The Indian team for the first two tests against Australia has been announced - Indian squad for first two Tests: Anil Kumble (captain), MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, S Badrinath, Amit Mishra, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh, Munaf Patel.
I am not surprised by the selections. The men whose names are in bold were the ones we were following. Those were also the spots which were either likely to change if change had to be instituted now, or were places up for grabs.
Munaf sealed it with his second successful Irani on the trot - the last season he wasn't fully fit, this season he looks much better and stronger. We here were on the lookout for him to be alongside Ishant if 3 pacemen play.
Badri's selection was given...he's bound to play at least one test match to prove his credentials...he has earned the call over seasons.
Another man who has done so is Amit Mishra. Unlike Badri, Mishra's is perhaps the more valuable and possibly long-term selection. That man can turn a game on its head wih his ripping leg-spinners. It does look like the shani hovering on his head has evaporated with the change in selection commitee. It is now up to Misraji to make the most of the opportunity as and when it comes. He may not play immediately but who knows. For the record, TCWJ has been calling for Misraji's inclusion in a sustained, apolitical, merit-promoting manner. Naturally, we're happy here :)
And then Dada...he couldn't have been discarded alone and India wasn't ready to discard four of its veteran players in one fell axing. This was not unexpected either, even though I have become ambivalent about the biggies by this time.
Source: BCCI.tv
One thing's certain, this and the short series with England later, will settle many careers. Cheeka will work on the biggies for sure but he'll prolly go for a good combo of experience + 20-somethings as replacement.
All in all, a typical Cheeka selection - a bit status quoist ( I'm sure he'll soon let the boys know quietly and decently to start packing their kitbags and bid their goodbyes ) and equally willing to hit the ball back over the bowler's head for a boundary with unexpected (yet expected) selections.
With these two selections, the signals are clear - teenie-boppers can no longer dance/smile their way into the team on the basis of the promise of their nubile age or perhaps the odd fancy effort in some limited over games, and experienced match-winners but still young men like Misra (26) , or fit men like Badri (29), will be given a chance as well.
RohitS and Chawlas have to play those long innings, polish all different versions of their game and then stand in que. The Colonel tended to go blindly for youth one felt - a la GC - irrespective of whether they had a well-rounded or a well-established game.
Misra was everybody's call but DBV's...let's see if The Colonel did indeed have some special insight or was he just palining wrong. I'm OK with this selection.
In passing, during my temporary absentia, it does appear that finally BCCI has heeded the goadings, and fearful also perhaps of the growing popularity of bCCi, and has moved a stodgy hoof and paw towards building a website to represent Indian cricket. My interest will be on the Archives section and who will fill that up, and with what kind of articles....I hope they employ reputed writers with a deep sense of history. BCCI can afford to do that for preserving the glory of Indian cricket...wotsay, Mr.Manohar?
21 comments:
Amit Mishra's selection surprised me SB. I am really happy for him. Hope he gets the opportunity to play soon. He is a selection for the long term and hope selectors persist with him. His selection was indeed a drive over the top of bowler's head. A clean hit. Hope it fetches the maximum for Cheeka.
Badri is in a way expected what with Srikkanth taking over. In any case he deserves the chance after such a good first class record. MP was wondering in 606 whether Badri could be India's Hussey. Let's see how he fares.
Good to see Munaf in the thick of things. His verbals against Delhi wasn't nice but in a way good to note his aggressiveness.
Ganguly is a surprise selection with media speculating a deal. I don't know whether it is true. I don't think Ganguly will call it quits if he performs in this series.
Amit Misra has been selected but its highly unlikely that he will get a match in this series. I think Vengsarkar made some bad choices in the last two series which made the BIG four look good, but I am surprised at the selection of Ganguly, Dravid and Tendulkar are just playing because of their past reputation.
Hi Bala...my foot's in a cast. Some say it is because of backing Delhi in the Irani! Soon after I posted on Baskar's anecdotal post (on the road experience), I had a first hand experince of a DD (delhi driver not daredevil...ok maybe devildarer)
It is good to see Munaf hungry to succeed - you spotted this new "settlement" in his psyche before many others - and his inclusion is welcome.
You say you are surprised with Mishra's selection - is that surprise as in pleasant surprise or otherwise :)? I mean did you feel he merited selection but was unlikely to make it, or did you feel he wasn't ready for selection and hence surprised?
Actually, the stuff with the four...all the talk around them is staling...I'm currently experiencing feelings similar to Kapil Dev's career prolongation with Srinath chafing in the wings. India needed Kapil (pacers were rare then) yet did not need him to continue playing as much as he did towards the end.
I wouldn't be gutted if they were to be dropped - rather I'd be gutted if incorrect replacements are brought in!
Hope all's well and fine with you and the rest at V belong.
Couldn't agree with you more Wasim. The time is perhaps already here for the big boys to ride off into the sunset.
Lanka was sheer brilliance of Mendis. But certainly someone could be groomed into position during home series.
DBV tried with those he felt were best choices - Yuvraj, Chawla...they didn't quite turn out the way he thought they would.
Yeah, he probably was too engrossed with playing them in the higher rungs.
SB, Excellent nightcap.
That last bit of the archives at bcci's site -reckon they can speak to you.
Finally, Misraji makes it, feels good, doesn't it? Just hope he and Badri can pull it off fast, it'll help indian cricket turn a corner, move beyond star players to players.
cheers to cheeka, this wasn't half bad.
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Driving menace is making life difficult by the day SB. Even in a city like Coimbatore I find driving getting difficult with more and more vehicles entering the cityscape. In a place like Delhi it's got to be really difficult. Unless we tighten licensing process and be tough with driving and road violations, things won't improve. Hope it's a minor one SB. Take care.
I was pleasantly surprised by Misra's inclusion SB. Right from the moment I saw him in IPL I am for him. He has a loop and is a good turner of the ball. He seem to have good accuracy which is not easy for a leggie. But honestly I didn't expect him to be picked with Delhi also showing doors to him in Irani. His inclusion is a typical Srikkanth shot.
I am not sure about the four SB. I am still convinced that Dravid, Sachin and Laxman offer more than the prospects we have been discussing. They may not be possessing the same jewels they showcased but still their silver is glittering better than some of the prospects on the show. Take the Irani Trophy where things were not easy for batsmen. Dravid at 36 dug deep and made a very valuable contribution to his side. But Badri, Kohli, and Kaif all failed to make an impact. Recently I read two articles one by Sambit Bal in cricinfo and the other by Ayaz Memon in DNA. Both make very valid points.
Sambit Bal - http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/current/story/371809.html
Ayaz Memon - http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1193961
We must first settle one by one and pace out the four over a period. Laxman is good for another 2 years. With respect to other three we should assess their performance by series and remove one by one.
v belong is motoring along with Baskar in the driving seat. We all contribute with comments and occasional posts. Baskar keeps giving us something new and interesting. He is a voracious reader and reads topics on almost all subjects. That is something I wish I could emulate.
A metatarsal is broken, a few abrasions and bruises at various places, resulting from a car going over my foot in a tight marketplace.
No doubt the gents have plenty of juice, but what would you do when you see the Sundrop or Vital oil cask at home is in the final tenth of its show? Sister would definitely make it known to you that within the week (or a couple of days depending upon consumption) you'd need to bring in a new one if you haven't already stocked up.
The situation with our biggies is a bit like that - they still have some useful oil in them, but we know they are in their final tenths of their performance curves...the last percentile band.
We either have someone (who'll naturally be not as good as they) ready or we better rustle up some. In the two years or so these gents may play (if they do) they'll merely be doing holding operations rather than taking Indian cricket forward.
Baskar is amazing. I'm curious and enthused by him. There are many posts by him I feel there are no need to comment...the post itself is so illuminating.
Fairly good selection, aint it? My only gripe - Aakash Chopra for Badrinath.
it'll help indian cricket turn a corner, move beyond star players to players.
I'm looking forward to that Gaurav. Nobody's going to respect you these days - not even if you are consistently good, which India isn't and can only be with players, not stars. Nobody's going to be affectionate towards you unless you are vanilla losers...it doesn't matter how starry you are, you've got to just do it when it matters to be counted-in into fragile memories and worse affections.
Thanks for the kind words, but what I meant about writers was real good ones...the guys who saw it and don't just belt out plaudits with every word. Fellows who can narrate a story which isn't weird.
Welcome Mr.Patel. Thanks and I'll check out the contest.
Hi Minerva,
Fair gripe that and I'm looking around for a glib explanation. Just can't find it! :)
sorry to learn about you SB!! take care and get well soon...
mishraji selection i would say is inspired one...goes to show that cheeka has mind of his own and has keen eye on set of players he wants to go with...
but whats happening to badri?
he is making life difficult for himself by floundering one opportunity after another...?
Thanks SP, it'll get better, the body bruises ache less now :) but drivers are quite mad in Delhi. In reverse gear too he was at Brett Lee's pace!
Misraji's selection is indeed welcome. If he does get an opportunity to play, hopefully he can make the most of it.
Cheeka was the first Indian skipper who came back undefeated from Pakistan I think...he certainly is his own man even if he appears as a cryptically buzzing bumble bee in the commentary box.
got appropriate price as well for the feat... ;-)
meanwhile...rs is scripting his own tale...
Yeah...but that was because of moolah matters :) player rebellion is a big no-no with any cricket board in this world. They do not like their Oliver Twists to hold out their bowls and ask for more.
I know much will be made out of Rohit S's innings, but did it impress you? Not me...He just hung in there and prayed some of the chances/edges wouldn't carry. I have seen too many such innings from Yuvraj...even better ones in fact.
What is sad is having to let go a talent like Yuvraj just because of poor management and attitude.
Forget about all these...one batsman who will be playing for India pretty soon is Virat Kohli...maybe even before the propped up Rohit. Kohli has played match-winning innings and team-rescuing innings for teams he has played for. Rohit...you can probably count on one finger and have spare digits left for other work.
I'd resurrect Manoj Tiwary, the unlucky forgotten man. he is a longer version player first. let us see him in this Ranji season...if he can make it count.
I'd even play Raina ahead of Rohit if it comes to that.
My grouse against Rohit is a humongous talent like him should make the most of it...and not look for shortcuts. Don't we have enough of that in the form of Yuvraj? Play a season...settle your deeper game and then come back. If you want to be a 35 test matches 2000 runs man at 33 average...OK go ahead and play test cricket right now, Rohit. Leave the hard yards for someone else...
If you want to be a 35 test matches 2000 runs man at 33 average...OK go ahead and play test cricket right now, Rohit. Leave the hard yards for someone else...
...and his soft dismissal after scoring a century just shows that...here was an opportunity to score big time...against hapless ozies...turn the tide in your favor...
but he is happy with a ton...
That's applicable to both Kohli and Rohit. However, when you saw Kohli bat, you knew a century was certain...with Rohit, we took it by the ball.
Sorry to read about your accident SB. I've had autos go over my foot many times in the busy Sultan Bazar area in Hyderabad. The key to get out unscathed [I found the 1st time one went over my foot] is not to move the foot and let that go - once it is over your foot. But, if we are in such a situation, we don't have time to think.
Coming back to cricket, congratulations that your call for Mishra's inclusion is heard by the selectors. What is Mishra's stock ball? Is there any special delivery?
I read in eenadu that Kumble got a new weapon in his arsenal for this series, a ball much like the carrom ball of Mendis. Let's see how that works.
@SB, ouch! Sorry about your accident :( Get well soon.
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