***Official*** England in India

[adharcric]

BTW, why did you leave out Sreesanth from your signature?

Well, Munaf, VRV and especially Nabi have been touted as the pace demons for India. Sreesanth is awesome no doubt, but not quite in Munaf's top speed range.
Don't worry, I love Sreesanth too.

 

[adharcric]

Having got all the frustration of losing a series they felt was rightfully theirs, Indian fans will realise that they cant throw out half the team (more it seems) and survive. Here is the team that should play in the Delhi match.

1. Sehwag
2. Gambhir
3. Dravid
4. Yuvraj
5. Kaif
6. Raina
7. Dhoni
8. Pathan
9. Powar
10. RP Singh
11. Sreesanth
12. Munaf

Yes I know these are twelve. But I have no clue as to who should open and what we are going to do for the fifth bowler. Sachin has created TWO gaps in the team. Gambhir as well as an extra bowler have beeen drafted in my team. This is not a happy situation. Maybe they will ask Pathan to open and drop Gambhir.

I also suspect they will try to fit in one of Agarkar or Harbjajan since the attack has a bit of inexperienced look about it. I think that would be a mistake.

You know what, looking at how unfit Sehwag is, I'm hoping his back spasms resurface and he develops some niggle which keeps him out of this match. This is the team I'd like then.

Gautam Gambhir
Irfan Pathan
Rahul Dravid*
Yuvraj Singh
Mohammad Kaif
Suresh Raina
MS Dhoni+
Ramesh Powar
RP Singh / Harbhajan Singh
S Sreesanth
Munaf Patel

That gives you genuine batting down to #8. All the seamers are potent (please warm the bench Agarkar .. at least until VRV blasts his way to steal your spot) and if the track offers assistance, we can go with 2 spinners. We must go with 5 bowlers in ODIs because our 5th bowling option is trash right now.

 

[Swervy]

You seem quite happy to embrace the hype that surrounds England...you've expressed your view that you think they're almost the number one team, and you've said that they have one of the best batting lineups in the world. If that's not hype, what is?

I said that England, on its day, can bat as well as the rest of them....and over the last couple of years the stats back it up. It is the opinion of a lot of people that Englands batting is weak...well over the last couple of years it has been basically on a par (ok, just a tad below) with India and Australia,and in fact better than Pakistans.

So all I am saying is Englands batting is underrated, probably because it is somewhat overshadowed by the bowling

 

[adharcric]

I said that England, on its day, can bat as well as the rest of them....and over the last couple of years the stats back it up. It is the opinion of a lot of people that Englands batting is weak...well over the last couple of years it has been basically on a par (ok, just a tad below) with India and Australia,and in fact better than Pakistans.

So all I am saying is Englands batting is underrated, probably because it is somewhat overshadowed by the bowling

fair enough. care to provide some of those stats that back this up? not disputing your claim, just questioning it.

 

[Pedro Delgado]

I said that England, on its day, can bat as well as the rest of them....and over the last couple of years the stats back it up. It is the opinion of a lot of people that Englands batting is weak...well over the last couple of years it has been basically on a par (ok, just a tad below) with India and Australia,and in fact better than Pakistans.

So all I am saying is Englands batting is underrated, probably because it is somewhat overshadowed by the bowling

England seem to bat not without undue risk though, more than any of the top sides in my opinion, and could quite conceivably been bowled out far more cheaply than they have been if catches had been taken/bowlers hadn't stepped over the line.

Our line up has been fairly lucky in this regard.

/Richard.

 

[Swervy]

fair enough. care to provide some of those stats that back this up? not disputing your claim, just questioning it.

I posted something awhile ago about it...when I get back in from work tonight I will re-post it

 

[RolledOver]

You know what, looking at how unfit Sehwag is, I'm hoping his back spasms resurface and he develops some niggle which keeps him out of this match. This is the team I'd like then.

Gautam Gambhir
Irfan Pathan
Rahul Dravid*
Yuvraj Singh
Mohammad Kaif
Suresh Raina
MS Dhoni+
Ramesh Powar
RP Singh / Harbhajan Singh
S Sreesanth
Munaf Patel

That gives you genuine batting down to #8. All the seamers are potent (please warm the bench Agarkar .. at least until VRV blasts his way to steal your spot) and if the track offers assistance, we can go with 2 spinners. We must go with 5 bowlers in ODIs because our 5th bowling option is trash right now.

Drop Harb, RPS over Harb anytime, infact i would even prefer inconsistent Ajit over Harb.

 

[adharcric]

Drop Harb, RPS over Harb anytime, infact i would even prefer inconsistent Ajit over Harb.

I have a feeling Bhajji just regained his form and confidence in that Mumbai test. He's worth a shot and I'm sure he'll play, although it should be as the 2nd spinner. Powar deserves to play big time.

 

[aussie]

well i've seen some real interesting looking Indian sides since they lost the other day, just feel you Indian fans are over-reacting just little bit. Cant see how you can drop Sehwag.

 

[DanielFullard]

What time does the game start today?

 

[adharcric]

3:30 GMT RCA President's XI vs England

Projected RCA XI Lineup
G Gambhir
Vidyut S or G Khoda
R Sharma or M Kaif (cricinfo has him in the squad, rather strange)
S Raina
V Rao
A Jadeja*
P Patel+
R Powar
P Chawla
VRV Singh
RP Singh

Projected England Lineup
A Strauss
M Prior
O Shah or I Bell
K Pietersen
V Solanki*
P Collingwood
G Jones+
I Blackwell or G Batty
3 of Anderson, Hoggard, Mahmood, Plunkett and Ali

 

[pskov]

Confirmed Engalnd line-up (with my guessed batting order):

V Solakni*
M Prior+
I Bell
O Shah
K Pietersen
I Blackwell
G Batty
L Plunkett
K Ali
S Mahmood
J Anderson

Collingwood, Jones, Hoggard and Strauss are all rested and have no injury worries. Flintoff has flown home to see him newborn son and will be back for the series opener.

 

[superkingdave]

3:30 GMT RCA President's XI vs England

Projected England Lineup
A Strauss
M Prior
O Shah or I Bell
K Pietersen
V Solanki*
P Collingwood
G Jones+
I Blackwell or G Batty
3 of Anderson, Hoggard, Mahmood, Plunkett and Ali

Prior will keep apparently, Ali, Mahmood, Batty and Solanki are all playing.

12, 11 bat, 11 bowl

Solanki
Strauss
Shah
Bell
Collingwood
Prior
Blackwell
Batty
Ali
Plunkett
Mahmood
Anderson

With Flintoff(in england), Pietersen(dodgy back), Hoggard(played all 3 tests) and Geriant Jones missing out. Possibly Hoggard might play.

 

[superkingdave]

Confirmed Engalnd line-up (with my guessed batting order):

V Solakni*
M Prior+
I Bell
O Shah
K Pietersen
I Blackwell
G Batty
L Plunkett
K Ali
S Mahmood
J Anderson

Collingwood, Jones, Hoggard and Strauss are all rested and have no injury worries. Flintoff has flown home to see him newborn son and will be back for the series opener.

oh didn't see that, surprised that KP is playing he always seems to have a niggle.

 

[Jono]

But lets be fair,much of Indias success at home is due to the nature of the pitches, it suits the Indian style of play (or rather the nature of Indian pitches has moulded the way Indians have played throughout history)...the pitches in NZ suited NZ.
You are right, they have been far from poor, but that doesnt get away from the fact that Indias performances when good are blown out of proportion (apart from maybe the 1-1 draw in Australia)

Which performances. List them.

well they rarely lose at home,and even then they have now been beaten by Australia and Pakistan, and outplayed by a seriously depleted England team.

They rarely lose a series, period. The losses I pointed out, two were away, one was at home. They didn't lose to England away. They've lost 3 series.

Again, its a part of the hype about India that they had such a great batting line up a few years ago. yes, it was very good, but it was easily exposed in conditions that didnt quite suit. Australia in all honesty had a better batting line up than India even when India were at their best

When was the Indian batting line-up from 2003-2004 exposed when conditions did not suit them? It'd help if you mention these things instead of just making random comments.

I dont really think it is outlandish to say what I said. If you read what I said again, I was actually responding to what was implied by the previous poster (dont know who it was). I have said for the last 3 years that I didnt think India is as good as has been made out in the past, and all I was saying was that I wasnt the only one to see that as well.

Yes but you only came out after India lost. Where were you after they drew with Australia, beat Pakistan away, won after the 2nd test?

re; Tendulkar..at no point have I said he cant cut it in the one day arena, but no-one can deny that he isnt the batsman he was, and in fact there are probably 15-20 players in world cricket at the moment who could be considered a bigger threat than Sachin in test cricket. I genuinely see Tendulkar as a weak link in the Indian batting line up at the moment...unfortunately...and I say unfortunately because I think in the past he has been a truely great player

Tendulkar had a fine 2002. His 2003 barely had any tests in it... and explain to me how he can be past his best in 2003 in one form of the game, yet absolutely rip apart everyone in the World Cup in the same year?

re; India after the second test...no India werent overrated after the 2nd test vs England, they were overrated before the series started...and in fact I bought into the hype a bit myself. After the injuries and all that I could see the 3-0 happening. Overs 50 to 76 in Indias first innings of the series made me readjust my feelings back to what my head thought about India for the last few years, they are a team that dont like aggressive accurate bowling and have a tendancy to crumble. After the first test, I think it was clear that England on the whole are a stronger team than India, and Englands loss in the next test didnt really change my opinion on that.

Sorry if it sounds conceited, but its how I feel

Its not what you're saying that sounds conceited, its the convenient times you come and say it. My question was why didn't you come out and state India were overrated after the 2nd test when England collapsed in a heap?

 

[Pothas]

I really dont think this Prior opening idea is going to be of any use, they tried Jones there and it failed. England seem to have an obsession with having an opener in ODI's who is not a test opener. I have never really understood this. I know trescothick is not availible for this tour but i cant see any reason why him and Strauss shouldnt be opening in ODI's. They are used to playing the new ball and its not as if they score slowly.

 

[Jono]

my error





fair enough






I guess its down to opinion isnt ..but I dont think Sachin has been the same player for getting on five years...for me his peak was from around 1995ish to 2001ish..I dont think it is outragous to think that he hasnt been at his peak since 2001 or 2002,and really the stats do kind of back that up

He averaged 55.68 and hit 4 centuries in 2002. Surely you jest that he's been past his best for 5 years?

He had a bad 2003, but that was down to playing very few tests, because he absolutely owned it in ODIs in 2003. Sachin has been inconsistent in tests from 2004-2006, and is now in the worst form patch of his career. Its coincidentally (not really) the worst period he's ever had with injuries.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

I know trescothick is not availible for this tour but i cant see any reason why him and Strauss shouldnt be opening in ODI's. They are used to playing the new ball and its not as if they score slowly.

They tried that last summer. It didn't work very well because Strauss kept getting out to Lee.

 

[Pothas]

They tried that last summer. It didn't work very well because Strauss kept getting out to Lee.

Well that is just form, it doesnt mean he cant do it in the future

 

[Barney Rubble]

Solanki England captain? What did I miss?