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

[Apex Predator]

Okay I haven't fully given up

My guesses are:

A) They didn't want to go full development squad because still need Super League points, so pick some veterans to get a win or two (Dhawan, Bhuvi, Chahal)
B) Logistical hassle of getting players out there and in bubbles so decided to retain guys from the Test side who are fringe ODI players anyways (Aswhin, Thakur)
C) Keep some players around to gain more experience in the conditions for future Test tours here, plus have them working with coaches/physios in the setup in preparation for upcoming series (Pant, Yadav, Siraj)

Series isn't part of Super league. This is classic case of trundler love & seniority culture.
How guys like Prasidh Avesh don't get into this ODI side & a supreme talent like Bishnoi is mind boggling.

 

[honestbharani]

I dont mind this loss too much and some of those wickets were a bit unlucky. Leg side strangle off a short ball and a well hit hook shot finding the fielder can happen and Pant was strangled down leg too. It is uncanny how the RSA bowlers seem to get so many of our batsmen out strangled down leg. They do seem to get more bounce off the pitch than our bowlers do and even the leg side ball becomes a chance to take a wicket for them. I think the team has decided that the #7 slot is for the fingerspinner who can bat and since we dont have both Jaddu and Washy this series, Ashwin has taken that spot almost by default. Chahal is another example of why our selectors cannot differentiate between T20s and ODs. Chahal is excellent in T20s but is really not good enough for ODIs. Kuldeep before loss of confidence and form was the opposite. I think the management views our best T20I/ODI side as something like this -

Rohit / Shikhar
Rahul / Ishan / Rutu
Virat / Manish (??)
Shreyas / SKY
Pant (wk)
Venky / Hardik
Jaddu / Washy / Ashwin
Shardul / Harshal
Bhuvi / Deepak Chahar
Bumrah / Siraj / Prasidh
Chahal / R Chahar / Kuldeep

It just seems silly that the only guy without a backup is the guy least fitted for LO cricket in that top 6. If it was upto me, I would go with something like this -

Rohit / Shikhar
Rahul / Ishan (wk)
Virat / Manish
Shreyas / Rutu
SKY / Sarfraz / SRK
Venky / Hardik
Jaddu / Washy
Ashwin / Axar
Shardul / Harshal
Bhuvi / D Chahar
Bumrah / Saini / Siraj

Ideally, we would get Hardik back in batting and bowling form soon and if Venky Iyer lives upto the promise, we could see a Rohit-Virat less side look like this -

Rahul
Ishan (wk)
Rutu
Shreyas / SKY
Venky
Hardik
Jaddu
Ashwin
Shardul
D Chahar
Bumrah

That side could be awesome.

 

[honestbharani]

For the remaining two games, unless we are going to go in with Venky as our 5th bowler, we are stuck with Ashwin as our 7th best batter. I would do something funky like this with the batting order -

Dhawan
Ashwin
Virat
Shreyas
Rahul
Pant
Venky
Shardul
D Chahar
Saini
Bumrah

Or we can ask SKY to send down some part time spin as our 6th bowler and go with -

Dhawan
Rahul
Virat
Shreyas
Pant
SKY
Venky
Ashwin
Shardul
D Chahar
Bumrah

 

[Niall]

I don't think India need to worry about Super League points ,,,they aren't an associate!

They can always organise a few series v Sri Lanka if that's an issue.

Today isn't the end of the world , but one thing about India limited overs team it's very boring .

 

[Niall]

Also going to come a time when India say "enough is enough" and discard Pant for a long period of time, India aren't Ireland they have plenty of wicket keeping alternatives.

 

[Apex Predator]

Yeah Indian side is bang average as of now in limited overs. But seriously bowling attack has to change barring Bumrah. Their stats are worse than lankans Zimbos & BD since 2019 WC. Only 1 trundler who can bat should be allowed. Spinners need to be wicket taking ones

Ruturaj
Shikhar/Kishan (ODI/T20)
Kohli
Rahul
Pant
Venky
Shardul
Axar (MoTm in his last T20)
Bishnoi (there isn't one better than him)
Bumrah/Avesh /Siraj (rotate)
Prasidh Krishna (Tall bouncy & quick)
Shreyas SKY as back ups & back these players till 2023 WC.

 

[slippy888]

Bhuvi is not a wicket taking threat he just seems to play the opening batsman into form

 

[fishyguy]

Hope SA wins the series. They've been losing for a while and maybe this series win can give them the mental fortitude to win more games and get back into the top 3. SA vs NZ will be interesting, I like both teams equally but with Ross Taylor gone and KANE out of practice SA have an edge. It seems India and Australia are the top 2 teams, England, SA, NZ and Pakistan are a tie and then you have the rest of the 6 teams tied as well.

 

[cnerd123]

If there are no Super League points at stake then IDK why anyone above the age of 30 is in the squad. Golden opportunity to groom the next generation of cricketers + check out our bench strength ahead of the next WC

 

[karan_fromthestands]

I think bowling is a big issue. Our stats since WC 2019 are worst as a bowling unit among top 10 sides. Minnow level

Yes, that's true. We need to pick our best bowlers, that would be a start. Lord's bowling is clearly not suitable for white ball cricket, he might cost us a major game at some point if we rely on him too much.

If there are no injuries and we have everyone available, we have a solid line-up

Jadeja/Axar
Ash
Chahar
Bumrah
Nattu

Out of the current squad
Jayant
Ash
Chahar
Bumrah
Bhuvi

Even an out of form Bhuvi is better than the likes of Lord and Chahal who become an absolute liability with the ball from time to time. At least he can bowl some cheap overs at the death and at the start of the innings.

 

[CricAddict]

Yes, that's true. We need to pick our best bowlers, that would be a start. Lord's bowling is clearly not suitable for white ball cricket, he might cost us a major game at some point if we rely on him too much.

If there are no injuries and we have everyone available, we have a solid line-up

Jadeja/Axar
Ash
Chahar
Bumrah
Nattu

Out of the current squad
Jayant
Ash
Chahar
Bumrah
Bhuvi

Even an out of form Bhuvi is better than the likes of Lord and Chahal who become an absolute liability with the ball from time to time. At least he can bowl some cheap overs at the death and at the start of the innings.

I still believe Chahal is much better in ODIs than Ashwin. But Sundar is better than both and can play as the 5th bowler in partnership with Venkatesh Iyer. My best bowling line-up will be Bumrah, Nattu, Chahar, Jadeja/Axar, Sundar, V Iyer. If Sundar is not available, then Chahal can play.

 

[karan_fromthestands]

I still believe Chahal is much better in ODIs than Ashwin. But Sundar is better than both and can play as the 5th bowler in partnership with Venkatesh Iyer. My best bowling line-up will be Bumrah, Nattu, Chahar, Jadeja/Axar, Sundar, V Iyer. If Sundar is not available, then Chahal can play.

Totally agree, Sundar would be a better option.

But the collar chewer is nowhere close to Ash IMO. Ashwin is a reliable bowler in LO cricket and always has plans against different batsmen. The thing with Chahal is that he was bowling the exact same stuff 5 years ago. The reason for not evolving overtime can only be complacency. I guess he gets carried away by his IPL performances and thinks there's no room for improvement.

 

[honestbharani]

I still believe Chahal is much better in ODIs than Ashwin.

Nah, think both of them suck equally. Have never seen Chahal in long format but he is a MUCH better T20 bowler than he is in ODIs and Ashwin is the same. Of the two, seems Ash bowled better yesterday.

 

[ankitj]

Bhuvi should always be picked in white ball cricket. He has been doing quite well (you would have occasional 6-7 rpo spells but more often he bowls at ~5rpo).

We need to go back to 7 batsmen make up which includes a batsman who keeps wicket. For >15 years we had Dravid/Dhoni keeping wickets and that was our best batting era. This means Pant should be dropped; he hasn't worked out his white ball game and we don't need him too. It also means grooming a batting all-rounder - role that Yuvraj played before and Hardik promised to play.

 

[Nintendo]

Bhuvi should always be picked in white ball cricket. He has been doing quite well (you would have occasional 6-7 rpo spells but more often he bowls at ~5rpo).

We need to go back to 7 batsmen make up which includes a batsman who keeps wicket. For >15 years we had Dravid/Dhoni keeping wickets and that was our best batting era. This means Pant should be dropped; he hasn't worked out his white ball game and we don't need him too. It also means grooming a batting all-rounder - role that Yuvraj played before and Hardik promised to play.

Why are you just selectively ignoring the last ODI series India played where pant him the best team in the world all over India for fun?

 

[Daemon]

Nah, think both of them suck equally. Have never seen Chahal in long format but he is a MUCH better T20 bowler than he is in ODIs and Ashwin is the same. Of the two, seems Ash bowled better yesterday.

Yeah. India has an annoying problem of conflating ODIs and T20s.

 

[Apex Predator]

In no universe Chahal is better than Bishnoi in terms of sheer talent & skill. Guy is probably 2-3 leagues above him & is rightly hyped as no 1 Indian leggie/LOI spinner in IPl. Only if selectors don't lose their brain next time. He surely won't get outbowled by opposition leggie every single damn time. Collar chewer has to go

 

[karan_fromthestands]

In no universe Chahal is better than Bishnoi in terms of sheer talent & skill. Guy is probably 2-3 leagues above him & is rightly hyped as no 1 Indian leggie/LOI spinner in IPl. Only if selectors don't lose their brain next time. He surely won't get outbowled by opposition leggie every single damn time. Collar chewer has to go

I think we've done a lot of unintentional Gambhiring for the Collar Chewer.

 

[karan_fromthestands]

I will be honest though, I think the collar chewer can still turn it around if he focuses more on cricket and less on tik-tok.

 

[Apex Predator]

I will be honest though, I think the collar chewer can still turn it around if he focuses more on cricket and less on tik-tok.

Isn't age a criteria as well. Kuldeep is 4-5 years younger & we can hope that he will turn this around. Chahal ever since his mediocre debut vs Zim in 2015 is still same or worst leggie since 2019. He is now 30+. Guys like Bishnoi Markande R Chahar are in 20-22 years of age. I think selectors are bound to back younger talent soon. His fielding batting everything isn't international standard.