Combined XI

[zaremba]

Sorry in the above post when I said there's no room for Dhoni I meant there's no room for Gambhir (or Dravid for that matter). I can't edit it on my iPhone though.

 

[hang on]

Well I wouln't pick a combined team from the starting point of "which team is ranked higher?" Particularly given that these are two well matched teams, and the current number 1 team is playing away from home.

The bowlers (Khan, Anderson, Tremlett and Swann) pretty much pick themselves. I accept that a case could be made for Harbhajan.

Prior v Dhoni is a toss-up, but I'm biased towards the Sussex man and choosing him can hardly be regarded as unreasonable given his recent performances.

Which leaves the six batsmen. Things are skewed from the norm
by the ridiculous form that some of the home team's batsmen have been in. A year ago I wouldn't have dreamt of leaving out Gambhir or including Cook or Trott. But now Cook and Trott are impossible to ignore, and that means that there's no room for Dhoni. Bell is batting wonderfully, as well as anyone in the world right now. KP is debatable but seems to be in form and an in-form KP must surely get in.

regarding the bowlers. absolutely. and don't think a case can be made for the inclusion of singh from the outset. perhaps later in the series, if swann were to get a bit of a hammering from the indian batsmen.

no problems with the batting, zaremba, but laxman has been in even better form over a prolonged period. there is really no argument that can place kp ahead of laxman at present.

regarding the keeper. tossup, as u say.

 

[Jono]

Yes, it's his average in the series we should review, not the way he's played in the last two innings

When making a combined a XI, that is exactly right.

 

[GIMH]

Uh, I didn't put him in my Combined XI.

In the context of what I said, vcs made a **** post. End of.

 

[Jono]

No, you made a post saying India's attack is second-rate, and that Pietersen smashing them is perfect preparation. Tongue in cheek or not, that's what you said.

He said, well actually he hasn't been smashing them. He's just played decently against them. Which he has.

Unless you think one or two good innings a whole month before the series starts is perfect preparation?

 

[weeman27bob]

It's interesting looking at the players which haven't been chosen as much and trying to make the XI.

Strauss
Gambhir
Dravid
KP
Morgan
Indian No.6
Dhoni
Singh
Broad
Sree
Sharma (or whoever)

Battting is still pretty strong, bowling is pretty gash.

 

[GIMH]

I said smashing them was perfect preparation. He smashed them yesterday and last week.

His average in the series is completely irrelevant to what I said. It's like if Broad takes an 4fer in the second dig and looks **** hot - how he went before then wouldn't matter too much as it would be just the sign we were looking for.

But if you wanna back numbers over what's actually going on, go for it. I hope your bowlers are thinking in the same way.

 

[Jono]

Meh its all speculation anyway. The amount of times people have thought Dravid is looking good after one or two innings has proven to be meaningless on countless occasions.

Will only know come July 21.

 

[GIMH]

I'll accept that.

What I will say though is that Pietersen is very much a confidence player. The first score is often what's needed to get him playing like himself. He looked like the KP we all love/hate (delete as appropriatey yesterday after gradually gaining confidence in the second dig at Lord's.

 

[Jono]

If KP is destined to score runs he better do it in the 1st test at Lords or 2nd test at Trent Bridge where I can watch him.

If I have to see a Strauss, Cook and Trott runfest instead of KP there'll be hell to pay.

 

[GIMH]

I've been to a heap of Tests where KP has played. Have seen a total of 3 runs from 17 balls from him.

 

[weeman27bob]

I've been to a heap of Tests where KP has played. Have seen a total of 3 runs from 17 balls from him.

Probably still more exciting than watching Trott bat...

 

[GIMH]

Maybe

Best luck I've had is with Bell, have seen him go to a century a few times in quick fashion, also saw him finish on 97 or whatever it was the other week in Cardiff

 

[vcs]

Yes, it's his average in the series we should review, not the way he's played in the last two innings

He also failed in the two previous ones. Hence the average. If that constitutes smashing in your book, fair enough. It doesn't in mine.

 

[GIMH]

Haha, way to completely and utterly miss the point

His series average is totally irrelevant if we are talking about a player returning to form. Honestly, how he went earlier in the series means nothing in that context. Worst ****ing logic ever.

 

[vcs]

You said he's been "smashing" the attack, I pointed out he's smashed them in 2/4 innings. Never said anything about him returning to form or not. I'll reserve judgment on that for now.

I guess India bowling SA out for reasonable scores in the last 4 Test innings means they've spectacularly returned to form and are no longer a "second-rate attack", then?

 

[GIMH]

Straw everywhere

 

[Blaze 18]

1) Virender Sehwag
2) Gautham Gambhir
3) Rahul Dravid
4) Sachin Tendulkar
5) VVS Laxman
6) Cheteshwar Pujara
7) MS Dhoni
8) Harbhajan Singh
9) Zaheer Khan
10)Sreesanth
11)Ishant/Munaf/whoever

 

[Austerlitz]

1) Virender Sehwag
2) Gautham Gambhir
3) Rahul Dravid
4) Sachin Tendulkar
5) VVS Laxman
6) Cheteshwar Pujara
7) MS Dhoni
8) Harbhajan Singh
9) Zaheer Khan
10)Sreesanth
11)Ishant/Munaf/whoever

Our top 7 are so beautiful.

 

[Jono]

Would be more beautiful with this face: