Building Indian team for the 2007 world cup

[adharcric]

Please have a look at this scorecard

http://ind.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/...SCORECARDS/IND_ZIM_VIDTRI_ODI3_29AUG2005.html

Alright. You can look at this one, and it's against New Zealand.
http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005-06/OD_TOURNEYS/VIDTRI/SCORECARDS/IND_NZ_VIDTRI_ODI-FINAL_06SEP2005.html

His career strike rate (73) is the same as Ganguly's and better than Dravid's. Venugopal Rao so far has a SR of 58. I'm not making claims about any of these batsman, but Kaif isn't such a slouch as a batsman. He's just not suited to the slog overs.

By the way, Hemang Badani has the same exact strike rate as Kaif.

 

[ramkumar_gr]

Alright. You can look at this one, and it's against New Zealand.
http://usa.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2005-06/OD_TOURNEYS/VIDTRI/SCORECARDS/IND_NZ_VIDTRI_ODI-FINAL_06SEP2005.html

His career strike rate (73) is the same as Ganguly's and better than Dravid's. Venugopal Rao so far has a SR of 58. I'm not making claims about any of these batsman, but Kaif isn't such a slouch as a batsman. He's just not suited to the slog overs.

By the way, Hemang Badani has the same exact strike rate as Kaif.

I dont think it is fair to compare Ganguly/Dravid with Kaif. We are talking about the ability to make big hits. We know Ganguly is one of the alltime six hitters and Dravid has scored the second quickest 50 for India. I understand everyone has a role to play and i am sure India does not want someone to score at a strike rate of 70 during the slog overs. Even a player like Kallis might have a lesser strike rate(I have not checked). But it is all about the ability. Kaif is incapable of big hits and honestly tell me, does he deserve a place in the top 4 of India, given that we have Sehwag, Sachin,Dravid, Yuvraj. So he cant find a place in top 4 and is not capable of playing lower than that.

 

[adharcric]

Let's put the Kaif debate to rest for a bit and hope that he comes out of this bad patch he's having right now, four consecutive failures ...

 

[TIF]

As for the world cup squad, the certainities are - Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Yuvraj, Raina(to some extent), Dhoni and Irfan Pathan. The squad should look like -

Batsmen -
Sehwag
Tendulkar
3rd opener
Yuvraj
Raina
6th Batsman
7th Batsman

Wicket-keeper - Dhoni
Wildcard: Dinesh Kartik

Pace-Bowlers -
Irfan Pathan
A pace-bowler with big-hitting ability
A express pace-bowler
A more of a line and length/swing bowler

Spinners -
Harbhajan Singh
Ramesh Powar/Anil Kumble/Murali Kartik/Piyush Chawla

The 15th spot can either go to a 8th batsman/5th pace-bowler/all-rounder

The other contenders -

3rd opener - Gautam Gambhir/Dhiraj Jadhav/Shikhar Dhawan
6th and 7th batsman - VVS Laxman/Saurav Ganguly/Mohammad Kaif/Y Venugopal Rao
Wildcards for the above 3 spots: Sriram/Gaurav Dhiman/Cheteshwar Pujara

Pace bowler with big-hitting ability - Pravin Kumar/Munaf Patel
Wildcard: Sachin Rana
Express pace-bowler - Munaf Patel/VRV Singh/Sree Santh
Wildcard: Abu Nechim Ahmad/Vijay Yomahesh
A more of a line and length bowler - Zaheer Khan/RP Singh
Wildcards: Ajit Agarkar/Ashish Nehra/Laxmipathy Balaji
And 3 out of the above bowlers will be selected.

15th spot - If its an all-rounder,
Contenders - Joginder Sharma, JP Yadav
Wildcard: Sanjay Bangar

Incase of pace-bowler(most-likely), we have many options.

And the 15th spot is very unlikely to be a batsman as there will be some bowlers with big-hitting ability selected.

 

[TIF]

I cant understand why are some people going anti-Kaif just due to 1 bad series. Kaif, did well last time around in Pakistan and just a few bad games doesnt mean that a player has become bad suddenly. Kaif is still a good fielder and is being said of as a future captain of India. He was the in-form player for Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, taking UP to a historic Ranji Trophy win. And most importantly of all, it was Kaif playing the captains knock everytime with useful 60s.

 

[silentstriker]

Kaif is still a good fielder and is being said of as a future captain of India.

That's a bit of an overstatement for a player who has trouble keeping his place in the playing XI, don't you think?

Most likely Sehwag will succeed Dravid as captain. I would like captain with a better 'cricketing brain' than Sehwag, but I am not sure who else in the Indian team would qualify.

Certainly, SRT has the brain but his age is almost as much as Dravid, and they will likely retire soon after one-another.

So after that, my money is on Sehwag. There is virtually no one else with a set place in the XI that's would even be considered.

But this discussion is a couple years away, so maybe someone will come out of nowhere.

 

[honestbharani]

FWIW, Yuvi is the vice captain of the Indian side in Pak right now, since Viru is injured.

 

[TIF]

That's a bit of an overstatement for a player who has trouble keeping his place in the playing XI, don't you think?

Most likely Sehwag will succeed Dravid as captain. I would like captain with a better 'cricketing brain' than Sehwag, but I am not sure who else in the Indian team would qualify.

Certainly, SRT has the brain but his age is almost as much as Dravid, and they will likely retire soon after one-another.

So after that, my money is on Sehwag. There is virtually no one else with a set place in the XI that's would even be considered.

But this discussion is a couple years away, so maybe someone will come out of nowhere.

Overstatement?

Kaif, has been very impressive in his captaincy till now.

It was Kaif, who was made the captain of India seniors in absence of Ganguly in the Challengers Trophy.
It was Kaif, who captainied India u-19s to a world cup win in 2000.
It was Kaif, who captained Uttar Pradesh to their 1st ever Ranji Trophy triumph this year.

Just 1 bad series does not tell about a player. Even Dravid, Tendulkar or even Ponting have had a few bad patches, that doesnt make them bad.

I would be tipping Kaif to be the next Indian captain once Dravid retires and I feel that after the 2007 World cup, Kaif should be made the ODI captain.

 

[adharcric]

In my opinion, Kaif is clearly the best captain in the Indian team right now, even better than Dravid. Dravid is only more experienced and has a secure position and commands the respect of the entire team. As long as Kaif can remain a regular in this team, he should be the next captain without doubt. Not only is he a spirited leader, but he leads by example in the field and with the bat.

 

[krishneelz]

kaif really dosent have the flair that great captains require and since he is in and out of the team like silent said he isnt so awe inspiring and i dont think he could command the respect of his players. Those bushy eyebrows and outspoken demeanor dosent help and although he might posess an impressive cricketing brain IMO i dont believe he can be a captain of an indian side being overrun by hooligans with bushes on their head like munaf patel. With laxman being pipped by a younger dashing yuvraj we all know where the indian selectors are heading towards. Soon we will see the the last of classy wristy shots employed by the likes of Dravid and laxman and in is the harrowing untamed likes of dhoni. Who can command such a side. Who can manifest and harness these rogues. It can only be one of them. Someone who can adapt and learn quicly under proper guidance. Someone dashing but respectable. Thee name shall be Ifran Pathan

 

[33/3from3.3]

I cant understand this meaning of the "AAAS" we have here. .

Ajit Agarkar Appreciation Society
Duh

 

[adharcric]

kaif really dosent have the flair that great captains require and since he is in and out of the team like silent said he isnt so awe inspiring and i dont think he could command the respect of his players. Those bushy eyebrows and outspoken demeanor dosent help and although he might posess an impressive cricketing brain IMO i dont believe he can be a captain of an indian side being overrun by hooligans with bushes on their head like munaf patel. With laxman being pipped by a younger dashing yuvraj we all know where the indian selectors are heading towards. Soon we will see the the last of classy wristy shots employed by the likes of Dravid and laxman and in is the harrowing untamed likes of dhoni. Who can command such a side. Who can manifest and harness these rogues. It can only be one of them. Someone who can adapt and learn quicly under proper guidance. Someone dashing but respectable. Thee name shall be Ifran Pathan

Man, what is it with bushy eyebrows and bushy heads ... is that the best way to judge an Indian cricketer?

 

[krishneelz]

damn straight. Nah just kidding. Kaif could be good but i reckon we need more of an attacking captain maybe in the mould of sehwag.

 

[adharcric]

Although Kaif might seem like a nice guy and Sehwag like an explosive machine with the way he bats, I can bet you anything that's not how they would captain. I don't want an overweight man setting an example for Team India.

 

[ramkumar_gr]

Overstatement?

Kaif, has been very impressive in his captaincy till now.

It was Kaif, who was made the captain of India seniors in absence of Ganguly in the Challengers Trophy.
It was Kaif, who captainied India u-19s to a world cup win in 2000.
It was Kaif, who captained Uttar Pradesh to their 1st ever Ranji Trophy triumph this year.

Just 1 bad series does not tell about a player. Even Dravid, Tendulkar or even Ponting have had a few bad patches, that doesnt make them bad.

I would be tipping Kaif to be the next Indian captain once Dravid retires and I feel that after the 2007 World cup, Kaif should be made the ODI captain.

How about 4 bad series now?? Thank God, Yuvraj Singh has gone up the ladder and he will lead India in both forms cricket some day.

 

[Francis]

I like India's chances at the world cup I do.