've blown a chance here, but otherwise, it's a good team.

Delhi should still win this, though not too easily. The Big Four of the middle-order are not contributing enough runs to have an impact on a match, and are anyway down by one in this selection. They have a few liabilities too many (Munaf, Dravid, Laxman, Parthiv and Kumble) on the field, a long (maybe) tail and (with four bowlers) inadequate bowling options. Delhi may not have the stars, bar the openers and Ishant, but the combination looks a lot better.

It is very disappointing to see, even someone like you who follows domestic cricket religiously dont give the due to Murali Vijay of Tamilnadu. He is definitely in the top 3 openers in the country at the moment. And Abhinav Mukund in the top 5....

 

[Arjun]

It is very disappointing to see, even someone like you who follows domestic cricket religiously dont give the due to Murali Vijay of Tamilnadu. He is definitely in the top 3 openers in the country at the moment. And Abhinav Mukund in the top 5....

I have no problem with Vijay opening the innings for ROI. I'd surely choose him ahead of all those wicketkeepers. The question is, will the selectors do the same?

 

[ramkumar_gr]

I have no problem with Vijay opening the innings for ROI. I'd surely choose him ahead of all those wicketkeepers. The question is, will the selectors do the same?

ya true... even for last years challenger trophy, M Vijay could not find a place as one of the top 40+ cricketers in the country......

 

[Arjun]

ya true... even for last years challenger trophy, M Vijay could not find a place as one of the top 40+ cricketers in the country......

Please ignore the Challenger Trophy. That's merely a workout for the national team, but has been misused as a selection springboard. I wouldn't be surprised if he made the South Zone team, but not seeing him in the Chennai Super Kings team was surprising.

 

[Jonty Lathwal]

i think it will be a good indian domestic season to look at....with better media coverage
telecasts(thanks to neo sports)
and foreign players .......(wow).............

 

[Jonty Lathwal]

i will be looking forward towards my state haryana......
after kapil dev and ajay jadeja .....we hav good players after a long time....
it would be interesting to look at----Joginder Sharma ,Amit Mishra ,Mahesh Rawat....Sachin Rana.....
i don't know if they have contracted any foreign player till now......

 

[Jonty Lathwal]

can anyone get the list of foreign players contracted till now????