Indian Cricket ... what next?

[Arjun]

Gurkripal Singh Bajwa

Bajwhaaaaaaaaaa?

FEDERAL AGENT: "Houston, we have a problem"
HOUSTON: "Ummm.... Who, or rather what, is that?"
KIRAN MORE: "They better stick to space exploration"
GOOGLE: "We didn't find any Web pages matching the following criteria"

 

[Arjun]

Why not Badani ? Why do you want Powar ? More Mumbai players in the side ?

Because he's needed for a task. No real problem having a lot of Mumbai players in the side- they have been winning tournaments for years, including two back-to-back Ranji titles. No problem picking players from TN or UP either, since they get their basics right. But some players are needed for a particular task, some are not.

u say Badani blocks singles when wickets fall, so does Yuvraj.

Yuvraj does not spend all his time blocking and leaving when wickets fall, but starts taking singles. He then builds a partnership (mostly with Dravid or Kaif) and finally starts attacking in the final overs. That's more likely to win matches than just blocking all day.

And how many have they won with Yuvraj in the side ? one ?

Three. One in England, one against Pakistan and one in the West Indies.

And if you think Yuvraj can do things better than Badani, I guess hes been just warming up for the last 100 games, eh ?

Yuvraj has two ODI centuries, while Badani has one. Yuvraj has as many as 12 ODI 50's, and he has a better strike rate. More importantly, he wins matches, and doesn't play for his place.

Theres a limit to ones patience. There was a period after Yuvrajs second coming into the side when he notched up useful half centuries regularly. Now hes almost turned full circle and is asking to be dropped again.

I do agree, Yuvraj is not setting the scene on fire as he did in 2002, (in my plans, he doesn't make the starting lineup) but to discard him because of one bad season would not be fair on the player or the team. If you have seen all of his best innings, you would know that he is a very talented player, who can be devastating when in form. When at his best, he would fit into any batting lineup. There is one problem- he is quite temperamental, so here the role of the coach is crucial. Ajit Wadekar got the best out of Sidhu and Kambli. He needs to calm down, fine-tune his skills and take more singles.

 

[Arjun]

Some of these articles are worth a read-

• VRV Horsepower.
• Abid Nabi has just begun his run-up.
• Ranji hero heads for B’desh to try his luck.

 

[Arjun]

Dravid at #6 is preposterous.

He's more effective in the middle/final overs than in the first 15. He acn take a little time, run lots of singles, then hit that odd four, then go ballistic in the final five overs. These are the kind of innings I was thinking of, when I suggested Dravid at #6-

• Ind v/s Zim, March 2001- He scored 66 of 57 balls, most of them in singles, at number 4.
• Ind v/s NZ at Hyderabad, November 2003- An explosive 50 of 22 deliveries, which had a knockout punch effect on the Kiwis.
• Ind v/s Pak A, Feb 2004- 90 of just 65.
• Ind v/s Pak, Karachi, Feb 2004- 99 in a little over 100 balls.

Not only will he be more useful there, but Kaif can take more time to settle and play his natural game, rather than try to force the pace.

 

[Deja moo]

Yuvraj does not spend all his time blocking and leaving when wickets fall, but starts taking singles. He then builds a partnership (mostly with Dravid or Kaif) and finally starts attacking in the final overs. That's more likely to win matches than just blocking all day.

Which is something we havent seen Yuvraj do for a long time. Rather than take singles, all he does is try to blast his way out of the situation, which coupled with his poor technique leads to his downfall.

Three. One in England, one against Pakistan and one in the West Indies.Yuvraj has two ODI centuries, while Badani has one. Yuvraj has as many as 12 ODI 50's, and he has a better strike rate.

Which has more to with Yuvraj playing 117 games as opposed to Badani who has been given 40 or so. They have similar ratios of 100s and 50s to matches.

I do agree, Yuvraj is not setting the scene on fire as he did in 2002, (in my plans, he doesn't make the starting lineup) but to discard him because of one bad season would not be fair on the player or the team. If you have seen all of his best innings, you would know that he is a very talented player, who can be devastating when in form. When at his best, he would fit into any batting lineup. There is one problem- he is quite temperamental, so here the role of the coach is crucial. Ajit Wadekar got the best out of Sidhu and Kambli. He needs to calm down, fine-tune his skills and take more singles.

Why not ? Dropping him once did him a world of good. Theres a fine difference between playing for the team and not contributing at all.

 

[Arjun]

Why not ? Dropping him once did him a world of good. Theres a fine difference between playing for the team and not contributing at all.

That's what I am saying- drop him for some time, he needs a shake-up, but don't forget about him.

Rather than take singles, all he does is try to blast his way out of the situation, which coupled with his poor technique leads to his downfall.

Yuvraj is a counter-attack player. When the Indians had lost a lot of wickets in Perth, he played more positively and his contribution was quite significant in getting the team past 200. His technique is not the worst, but his shot-selection must improve.

 

[Arjun]

Now look at this team- they can usrely give the current Indian side (minus Kaif and Balaji, who make this side) a godo run for their money-

• S Vidyut(8)
• Rohit Prakash
• Mohammed Kaif
• Suresh Raina
• S Badrinath
• S Sriram(4)
• Praveen Kumar(8)
• Amir Khan/KKD Karthik(+)
• L Balaji(10)
• R Ramkumar(10)
• RP Singh(10)

This is a combined team of the TN and UP sides that tied the Ranji OD final. If you look at how they played, both teams played well- note the word TEAM. Lots of singles were taken, partnerships were built, the fielders supported their bowlers and the support bowlers helped the strikers. They showed good application, which we would like to see in the national side.

 

[Deja moo]

That's what I am saying- drop him for some time, he needs a shake-up, but don't forget about him.Yuvraj is a counter-attack player. When the Indians had lost a lot of wickets in Perth, he played more positively and his contribution was quite significant in getting the team past 200. His technique is not the worst, but his shot-selection must improve.

Exactly. When was the last time he played a good hand in a chase ?

 

[honestbharani]

Because he's needed for a task. No real problem having a lot of Mumbai players in the side- they have been winning tournaments for years, including two back-to-back Ranji titles. No problem picking players from TN or UP either, since they get their basics right. But some players are needed for a particular task, some are not.Yuvraj does not spend all his time blocking and leaving when wickets fall, but starts taking singles. He then builds a partnership (mostly with Dravid or Kaif) and finally starts attacking in the final overs. That's more likely to win matches than just blocking all day.Three. One in England, one against Pakistan and one in the West Indies.Yuvraj has two ODI centuries, while Badani has one. Yuvraj has as many as 12 ODI 50's, and he has a better strike rate. More importantly, he wins matches, and doesn't play for his place.I do agree, Yuvraj is not setting the scene on fire as he did in 2002, (in my plans, he doesn't make the starting lineup) but to discard him because of one bad season would not be fair on the player or the team. If you have seen all of his best innings, you would know that he is a very talented player, who can be devastating when in form. When at his best, he would fit into any batting lineup. There is one problem- he is quite temperamental, so here the role of the coach is crucial. Ajit Wadekar got the best out of Sidhu and Kambli. He needs to calm down, fine-tune his skills and take more singles.

did u see how he got INdia out of a hole against Australia in the first final of last year's VB series? He and Agarkar got us to a respectable score of 230+ after having been less than hundred for 6 or something. The guy has the temperament to guts it out when the going is tough (he scored a 100 against New Zealand in a tour game with a fractured wrist...) and is easily one of the coolest players amongst the juniors in tight situations..... And I have seen him do well against sides like Australia quite a number of times, which is a proof of his ability.

 

[Arjun]

did u see how he got INdia out of a hole against Australia in the first final of last year's VB series? He and Agarkar got us to a respectable score of 230+ after having been less than hundred for 6 or something.

Is that something great? Did they win that match? That made absolutely no difference since the Melbourne pitch was one of the flattest in that whole series. On such pitches, 230+ is too small, particularly when that attack didn't have McGrath or Warne, while those reserve bowlers were no great shakes either.

The guy has the temperament to guts it out when the going is tough (he scored a 100 against New Zealand in a tour game with a fractured wrist...) and is easily one of the coolest players amongst the juniors in tight situations..... And I have seen him do well against sides like Australia quite a number of times, which is a proof of his ability.

Maybe he does, but he's not a genuine match-winner, if you talk of ODI's. Quite often, we see him throw his wicket away when well set- he's just got 4 scores over 50. The same can also be said about Yuvraj, when his volatile temperament does not come in the way of things. However, Yuvraj is a genuine matchwinner, while Badani just looks tough but can't change the course of a match, while Dinesh Mongia just makes merry when things are going very well, only to fail in crunch scenes.

That said, Sriram should be considered as a limited-overs reserve, since his batting fits in quite well there. Effective in the middle overs, he can place the ball in gaps, run lots of singles and can even hit more than a few boundaries. Rohan Gavaskar also seems a good choice for a tough situation, as a batsman, but after his disappointing performance in Holland and England, his chances of a recall are slim. UP's Suresh Raina is another one of te better OD prospects, averaging over 50, but is not seasoned, and needs to play for India A first. NS Shetty from Mumbai has an average bordering on 50 in List-A matches in India, but is over 30 and hasn't got any international experience, though the publich who have seen him may rate him highly. Common theme? All are left-handed!

 

[honestbharani]

Is that something great? Did they win that match? That made absolutely no difference since the Melbourne pitch was one of the flattest in that whole series. On such pitches, 230+ is too small, particularly when that attack didn't have McGrath or Warne, while those reserve bowlers were no great shakes either.Maybe he does, but he's not a genuine match-winner, if you talk of ODI's. Quite often, we see him throw his wicket away when well set- he's just got 4 scores over 50. The same can also be said about Yuvraj, when his volatile temperament does not come in the way of things. However, Yuvraj is a genuine matchwinner, while Badani just looks tough but can't change the course of a match, while Dinesh Mongia just makes merry when things are going very well, only to fail in crunch scenes.

That said, Sriram should be considered as a limited-overs reserve, since his batting fits in quite well there. Effective in the middle overs, he can place the ball in gaps, run lots of singles and can even hit more than a few boundaries. Rohan Gavaskar also seems a good choice for a tough situation, as a batsman, but after his disappointing performance in Holland and England, his chances of a recall are slim. UP's Suresh Raina is another one of te better OD prospects, averaging over 50, but is not seasoned, and needs to play for India A first. NS Shetty from Mumbai has an average bordering on 50 in List-A matches in India, but is over 30 and hasn't got any international experience, though the publich who have seen him may rate him highly. Common theme? All are left-handed!

There has been NO Warne in their attack for more than a year now... And whatever attack they had was still good enough to reduce India to 80 odd for 6... So I am assuming it was a more than decent attack for ODIs. I don't know why the value of that knock should get reduced because India didn't win the match. At that time, the highest winning total while chasing at the MCG was around 230, so I don't think it was his fault that India lost. He gave us a 20-30% chance of winning though when he walked in, we had like 0% chance of winning and that to me means it was a meaningful knock....


Plus, I am advocating him for the no.6 slot, where, given most tracks around the world, India will not (actually, should not) get into trouble often. He can play the big shots off the quickies and the spinners well, is a good fielder and a decent change bowler who can bowl 4to 5 overs a game without going for too many as he bowls a flat trajectory and uses his height to good effect. I still think he is a better option than Mongia. I am not saying Badani is our Bevan, but I think he is the best option for that extra batting slot vacated by Sourav.

 

[Arjun]

Plus, I am advocating him for the no.6 slot, where, given most tracks around the world, India will not (actually, should not) get into trouble often. He can play the big shots off the quickies and the spinners well, is a good fielder and a decent change bowler who can bowl 4to 5 overs a game without going for too many as he bowls a flat trajectory and uses his height to good effect. I still think he is a better option than Mongia. I am not saying Badani is our Bevan, but I think he is the best option for that extra batting slot vacated by Sourav.

No doubt he is a good batsman, but there are so many to choose from, and of this lot, Sriram and Shetty are the best choices at present. Even at six, Sriram would be more effective, going by his recent OD form, even playing for India-A. Badani has been tried quite often and the India team hasn't won too many with him, so they can try someone else for some time. The next best alternative isn't too bad- Mohammed Kaif wasn't.

The last thing the Indian team needs are those 4-over bowlers. They are the weakest link in the attack, far weaker than an out-of-form Balaji or Nehra. They don't have the experience, they don't have the practice, they don't have the skills to completely take over the task alloted for a regular bowler. You'll see combined figures of 10-0-83-1 regularly. What they need is a strike bowler at number 7, who can hit the ball very hard and score quickly. Rather than add extra batsmen in a bid to score runs, the team has to have top six batsmen who score more, and score quick.

Exactly. When was the last time he (Yuvraj) played a good hand in a chase ?

It may be a little longer than you want, but he has anchored the team to victory in more than a few chases, and that shows he can do the job, if he sticks to the task.

 

[Arjun]

Bob Woolmer's column about three-dimensional players makes a lot of sense- the team needs such players a lot more.

 

[adharcric]

In the near future, what do you think of this as a possible 15-man ODI squad for India?

V Sehwag, S Tendulkar, R Dravid, M Kaif
3 from (Y Singh, S Ganguly, V Laxman, S Sriram, H Badani, S Raina, V Rao, S Dhawan)
JP Yadav / R Powar / Y Pathan
M Dhoni
I Pathan, Z Khan, H Singh
2 from (A Nehra, A Agarkar, L Balaji, VRV Sharma, A Nabi, A Bhandari)
M Kartik / A Kumble / A Mishra

this is of course assuming that Pathan gets back to his usual self "in the near future" ... your thoughts?

 

[shoot_me]

• S Vidyut(8)
• Rohit Prakash
• Mohammed Kaif
• Suresh Raina
• S Badrinath
• S Sriram(4)
• Praveen Kumar(8)
• Amir Khan/KKD Karthik(+)
• L Balaji(10)
• R Ramkumar(10)
• RP Singh(10)

I like your idea but question--what do the numbers represent?

 

[aliG]

what the hell happened to gambhir! great talent man. certainly in better stroking form then kair/yuvraj, methinks.

tendulkar and ganguly have been **** upon by indian fans. both of these players are awsome and are going through poo patches. they will come along! let them be in the team.

 

[Arjun]

I like your idea but question--what do the numbers represent?

Break-up of overs.

what the hell happened to gambhir! great talent man. certainly in better stroking form then kair/yuvraj, methinks.

Fully agree there, but Kaif is more vital as a partnership-builder. Gambhir will do very well in ODI's, given his style of batting and success playing for A-teams, as well as his superior fielding and running between wickets.

both of these players are awsome and are going through poo patches. they will come along! let them be in the team.

Agreed, Tendulkar isn't as bad as fans make him out to be, but there's no way Ganguly deserves to be in a one-day side, given his terrible fielding and lack of runs between wickets. Better to go in with someone like Kaif- New Zealand have five Mohammed Kaif types in their bating lineup and are far ahead of the Indians in ODI's.

 

[Arjun]

In the near future, what do you think of this as a possible 15-man ODI squad for India?

V Sehwag, S Tendulkar, R Dravid, M Kaif
3 from (Y Singh, S Ganguly, V Laxman, S Sriram, H Badani, S Raina, V Rao, S Dhawan)
JP Yadav / R Powar / Y Pathan
M Dhoni
I Pathan, Z Khan, H Singh
2 from (A Nehra, A Agarkar, L Balaji, VRV Sharma, A Nabi, A Bhandari)
M Kartik / A Kumble / A Mishra

this is of course assuming that Pathan gets back to his usual self "in the near future" ... your thoughts?

1. Fully agree, but with Sachin at 4,5 or 6.
2. Those three should be Yuvraj, Laxman and Gambhir (more seasoned than Dhawan).
3. Both JP Yadav and Ramesh Powar. Yusuf Pathan is not seasoned either.
4. Obvious.
5. Pathan is not seasoned, but Zaheer must be given a lot more support than he's been getting. He's the most seasoned strike bowler and also the most effective. He's taken wickets in crucial instants in most matches with his own ability and not the batting sides' mistakes. At his best, he can be a competent swing bowler, as he was in 2002, but needs to stay fit and requires support from fielders.
6. Nehra's recent form should keep him in. Vikram Singh may be brought in for one series and played in all matches, given his full 10 overs and attackign fields- he should be encouraged to bowl fast, since he can. Whatever Agarkar can do, Pathan can do better.
7. Only Kumble, with Mishra as cover.

Pathan must play two or three series in an A-team before his return to the side, and must also work on taking more singles in an innings- he plays out too many dot balls.

 

[honestbharani]

Why no Bhajji?

 

[luckyeddie]

Why no Bhajji?

Just having the main course today

(sorry)