***Official India in New Zealand***

[Craig]

I'll be interested in how Tim McIntosh goes TBH.

 

[NZTailender]

Oram to be a threat with the ball.

 

[Flem274*]

I'll be interested in how Tim McIntosh goes TBH.

If the wickets are green, Tim McIntosh will die.

I'm going to back history here and back us, India traditionally struggle here (just like we love touring India). We have good swing bowlers and India don't like greentops (at least we have good practice on shoddy domestic wickets pre-Eden Park State Highway 1).

Guys who will do well:

How
Zaheer Khan
Ryder
Tendulkar
Dravid
Flynn
Ryder
Franklin
O'Brilliant

Guys who won't:

Gambhir
McIntosh
Ishant
Taylor
McCullum
RP Singh/make up the numbers seamer

 

[Craig]

Oram to be a threat with the ball.

Ah so he is fine to bowl then?

Also who would replace Patel when he is not going to play? I guess Southee but they could go back to Martin and I would imagine Franklin will not be selected. I am assuming:

How
McIntosh
Flynn
Taylor
Ryder
+McCullum
Oram
*Vettori
Mills
Southee
O'Brien

 

[biased indian]

if its green tops i am sure Ishant will be our top wicket taker. as for our batsmen i am not sure how they will perform

 

[Craig]

if its green tops i am sure Ishant will be our top wicket taker. as for our batsmen i am not sure how they will perform

Surely Tendulkar and Dravid at least? I hope O'Brien will do well.

 

[biased indian]

Surely Tendulkar and Dravid at least? I hope O'Brien will do well.

Dravid ....the form he is in i am not sure what to expect ..he wont get much FC games also in between

Tendulkar ...i am some what sure( and i really want him to ) but dont want to start Jinxing him this early

 

[G.I.Joe]

It'll be an interesting test for Dhoni as captain. I hope he plays 3 seamers + Mishra, instead of massaging Harbhajan's ego as senior player. Ganguly had the guts to play Harbhajan ahead of Kumble, atleast in those onedayers where only one spinner was indicated, lets see what Dhoni does.

 

[_Ed_]

If the wickets are green, Tim McIntosh will die.

Actually I have more confidence in him on green wickets than I have had in any opener we've had for a little while. My only real concern with him is that he'll get himself out with that pull shot.

 

[Craig]

Actually I have more confidence in him on green wickets than I have had in any opener we've had for a little while. My only real concern with him is that he'll get himself out with that pull shot.

Or Dhoni and whoever is bowling will just stand there and look at each other again

 

[_Ed_]

Haha, hopefully.

 

[Flem274*]

Problem is its highly likey they'll get their quickets bowler Sharma to bowl constant bouncers to McIntosh. Can see him getting hit quite often if he keeps taking his eye off the ball. His pulls get better once he's in and played a few, problem is he has to survive long enough.

 

[Uppercut]

Targeting weaknesses months in advance rarely works. McIntosh has a lot of time to work on his playing of the short ball before facing Ishant, and a lot of FC cricket to play where every bowler he faces knows he has a weakness against the bouncer. That's a lot of pulling and hooking practice. I'd be surprised if the vulnerability is still there by the time India visit.

 

[_Ed_]

Actually he hasn't had much FC cricket - it's almost exclusively limited overs stuff here at the moment and Auckland don't select him for that form of the game.

Apparently they'll get McIntosh to play a couple of NZ A games before the Test series though.

 

[Uppercut]

Ah, fair enough. I'd still be surprised if he doesn't do something about it before then though. And Ishant and Zaheer aren't as quick as Edwards as far as i'm aware.

 

[S.P. Fleming]

Yes, should be a very interesting series this one. On recent form and on paper India would win 2-0( or 3-0). But then history comes into the equation in New Zealand the main issue being conditions.

Aha I found what I was looking for... India have not won a test in NZ since 1976 which is 14 tests, nz winning 6, 7 draws and one abandoned.

So I have a good feeling about us at least making the Indians a bit uncomfortable, resulting in a hard to predict but probably quite even test series. Looking at the 2002 series I am interested in how the teams have changed since then. The indians still have 6 of that side there ( Tendulkar, Laxman, Sehwag, Dravid, Harbajan, Khan) where New Zealand have just two ( Vettori and Oram).

That stat above probably reflects just where the two teams are at; the Indians probing for superpower recognition and NZ rebuilding as a side. But I will say it straight up right here, New Zealand to win 2-1.

I disagree with the common view on McIntosh, I am hoping he can do a handy job of blunting the Indian quicks. Flynn and Ryder will be our top run getters with a fully fit Franklin and Southee getting the wickets in swinging conditions.

 

[Prad100w]

New zealand could not overcome a mediocre WI'an team, which puts India maybe on top for the series unless the pitches are really awkward to play in. Team wise Indians do look the better bet. But again, probably the part that's against this Indian team is history. Any how this series would determine whether we got what it takes to be a champion side.

 

[susudear]

Targeting weaknesses months in advance rarely works. McIntosh has a lot of time to work on his playing of the short ball before facing Ishant, and a lot of FC cricket to play where every bowler he faces knows he has a weakness against the bouncer. That's a lot of pulling and hooking practice. I'd be surprised if the vulnerability is still there by the time India visit.

He is 29 FFS. If he hasn't learn the pull in all these years, doubt he can learn it in a month or so.

 

[Uppercut]

He is 29 FFS. If he hasn't learn the pull in all these years, doubt he can learn it in a month or so.

He doesn't need to learn a new skill, he just needs to tidy that particular shot up a touch. Did he even get out to a short ball against the Windies? I only seem to remember him looking like he might. And that's against a faster attack than India's.

 

[vic_orthdox]

Targeting weaknesses months in advance rarely works. McIntosh has a lot of time to work on his playing of the short ball before facing Ishant, and a lot of FC cricket to play where every bowler he faces knows he has a weakness against the bouncer. That's a lot of pulling and hooking practice. I'd be surprised if the vulnerability is still there by the time India visit.

True, but might also have the Michael Bevan's about it. Everyone tells him he has a weakness against it, and it convinces himself that he has a weakness about it.