Indian test team for South Africa

[Gajanayake]

Who do you think should be in the 16 man touring party to SA ?

I'd be tempted to pick something like this:

Sehwag
Jaffer
Gambhir

Dravid
Laxman
Kaif
Tendulkar

Dhoni
Parthiv Patel

Harbhajan
Kumble
Sreesanth
Munaf patel
VRv Singh
Irfan Pathan
Laxmi Balaji

 

[R_D]

Sehwag
Jaffer
Dravid
Tendulkar
Laxman
Yuvraj
Kaif
Dhoni
D Karthik
Munaf
Sreesanth
Irfan
Kumble
Harbhjan
Zaheer khan
RP Singh

 

[adharcric]

The test matches in India's tour of South Africa will take place in December. Until then, we have the Malaysia tri-series, the Champions Trophy, the Challenger Trophy and five one-day matches with the South Africans. Although these are all one-day matches, they will play a role in the composition of the test team. Perhaps the most important of all will be the Challenger Trophy, which will exhibit 39 of the top cricketers in India. The Duleep Trophy, which will happen in October and November, will also be vital for guys like Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Murali Kartik. Finally, we might get a round or two of Ranji Trophy matches in before these crucial test matches. Still, there won't be any international test matches before then, so don't expect drastic changes. Keeping all that in mind, let's take a look at what the team composition should look like.

Opening Batsmen
Virender Sehwag (guarantee)
Wasim Jaffer (guarantee)
Gautam Gambhir

Middle-order Batsmen
Rahul Dravid (guarantee)
Sachin Tendulkar (guarantee)
VVS Laxman (guarantee)
Yuvraj Singh (guarantee)
Mohammad Kaif (guarantee)
Suresh Raina
Venugopal Rao

Wicketkeepers
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (guarantee)
Dinesh Karthik
Parthiv Patel

Seamers
Irfan Pathan (guarantee)
Munaf Patel (guarantee)
Sreesanth (guarantee)
Rudra Pratap Singh
Vikram Rajvir Singh
Zaheer Khan
Lakshmipathy Balaji

Spinners
Anil Kumble (guarantee)
Harbahajan Singh (guarantee)
Ramesh Powar
Murali Kartik

In South Africa, we only need two spinners but five seamers should be a good idea. Since batting is our strength and Dravid can always open if necessary, the reserve opener should be left out unless Gambhir is in very hot form at the time. The final spot would then go to a reserve keeper, which looks to be Karthik at the moment. Let's see.

 

[Gajanayake]

The test matches in India's tour of South Africa will take place in December. Until then, we have the Malaysia tri-series, the Champions Trophy, the Challenger Trophy and five one-day matches with the South Africans. Although these are all one-day matches, they will play a role in the composition of the test team. Perhaps the most important of all will be the Challenger Trophy, which will exhibit 39 of the top cricketers in India. The Duleep Trophy, which will happen in October and November, will also be vital for guys like Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji and Murali Kartik. Finally, we might get a round or two of Ranji Trophy matches in before these crucial test matches. Still, there won't be any international test matches before then, so don't expect drastic changes. Keeping all that in mind, let's take a look at what the team composition should look like.

Opening Batsmen
Virender Sehwag (guarantee)
Wasim Jaffer (guarantee)
Gautam Gambhir

Middle-order Batsmen
Rahul Dravid (guarantee)
Sachin Tendulkar (guarantee)
VVS Laxman (guarantee)
Yuvraj Singh (guarantee)
Mohammad Kaif (guarantee)
Suresh Raina
Venugopal Rao

Wicketkeepers
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (guarantee)
Dinesh Karthik
Parthiv Patel

Seamers
Irfan Pathan (guarantee)
Munaf Patel (guarantee)
Sreesanth (guarantee)
Rudra Pratap Singh
Vikram Rajvir Singh
Zaheer Khan
Lakshmipathy Balaji

Spinners
Anil Kumble (guarantee)
Harbahajan Singh (guarantee)
Ramesh Powar
Murali Kartik

In South Africa, we only need two spinners but five seamers should be a good idea. Since batting is our strength and Dravid can always open if necessary, the reserve opener should be left out unless Gambhir is in very hot form at the time. The final spot would then go to a reserve keeper, which looks to be Karthik at the moment. Let's see.

I wouldn't read a great deal into Zaheer's county form. India have been down that road before........I still maintain Zaheer will only ever be mediocre at test level at best.
I honestly think India would be better off if they look beyond Zaheer, Agarkar and Nehra now.

 

[adharcric]

I wouldn't read a great deal into Zaheer's county form. India have been down that road before........I still maintain Zaheer will only ever be mediocre at test level at best.
I honestly think India would be better off if they look beyond Zaheer, Agarkar and Nehra now.

Why? They aren't the ones at fault for our pathetic pace selections of the past. If they're good enough, they should be picked. We've already seen that Agarkar is good enough for the one-day side. Nehra at his best is deadly, one of the few guys that can work up the pace effortlessly. As for Zaheer, let him do what he can to prove himself. As long as the selectors reward performance and only that, we'll be fine.

 

[Gajanayake]

Why? They aren't the ones at fault for our pathetic pace selections of the past. If they're good enough, they should be picked. We've already seen that Agarkar is good enough for the one-day side. Nehra at his best is deadly, one of the few guys that can work up the pace effortlessly. As for Zaheer, let him do what he can to prove himself. As long as the selectors reward performance and only that, we'll be fine.

Nehra hasn't done anything at test level though to suggest he is deadly and he's too prone to injury to be relied upon.
Zaheer has a mediocre record after 42 tests - how many more chances are you willing to give him ? The only times I've ever seen Zaheer bowl well were in very seamer firendly conditions e.g NZL 2002, Brisbane December 2003.
I don't have a problem with AA in the ODI team but it's pretty clear to me that he';s not cut out for test cricket - and his record proves that.

 

[adharcric]

Nehra hasn't done anything at test level though to suggest he is deadly and he's too prone to injury to be relied upon.
Zaheer has a mediocre record after 42 tests - how many more chances are you willing to give him ? The only times I've ever seen Zaheer bowl well were in very seamer firendly conditions e.g NZL 2002, Brisbane December 2003.
I don't have a problem with AA in the ODI team but it's pretty clear to me that he';s not cut out for test cricket - and his record proves that.

Yeah I was referring to Nehra and Agarkar at the ODI level. Only Zaheer should be considered for the test team, simply because of his rocking form in county cricket. English conditions may support pace bowlers, but you can't overlook the point that Zaheer has outperformed nearly all the pace bowlers in English cricket this season (bar the nationals) and they have a pretty high standard of pace bowling in general. If he can do it again in the Duleep Trophy, I say he's got a good chance to replace RP or VRV.

 

[cricketboy29]

I sincerely hope IKP goes back to his 135+ speed, seeing him bowl under 130 turned me off Indian Cricket for sometime...

I'd argue against Laxman and Kaif's inclusion...I really don't want to see Laxman in the field. His ugliness in the field overpowers the gloriousness of his bat..and Kaif i dont think is a sure-fire selection for Tests. Unless this was a ODI-side?.