***Official*** India in South Africa

[Arjun]

Now let's look at the opposition from the Indian team's point of view. In ODI's, the South Africans are a formidable unit, but they're not perfect. Their batting is still a little thin, despite going down to number nine. Graeme Smith is the main threat, along with Kallis and Gibbs. The Indians should attack the rest of the batsmen. Either have spinners bowling and doing their own thing, or the seamers should bowl a lot faster, extract more bounce and blast the ball in. Kemp doesn't seem to be the same force he was against England more than a year ago.

The bowling combination of Pollock and Ntini is still tough, but the batsmen should have a go at little Steyn. Well, not so little, but not very tall and prone to bowling excess loose deliveries. They should keep wickets intact and partnerships built until the spinner comes, and then they can feast on whatever is dished out to them. Taking singles against this fieldign unit will be tough, so they have to look for big shot or scoop-over options more often.

In Tests, the Indians will definitely have a good chance. The key here is to get Smith, Gibbs and Kallis– the usual suspects– out early. Then Kumble will have a field day against them. When the Indians come out to bat, they have to be a lot more careful against Pollock and Ntini and save their wickets for the backup bowlers, who will be found wanting here.

 

[adharcric]

1. Why would Tendulkar miss the tour of South Africa? We only have one other tournament before the World Cup and we need the main unit playing together. Besides, he's in form.

2. Why would we play Powar or Sharma at #4 when we already have a number of solid middle-order batsmen?

3. Why would you want Munaf to go for pace when he's doing so well currently with his line-and-length bowling? He still extracts awkward bounce and has great control, so let him bowl like this in ODIs if it's effective.

4. Why would you replace an in-form, experienced campaigner like Bhajji? If he does poorly in the series, you can consider Powar.

 

[silentstriker]

IMO Tendy should retire from ODI's after the world cup. Focus on tests.

 

[Turbinator]

IMO Tendy should retire from ODI's after the world cup. Focus on tests.

No offence, but a very stupid statement. Tendulkar not only adds runs to the team, but gives a huge morale boost too (to the youngsters, the captain, and the whole team). Has Lara retired yet, even though he is like 4 years older than Tendy! Yea Lara will retire after the world cup but so can Tendy when he is 37!

 

[silentstriker]

No offence, but a very stupid statement. Tendulkar not only adds runs to the team, but gives a huge morale boost too (to the youngsters, the captain, and the whole team). Has Lara retired yet, even though he is like 4 years older than Tendy! Yea Lara will retire after the world cup but so can Tendy when he is 37!

He can still be around the team. India play too many matches, he should save himself for Tests.

 

[Turbinator]

He can still be around the team. India play too many matches, he should save himself for Tests.

Okay maybe he can reduce the number of ODIs he plays and restrict himself to only important series, but he shouldn't completely retire from the ODI scene.

 

[PhoenixFire]

IMO Tendy should retire from ODI's after the world cup. Focus on tests.

I don't quite understand it when people say that. He has managed to play extremely succesfuly in both forms of he game for coming on 18 years know, and he has scored 144 in a one dayer very recently, and I don't see why he can't do the same in tests. He's only 34, he's still got 3-4 good years left in him; He's a fit bloke.

 

[Nishant]

1. Why would Tendulkar miss the tour of South Africa? We only have one other tournament before the World Cup and we need the main unit playing together. Besides, he's in form.

2. Why would we play Powar or Sharma at #4 when we already have a number of solid middle-order batsmen?

3. Why would you want Munaf to go for pace when he's doing so well currently with his line-and-length bowling? He still extracts awkward bounce and has great control, so let him bowl like this in ODIs if it's effective.

4. Why would you replace an in-form, experienced campaigner like Bhajji? If he does poorly in the series, you can consider Powar.

Spot on there Adharcric!

 

[lord_of_darkness]

Indian XI in my opinion..

Sehwag
Jaffer
Dravid
Tendulkar
Laxman
Y.Singh
Dhoni +
Pathan
H.Singh
Sreesanth
Patel

obviously if they wanted khan or kumble in they would have to consider dropping yuvraj most probable...i wouldnt mind seeing kumble, which i reckon the selectors might go for a 5th pick rather than 4 seamers.. because he has the experience and his bowling style works on the s.african pitches ..if pathan was out of form khan would most likely make way for him..

As for the Karthick - Dhoni discussion.. imo dhoni should continue keeping the tests.. its still to early too lay a verdict on him.. he needs more exposure and time and i reckon he has the talent to play the sort of role gilly plays for aus...just needs to work on his technique for batting on non flat pitches and glovework..

 

[adharcric]

Leaving Kumble out of the mix is absurd. He's not only the first-choice spinner but also the best bowler we have. Munaf is the new spearhead of the pace attack so he'll definitely find a place. Pathan should only play if we play five bowlers, which will remain a bad idea until Dhoni begins to bat like a responsible top-order batsman. Munaf-Sreesanth-Zaheer-Kumble looks quite good to me, but a lot will depend on how they all do in the preceding matches (warm-ups and ODIs) and the kind of pitches we see in South Africa.

I'd leave that top six as it is. Yuvraj provides a third solid close-in fielder for Kumble and that is a major reason why he should make it over Kaif.

 

[silentstriker]

Indian XI in my opinion..

Sehwag
Jaffer
Dravid
Tendulkar
Laxman
Y.Singh
Dhoni +
Pathan
H.Singh
Sreesanth
Patel

obviously if they wanted khan or kumble in they would have to consider dropping yuvraj most probable...i wouldnt mind seeing kumble, which i reckon the selectors might go for a 5th pick rather than 4 seamers.. because he has the experience and his bowling style works on the s.african pitches ..if pathan was out of form khan would most likely make way for him..

As for the Karthick - Dhoni discussion.. imo dhoni should continue keeping the tests.. its still to early too lay a verdict on him.. he needs more exposure and time and i reckon he has the talent to play the sort of role gilly plays for aus...just needs to work on his technique for batting on non flat pitches and glovework..

By what possible reasoning, would you leave out Kumble, ever, for any reason other than injury? A little quiz: What player has won more tests for India than anyone else?

Hint: Its not Tendulkar, or Dravid. Name begins with K, and ends with Umble.

 

[aussie]

unless India's batting find some form quickly South Africa could run riot in both the test & ODI's i'm afraid. Also i think Zaheer Khan should be recalled to the test side now.

 

[Turbinator]

By what possible reasoning, would you leave out Kumble, ever, for any reason other than injury? A little quiz: What player has won more tests for India than anyone else?

Hint: Its not Tendulkar, or Dravid. Name begins with K, and ends with Umble.

Uhhhhh....OH ...... I know! DHONI? O know wait.....what about Kurnaswamiumble?

 

[lord_of_darkness]

yeh i made a mistake in leavin kumble out of the 1st XI.. but what warrants Harbajan bein dropped? i mean he is the in form spinner atm for the Indian cricket team and he could well carry over the form from the O.d.i's.. but if hes made to sit on the sidelines, i dont think that would be fair on him either.

 

[silentstriker]

unless India's batting find some form quickly South Africa could run riot in both the test & ODI's i'm afraid. Also i think Zaheer Khan should be recalled to the test side now.

Yes on both counts.

 

[silentstriker]

yeh i made a mistake in leavin kumble out of the 1st XI.. but what warrants Harbajan bein dropped? i mean he is the in form spinner atm for the Indian cricket team and he could well carry over the form from the O.d.i's.. but if hes made to sit on the sidelines, i dont think that would be fair on him either.

Harbhajan is in good form, but so is Kumble. In South Africa, I am not sure you can play two spinners, and with India's batting looking pretty fickle, I don't think you can go in with 5 bowlers.

So a lineup of Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Munaf, Kumble would have to do. See thats the thing, if Pathan were even mediocre, he would lend such great balance to the side, but in his crappy form, you can't pick him.

I would say:

1. Jaffer
2. Sehwag
3. Dravid
4. Tendulkar
5. Yuvraj
6. Kaif
7. Dhoni
8. Kumble
9. Sreesanth
10. Munaf
11. Zaheer

I don't really like that lineup, because I am not sure if Yuvraj Singh or Mohammad Kaif are test calibre batsman, but it might be the best available.

Kaif, I am very sure, is not. Yuvraj, probably, is not. But really, who else? Raina? Laxman? I don't know what Laxman has left in him, but he might be the only viable option to replace Kaif right now.

Ugh, this series is going to be ugly. Very ugly.

 

[Pratters]

What would you guys full test squad be like?

 

[Pratters]

Kaif, I am very sure, is not. Yuvraj, probably, is not. But really, who else? Raina? Laxman? I don't know what Laxman has left in him, but he might be the only viable option to replace Kaif right now.

I would really like to see Badrinath go to South Africa in the test squad..

 

[Jono]

Harbhajan is in good form, but so is Kumble. In South Africa, I am not sure you can play two spinners, and with India's batting looking pretty fickle, I don't think you can go in with 5 bowlers.

So a lineup of Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Munaf, Kumble would have to do. See thats the thing, if Pathan were even mediocre, he would lend such great balance to the side, but in his crappy form, you can't pick him.

I would say:

1. Jaffer
2. Sehwag
3. Dravid
4. Tendulkar
5. Yuvraj
6. Kaif
7. Dhoni
8. Kumble
9. Sreesanth
10. Munaf
11. Zaheer

I don't really like that lineup, because I am not sure if Yuvraj Singh or Mohammad Kaif are test calibre batsman, but it might be the best available.

Kaif, I am very sure, is not. Yuvraj, probably, is not. But really, who else? Raina? Laxman? I don't know what Laxman has left in him, but he might be the only viable option to replace Kaif right now.

Ugh, this series is going to be ugly. Very ugly.

Laxman is clearly going to play.

 

[silentstriker]

Laxman is clearly going to play.

OK, well someone brainwash him into thinking that the South Africans are actually the Aussies in disguise.

Otherwise, its going to be scores of:

• 4
• 5
• 183
• 2
• 3
• 1