***Official*** India in West Indies

[silentstriker]

Kumble and the kid from UP, they have close to 600 wickets between them, maan that would be a crucial pair.

also bring back Atul Bedade.

Kumble and I could make the team, after all we have 510 wickets between us.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

That's why I think of him has mediocre. Never goes on to the big scores.

But in the context of West Indian domestic cricket, an average around 30 is good. A batsman who doesn't even get those starts with regularity is mediocre IMO. There are only a handful West Indian batsmen who get big scores with any regularity in domestic cricket - Lara, Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Gayle, Devon Smith, Ganga come to mind.

 

[adharcric]

Zaheer is ripping through county sides regularly, and took six more wickets. Would you like to see him back in the Indian side? In his younger days, at his peak, he was a lot more dangerous (and aso faster) than the current crop of Indian seamers, but due to lack of fitness culture and also leadership, he didn't last too long. So far, he's taken 16 wickets in 3 innings in a row. Let's just hope he's making the ball talk rather than leaving the results to the pitches and county batsmen.

I've been following Worcs matches to track his performance as well and so far I've been impressed. Still, I'll always remain skeptical about him until I myself see him bowl with pace and movement ... in India and not England. If he gets a chance at the Challengers, that would be his do-or-die situation pretty much.

 

[adharcric]

Reserve Wicketkeeper (a.k.a. Passenger). Nice way to get a Caribbean vacation, isn't it?

The wicketkeeper takes much more toll on his body than the middle-order batsmen do, hence the need for a reserve in case Dhoni is tired or we've already clinched the series. Besides, it's not like Kaif will get any of the four tests either. Doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the squad. I really couldn't care less about who plays in practice matches ... that shouldn't dictate selection.

 

[marc71178]

Kaif scores only in bits and pieces, and hasn't yet got a century, even on a flat deck where his opposite number got into three figures.

What about his last innings then?

Or does a battling 90 which saved the team from following on and probable defeat mean nothing because a) he didn't hit a 6 and b) he never made it to 100?

 

[roseboy64]

But in the context of West Indian domestic cricket, an average around 30 is good. A batsman who doesn't even get those starts with regularity is mediocre IMO. There are only a handful West Indian batsmen who get big scores with any regularity in domestic cricket - Lara, Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Gayle, Devon Smith, Ganga come to mind.

Fair enough but I don't think he'd make it at international level.

 

[Arjun]

I've been following Worcs matches to track his performance as well and so far I've been impressed. Still, I'll always remain skeptical about him until I myself see him bowl with pace and movement ... in India and not England. If he gets a chance at the Challengers, that would be his do-or-die situation pretty much.

We all know what Zaheer can do at his peak. He bowled faster than any of the current Indian prospects and regulars, and with a lot of aggression. He had everything you needed to have for a strike fast bowler. Unfortunately, he was often treated as a mere support-act for a retiring Srinath or an underpowered Agarkar or rookies Irfan and Balaji. It's a routine to let go of the ball and leave the rest to the pitch, back in England. But Zaheer is not such a bowler, and we know what he's like, so a return to form (with and without the ball, especially for ODI's) will only help.

The wicketkeeper takes much more toll on his body than the middle-order batsmen do, hence the need for a reserve in case Dhoni is tired or we've already clinched the series. Besides, it's not like Kaif will get any of the four tests either. Doesn't mean he shouldn't be in the squad. I really couldn't care less about who plays in practice matches ... that shouldn't dictate selection.

We've seen a lot of wicketkeepers last three or more matches of a Test series in a row, so that can't be much of a problem. Whoever is wicketkeeping for India should get used to it, else he's not up to the mark. While Karthik may be a good reserve, it will be a tough ask to match Dhoni when he's replacing him, and the same can be said of Parthiv, Samant, Bisla, Ratra or any other wicketkeeper picked for that purpose.

 

[Anil]

Or does a battling 90 which saved the team from following on and probable defeat mean nothing because a) he didn't hit a 6 and b) he never made it to 100?

of course not! don't ask silly questions!

 

[Nishant]

i would really like to see powar in the tests. He could be quite handy with his slow but effective off - spinners. Give bhaji a break because i feel he is not as effective in tests. ( But he bowls decently!!!)

 

[adharcric]

i would really like to see powar in the tests. He could be quite handy with his slow but effective off - spinners. Give bhaji a break because i feel he is not as effective in tests. ( But he bowls decently!!!)

Powar would certainly be effective - far more consistently effective than Murali Kartik ever was - but there's no reason to take 3 spinners overseas and Bhajji seemed to regain form in the Mumbai Test and maintain it through the ODIs. Powar should find a place in the next home test and if either Kumble or Bhajji go down/out.

 

[adharcric]

Things just keep getting better and better. It's a rare occasion on which those of us watching in the US can wake up at normal hours and not lose sleep over our cricket.
Now, it appears that Javagal Srinath won't be in the commentary crew for this series.

Commentary: Bishop, Cozier, Dujon, Deano and Siva
Straight-Drive: Manjrekar, Chappell, Haynes, Srinath and Border

I guess we won't get to hear any "magnificent catch with his hands" or "Sarwan Ramprakash" remarks.

 

[Jono]

"I think it is unfortunate because we are all entertainers. The public would have loved to see Sachin," Lara told The Trinidad Guardian after a practice session at the Queen's Park Oval before his team's sixth ODI against Zimbabwe. "He's going to be here for the World Cup hopefully, but any opportunity to see him would have been great for the public."

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wivind/content/current/story/247036.html

The difference between the Tendulkar/Lara rivalry over the years compared to Murali/Warne is amazing really.

 

[honestbharani]

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/wivind/content/current/story/247036.html

The difference between the Tendulkar/Lara rivalry over the years compared to Murali/Warne is amazing really.

yeah, these two are gems, really.

 

[Arjun]

Powar would certainly be effective - far more consistently effective than Murali Kartik ever was - but there's no reason to take 3 spinners overseas and Bhajji seemed to regain form in the Mumbai Test and maintain it through the ODIs. Powar should find a place in the next home test and if either Kumble or Bhajji go down/out.

There's not much point picking a fifth seamer either, even away from India. After all, Tinu Yohannan and Debashish Mohanty never got a match while touring, even though they were picked specially for touring away from India. Likewise there is not point picking four openers, since at least one ends up being a passenger.

Powar has an advantage over both Kaif and Harbhajan, since he can perform a dual role. He can not only bowl a lot more overs and take more wickets than Kaif, but he can also score more runs than Harbhajan. While cynics may brand him a bits-and-pieces player at Test level, he's been bowling well enough to play as a strike bowler for India in the longer form of the game. His bowling is at least comparable to that of strike spinners of other teams and the runs he scores is a bonus, so he's the best pick for an away tour. You can then go in for three seamers and Kumble, with Harbhajan as backup.

 

[adharcric]

There's not much point picking a fifth seamer either, even away from India. After all, Tinu Yohannan and Debashish Mohanty never got a match while touring, even though they were picked specially for touring away from India. Likewise there is not point picking four openers, since at least one ends up being a passenger.

Powar has an advantage over both Kaif and Harbhajan, since he can perform a dual role. He can not only bowl a lot more overs and take more wickets than Kaif, but he can also score more runs than Harbhajan. While cynics may brand him a bits-and-pieces player at Test level, he's been bowling well enough to play as a strike bowler for India in the longer form of the game. His bowling is at least comparable to that of strike spinners of other teams and the runs he scores is a bonus, so he's the best pick for an away tour. You can then go in for three seamers and Kumble, with Harbhajan as backup.

All that is fine, I'm not saying Powar won't be as effective as Harbhajan in tests. Still, Harbhajan remains the proven option at the top level and until he fails (he was doing it for some time but I think he's back now) he isn't going anywhere. Also, no one ever considered four openers or five seamers ... where did that come from? Assuming it's a 16-man squad and Karthik is sent as backup as expected, there is one-spot up for grabs and it's either going to Gambhir or Powar.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Fair enough but I don't think he'd make it at international level.

Agreed. But he's only 24.

 

[adharcric]

Chappell has indicated that we'll continue to play 5 bowlers in tests. With Dhoni at six and Sehwag opening, that leaves four spots. Dravid takes one. Assume Tendulkar plays, then who should sit: Jaffer, Laxman or Yuvraj?

 

[Arjun]

Chappell has indicated that we'll continue to play 5 bowlers in tests. With Dhoni at six and Sehwag opening, that leaves four spots. Dravid takes one. Assume Tendulkar plays, then who should sit: Jaffer, Laxman or Yuvraj?

Yuvraj and only Yuvraj plays. But why not open with Tendulkar in Tests? Jaffer can't do far better than Sachin as an opener, so you can play one more middle-order bat as well.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

But why not open with Tendulkar in Tests?

Maybe because Tendulkar is struggling against the old ball these days....?

 

[Nishant]

laxman wants to play in ODIs again. I think he has no chance! any opinions?