**Official** India v Pakistan

[Arjun]

Yuvi is coming off an awesome run in ODIs....He blazed his way to a 100 even yesterday.

He's done little of note at the top level........

Besides, he survived two catching chances and one run-out.

He is the best no.6 we have had for quite a while.

He's still not done enough. Whatever he does should be done by a wicketkeeper or a bowler, because it's just not much. All he does is come in the final overs and start hitting the ball wildly, without a care. When he's in a lot earlier, he struggles to score more than 30 runs. He needs to get into the habit of playing a long innings more often.

 

[adharcric]

So Yuvraj, Zaheer are too good to be dropped, and Ganguly won't be dropped. Pathan is arguable our most dangerous bowler and can score runs too. Sharma has no chance considering he was pathetic in the 2nd challenger match, and Powar hasn't done anything impressive in the challengers and besides we don't need 3 spinners in a 15-man squad. Forget JP Yadav, might be good but he definitely won't be chosen.

 

[dudeurfriend]

Yes adharic what you say is a valid point......

 

[adharcric]

This is what I would project as of now:
S. Ganguly
R. Dravid
V. Sehwag
V. Laxman
Y. Singh
M. Kaif
Batsman (S. Tendulkar, D. Jadhav, S. Dhawan)
Batsman (S. Raina, V. Rao, D. Mongia, S. Sriram)
M. Dhoni
I. Pathan
Z. Khan
H. Singh
A. Kumble
Bowler (A. Bhandari, L. Balaji, A. Agarkar, A. Nehra, R. Powar, G. Singh)
Bowler (A. Bhandari, L. Balaji, A. Agarkar, A. Nehra, R. Powar, G. Singh)

 

[Arjun]

Sharma has no chance considering he was pathetic in the 2nd challenger match, and Powar hasn't done anything impressive in the challengers and besides we don't need 3 spinners in a 15-man squad.

Don't, and I repeat, DON'T consider the Challenger as a gauge for the players. He'll just get two or three matches. He may come back a better bowler after he plays more. Sharma is a promising youngster, as a strike seam bowler who can also score runs. Dhoni got stuck into him, but he knows what's wrong, so he can improve and make changes for a better performance in the next match. He's no immediate prospect, but in a year or two, he'll be ready for international cricket. Then again, none of the medium-pacers have impressed, so Joginder may get back.

Powar has scored 30 runs in 26 coming in at 9, which is very good. He has a reputation of getting scores of over 50 and even 100 at low positions as 8 or 9, playing for Mumbai. So what if he's a spinner? They don't need four medium-pacers either- if the form of those in this series says anything, a fourth medium-pacer is one too many. Besides, it does not matter who that extra bowler is, if he can score runs, he should make it.

Forget JP Yadav, might be good but he definitely won't be chosen.

Ideally, he should be. He is the best medium-pace all-rounder in India, and that's reason enough to pick him.

Pathan is arguable our most dangerous bowler and can score runs too.

He's not scoring enough runs. He should finish a full tournament with Baroda or West Zone, scoring runs for his sides. His technique is good (better than Agarkar's) and he is best built to hit sixes thick and fast. He's done little as a bowler to stay in the side, but if he scores runs, he'll be a very relevant player in the side.

 

[honestbharani]

Yuvi played a very good knock against Pakistan at Kolkata and another very good one against Bangladesh (yes, even though it was against them, it was still a good knock.) And the occassions he has failed in ODIs are when he was pushed to bat at no.3 and the like. Keep him at 6 and he will do just fine.

 

[dudeurfriend]

Yes Yuvi at six is more dangerous and a consistent batsman then him at no 3.......

 

[Vikas Bhatt]

HI Guys, this is my first post here.

India Vs. Pakistan.

So this is how it goes for me. Pakistan is coming in india almost after a 8 years. So the series is supposed to be cracker. 3 Tests and 5 ODIs is a good format, Rather decisive. I hope Sachin will get fit for the series. So does Shoeib.

Indians are out of match practice, i hope they'll come back well. Venues are a bit problematic.

1)Mohali:- Fair, long time no test there. So its a fair venue, hard pitch, lush green outfield, great ground. (Lucky for Sehvag)

2)Ahmedabad:-Problems. Nothing pitch. No team will be able to get 20 wickets, possibly a venue where matches ended as draw.

3)Banglore/Kanpur:-(I am not confirmed about the 3rd one) But both gound hosted a test recently, (one vs SA and other vs AUS) so why give them another match, why not Kolkata, or Dehli?

Infact Indians are into heavy match practice with most having been playing Challenger and Duleep Trophy matches the last 3 weeks. Besides except for Sehwag and Sachin the rest participated in the last leg of the Ranji Trophy matches and got some practice.

This time I don't think the Indians will be rusty, as they have been playing the whole month in home conditions on home pitches. Pakistan still has the edge though as they will have been battle hardened after playing a tough series against Australia. If you look at recent history, teams that played Australia played better cricket in the next series and dominated well. Last year India crushed Pak after playing Australia down under, and recently Sri Lanka almost made it 3 series in a row in Pak after losing to Australia down under. So I expect Paksters to be more confident about their game this time around and the problem with India is not going to be lack of match practice as much as the fact that whether their batsmen have shrugged off their horrible bad form of last year and whether they can still bat confidently and authoratively like they are known to, which at the moment looks like only Sehwag is capable of.

To my mind, Sachin's absence won't make much difference to the team's fortunes as of late he either scores big or doesn't score at all. [His last 26 outings have seen him get out to single digit scores 17 times. Remove those three unbeaten centuries against Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh and his average will tank big time.] I think the key will be how the Pakistani bowlers will bowl and frankly without Shoaib Actor this time, it isn't much. The only place where they will get some momentum is at Mohali if they get to bowl first. I feel that a key player in Pakistan this time will surprisingly be Shahid Afridi. He can be a handy spinner [he recently got our superbats out in the last 2 one day losses] and has been in great form in the just ended VB Series and Shahid as we all know is a confidence player.

 

[Choora]

I think the key will be how the Pakistani bowlers will bowl and frankly without Shoaib Actor this time, it isn't much. .

May i know as to from where did you get that news? I checked pakistani papers and it looks to me that Akhtar is probably going to make it.

 

[Vikas Bhatt]

May i know as to from where did you get that news? I checked pakistani papers and it looks to me that Akhtar is probably going to make it.

Haven't seen the news. But with so much speculation by the PCB in media that he might not be selected, I just merely stated that without him, the current Pak bowling line-up won't be effective. Simple mate!



By the way, did PCB select him for the tour? The word is he has to prove his total fitness and they aren't declaring the team till 18th so how did you find out he has been selected already?

 

[Beleg]

It is a better ODI bowling attack without Shoaib.

 

[Choora]

By the way, did PCB select him for the tour? The word is he has to prove his total fitness and they aren't declaring the team till 18th so how did you find out he has been selected already?

I said PROBABLY not ALREADY! GOT it now?

 

[Choora]

It is a better ODI bowling attack without Shoaib.

BUt in test matches Akhtar less attack will get hammered in India

Come to think even Akhtar won't be spared by Indian batsmen.

I will be hoping for a 3-0 victory for India in test matches.

 

[Vikas Bhatt]

BUt in test matches Akhtar less attack will get hammered in India

Come to think even Akhtar won't be spared by Indian batsmen.

I will be hoping for a 3-0 victory for India in test matches.

If the unthinkable happens then even Inzi won't be spared by the selectors. He will be sacked before the Windies series even happens.

And Coach Bob Woolmer. He won't fly back for any hard talk with Sharayar Khan with his effigies being burned on the streets of Karachi and Lahore, with Javed Miandad and Imran Khan blasting him from every nook and corner of the media. The poor bloke will probably fax in his resignation!

 

[vandemataram]

If the unthinkable happens then even Inzi won't be spared by the selectors. He will be sacked before the Windies series even happens.

And Coach Bob Woolmer. He won't fly back for any hard talk with Sharayar Khan with his effigies being burned on the streets of Karachi and Lahore, with Javed Miandad and Imran Khan blasting him from every nook and corner of the media. The poor bloke will probably fax in his resignation!

I don't think Imran will blame Bob as he has always held Pak messed up domestic cricket structure for the decline in the sport and has never held the coach responsible, but Miandad won't waste the chance.He probably will be looking for it already!

I think this series is going to be a very painful experiance for Inzi .

 

[Vikas Bhatt]

Damn! Damn! Damn!

When will the bloody morons ever learn....???????????????????



Shiv Sainiks Damage Mohali Pitch!!!!!

 

[Sehwag309]

Damn! Damn! Damn!

When will the bloody morons ever learn....???????????????????



Shiv Sainiks Damage Mohali Pitch!!!!!

Suspected Shiv Sena activists .............

Ya, but who else could it be....

 

[pakster]

They dug up the pitch last time pak visited, right?
Seeing as though the overwhelimg majority of Indians hate these fanatics, Im sure it wont make much difference to pakistans expected triumph.

 

[Bouncer]

I am not having a good feeling about it!

Last time Wicket was Dug in India, Saala Anil took ten wickets in an Innings, I think this time these people must be Harbhajan's friend who were paid by Harbhajan to do something with Wicket.......This happen in Punjab and Harbhajan is Punjabitoo....soo I wonder Hummmmm

 

[Sehwag309]

If they really wanna Help spinners, maybe they can be cheerleaders

Freakin fools, brainwashed by some lunatics to do a job which no one appreciates

But what other way can Shiv Sena justify their anti-pak sentiment...

Also, has any trade, sport, or any other issue between India/Pak gone smooth?

Some issues come here and there...But Higher Authoritues should take care of this shiv sena freaks

I spent some time with their area leader once in madras, so welcoming and helpful...(way back in 1994 - madras),great guy who when u hear these things..