***Official India in New Zealand***

[Evermind]

Gambhir, Sehwag (c), Raina, Yuvraj, Rohit, Karthik (wk), Yusuf, Irfan, Praveen, Ojha, Munaf for the dead rubber.

Sounds just right. Though Sehwag as captain? Hmm. Maybe Yuvraj?

 

[adharcric]

Sounds just right. Though Sehwag as captain? Hmm. Maybe Yuvraj?

Yuvraj looked like a poor captain in the IPL but sure, doesn't really matter.

 

[honestbharani]

Indeed.. Also would like to see how DK goes with the bat.. He was setting the domestic scene on fire.

 

[honestbharani]

Sounds just right. Though Sehwag as captain? Hmm. Maybe Yuvraj?

He is the VC...

 

[Mixmasterreece]

My test team:

1.McIntosh
2.Redmond
3.Guptill
4.Taylor
5.Ryder
6.Elliot
7.McCullum
8.Vettori
9.Southee
10.McClenaghan
11.O'Brien

Sorry pal, cant agree with that lineup.

Id look for:

1.McIntosh
2.How
3.Flynn
4.Taylor
5.Ryder
6.Oram
7.McCullum
8.Vettori
9.Mills
10.Southee
11.O'Brien

 

[Nishan]

Gambhir, Sehwag (c), Raina, Yuvraj, Rohit, Karthik (wk), Yusuf, Irfan, Praveen, Ojha, Munaf for the dead rubber.

Thats my guess too, but its sad for the auckland public just the 1 game and they wont see some of the top players atleast they can look at them in the dressing room i suppose. It will be a home game for india, so many indians up there.

 

[Arjun]

Looking at the bowling stats so far, I'd say Harbhajan has been a revelation, given the stereotypes of him being a home-turf bully in Tests. He's outperformed all the pacers, and is shaping up nicely. Of the pacers, Zaheer was a tad unimpressive with an average of 32 and Praveen Kumar was dreadful with his average of 47 (and didn't even get a chance to bat on the flat wickets), but I wonder if there's any need to complain. In fact, all of NZ's bowlers have had averages over 30, with Ian Butler, at 39, going for less than 40. This hasn't been a good series for the bowlers at all. Tiny grounds, inner boundary ropes, flat wickets and the occasional dew factor have made it easy for batting sides.

I really admire his simplistic approach to batting and just everything else he does. He's a really level headed and down to earth guy who keeps everything really simple. Very admirable qualities there.

Sehwag is possibly the most under-rated ODI opener India have ever had. It's good to see him dominate in his last 30 (or so) matches, with an average a shade under 50, and his average, over the last 50 matches, is a little over 40- a far cry from his career average of 34. The presence of other striking options (Dhoni, Raina, a much-improved Yuvraj) helps a lot.

 

[Evermind]

Of the pacers, Zaheer was a tad unimpressive with an average of 32 and Praveen Kumar was dreadful with his average of 47 (and didn't even get a chance to bat on the flat wickets), but I wonder if there's any need to complain.

I don't get the deal with Kumar. He looks thoroughly unimpressive every time I see him bowl. He's pretty mediocre from what I've seen of him - in the league of Nehra or VRV or any of the trillion other "pacers" India have tried out over the years. Why exactly is he so highly regarded?

 

[Manee]

I don't get the deal with Kumar. He looks thoroughly unimpressive every time I see him bowl. He's pretty mediocre from what I've seen of him - in the league of Nehra or VRV or any of the trillion other "pacers" India have tried out over the years. Why exactly is he so highly regarded?

29 ODI wickets at 30.41 (economy of 4.95) might be something to go off. Moreover, he has dominated the domestic circuit and has superb control of swing both in and away.

Ftr, I think VRV Singh is a massive Test prospect.

 

[NZ4life!]

Sehwag.... unstoppable right now.

I think the last ODI has got to see southee and patel come in. somethings gotta happen to our bowling attack...

 

[Matt52]

Sehwag.... unstoppable right now.

I think the last ODI has got to see southee and patel come in. somethings gotta happen to our bowling attack...

Maybe bring in Bond, Then India wont be able to play and we will win by forfeit. 3-1 to India. Not too bad a result in the series. there might be a lot of bowlers around the country with sudden hamstring injuries atm.

 

[GGG]

Maybe bring in Bond, Then India wont be able to play and we will win by forfeit. 3-1 to India. Not too bad a result in the series. there might be a lot of bowlers around the country with sudden hamstring injuries atm.

was going to say something along those lines myself. Seriously though I think Patel has to come in as our pop gun attack is no good on flat wickets.

 

[MoxPearl]

Anybody know why the wickets have all been roads ??

Seems stupid to me

 

[Nutter]

Anybody know why the wickets have all been roads ??

Seems stupid to me

To boost our batting averages!


Maybe our bowlers will start having to bowl good channels to make up for flat pitches.

 

[Jono]

I don't get the deal with Kumar. He looks thoroughly unimpressive every time I see him bowl. He's pretty mediocre from what I've seen of him - in the league of Nehra or VRV or any of the trillion other "pacers" India have tried out over the years. Why exactly is he so highly regarded?

He swings the ball both ways for one.

Also look at his domestic record (on some ridiculously flat tracks) and his early ODI exploits.

He's just out of form.

 

[adharcric]

Looking at the bowling stats so far, I'd say Harbhajan has been a revelation, given the stereotypes of him being a home-turf bully in Tests. He's outperformed all the pacers, and is shaping up nicely. Of the pacers, Zaheer was a tad unimpressive with an average of 32 and Praveen Kumar was dreadful with his average of 47 (and didn't even get a chance to bat on the flat wickets), but I wonder if there's any need to complain.

Praveen has blown hot and cold throughout the series but he's bowled far better than those stats indicate.

Sehwag is possibly the most under-rated ODI opener India have ever had. It's good to see him dominate in his last 30 (or so) matches, with an average a shade under 50, and his average, over the last 50 matches, is a little over 40- a far cry from his career average of 34.

Not really. Sehwag used to be ordinary and inconsistent as an ODI opener so he was correctly (not) rated, except for commentators that used to come out with the "but he's a matchwinner". He's been a revelation since his comeback in Australia and Indian cricket is reaping the benefits.

 

[adharcric]

Ftr, I think VRV Singh is a massive Test prospect.

He needs to add more pace or learn to swing or seam the ball - 85 mph with decent bounce and no movement is not a massive test prospect.

 

[profernity]

Test XI has been announced:

Daniel Vettori (captain)
Brent Arnel
Daniel Flynn
James Franklin
Martin Guptill
Tim McIntosh
Brendon McCullum
Chris Martin
Kyle Mills
Iain O’Brien
Jeetan Patel
Jesse Ryder
Ross Taylor

Still doesn't look like a team that can dismiss India twice in a test.

EDIT: Also surprised Southee has been left out, given how long they've persisted with him.

Thoughts on Arnel? Selectors aren't going to die wondering, that's for sure.

 

[Flem274*]

Need greentops if we're going to use Martin and Mills in tests. Arnel is OK, nothing flash. The rest can bowl on anything (provided Franklin is fully fit this time).

****ing bowlers, just when people were starting to appreciate just how good you lot are you go and do this. ****ing bowl the ****s out in the tests or I will probably just have to cry. Kthnx.

 

[99*]

Test XI has been announced:
Daniel Vettori (captain)
Brent Arnel
Daniel Flynn
James Franklin
Martin Guptill
Tim McIntosh
Brendon McCullum
Chris Martin
Kyle Mills
Iain O’Brien
Jeetan Patel
Jesse Ryder
Ross Taylor

So team for the first test?

McIntosh
Guptil
Flynn
Taylor
Ryder
McCullum
Vettori
Mills
O'Brien
Patel
Martin

Maybe drop Patel and have Franklin in at 7?