Indian cricket off season discussion

[adharcric]

If you take a look at the front page of this forum, you'll notice four threads about Australian domestic cricket. Why can't Indian fans discuss Indian domestic cricket so actively?

hey man, i'm willing to do that. probably don't follow as much as you, but i agree there should be more mention and discussion of that.

 

[GermanShepherd]

If you're looking for a new spinner to be brought into the side, Amit Mishra has to be the choice.

He's had a good domestic season and in my view is clearly the best upcoming spinner in the country.
I think bringing him into the squad now will be good - he will complement Harby and Kumble nicely (being a conventional leggie) and I think he'll also learn a lot from them.
The selectors have to show vision at this juncture and pick him -- hopefully he will prove a success as the long term successor to Kumble.

I think Amit has greater matchwinning potential than Murali Karthik.

 

[GermanShepherd]

What views do you guys have on the captaincy ?


Should Ganguly be retained or should India start next season with a new captain ?
If the selectors, do feel Ganguly's time is up, Dravid HAS to be the captain right ?
I can't see any other credible replacements for Saurav:
1) Kumble I always felt would be an excellent captain but age is catching up with him and he's not a regular in the ODI outfit.
2) Tendulkar has repeatedly said he doesn't want the captaincy and probably needs to focus all his energies on his out of sorts batting.
3) Laxman too has been out of form and is not a regular in the ODi side.

If Dravid does become captain, that also raises the vice captaincy issue: Who do you pick for that ?
1) Kaif - who has shown impressive ability as a captain but who's not a test regular; indeed looking at his fc average there are those who will question why guys like venugopala rao and sriram should not be considered ahed of him for the test side.
2) Sehwag - a regular in both forms of the game but question marks linger about his ability to lead a side.

Some tricky choices I think have to be made by the Indian selectors ahead of next season.
Personally I think the selectors need to decide who's the best man to lead India for the medium term before the start of next season. The policy of "let's give Sourav one or two more series to see how he goes as captain and batsman and then reevaluate" won't cut it imo.
You either back him now for at least the period leading to the next WC or you hand the baton to someone else.

 

[masterblaster]

Dravid would be my ideal captain at the moment, only because he's simply the most respected cricketer in India and because he has earned respect rather than demanded it. He leads by example with his batting, his fielding and his general excellent demeanour.

Dravid for Captaincy, Sachin Tendulkar for Vice Captain. Im sure Sachin Tendulkar wouldn't want to be captain, but he can do his part as the senior most member of this Indian side as a vice captain. I cannot see leadership material in Virender Sehwag, his cricket is still far too irresponsible and brash and he frankly hasnt been through the hard yards yet in his cricketing career.

 

[Arjun]

Cos I dont watch it ?

hey man, i'm willing to do that. probably don't follow as much as you, but i agree there should be more mention and discussion of that.

You don't have to watch all the matches (even fans in India don't get to), the least you could do is read the papers and contribute your feedback/opinion on the developments that are taking place. When Matthew Elliot shifted from Victoria to SA (?), there was some discussion on that, as also some talk about the new Tasmania coach, but nothing was said about Kiran Powar and Rajesh Pawar going to Baroda, or developments in Delhi cricket, or even about Punjab getting a foreign coach. Whatever the issues are, just read the papers, then contribute what you know, what you think about what's happening.

What views do you guys have on the captaincy ?

Elsewhere, some think VVS Laxman is the best man for captain, since he's neither too noisy (unlike Ganguly), nor does he let captaincy affect his form (unlike Sachin or Dravid), nor is he too lazy (unlike Sehwag), and he may just be the right man to captain the side. Experts say he has a high degree of cricketing intelligence, which makes him the right man for captain. If I can find the text, I'll post it here.

 

[Arjun]

If you're looking for a new spinner to be brought into the side, Amit Mishra has to be the choice.

He's had a good domestic season and in my view is clearly the best upcoming spinner in the country.
I think bringing him into the squad now will be good - he will complement Harby and Kumble nicely (being a conventional leggie) and I think he'll also learn a lot from them.
The selectors have to show vision at this juncture and pick him -- hopefully he will prove a success as the long term successor to Kumble.

I think Amit has greater matchwinning potential than Murali Karthik.

• Kumble- By far the best spinner available, with over 300 wickets in ODI's, but he's past it. That can be indicated by his average of 60+ last year. He's not effective on the field or with the bat, and that can hurt in ODI's. Still, the rest of the attack is either not seasoned, or just average, so he may still stay, and he tries hard to improve as a fielder.
• Karthik- Whatever he can do with the bat, or on the field, Mumbai's Ramesh Powar can do a lot better, and he's not far worse with the ball. Karthik's one of the most negative bowlers to have leading your attack- he doesn't go for wickets, just an economy rate under 5. Too many no-balls come packaged.
• Rajesh Pawar- The selectors are closely watching him, so he could be playing for India in ODI's sooner than later. He's been in good form for Baroda, but his fielding abilities are not known- hopefully good. He goes for wickets, which is good.
• Mishra- Another good choice, given his impressive record for India A. His fielding and batting are also quite good, but needs to be used well in ODI's- leggies are difficult to handle.

 

[Pratters]

Wisden Asia Cricket puts forward the leading performers of the season every year domestically

These were the 4 according to them for the season past us :-

Niraj Patel
JP Yadav
Gagandeep Singh
Y Vennugopal Rao

Ironically no name was mentioned from the East.

What do you think are the chances of the above players to make an impression in the Indian team this season. Any other players? I would look at Raina too to be honest even though he is very young. People have their sights set on Shikhar Dhawan but some time back Gambhir was backed like that and Chopra too..

 

[honestbharani]

I would like to see more about Venugopal Rao.... He is a good batsman and is also a handy offie, I believe. I watched that big chase of 500+ by him, Sriram and another player got a 100... He looked good.

 

[adharcric]

I think Venugopal Rao and Suresh Raina are the two batsmen that have shown promise AND consistency, and both can contribute with the ball as well. Shikhar Dhawan could have a bright future, but he doesn't seem ready yet.

 

[Deja moo]

Okay, I dont see a thread regarding the selection of the new coach, so I'll put this here :

Final 4 shortlisted:

Greg chappell
Mohinder Amarnath
Tom Moody
Sandeep Patil.

Sandeep Patil has success with the India A team going in his favour, plus hes coached Kenya to a world cup semi final.

Moody has the backing of John Wright.

Chappell has a reputation as a player, but an ordinary coaching record in the Australian domestic circuit.

I have no clue if Amarnath has ever coached before.

 

[Arjun]

COACHES:

• Greg Chappell- More of a consultant than a coach. His technical knowledge is unquestionable, but the job of a coach should not end there. The Indian team needs a strategist, which he isn't. He's been coach of South Australia, and the results have been shocking. He comes with a heavy price tag. The committee can give him a miss.
• Tom Moody- Strange choice, since not much is known of him. He's an all-rounder, so all the players in the side will be helped. He's backed by John Wright, which may be the only argument in his favour. But does he know what's needed in the Indian side? Maybe not as much as Dean Jones, who was unfortunate to miss out.
• Sandeep Patil- Another player who could contribute in both departments in his playin days, he's a good choice. He's had some coaching experience with minnows and the India-A team, with reasonably good performances. He is a strategist and one who can optimise the role of every player in the side. That he's also Indian makes him the best choice available.
• Mohinder Amarnath- His comments on a discussion show on TV show that he has good ideas, but his man-management skills are not known. Tough call, but an unexpected choice.

 

[Arjun]

WISDEN's TOP FOUR PICKS:

• Niraj Patel- Small, left-handed opener, with good defensive technique, in very good form this season. One too many. With Gautam Gambhir in the side, doing quite well, and rookies Robin Uthappa, Shikhar Dhawan and Dheeraj Jadhav hot on his heels (and hopefully Sehwag's too), and veteran Wasim Jaffer making a strong comeback claim, his chances of making an Indian side are very remote.
• Venugopal Rao- Again, one too many. The Indian middle-order is packed, with more contenders makign strong claims, which makes it more difficult for this had-hitting strokemaker to make the XI. His fielding, running and boundary-hitting are not too bad.
• Gagandeep Singh- The current Indian pace attack (more a seam/swing attack) have not covered themselves in glory with the ball, and have done nothing of note elsewhere, so he may be a good choice. He's had a very good season with the ball, and he's a good fielder, but once again, he's a seam/swing bowler. He'll need conditions that suit him, so on flat pitches, he's a target. He's not such a good option for ODI's, but still worth a try, given his impressive domestic record.
• JP Yadav- More on him later, but he's the most relevant player in this list.

 

[Pratters]

b]Mohinder Amarnath[/b]- His comments on a discussion show on TV show that he has good ideas, but his man-management skills are not known. Tough call, but an unexpected choice.[/list]

I think Amarnath can actually prove a good selection. He has an unfulfilled career missing a lot do to the selector's incompetency.

He has the hunger I would assume thus.

Also, there is no denying his good cricket mind and being a good player technically, one of the best to players of fast bowling to have played for India

There are a few deterrents though. Apart from a small coaching stint cricinfo mentions, he hasnt had much experience. How would Amarnath fare at using the modern technologies a coach is known to use? Kapil Dev has failed as a coach despite being a great player. Why could Amarnath lead to the same. Wright has shown a foreign coach is away from local pressures from various regions in Indian cricket. Would Amarnath be able to face such a pressure. Recently Amarnath remarked on television that Ganguly should remain in the one dayers but not in tests. Does the man have too drastic ideas?

Amarnath is not a rash or instinctive who doesnt use his mind. He is more like Greg Chappell than Kapil Dev. A top cricketer with a good mind. Ashok Mankad has shown with Mumbai that a coach is not all about using the modern methods though they can be useful.

Amarnath is definitely a good option. As good as Chappell. I have apprehensions about Chappell despite him being the popular choice of the media and Ganguly.

Chappell is excellent. No doubt about it. He has shown coaching excellence and has a great cricketing mind. But he almost became the coach last time. He fell out over money with the Indian board. This time he categorically stated he be willing to do the job if asked by the board and wouldnt go out of his way to apply. There are money related matters and Chappell is apparently demanding too much this time too according to Sportcentre India. Too much for the Indian board's convenience. He is also demanding word in selection, again the Indian board isnt comfortable with it.

It all sends the wrong signals to a relationship with the Indian board which is stringent and could lead to a fall out even if Chappell is indeed appointed coach. Chappell is too proud a man to bow down to any thing. Indian board too haughty. It could make Indian cricket suffer if the two parties concerned fall out at any stage after Chappell is appointed coach.

Patil Will the Indian batting heroes, all excellent batsmen, listen to an average batsman from their own country? They listened to Wright but Wright had a good record as a coach and player. Buchanan is heard by Australian cricketers. But Buchanan had already proved his mettle as an excellent coach domestically. Patil has coached Kenya, India A and has experience. But I doubt if he is really excellent, top notch.

Moody Excellent results in the county circuit and a humble man, he can fall very well into place. Much like John Wright. Wouldnt carry any domestic baggages. He would be my second choice after Amarnath.

I would be happy if Amarnath or Moody got the job, a wee bit concerned if Chappell or Patil gets it.

 

[Arjun]

Wright has shown a foreign coach is away from local pressures from various regions in Indian cricket.

Unfortunately, a foreign coach (Wright in this case) will only work well with the starting lineup players, or those who have been in the team for long. He hasn't done so well with fringe players, a lot of whom were (and still are) good enough for the Indian side. If you have noticed, a lot of players who are on debut or not regular have performed rather badly when Wright was coach, and have been discarded quickly, unless some of the frontliners are injured. Balaji, Pathan and Gambhir (in Tests) were lucky that way, but some others, such as JP Yadav, Powar, Salvi, Sharma and Gambhir (in ODI's) got discarded too quickly without a recall. Indian coaches may know the domestic scene better, so they are open to working with anyone.

Moreover, an Indian coach can get the best out of temperamental players. Wadekar got good results out of Navjot singh Sidhu and Vinod Kambli, but the same can't be said of Wright. Yuvraj singh is a phenomenal batsman on his day, and in good form, can easily make a starting lineup of any team. But he's a hothead, and you don't need to be close to him (like one heckler in Mumbai) to discover how volatile his temperamet really is. That has been a reason why he's not produced good results as a batsman, but Wright hasn't done much to help. Even in Pakistan, Bob woolmer is having his own problems with Shoaib Akhtar.

Havign a foreign coach has its own advantages, but so does having a local coach. Ultimately, the tournament victories should come flowing, to decide wheether the man for the job is good enough.

 

[Arjun]

I think Venugopal Rao and Suresh Raina are the two batsmen that have shown promise AND consistency, and both can contribute with the ball as well. Shikhar Dhawan could have a bright future, but he doesn't seem ready yet.

What's your opinion of this Indian reserve side? Hopefully they will get picked for the next tour.

• AR Uthappa
• DS Jadhav
• Raina
• Venugopal Rao
• Yusuf Pathan
• Amol Mazumdar
• Irfan Pathan (captain)
• Ajay Ratra (keeper)
• Ramkumar
• RP Singh
• Abid Nabi

With Mithun Manhas, Wasim Jaffer, Amit Mishra and Gagandeep Singh (?) as reserves. They can then bring in Joginder Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan in the next series. Fielding is quite good, except probably for Amol Mazumdar, who's been around for a long time.

 

[Arjun]

Here's how some of the reserve players fared for India-A, India President's XI or the Indian touring side-

• Amit Bhandari- Bowling average of 26.7 in FC (3x5) and 27.7 in List-A
• Amit Mishra- Bowling average of 29.85 (6x5) in FC and 51.4 in ListA (including 33.5 in 2 ODI's)
• AM Salvi- Bowling average of 22.4 (2x5, 1x10) and 25 in ListA
• SS Paul- Bowling average of 18 in FC (2x5, 1x10) and 21 in ListA
• Ramesh Powar- Bowling average of 33 in FC and 31 in ListA, batting average of 39 in FC and 41 in ListA, including 32 in 2 ODI's
• Sanjay Bangar- Bowling average of 30 in FC and 29 in ListA (both shoot up taking in those bits-and-pieces figures with India), batting average of 29 in Fc and 40 in ListA (which crashes taking into account the ODI scores)/Never played FC for India-A
• JP Yadav- Bowling average of 32 in FC (1x5) and 30 in ListA; batting average of 26 in FC and 20 in ListA
• MS Dhoni- List-A batting average of 51 for India-A

 

[Pratters]

Moody seems to be heading for the Lankan job according to cricinfo.

It may well be down to a 3 horse race by the end of the week.

 

[Arjun]

Moody seems to be heading for the Lankan job according to cricinfo.

It may well be down to a 3 horse race by the end of the week.

Lankans are also keen on picking Greg Chappell.

 

[adharcric]

What's your opinion of this Indian reserve side? Hopefully they will get picked for the next tour.

• AR Uthappa
• DS Jadhav
• Raina
• Venugopal Rao
• Yusuf Pathan
• Amol Mazumdar
• Irfan Pathan (captain)
• Ajay Ratra (keeper)
• Ramkumar
• RP Singh
• Abid Nabi

With Mithun Manhas, Wasim Jaffer, Amit Mishra and Gagandeep Singh (?) as reserves. They can then bring in Joginder Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan in the next series. Fielding is quite good, except probably for Amol Mazumdar, who's been around for a long time.

Perhaps Amol Muzumdar should be replaced with Niraj Patel. As for the keeper, doesn't matter much to me but I guess you're right with the idea of having a safe man behind the stumps to help out the bowlers (at least i think that was you ..). Not sure if Ramkumar and Amit Mishra should get the nod over Ramesh Powar. RP Singh and Abid Nabi both seem to be solid selections, other seamers to consider would be SS Paul, R Bose, G Singh, J Sharma, V Singh.

 

[adharcric]

What's your opinion of this Indian reserve side? Hopefully they will get picked for the next tour.

• AR Uthappa
• DS Jadhav
• Raina
• Venugopal Rao
• Yusuf Pathan
• Amol Mazumdar
• Irfan Pathan (captain)
• Ajay Ratra (keeper)
• Ramkumar
• RP Singh
• Abid Nabi

With Mithun Manhas, Wasim Jaffer, Amit Mishra and Gagandeep Singh (?) as reserves. They can then bring in Joginder Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan in the next series. Fielding is quite good, except probably for Amol Mazumdar, who's been around for a long time.

Uthappa, Jadhav, Raina, Venugopal, Jaffer, Patel, YPathan, IPathan, keeper(?), RPSingh, Nabi, Gagandeep, Paul/Sharma, Powar, Mishra/Ramkumar .. looks like a solid 15-man squad to me