***Official*** Indian Domestic Season 2014/15

[karan316]

Pragyan Ojha has the single best overall FC figures for a spinner, and most of the spinners who performed (Swapnil, Swarup, Malolan, Rahil) are only a season or two old.

He was banned from bowling, remodeled his action and made a comeback and hasn't done anything of note since then. You can pick players on the basis of their experience and previous record, but this is a totally different case.

 

[karan316]

I've stopped watching this match, Karnataka team deserves a lot of credit, but we are looking at a pretty weak ROI side that won't do well even against regular teams. Horrible selections.

 

[karan316]

Checked on cricinfo, Karnataka have easily defeated the ROI side. This is the biggest match in our domestic circuit, and thanks to your selectors, it turned out to be an ordinary, one-sided match.

 

[Arjun]

The SMA Trophy matches have begun. For many, it's a de facto warm-up for IPL, and if they're lucky, they get time in the frontline in the IPL.

 

[Arjun]

Open any report on the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Cricinfo, and you are greeted with a massive photo from the IPL. Proof that SMAT is a warm-up for IPL, isn't it?

 

[karan316]

I guess SMA Trophy should be scrapped. I go to watch these games regularly(haven't gone this year, don't think there are matches in Mumbai), players hardly put much effort or take interest in the games, and why would they want to risk themselves in a useless series. Maybe giving chances to the youngsters(for state teams) is what this series is meant for.

 

[Arjun]

The SMA Trophy happens during peak events of the Indian cricket season. This time, it was the World Cup. The tournament was scrapped for one year, in 2008, after the IPL started, only to be revived in 2009.

The disappointing thing about this tournament is that apart from the poor scheduling, we see several teams field under-strength sides for these games. There's no Robin Uthappa or Pankaj Singh in year's this event, and even Kedar Jadhav has missed a few. It seems these players are getting busy with their IPL camps.

It's still relevant, because most Indian cricketers actually play very little T20. They don't get to play all their team's matches in the IPL, and the Indian T20I team plays very few matches, and most of the players picked are not even cut out for T20Is. Ideally, there should be some room between the SMA Trophy and IPL, so that nobody misses out on whatever little T20 cricket they get, so that there's a base to pick for each T20I event.

 

[cnerd123]

I don't mind the SMAT even if it just features fringe players.

Valuable game time for them, and some rare limited overs exposure for many of the youngsters.

 

[Arjun]

We know how seriously to take this tournament when a long-serving specialist batsman who left Karnataka, playing as a leggie for Kerala, is second in the wickets tally.

HP is a silly team. Rishi Dhawan isn't even captain anymore. Time he packs up and leaves. Many want him, India's best all-rounder, to play for India, but he's not getting far in a Group C team that flatters to deceive. He's got impressive figures, but barely finishes a tournament, because he's in such a dire team. Unlike J&K, HP may not be on oxygen (a Harsha Bhogle quote), but they surely sleepwalk a lot.

India's top T20 batsmen are having a great time. Suman leading the charts, while Debu Das, Mayank Agarwal and Manan Vohra are also scoring plenty, and quickly. Surprise performances come from newcomer Shaikh, as also Mandeep, who's often struggled in limited-overs cricket.

One look at last season's IPL figures will show that eight out of the top ten batsmen are overseas players. Clearly, Indian players need more T20 experience. Then again, seven of the top ten bowlers are Indians- including the fast, forceful, frequently-injured Varun Aaron.

 

[CricAddict]

One look at last season's IPL figures will show that eight out of the top ten batsmen are overseas players. Clearly, Indian players need more T20 experience. Then again, seven of the top ten bowlers are Indians- including the fast, forceful, frequently-injured Varun Aaron.

This is because most of the IPL teams pack their top order with overseas players while they are forced to give overs to Indian bowlers due to over limit.