***Official*** India in South Africa 2021-22

[StephenZA]

5 bowlers is essential. Test schedules these days don't allow for bowlers to recover enough between games. You got to share the 80-90 overs in a day between 5 bowlers, otherwise you're going to have a whole new attack by the third test of a series.

What's key is for our batsmen to actually score runs. Agree that it's vital we get runs out of Pant/Ashwin/Thakur too.

In this specific test - SA just bowled really really well on a surface that had a little bit in it for them. These things happen. Our batters just aren't good enough to negotiate that consistently.

Long term the only solution is to improve our pathways to the senior squad. More A Team tours, perhaps a level of domestic cricket above Ranji that's played on pitches that better replicate conditions overseas. Would also help if the selectors had the balls to drop senior players now and then so that our upcoming bats can get some experience at Test level.

For me you are getting muddled between Test selection and tour selection and depth. In a 5 test match series you may need to rest some of your attack or accept they may pick up a niggle. But in an individual test 3 pace bowlers should be selected and able to get through the work load. If you are selecting half fit bowlers, that's a different issue. Its also understanding the circumstances. If selecting for a test in SA the workload on the bowlers should be a bit less because they should not need to bowl for 40 overs in an innings, else something has gone very wrong. Whereas in Dubai there is a high likelihood that you will need a workhorse and probably a spinner that will do 30+ overs.

Picking 5 bowlers in a single test is an expectation that one of those bowlers is not going to bowl well and/or will break down. That is the bowler you should not be picking anyway.

 

[Apex Predator]

Rather than Venky I think Vijay Shankar is probably better suited for that batting A/R spot. His dibbly dobbly seam would have been handful here. Plus he has a tight technique & a tall man. Really think selectors should consider him in overseas tests.

 

[Arachnodouche]

Expect way more from Markram. That's just muddled thinking.

 

[Apex Predator]

Lol boom on money straight away

 

[StephenZA]

Well thats not a good start... ****!

 

[Apex Predator]

Keshav Maharaj 50 loading.. Indian bowlers have no clue how to take him out

 

[h_hurricane]

Bumrah's indippers are a thing of beauty.

 

[cnerd123]

For me you are getting muddled between Test selection and tour selection and depth. In a 5 test match series you may need to rest some of your attack or accept they may pick up a niggle. But in an individual test 3 pace bowlers should be selected and able to get through the work load. If you are selecting half fit bowlers, that's a different issue. Its also understanding the circumstances. If selecting for a test in SA the workload on the bowlers should be a bit less because they should not need to bowl for 40 overs in an innings, else something has gone very wrong. Whereas in Dubai there is a high likelihood that you will need a workhorse and probably a spinner that will do 30+ overs.

Picking 5 bowlers in a single test is an expectation that one of those bowlers is not going to bowl well and/or will break down. That is the bowler you should not be picking anyway.

What happens often with a 3 man seam attack is that if conditions suit quick bowling we end up having to bowl a lot of overs of spin, and so let the opposition get an above par score. If the pitch is flat the three of them get overbowled and lose effectiveness, not just as that game progresses, but for the whole series.

We could pick 4 seamers and no Ashwin, but then it's all a bit too samey and none of our top 7 options can bowl even passable part time spin. Well, maybe Vihari, and there has been talk about picking him over Ashwin in conditions that are overtly anti spin.

Plus this is Test cricket. Bowlers break down mid test all the time. You absolutely need some insurance for that, and unfortunately none of our batters can bowl enough to give us some security.

Anyways, back to the cricket. BOOMrah! Use your bat son.

 

[karan_fromthestands]

There is Vijay Shankar too, who debuted in the wrong format and got binned. He is the best batting all-rounder that we have in India, since Rishi Dhawan is more of a bowling allrounder as well.

Great that someone is noticing this, Shankar clearly looks better in FC games, him in LO cricket was a joke. Rishi Dhawan isn't a bad choice either IMO, has been consistent in domestic cricket since forever, can be handy in tests.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Plus this is Test cricket. Bowlers break down mid test all the time. You absolutely need some insurance for that, and unfortunately none of our batters can bowl enough to give us some security.

This is a bad argument for 5 bowlers. If you want to pick 5 so that the bowlers remain effective thats fine. You cant pick 5 of them because you think one of the ***** might break down.

What India should do better is rotate their quicks between games even more than they do. They have enough depth.

 

[artvandalay]

Did you watch Avesh Khan when he rocked up for the opposition in our tour game in England?

he should have been groomed for this format and been blooded in eventually. We need tall, hit the deck pacers if only to replace Ishant when he retires.
You're going to go off one tour game to say he shouldn't get a chance now?

 

[OverratedSanity]

Maharaj you annoying ****.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Isn't that way too full to be part of the danger area?

 

[Daemon]

This is a bad argument for 5 bowlers. If you want to pick 5 so that the bowlers remain effective thats fine. You cant pick 5 of them because you think one of the ****s might break down.

What India should do better is rotate their quicks between games even more than they do. They have enough depth.

I guess another advantage of 5 bowlers is that their workloads are reduced and you don't have to keep rotating them throughout a series.

The main reason is so they're always at the top of their game though. 4 bowlers can go into power saver mode pretty quick if things don't go your way.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Isn't that way too full to be part of the danger area?

Not even in line. What the **** Erasmus?

 

[cnerd123]

This is a bad argument for 5 bowlers. If you want to pick 5 so that the bowlers remain effective thats fine. You cant pick 5 of them because you think one of the ****s might break down.

What India should do better is rotate their quicks between games even more than they do. They have enough depth.

Nah disagree. I don't want to lose a Test on Day 1 just because one of my 4 bowlers pulls up hurt. Ideally you have bowling options in the Top 7 that can cover this, but we don't so I'd pick 5 bowlers every time. Would have to be a terrible pitch to go with just 4 bowlers.

 

[Arachnodouche]

lol Kohli's hilarious...pretty sure he's going oye painchod screen dekh in Erasmus' face.

"Keep your eye on everything, not just one" lmao

 

[CricAddict]

Nah disagree. I don't want to lose a Test on Day 1 just because one of my 4 bowlers pulls up hurt. Ideally you have bowling options in the Top 7 that can cover this, but we don't so I'd pick 5 bowlers every time. Would have to be a terrible pitch to go with just 4 bowlers.

So you go into a test with a bowler who will potentially pull up hurt on day 1 itself? If the bowler is not fit to bowl 20 overs in each innings, he should not be anywhere near the test team.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Nah disagree. I don't want to lose a Test on Day 1 just because one of my 4 bowlers pulls up hurt. Ideally you have bowling options in the Top 7 that can cover this, but we don't so I'd pick 5 bowlers every time. Would have to be a terrible pitch to go with just 4 bowlers.

You cant change your entire team composition because you think your bowler might pull up, thats ridiculous. Juts rotate them to make it less likely.

 

[cnerd123]

So you go into a test with a bowler who will potentially pull up hurt on day 1 itself? If the bowler is not fit to bowl 20 overs in each innings, he should not be anywhere near the test team.

**** happens. Fit people get injured. Its why all-rounders are valuable. You obv pick your best XI but you have to anticipate what happens if your opener, keeper or bowlers get hurt.

5 bowlers is essential for many reasons imo. You can pick 4 if you've got batters who can bowl, but starting a test with 4 bowling options only is not something any successful side has ever done.