***Official*** India in South Africa 2013/14

[Cevno]

Ishwar Pandey did well on the A tour, so might give him a chance ?

Hoping so ahead of Ishant or Unadkat.

 

[Cruxdude]

Agree with Jonty, those 4 have to be the pacers for this series. Would be okay with any two from Umesh, Bhuvi and Zaheer teaming up with Shami.

Just wish Jadeja was a bit better with the bat, would add so much balance to the team. I would go for Rahane at six and give him a long run.

 

[Cruxdude]

Some irrational part of me, the same part that felt we could win in England and Australia, feels we have a decent chance of surprising SA here.

 

[centurymaker]

wow zaheer looking slim. Given he's put in the effort and picked up a 5-fer against Delhi (a strong team), he should be rewarded with his selection.

 

[centurymaker]

If the pitches are lively then I think there's a possibility of a 1-1 draw.

 

[JontyPanesar]

I'm hardly an optimist about India but this is the best and most prepared squad they have for an overseas tour in a long time. Four capable seamers are available and if Ishwar gets on the plane, he'll be the best 5th seamer option India have ever had by a longshot. The batting got a decent taste of Saffer conditions a few months ago. Nearly all of the batsmen ex. Dhoni and Vijay seem highly capable against pace and bounce and have developed an impressive resume in domestic FC or ODIs. And they're all still quite young. Yes, the lack of experience will be harsh, but it's not like they've never seen such conditions before. I worry most about selection. Picking Jaddu at 7 and/or Ishant in the XI would be disastrous imho.

I want to see the odds, but betting on India to pull an upset to win the series could be +EV. (note: that's not the same as saying India are probably going to win the series)

 

[hendrix]

I do think India are far better off now that they have 3 extremely good young batsmen in the middle order and seemed to have unearthed another decent bowler (although false dawns etc.). They're certainly far better off than we were predicting after the Aus series.

I just want them to get thrashed though. It's not the players, most of whom I really like. It's the antics of the board and the negative selection policies.

I really hate saying this, but this is one of those times that a win for a team could actually be disastrous for cricket. I can't even begin to imagine all the false vindication the board and some of the parochial fans would draw from such a result.

 

[centurymaker]

India now has capable bowlers (as long as they remain fit) + potentially good YOUNG batsman so it won't be a false dawn.

 

[Daemon]

I really hate saying this, but this is one of those times that a win for a team could actually be disastrous for cricket. I can't even begin to imagine all the false vindication the board and some of the parochial fans would draw from such a result.

I agree that the bcci might act more annoying then they usually are and that the youtube and illegal stream chat posters will go overboard with their gloating, but how is that 'disastrous for cricket'? Surely any side showing a vast improvement in their standards can only be a good thing.

 

[JontyPanesar]

I do think India are far better off now that they have 3 extremely good young batsmen in the middle order and seemed to have unearthed another decent bowler (although false dawns etc.). They're certainly far better off than we were predicting after the Aus series.

I just want them to get thrashed though. It's not the players, most of whom I really like. It's the antics of the board and the negative selection policies.

I really hate saying this, but this is one of those times that a win for a team could actually be disastrous for cricket. I can't even begin to imagine all the false vindication the board and some of the parochial fans would draw from such a result.

I understand the feeling. I also feel queasy about the prospect, but in the end all success and failure must fall on the players.

 

[hendrix]

I agree that the bcci might act more annoying then they usually are and that the youtube and illegal stream chat posters will go overboard with their gloating, but how is that 'disastrous for cricket'? Surely any side showing a vast improvement in their standards can only be a good thing.

Yeah, I'm kinda exaggerating a bit, but the only way that the board will change is if it's forced to by the Indian public. And they'll be rather easily placated if the team is winning - especially abroad and against the best team in the world.

I kinda think the same about Australian cricket in the way they've ignored every piece of advice that the review gave them - they don't deserve to be successful.

 

[JontyPanesar]

So this is what the squad is shaping up to be? India in South Africa 2013-14 : India set to pick Test squad early | Cricket News | South Africa v India | ESPN Cricinfo

"Test squad certainties M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kolhi, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja

Remaining four Test slots Two out of Zaheer Khan, Jaydev Unadkat and Ishant Sharma; two out of Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina and Pragyan Ojha"

The article says Zak might not be in the squad unless he's in the XI? What? What kind of crazy nonsense is that? Surely India know that this thing called injuries happens. Zak is so much better than Ishant and Unadkat, it's laughable that this is even a debate. Plus, I think it's not a bad idea to flirt with Ashwin at 7 and play four seamers. And I'm surprised that Pandey isn't in the mix if a fifth seamer is to be selected. He's miles better than Unadkat and Ishant.

As far as backup openers go, Gambhir has to be given the decisive edge over Dinesh. That said, Dinesh or Saha would be good backup wk options.

Ojha deserves a spot, I really think he can bowl well overseas given his consistency. That said, if India select a backup wk, it'll be hard for him to find a place (though I'd take him instead of a fifth seamer).

And on a final note, WHY THE HELL IS RAINA IN THE CONVERSATION? I really want to put the final nail in the coffin to his test career, but as unfair as that is, he needs AT LEAST 2-3 years of quality domestic FC before even being considered for selection. Manpreet Juneja, in his second season, is already miles ahead of Raina as a first-class cricketer. Raina was poor in Ranji last season. He is poor in domestic FC and widely known to have a shaky technique (that's even shakier than most think, short stuff isn't his only problem), the only explanation is him being a CSK chela. And why doesn't this CSK-chela-ism ever work in favor of poor Badrinath?

 

[Maximas]

Great to hear about Rahane, I think that whole squad (with the undecided ones included) sounds really good tbh, although in a perfect world both Ishant and Raina would be well ot of contention.

 

[Jono]

Yeah, I'm kinda exaggerating a bit, but the only way that the board will change is if it's forced to by the Indian public. And they'll be rather easily placated if the team is winning - especially abroad and against the best team in the world.

I kinda think the same about Australian cricket in the way they've ignored every piece of advice that the review gave them - they don't deserve to be successful.

India got smashed 4-0 and 4-0 by England and Australia. It then lost to England at home.

Nothing changed.

Doubt winning or losing to South Africa is going to have an impact at all.

 

[Prince EWS]

Great to hear about Rahane, I think that whole squad (with the undecided ones included) sounds really good tbh, although in a perfect world both Ishant and Raina would be well ot of contention.

I would've gone with Zaheer, Ojha, Gambhir and Karthik.. which looks impossible based on how they're grouped now.

 

[Daemon]

Unadkat returns to Africa

 

[Jono]

ffs

 

[Dan]

Vijay, Dhawan, Pujara, Rahane, Kohli, Sharma, Dhoni, Ashwin, Bhuvi, Shami, Zaheer
+ Gambhir, Saha, Yadav, Jadeja, Pandey/floater.

On RSA pitches, I suspect Jadeja/Ojha would be playing a holding role and little more if selected, so may as well go with the one who can bat (as much as I like Ojha).

 

[Maximas]

Well, I don't see a role for Sir Ravi in SA because I think India need to rely on their specialists, especially on hard wickets, so I think the second spinner should be Ohja in case Ashwin gets injured or something. Having said that though, Kingsmead has been known to take turn recently (yes?) and therefore Jadeja could be not only tougher to face but also handy with the bat in that particular match.

 

[JontyPanesar]

Vijay, Dhawan, Pujara, Rahane, Kohli, Sharma, Dhoni, Ashwin, Bhuvi, Shami, Zaheer
+ Gambhir, Saha, Yadav, Jadeja, Pandey/floater.

On RSA pitches, I suspect Jadeja/Ojha would be playing a holding role and little more if selected, so may as well go with the one who can bat (as much as I like Ojha).

I think there's good reason to believe Jaddu will do didly squat with the bat on SA pitches. On the other hand, because SA pitches have so much grass on day 1, they do turn later, rather than play as total roads. Spinners have been fairly successful there in recent times (e.g. Swann, Harbhajan, Ajmal). Ojha can contain and attack, whereas Jaddu pretty much contains and is only now learning how to attack. His ability to handle the quicks is still quite poor though.