***Official*** India in New Zealand 2013/14

[Prensel]

Baz's hand may get forced (into opening) the ball is in Jesse's court for the last ODI.

Probability of this happening?

 

[Zinzan]

There's a lot of rumours swirling around that Vettori is going to announce his retirement from test cricket soon, and just focus on limited overs cricket until the 2015 World Cup.

Is this on good authority or from some loud-mouth at the pub? Last I heard (admittedly 3 weeks ago) was Vettori wanted to play in the tests against India.

If so, obviously he plays ahead a Sodhi.

 

[Kippax]

Is this on good authority or from some loud-mouth at the pub? Last I heard (admittedly 3 weeks ago) was Vettori wanted to play in the tests against India.

If so, obviously he plays ahead a Sodhi.

That was from Geenty in the papers. If the Brisbane Heat make the BBL semi-finals, Vettori is 100% missing the Indian Tests.

 

[Prince EWS]

If the Brisbane Heat make the BBL semi-finals, Vettori is 100% missing the Indian Tests.

I think he'd miss them if he was abducted by aliens as well; roughly as much chance of that happening too.

 

[Prensel]

Cricket | New Zealand's Ross Taylor may miss second... | Stuff.co.nz

Did anyone mention this?

 

[Kippax]

Southee sometimes knocks girls up in autumn. Taylor was probably trying to get out of a week of ODIs or T20s he's utterly ambivalent about, ahead of a typical March Test series and the IPL though itbt.

 

[karan316]

Binny quite lucky to be selected IMO, should get a few games. He does have the talent, but players like him have been ignored in past. Even Rajat Bhatia was quite good as a batting all rounder, but never got the opportunities he deserved. Same with Laxmi Ratan Shukla, played just 3 games and was written off.

 

[Hurricane]

Probability of this happening?

I think it is his best bet of making the side - probability 30%. A 50% possibility is that they just don't select him at all because no batsman has done anything droppable. A 20% chance is he comes in for Sodhi (I rate this as unlikely because they will want a spinner)

The other possibility, with this news of Rossco missing the 2nd test, is that Jesse misses the 1st test and comes in as RTs replacement in the 2nd.

 

[BeeGee]

I think it is his best bet of making the side - probability 30%. A 50% possibility is that they just don't select him at all because no batsman has done anything droppable. A 20% chance is he comes in for Sodhi (I rate this as unlikely because they will want a spinner)

The other possibility, with this news of Rossco missing the 2nd test, is that Jesse misses the 1st test and comes in as RTs replacement in the 2nd.

I severely doubt that the probability of McCullum moving back to open is 30%. More like <1%, imo.

The most likely possibility for me is that Ryder will replace Sodhi. Sodhi is the best NZ test spinner prospect I've seen in years, but he's not ready yet. A test average of 51 and a FC average of 53 tends to confirm that. I just don't see him doing well against India and don't see much point in him playing. If Hesson gets his way and the pitches are seam friendly (or at least spin unfriendly) then I think Ryder's part time bowling will be judged to be just good enough to allow him to replace Sodhi. That would give a bowling attack of Southee, Boult, Wagner/3rd seamer and Anderson, with Williamson and Ryder as other bowling options.

The next most likely possibility is that he will replace one of the openers. This obviously isn't the ideal place for Ryder to bat, but I think the selectors could make an argument that he is still more likely to succeed as a test opener than either Fulton or Rutherford. This would also follow the same selection pattern they used in the ODI team.

I doubt the selectors will leave him out of the starting XI. That's a lot of talent to leave on the bench. Imagine the roasting the selectors would get if they left him out and the team lost the first test.

 

[Hurricane]

I severely doubt that the probability of McCullum moving back to open is 30%. More like <1%, imo.

The most likely possibility for me is that Ryder will replace Sodhi. Sodhi is the best NZ test spinner prospect I've seen in years, but he's not ready yet. A test average of 51 and a FC average of 53 tends to confirm that. I just don't see him doing well against India and don't see much point in him playing. If Hesson gets his way and the pitches are seam friendly (or at least spin unfriendly) then I think Ryder's part time bowling will be judged to be just good enough to allow him to replace Sodhi. That would give a bowling attack of Southee, Boult, Wagner/3rd seamer and Anderson, with Williamson and Ryder as other bowling options.

The next most likely possibility is that he will replace one of the openers. This obviously isn't the ideal place for Ryder to bat, but I think the selectors could make an argument that he is still more likely to succeed as a test opener than either Fulton or Rutherford. This would also follow the same selection pattern they used in the ODI team.

I doubt the selectors will leave him out of the starting XI. That's a lot of talent to leave on the bench. Imagine the roasting the selectors would get if they left him out and the team lost the first test.

Who knows, could well be you are right. Normally I wouldn't respond to your post not because it isn't a good one - but just because we have each successfully exchanged our views. I will respond though in this case just to expand my rationale.

The reason why I had/have a different opinion on those probabilities - is lets say they open with Jesse - how does that make Baz look? It makes him look like a selfish SOB and like he isn't willing to put the interests of the team ahead of his own best interests. Therefore I think there will be PUBLIC pressure on Baz to open. Even if McHesson is reluctant for him to open.

I also, in the light of Peterson taking wickets against the Indians in the SA series beleive they will want a spinner. Kane is not good enough despite his Auckland heroics. If Sodhi doesn't play then maybe they will give someone else a run.

 

[BeeGee]

...how does that make Baz look? It makes him look like a selfish SOB and like he isn't willing to put the interests of the team ahead of his own best interests.

Looking like a selfish SOB who isn't willing to put the interests of the team ahead of his own best interests hasn't been a problem for him in the past.

Mate, I hope your right. McCullum back opening would be the best possible outcome and there would be much rejoicing and merriment.

 

[hendrix]

Looking like a selfish SOB who isn't willing to put the interests of the team ahead of his own best interests hasn't been a problem for him in the past.
.

no.

He's never been selfish and I don't really get why people say he has been. He was advised to become and opener because NZ needed an opener and at that point in time he was mauling teams in ODIs. The logic was incredibly flawed but he was doing it for the team.
He gave up keeping because his back was ****ed and he was told he'd make the team on batting alone. Again, the logic was flawed but it's not exactly selfish behaviour.
He's never, ever put his own interests ahead of the team.

I'm happy to criticise McCullum as a player, a batsman, a captain etc but he's about the last person who's commitment to NZ cricket i'd question.

If he was a selfish **** he would've retired from test cricket years ago and be playing t20 leagues year round.

 

[BeeGee]

no.

He's never been selfish and I don't really get why people say he has been. He was advised to become and opener because NZ needed an opener and at that point in time he was mauling teams in ODIs. The logic was incredibly flawed but he was doing it for the team.
He gave up keeping because his back was ****ed and he was told he'd make the team on batting alone. Again, the logic was flawed but it's not exactly selfish behaviour.
He's never, ever put his own interests ahead of the team.

I'm happy to criticise McCullum as a player, a batsman, a captain etc but he's about the last person who's commitment to NZ cricket i'd question.

If he was a selfish **** he would've retired from test cricket years ago and be playing t20 leagues year round.

Firstly, it was a tongue in cheek comment, hence the smilie.

Secondly, I didn't say he had been a selfish SOB in the past, I said he hadn't cared about looking like a selfish SOB in the past.

Thirdly, whatever.

 

[Kippax]

The most connected poster who suggests McCullum "bats where he likes" is SteveNZ, isn't it. On the other hand McCullum had his manager out lobbying for a return to opener, the home season before last -

March 24, 2012 at 9:18pm ·
McCULLUM OPENING ISSUE RE-VISITED BY FLEMING – It was hard not to prick up your ears when Stephen Fleming made the point in the Dilmah Tea Party on Sky TV today that he couldn’t understand why Brendon McCullum wasn’t still opening in tests when he’d been so successful there in recent times. It's made more interesting because Fleming manages McCullum. Whenever interviewed on the subject in recent times McCullum has been very diplomatic about getting pushed down to number 3 after he fought so hard to get the opening position. You’d have to suspect Fleming was speaking for more than just him with his comments today…

And there's what Hesson's said prior to the drop down to six -

"I don't think Brendon's game suits blunting an attack, which is what we needed in this series, but he applied himself for 240 balls against a top side at the top. But I don't think that's the role that he's going to play best for this team."

Still, McCullum looked as well equipped as any New Zealand top-order player to blunt the new ball against Dale Steyn and company.

Concentration lapses against spinner Robin Peterson in three consecutive innings hurt him and the team. "We're going to be up against a high-class England attack and we have to pick our best six batsmen.

"The order they come out in, there will be a lot of debate around that," Hesson said.

 

[Prensel]

Well if they use the same mind frame as above then our best 6 batsman would be

Ryder
Taylor
Williamson
Mccullum
Anderson
Rutherford/Fulton

So either one of Rutherford or Fulton should be left out. With mccullum opening. Hopefully learning from his mistakes last time, by getting singles through the gaps as well as hitting boundaries. Instead of hitting boundaries or hitting nothing.

 

[hendrix]

Firstly, it was a tongue in cheek comment, hence the smilie.

Secondly, I didn't say he had been a selfish SOB in the past, I said he hadn't cared about looking like a selfish SOB in the past.

Thirdly, whatever.

yeah, you're right on this so i'm sorry about the misinterpretation. Was just a reactionary post. Take it for what it's worth.

 

[hendrix]

Well if they use the same mind frame as above then our best 6 batsman would be

Ryder
Taylor
Williamson
Mccullum
Anderson
Rutherford/Fulton

So either one of Rutherford or Fulton should be left out. With mccullum opening. Hopefully learning from his mistakes last time, by getting singles through the gaps as well as hitting boundaries. Instead of hitting boundaries or hitting nothing.

would put McCullum above Williamson as our 3rd best batsman and Taylor ahead of Ryder, but yeah, mostly agree with the guys there:

Taylor
Ryder
McCullum
Williamson
Watling

etc etc (really I don't think once we reach Anderson at test level there's much between him and the other guys in or around the team, purely in terms of test batting credentials.

 

[karan316]

India Cricket News: I insisted on playing on green tops - Gautam Gambhir | ESPN Cricinfo
"I play the game because I still have that hunger to perform. I want to be part of the team that wins a Test series in England and Australia. This is what drives me on, as in my 54 Tests we only won a series in New Zealand and drew in South Africa. "

"I have never played cricket for selfish reasons like scoring 800-900 runs on flat tracks to make a comeback, Delhi team needed outright wins and I insisted on playing on green tops at the Roshanara rather than on a flat track. Had I played on a flat track, I could have got close to 900 runs." -Gambhir

This is the kind of attitude required from some of our youngsters(and our captain).

 

[Daemon]

How did Zaheer bowl in the second test against SA? He was bowling quite poorly in the second innings of the first match which was worrying.

 

[Jono]

How did Zaheer bowl in the second test against SA? He was bowling quite poorly in the second innings of the first match which was worrying.

Mediocre.