***Official*** India in South Africa 2017/18

[OverratedSanity]

Wouldn't be mad if Vijay was dropped. The adjustment he has made to his technique is ****ing terrible and makes him a candidate to nick off. Why the **** did he have to do that? My XI for the 2nd test:

Dhawan
Vijay
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Rahul +
Ashwin
Pandya
Bhuvi
Shami
Yadav

Saha is a great keeper but I think Rahul is going to have to do because it makes our batting stronger, which we badly need.

**** off, Saha is the only reason we caught stuff behind the wicket. Any thicker edges to the slips would be shelled.

 

[Niall]

Wouldn't be mad if Vijay was dropped. The adjustment he has made to his technique is ****ing terrible and makes him a candidate to nick off. Why the **** did he have to do that? My XI for the 2nd test:

Dhawan
Vijay
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Rahul +
Ashwin
Pandya
Bhuvi
Shami
Yadav

Saha is a great keeper but I think Rahul is going to have to do because it makes our batting stronger, which we badly need.

I dunno.

I like Rahul a lot and he deserves a go, but I recall watching him in the IPL for Bangalore keep and he was unbelievably bad, Kohli who was his captain then could not be blamed for not trusting him in the much longer format.

Its a really tough one with Saha, he probably will be a passenger with the bat but what are the alternatives?

 

[harsh.ag]

So called No1 spot was maintained by home-bashing.

Well done for ICC and BCCI for their FTPs.

This Indian side is pretty weak. Couldn't even stop Steyn lacking, continously being injured and in and out Morne Morkel

I like how you're posting as if this is ICF and posters here actually think India are the undisputed #1.

The last line is nonsense though. It was a herculean task to chase 200 in these conditions. For anyone. So that means every side is pretty weak.

 

[cnerd123]

I like how you're posting as if this is ICF and posters here actually think India are the undisputed #1.

You're a mod can't you like, ban all the bad posters? Isn't that what you're here for?

 

[Daemon]

We desperately need Saha behind the wicket. Seemed completely unfazed by the deliveries that leaped off the wicket or cut batsmen in half. In particular he was very good when keeping to Bumrah.

Also I said Kohli's issues were mental because he can hide his technical flaw by putting his big strides outside off away early on. He's not going to fix any technical issues outside off within this series.

 

[cnerd123]

First Pujara now Saha...why do people want to drop the only cricketers who are actually do their job well.

This is ridiculous. You guys need to stop getting your cricket analysis from Zee News and Planetcricket.

 

[Shri]

**** off ****s. Can't carry a keeper who can't bat these days in foreign conditions. Its easier to groom better keepers and slip fielders for the future while accepting that there will be some dropped catches by a part time keeper who strengthens the batting.

 

[randycricfreak]

You're a mod can't you like, ban all the bad posters? Isn't that what you're here for?

You wouldn't have been here in the first place.

Wouldn't have gone past the intial questionnaire, if we ever had one

 

[CricAddict]

**** off ****s. Can't carry a keeper who can't bat these days in foreign conditions. Its easier to groom better keepers and slip fielders for the future while accepting that there will be some dropped catches by a part time keeper who strengthens the batting.

If Rahul can't keep properly in a T20, he can never keep in a test. Not an option at all. Pandya and Ashwin doing well with the bat (comparatively) has actually increased India's problems. They can now not drop either of them for a 6-1-4 attack and will most probably continue with the current 5-1-5 which to me is wrong since the batting needs extra ammunition. Also it means unless Rohit is dropped, Rahane will continue to remain out.

 

[longranger]

Am I the only one who thinks that KL Rahul and Rahane are the obvious straight swaps in for Dhawan and Rohit? The latter (coincidentally India's first choice of openers in limited overs cricket) were always going to struggle in away conditions. Most of their Test runs have been scored at home, that too rarely when other batsmen have failed.

The rest of the team is fine - Pandya does not look out of place in this Test team as an all-rounder. Ashwin should always play given he offers a wicket-taking option when inevitably one of the Indian pacers has a bad day (his batting is quite welcome too).

The XI for both Tests 2 and 3 should be:
- Vijay
- KL Rahul
- Pujara
- Kohli
- Rahane
- Pandya
- Ashwin
- Saha
- Bhuvi
- Shami
- Bumrah / Ishant

 

[Daemon]

Yeah as long as Rahul/Rahane come in I'm not going to be complaining too much.

 

[vcs]

If Rahul's fit, he deserves a chance, I guess. He does get out a lot in the first over though. Talented strokeplayer once in, but he'll struggle as much as anyone against Philander with a new ball.

 

[cnerd123]

**** off ****s. Can't carry a keeper who can't bat these days in foreign conditions. Its easier to groom better keepers and slip fielders for the future while accepting that there will be some dropped catches by a part time keeper who strengthens the batting.

Yes, lets get in a guy who will score 20-30 more runs but will probably drop one of ABDV/Faf/Hash instead. That's a fair trade.

Why not groom Saha as a batsman instead? You pick a wicketkeeper to keep wicket. You want more runs, replace a batsman. Next you'll be saying we should drop Shami for Uthappa because we need to strengthen the batting while accepting there will be some ****** bowling from a part time medium pacer in the meanwhile.

This logic never holds up.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Saha's not even a complete spud with the bat. Conditions don't suit his batting but I still think he can play a couple of valuable innings here and there.

I'd drop Ashwin before dropping Saha. Get Rahane in, 6 batsmen, 4 pacers.

 

[vcs]

Yes, lets get in a guy who will score 20-30 more runs but will probably drop one of ABDV/Faf/Hash instead. That's a fair trade.

Why not groom Saha as a batsman instead? You pick a wicketkeeper to keep wicket. You want more runs, replace a batsman. Next you'll be saying we should drop Shami for Uthappa because we need to strengthen the batting while accepting there will be some ****** bowling from a part time medium pacer in the meanwhile.

This logic never holds up.

Saha kept excellently in this match, let's not **** that up, please.

 

[harsh.ag]

It's a perfectly fine line up if you just get in Rahul and Rahane and Umesh.

Vijay
KL
Che
Kohli
Jinx
Ashwin
Pandya
Saha
Bhuvi
Umesh
Shami

Plenty of batting. The next two tests will also have easier batting conditions than this one and it should be enough.

 

[StephenZA]

It's a perfectly fine line up if you just get in Rahul and Rahane and Umesh.

Vijay
KL
Che
Kohli
Jinx
Ashwin
Pandya
Saha
Bhuvi
Umesh
Shami

Plenty of batting. The next two tests will also have easier batting conditions than this one and it should be enough.

Not so sure about that....

I am surprised that India is not looking at extending there batting line-up.... if you take Pandya`s excellent (if very high risk) innings out of the game the number of runs scored does not look good for India. An honestly they did generally have the best of the batting conditions during the test.

 

[cnerd123]

If we get a pitch just like this, I'd drop Ashwin / Dhawan for Rahane / Lokesh. Bumrah bowled alright in the second innings, I don't think Ishant or Yadav will be markedly better. Sure he was a bit off on his first innings, but it was his Test debut. It's forgiveable. He came back well. Ishant and Yadav don't have enough credit in the bank for me to think they'd be great right away.

If the pitch is easier to bat on, then yea, Dhawan / Nohit out for Lokesh / Rahane,

 

[Motorwada]

If we get a pitch just like this, I'd drop Ashwin / Dhawan for Rahane / Lokesh. Bumrah bowled alright in the second innings, I don't think Ishant or Yadav will be markedly better. Sure he was a bit off on his first innings, but it was his Test debut. It's forgiveable. He came back well. Ishant and Yadav don't have enough credit in the bank for me to think they'd be great right away.

If the pitch is easier to bat on, then yea, Dhawan / Nohit out for Lokesh / Rahane,

Thing is in these conditions Ashwin is anyways a better bat than Rohit so no point in dropping him.

 

[Motorwada]

So called No1 spot was maintained by home-bashing.

Well done for ICC and BCCI for their FTPs.

This Indian side is pretty weak. Couldn't even stop Steyn lacking, continously being injured and in and out Morne Morkel

Pandya, Bumrah were the only silver linings and who was that wall, Pujara, I'd include him as well

Someone's hurt. We are coming in March for the Nidahas trophy so don't be too happy.