*Official* - India in West Indies

[jeevan]

Woo, that is terribly impressive.

Unlike all these blokes, I suppose:

Badrinath 15 innings @111.45
Rohit Sharma 12 inings @96.00
AL Menaria 7 innings @88.50
Laxmi Shukla 7 innings @84.40
Rahane 15 innings @83.58
Sumanth 11 innings @79.00
Wasim Jaffer 15 innings @78.33
A Mukund 18 innings @75.68
Sarabjit Singh 7 innings @72.75

Yeah if any one of them is a bowler who may fill in as the 5th bowler with a roughly equal chance of taking wickets, like he has in this WC, then of course they should be ahead of Yuvraj.

The premise here is not that he's the most deserving batsman after Dravid-SRT-Laxman - he is not - but that he has a shot at being the all rounder - acceptable with bat and ball, especially since Sehwag & SRT dont bowl any more. It is not a proven premise - but not disproven either. If we play Badri, say, and run Zaheer into the ground as a stock bowler - that is poor selection as well.

It isn't what Yuvi is doing with his batting - but what he's doing with his bowling lately that is the key here. (And specifically since India has been playing a non-attacking SLA like Pragyan Ojha in tests).

 

[jeevan]

Actually many did.
I had plenty of debate about his bowling and how he needed to be kept for that before the world cup.While some people may have wanted him dropped.

And as for his batting,a few years back he was batting like a dream in ODI's and still kept failing in tests. He is not batting better than that at the moment and has been already given too many chances based on LOI Performances,to do so again.
His Punjab record is also largely based on one very big knock in a draw if IIRC and one good knock tbf.

You predicted him to be India's second highest wicket taker? (as opposed to a passable 5th bowler which many people, including me, thought...)

No, it isn't based on one knock. That double ton was made in the Irani cup and including it pushes his average to 70 odd in 8 innings (vs 52 in 6).His domestic stats are being quotes for those who ask him to go back and do well in domestic FC for a couple of seasons.

 

[vcs]

People far too critical of Raina for my liking, Reckon if his three significant Innings were spread out in his overall 10 or so Innings instead of being his first three, He's be rated higher. I admit he suffers from a serious technical flaw but Pujara's abilities against the moving ball, while not being so obviously abysmal, have not been exhibited to be great either. Would definitely still have him in the XV for a couple more series.

I don't get people referring to Raina in the same tone they use for Yuvraj either, Face the facts, He's 23, has a ton, a near ton and an awesome knock while chasing under pressure in his friggin' second match. He also is a hard-worker always looking to improve, Don't write his last rites yet.

EDIT:-This post is under the assumption that the BCCI will continue to be dickheads and won't pick Badri.

Not a huge difference between Raina and Yuvraj for mine, except that perhaps Raina is likelier to do well against fairly ordinary bowling (spin-heavy) attacks in subcontinent conditions and Yuvraj is slightly likelier to do well abroad if he gets his eye in. Yuvraj also played an awesome knock in a high-pressure chase in Chennai '08. Yuvraj is basically our Marcus North, the way I look at it.

 

[vcs]

Actually many did.
I had plenty of debate about his bowling and how he needed to be kept for that before the world cup.While some people may have wanted him dropped.

And as for his batting,a few years back he was batting like a dream in ODI's and still kept failing in tests. He is not batting better than that at the moment and has been already given too many chances based on LOI Performances,to do so again.
His Punjab record is also largely based on one very big knock in a draw if IIRC and one good knock tbf.

Yup, fair enough, you were right about his bowling (though I doubt even you predicted it would be quite this good ). I for one kept thinking he'd get found out at some stage, but it didn't happen.

 

[Cevno]

You predicted him to be India's second highest wicket taker? (as opposed to a passable 5th bowler which many people, including me, thought...)

No, it isn't based on one knock. That double ton was made in the Irani cup and including it pushes his average to 70 odd in 8 innings (vs 52 in 6).His domestic stats are being quotes for those who ask him to go back and do well in domestic FC for a couple of seasons.

Yup, fair enough, you were right about his bowling (though I doubt even you predicted it would be quite this good ). I for one kept thinking he'd get found out at some stage, but it didn't happen.

I knew he would do quite well ,though probably not 2nd highest Wicket taker.

But that does not mean all of a sudden he has become a test standard bowler or even better than Ojha as has been suggested.The same Ojha who in his departing press conference Kirsten went out of his way to praise.
Yuvraj's success in ODI's was largely based on players trying to attack him and with pitches spinning a bit here, but in tests to earn a wicket ,it is a completely different ball game.

 

[Shri]

If WI have all their fast bowlers fit and we get some decent pitches, it will be a pretty good series. Indian supporters expecting an easy win will be in for a surprise.

Foolish to expect an easy series after their(WI) last series in Australia. But their batting isn't too flash apart from Gayle. Barath and Nash and the others can be classy but are inconsistent. Should be a great series to watch no matter who wins. Time to watch some 5 day games after that series of OD games.

 

[Xuhaib]

India to win 2-0.I will be surprised if Windies bowl India out even once.

 

[Shri]

India to win 2-0.I will be surprised if Windies bowl India out even once.

Roach and Russell would comfortably get the lower order out cheaply everytime tbh.

 

[Spark]

Yes but that assumes the lower order has to actually bat.

 

[Howe_zat]

If we see wickets like the WI put up against England and South Africa lately then I think we could likely see a 1-0 result, with two high-scoring draws. Depends a lot on which Indian team tours.

 

[Blaze 18]

There's little chance of India sending a depleted side to West Indies. India always play their best side in test matches (even if it's Bangladesh).

 

[Spark]

I guess those averages need padding

 

[Daemon]

Really hope Pujara gets at least 1 game.

 

[jeevan]

I knew he would do quite well ,though probably not 2nd highest Wicket taker.

But that does not mean all of a sudden he has become a test standard bowler or even better than Ojha as has been suggested.The same Ojha who in his departing press conference Kirsten went out of his way to praise.
Yuvraj's success in ODI's was largely based on players trying to attack him and with pitches spinning a bit here, but in tests to earn a wicket ,it is a completely different ball game.

..which does not explain how he ended up with a better tournament ER than - effectively - India's 4th and 5th bowlers. Only Umar Akmal decisively went after him (& Harbhajan getting that wicket was the highlight of his tournament).

We'll not know how much of a test quality 5th bowler Yuvraj is now unless we play him. He has never worked this much on his bowling (or batting, for that matter) before.

 

[Cevno]

According to reports,apparently Sachin,Sehwag,Harbhajan,Nehra and Zaheer to be rested for the ODI series and Maybe Dhoni and Yuvraj too depending on how far their teams go in the IPL.

Selectors keeping a eye on the IPL for replacements.

Players may be rested for the test series too, as England is the priority.

 

[Austerlitz]

Should be used for trying youngsters.

In odis rest sehwag,zaheer,harbhajan,dhoni,sachin.

Play valthaty[opener],rohit sharma[number 3],ambati rayadu wkeeper.
Another contender could be manish pandey if he plays well this ipl.[hasn't played till now..still this guy is a future]
Gambhir captain.Ashwin for bhajji,Might even try out varun aaron if he does well this ipl and pitches are fast and bouncy.
Tests if dravid fails eng series then .....kohli in and pujara at 3. kohli 5 lax at 6.

 

[Contra]

I hope we get some abrasive pitches in the Windies. Zak will wreck it if the pitches are abrasive.

 

[Cevno]

With the way the IPl is going so far Nohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja will probably be back for the west indies ODI series again For the umpteenth time.

It is almost a cycle now. They get dropped by the time the IPL comes due to ****** International performances and then with players being rested or injured ,they perform in the IPL again and get picked until they have enough **** performances again to get dropped.

 

[Mike5181]

What will West Indies do with their team. They have to bring Nash back at least.

 

[Austerlitz]

Rohit sharma is the future like it or not....along with kohli,pujara and pandey.

You can see the class is apparent when he bats he just has laziness and indiscipline issues..but this ipl he looks really focused and in terrific form.