***Official*** England in India

[honestbharani]

so I guess England A > India A...


More seriously, India played rather complacently today. But to give credit where it is due, England utilized the good bounce and pace that this pitch offers to the fullest. They bowled with a good plan, they kept bowling it wide of off stump to kaif and then suddenly nailed him with a quick, full inswinger. But Sehwag and Yuvi threw their wickets away. And Raina was given a working with the short stuff and I felt was unlucky to get caught down the leg side. (I think all batsmen who get out that way should consider themselves unlucky). Rao looked good but was done in by a little beauty from Anderson, although he didn't help his cause by playing across the line and trying to flick that outswinger. Dhoni and Powar did a great job but the rest were just idiots out there when batting.

And England batted really well. STrauss and co hanged back on the crease, waited for the full balls and drove them away. The spinners, as usual, gave them a scare or two, but the target was too low to contemplate any miracles from the Indian point of view. Congrats England. They have shown good spirit and held their chins up against bad form and tough conditions and strong opponents throughout the tour and they deserved at least one win. Bring on Indore. BTW, I think there is a good chance that Dhoni might be rested for that game. Remains to be seen whether Dinesh Kaarthick gets a game or whether Uthappa will be asked to keep.

 

[adharcric]

Breaking News! AA Dropped!

So Agarkar and Dhoni go out for the 7th ODI and Dravid and Karthik come in. I would go with something like the following:

Sehwag
Uthappa
Dravid*
Kaif
Raina
Rao
Karthik+
Pathan
Powar
VR Singh (maybe Munaf)
Sreesanth

Rao and VRV need two consecutive chances. Yuvraj and Bhajji need rest after contributing with bat and ball lately. Dhoni does as well and has been duly replaced by Karthik. RPS bowled rubbish at Jamshedpur and Sreesanth should return as his form is more important. Sehwag and Kaif should play as this is (or should be) one of their last chances to prove that they can cut it in this one-day side. Both have been pathetic of late. Btw, I really hope Sehwag isn't our next captain, he looks like a stupid beggar compared to Dravid. I'm afraid that irresponsible batting style will carry over into this captaincy as well. I'd prefer Dhoni or Yuvraj. Also, we really shouldn't be playing 5 bowlers at home because we have a handful of part-time options that are good enough on tracks offering some turn. Raina and Rao MUST be utilized in the final ODI as part-time bowlers.

 

[honestbharani]

yay for Kaarthick getting a chance. And yay @ my prediction being right. I have become the source for insider info on Indian cricket here.

 

[adharcric]

yay for Kaarthick getting a chance. And yay @ my prediction being right. I have become the source for insider info on Indian cricket here.

I predicted it too, but fine you take the honor. My wish has been granted, AA has been (temporarily) banished. That's enough to float my boat.

 

[SJS]

So Agarkar and Dhoni go out for the 7th ODI and Dravid and Karthik come in. I would go with something like the following:

Sehwag
Uthappa
Dravid*
Kaif
Raina
Rao
Karthik+
Pathan
Powar
VR Singh (maybe Munaf)
Sreesanth

Rao and VRV need two consecutive chances. Yuvraj and Bhajji need rest after contributing with bat and ball lately. Dhoni does as well and has been duly replaced by Karthik. RPS bowled rubbish at Jamshedpur and Sreesanth should return as his form is more important. Sehwag and Kaif should play as this is (or should be) one of their last chances to prove that they can cut it in this one-day side. Both have been pathetic of late. Btw, I really hope Sehwag isn't our next captain, he looks like a stupid beggar compared to Dravid. I'd prefer Dhoni or Yuvraj. Also, we really shouldn't be playing 5 bowlers at home because we have a handful of part-time options that are good enough on tracks offering some turn. Raina and Rao MUST be utilized in the final ODI as part-time bowlers.

I think they might play another bowler. I agree Rao Raina etc must be tried as bowlers but doubt if they will go with four bowlers.

The medium pacers have been found wanting so far in ODI's Pathan (and to some extent Sreesanth) excepted. This would be a bit of a concern. I think continuing Kaif when he is struggling is unfair to Kaif himself. Another bad score will make his problems worse.

He needs a break...away. If he does play, I hope he proves me wrong.

 

[honestbharani]

That is one part that should never be yayed at.


AA is being rested, for all you idiots who think he has been "dropped". Nobody ever dares to drop the Almighty.

 

[adharcric]

I think India can only play 5 bowlers when Pathan AND Powar (in the future Chawla perhaps) are at 7 and 8. Otherwise the lineup becomes vulnerable. Pathan is especially huge because he comes in at 3 and absorbs all the pressure, which helps our middle-order bats set up a big target without pressure.

Another enigma is Munaf Patel's batting. His domestic stats would indicate that he's solid, his reputation on CW would indicate that he's solid, yet when you watch him bat, he has some terrible technique and the management obviously thinks so too, with him coming after RP Singh and all.

Finally, Dhoni was brilliant today. Showed once again what a versatile batsman he is turning into.

 

[adharcric]

That is one part that should never be yayed at.


AA is being rested, for all you idiots who think he has been "dropped". Nobody ever dares to drop the Almighty.

Rested from what? He's been sitting on the bench mostly of late.

 

[SJS]

Rested from what? He's been sitting on the bench mostly of late.

He is being rested from that duty and allowed to go home and lie down on a bed

 

[adharcric]

Now Cricinfo suggesting from Sehwag's comments that Sehwag and Kaif may be rested at Indore. Will we even have anyone left in the team by the end of all this?

Uthappa, Dravid*, Pathan, Yuvraj, Raina, Rao, Karthik+, Powar, Bhajji, VR Singh, Sreesanth ...?

 

[TT Boy]

Now Cricinfo suggesting from Sehwag's comments that Sehwag and Kaif may be rested at Indore. Will we even have anyone left in the team by the end of all this?

They will not contributing, so it should be a positive should it not?

 

[adharcric]

They will not contributing, so it should be a positive should it not?

As long as it helps them find form somehow, sure it is. The more immediate question would be, who opens .. and since Sehwag's experimental partner (dhoni, dravid, etc) usually doesn't take strike, will we throw a debutant in to take strike at Indore?

 

[open365]

As long as it helps them find form somehow, sure it is. The more immediate question would be, who opens .. and since Sehwag's experimental partner (dhoni, dravid, etc) usually doesn't take strike, will we throw a debutant in to take strike at Indore?

I don't see how that has any relevance on team selection, taking strike first ball of an innings is not a big deal, in fact, i think most batsmen(me included) like to take the first ball so they don't have to wait around before they get a chance.

 

[adharcric]

I don't see how that has any relevance on team selection, taking strike first ball of an innings is not a big deal, in fact, i think most batsmen(me included) like to take the first ball so they don't have to wait around before they get a chance.

come to think of it, i have no idea why i brought that up.
it really isn't such a big deal.

 

[TT Boy]

As long as it helps them find form somehow, sure it is. The more immediate question would be, who opens .. and since Sehwag's experimental partner (dhoni, dravid, etc) usually doesn't take strike, will we throw a debutant in to take strike at Indore?

No, Pathan to open with Dravid or play the kid who was just called up, Uthappa. No bigger, he will have to open some day, it‘s a requisite in Indian cricket that every middle order batsman will have to open sometime.

 

[adharcric]

Uthappa is a regular opener btw.

 

[DanielFullard]

Interesting game this morning. India didn't seem up for it at all though but still I don’t want to detract from what was a good win from England. Strauss was playing marvellous Cricket and if he could do that more consistently he would be one of the best in the world but as this ODI series shows, he isn't quite at that level of consistency to make him up there with the current greats in the game. I never feel safe when he is batting and for instance with Pietersen you just feel he is going to get runs and you can have faith in him, but I for one don't have that faith in Strauss

I hope the decision to not include Ali today will mark the end of his ODI career for the next few months

 

[marc71178]

Watching RP Singh bowl you get to appreciate that Sajid Mahmood, Kabir Ali and co are not that bad.

No, they are.

 

[marc71178]

First thought was maybe it's a length thing - but Pathan & Bracken are equally full, maybe a reverse swing thing - no, Hoggy can do that - maybe it's cutters and slower balls, nope (ask Veeru). I don't get it.

Bracken and Pathan, left armers.
Hoggard?

 

[kvemuri]

That is one part that should never be yayed at.


AA is being rested, for all you idiots who think he has been "dropped". Nobody ever dares to drop the Almighty.

err...from what I suppose? he hardly did anything of worth as a regular player..of late he hasn't been a regular either (thank God for that). The only ppl i see being disappointed and depressed with AA not being a part of Indian team (other than his "idiot" fans of course) are the opposition batsmen