Indian Cricket Dhaba

[CricAddict]

Will still take Pandya at No 6 though. Jadeja has to play over Ashwin overseas if he has to. And like sbshshsk has said above, Pant over Saha overseas is also a good option. Will give great depth and Pant has also done decently keeping in overseas conditions compared to India.

 

[ankitj]

We need Pandya back. I don’t think two spinners overseas is worth the hit in batting.

No we don't need Pandya.

 

[honestbharani]

The one reason why Jaddu as the allrounder over Pandya might work is that it might help Ash bowl attacking lines again instead of trying to be the holding bowler, as Jaddu can do that role. I really don't see any big downside to Jaddu as the batting allrounder with Ash at 8 as the bowling allrounder, as long as Pant is the keeper batsman. Jaddu as the lone spinner will not work but he might still be a better batting option than Pandya in those conditions.

 

[Daemon]

But then we’d be playing 2 spinners which is just overkill in most of these countries and Australia in particular. Just play both Jadeja and Pandya - great batting depth with genuine counterattacking ability.

I really don’t see the need to play two spinners, at best it’s insurance for when Ashwin has his off days, for which the solution is to not play Ashwin in the first place.

 

[Daemon]

But then we’d be playing 2 spinners which is just overkill in most of these countries and Australia in particular. Just play both Jadeja and Pandya - great batting depth with genuine counterattacking ability.

I really don’t see the need to play two spinners, at best it’s insurance for when Ashwin has his off days, for which the solution is to not play Ashwin in the first place.

If Pandya doesn’t play then a batsman should replace him imo.

 

[h_hurricane]

Jadeja's career journey has been fascinating so far. Started off as an object of ridicule. His 3 triple centuries should have been celebrated but shockingly he became a butt of all jokes. As if scoring triple hundreds were cakewalk or something.

As things stand, he averages 24 odd with the ball and almost 36 with the bat. If gets his average to 40 and at the same time even if his bowling average goes down by 4 runs and finishes his career like that, he will become the first "real allrounder" in history. Nobody in game's history(except for Faulkner who had a short career) has a sub 30 bowling average and a 40 plus batting average at the same time(good enough to qualitatively hold a place in the team in both disciplines).

 

[honestbharani]

Yeah but you are considering both the batting and bowling averages as absolutes which they are not. Its always a function of what the others at the same time are averaging as well, right? So in theory, yes Jaddu with 40+ average should be able to walk in as a batsman but not if you have 4 guys who are averaging 45+ or 50+.


And Jaddu's bowling overseas literally adds very little wicket taking ability , especially in Australia. If we have to play Pandya, we are better of playing Ashwin as the lone spinner. But I would prefer to play Ash and Jaddu as I still think, Jaddu is a better #6 than Pandya as of now and Ash is a better bowler than Jaddu and Pandya. Its about playing your best bowlers. Now if the question is to play Jadeja at 6 and play a proper seamer like Bhuvi instead of Ash, that would make more sense. Otherwise, in most conditions, the fifth bowler being a spinner or a seamer will make very little difference at the end as long as your top 4 are test quality match winners.

 

[CricAddict]

But then we’d be playing 2 spinners which is just overkill in most of these countries and Australia in particular. Just play both Jadeja and Pandya - great batting depth with genuine counterattacking ability.

I really don’t see the need to play two spinners, at best it’s insurance for when Ashwin has his off days, for which the solution is to not play Ashwin in the first place.

Agreed on this. Jadeja+Pandya will provide greater value than Ashwin+one of them overseas. Can give the pace bowlers much needed rest for them to bowl in short bursts while also strengthening the batting significantly. Vihari for one of them will be good as well.

Playing Ashwin overseas is just like playing Warne in India.

 

[ankitj]

Looks like I'm the only advocate of playing 6 batsmen here. In tough conditions I do think extra batsman is essential while 4 bowlers can be enough to take 20 wickets.

 

[h_hurricane]

I think there is merit in going with this order in NZ. Don't know if it would happen though. Also depends on how Pant goes from here.

6.Pant
7.Jadeja
8.Bhuvi
9.Ishant
10.Shami
11.Bumrah

 

[CricAddict]

I think there is merit in going with this order in NZ. Don't know if it would happen though. Also depends on how Pant goes from here.

6.Pant
7.Jadeja
8.Bhuvi
9.Ishant
10.Shami
11.Bumrah

That will weaken batting immensely without adding anything to the bowling. 4 fast bowlers has always been overkill in history. One of them gets under-bowled big time.
Remember the series in Australia where India did this and the Aussie pace bowlers were licking their lips as soon as the 6th wicket was gone. It was always 6 gone 10 gone.

 

[h_hurricane]

That will weaken batting immensely without adding anything to the bowling. 4 fast bowlers has always been overkill in history. One of them gets under-bowled big time.
Remember the series in Australia where India did this and the Aussie pace bowlers were licking their lips as soon as the 6th wicket was gone. It was always 6 gone 10 gone.

Yeah, you do have a point there. I somehow love Bhuvi and feel he has been unfairly dumped, wanted him to hold a place.

 

[ankitj]

Surely Bhuvi can play ahead of Ishant in NZ conditions. So my 4 man bowling attack will be Bumrah-Shami-Bhuvi-Ashwin.

 

[OverratedSanity]

They've already made it clear bhuvi won't be picked now. No point bringing him up.

 

[ankitj]

 

[srbhkshk]

They've already made it clear bhuvi won't be picked now. No point bringing him up.

Did they give any reason for it or is it just politics at work?

 

[CricAddict]

Did they give any reason for it or is it just politics at work?

Shastri said that they are looking at Bhuvi as a ODI specialist.

 

[srbhkshk]

Shastri said that they are looking at Bhuvi as a ODI specialist.

I mean that's not much , there's no reason why he can't play both especially now that India can actually afford to rotate the bowlers.

 

[ankitj]

Yes, seriously. Bhuvi is pretty good in tests too. Pandya is the one who should be an ODI specialist. But they will keep drafting him in tests as a bits and pieces all-rounder.

 

[harsh.ag]

Pandya has a decent chance of ending up as a good batsman