India's Upcoming Batsman - How do you rate them?

[Flem274*]

Can none of their bowlers except Ashwin use a bat? I thought Bhuvi had some FC runs, or have I mixed him up with Praveen? I know Ojha is mud, but you can hide him at eleven.

 

[Prince EWS]

Can none of their bowlers except Ashwin use a bat? I thought Bhuvi had some FC runs, or have I mixed him up with Praveen? I know Ojha is mud, but you can hide him at eleven.

Bhuvi can definitely bat, but when you've got Ashwin and Dhoni in the top seven abroad you're going to want a bit more than that at 8, especially when the entire top order is really inexperienced in the conditions and all of 9-11 are going to be gash. I really just don't think Ojha offers significantly more with the ball than Jadeja either, particularly when it's not really turning. If they're going to go with the whole "play five bowlers, two of which are spinners" thing then I think Jadeja absolutely has to play. I can get behind the argument for Jadeja to be relegated to eight in that situation but I just really think he'd be needed for balance if they were only going to play five batsmen.

.. which is basically why I just straight up wouldn't be going with that idea in South Africa. I doubt a lot is to be gained from two spinners in South Africa anyway, and with Dhoni likely to be completely incompetent with the bat in those conditions I think the meat and potatoes option of their six best batsmen, their best keeper/batsman, their best spinner and their best three quicks is really the way to go.

 

[Shri]

I think Zak, Shami and Beauy should play in the XI in SA. Ojha will probably not be selected for either test just like what happened in the Aus away series last year. I would go:

Vijay
Dhawan
Pujara
Sharma
Kohli
Ashwin
Jadeja
Dhoni
Bhuvi
Khan
Shami

 

[Jono]

Don't mind the team, and whilst it'll never happen, Dhoni at 8 isn't the worst idea. I'd drop Jadeja for Rahane. Need batting depth. We can live without the second spinner.

 

[Shri]

Jadeja is there just in case Zak breaks down and we suddenly only have 3 bowlers for a match.

 

[Maximas]

Bring Yadav, his pace and bounce is needed in SA conditions - a bit like what Dilhara Fernando was able to do for SL a couple years ago

 

[Salamuddin]

I think it's quite bizarre that India completely ****ed up replacing Sourav Ganguly for 4 years, yet managed to replace Dravid, Laxman and seemingly Tendulkar so easily.

Probably because they never really looked beyond Raina and Yuvraj as replacements for Ganguly until now.

 

[Daemon]

I think Zak, Shami and Beauy should play in the XI in SA. Ojha will probably not be selected for either test just like what happened in the Aus away series last year. I would go:

Vijay
Dhawan
Pujara
Sharma
Kohli
Ashwin
Jadeja
Dhoni
Bhuvi
Khan
Shami

No way. Even if if they do go with this XI, the batting order won't and shouldn't work this way. Jadeja isn't a better bat as compared to Dhoni and while Ashwin has been great recently and does look like he has it in him to be somewhat consistent, he probably isn't either and needs to concentrate on his bowling.

More importantly, none of Ashwin, Jadeja and Dhoni are test #6s. We have to have a proper batsmen there, especially considering the problems with batting in that part of the world we've had since forever. 3 seamers and Ashwin is ideal and if they really really want a second spinner one of the pacers has to be dropped. There is just no way we can take on South Africa without six of our best batsmen. It's going to be a struggle as it is, no point handicapping ourselves further just for that extra left arm option.

I mean we're playing Steyn, Philander and Morkel ffs. Take no chances.

 

[Shri]

Dhoni shouldn't bat above 8 in SA if there is seam movement in the pitch. Maybe drop Jadeja, pick a specialist bat for #6 and play Ash at 7.

 

[Maximas]

Is Dhoni really that inadequate at no 7 outside the SC? Honestly, India are gonna need all their bowlers and all their batsmen, pick six batsmen, 4 bowlers and Dhoni to keep, specialists doing their job is what will win you matches IMO

 

[Flem274*]

Bhuvi can definitely bat, but when you've got Ashwin and Dhoni in the top seven abroad you're going to want a bit more than that at 8, especially when the entire top order is really inexperienced in the conditions and all of 9-11 are going to be gash. I really just don't think Ojha offers significantly more with the ball than Jadeja either, particularly when it's not really turning. If they're going to go with the whole "play five bowlers, two of which are spinners" thing then I think Jadeja absolutely has to play. I can get behind the argument for Jadeja to be relegated to eight in that situation but I just really think he'd be needed for balance if they were only going to play five batsmen.

.. which is basically why I just straight up wouldn't be going with that idea in South Africa. I doubt a lot is to be gained from two spinners in South Africa anyway, and with Dhoni likely to be completely incompetent with the bat in those conditions I think the meat and potatoes option of their six best batsmen, their best keeper/batsman, their best spinner and their best three quicks is really the way to go.

You just know they're going to include Jadeja or Raina in that best six bats though....

 

[Shri]

Hey Ganguly learnt to deal with the short stuff in the final 1-2 years in his career. There is still hope for Raina. He just needs to stop attacking short bowling and needs to let more balls go instead of poking at everything. But no selecting the **** now will be so bad.

 

[Flem274*]

He doesn't attack short bowling, he pokes and prods at it, but otherwise yeah I agree there is always hope.

 

[Spark]

Is Dhoni really that inadequate at no 7 outside the SC? Honestly, India are gonna need all their bowlers and all their batsmen, pick six batsmen, 4 bowlers and Dhoni to keep, specialists doing their job is what will win you matches IMO

I think people have memories of the 4-0 4-0 series in mind when they say that about Dhoni, where he seemed to have invented a unique and highly efficient way of getting the ball from bat to slip/gully as quickly as possible.

 

[Shri]

I think people have memories of the 4-0 4-0 series in mind when they say that about Dhoni, where he seemed to have invented a unique and highly efficient way of getting the ball from bat to slip/gully as quickly as possible.

Ugh, bottom handed hard poke which goes to slip on balls slightly deviating away from the off stump line. You can count on it again. He showed he still does it in Mumbai. He will do it again.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I think people have memories of the 4-0 4-0 series in mind when they say that about Dhoni, where he seemed to have invented a unique and highly efficient way of getting the ball from bat to slip/gully as quickly as possible.

It's because he tries to play like a proper batsman. I honestly think he'd be better off just having a slog... Just rely on his power and eye. He did exactly that in one of the drubbing in England and got 50s in both innings. IIRC it was the match where Dravid didn't score a hundred

 

[JontyPanesar]

You just know they're going to include Jadeja or Raina in that best six bats though....

Well they played Jaddu behind Dhoni...if a ****house batsman like Dhoni can play ahead of you, what does that stay about your own batting?

 

[JontyPanesar]

It's because he tries to play like a proper batsman. I honestly think he'd be better off just having a slog... Just rely on his power and eye. He did exactly that in one of the drubbing in England and got 50s in both innings. IIRC it was the match where Dravid didn't score a hundred

I believe what you're suggesting is that Dhoni bat like Matt Prior

If you can call what Prior does as 'batting' (more like 'slogging' )

 

[JontyPanesar]

Hey Ganguly learnt to deal with the short stuff in the final 1-2 years in his career. There is still hope for Raina. He just needs to stop attacking short bowling and needs to let more balls go instead of poking at everything. But no selecting the **** now will be so bad.

He's also atrocious versus spin. His Ranji record is also highly mediocre. He'd need to put in 2 or 3 amazing Ranji seasons in addition to sorting out his short-ball and spin issues for me to think he's better than so many players I rate ahead of him.

 

[Cevno]

Rayudu / Rahane should be the next to get a go in the batting lineup, imo unless they want to go to someone new like Juneja or the forgotten Badrinath which is unlikely. Rahane being first in line.

Gambhir will probably end up going to South Africa as 3rd choice opener too.

Just hope they don't go back to Raina/Yuvraj again.