West Indies v India, 1st Test, Jamaica, June 20-24, 2011

Is going to be really interesting for me as an Indian supporter watching so many of the fringe players playing for India.

Vijay
Mukund
Dravid
Kohli
Laxman
Raina
Dhoni
Mishra (but will be Bhajji)
Ishant
Munaf
Mithun

The TN twins will start off and will be the first time I watch Mukund bat. Vijay, for me, has always been someone who probably has the class to make it in internationals, but has some obvious and glaring problems with decent fast bowling. Kohli needs to show that he has substance, and all that confidence actually amounts to something. Also has problems with good fast bowling. Raina is not ideally in my test side. Mishra has bowled brilliantly in the ODIs and should really get a lot more wickets. The pace bowling is very iffy, with a very inconsistent long haired idiot leading the bowling and the rest not really that good IMO.

Hope the West Indies go with Russell and Roach to bowl fast and short to sort out the FTBs, and pull out Fidel or Taylor from somewhere.

Andre Russell would be a better option than Sammy. I know he's captain, blah blah, but his bowling is often filth. Just what India wants.

The quicks of WI: Roach, Edwards, Taylor, Russell (will unlikely ever play in the same team together) so based on current international form, I'd pick Russell and Roach - as Dori said - with Rampaul, Bishoo and possibly Martin.

5 bowlers: Roach, Rampaul, Russell, Martin and Bishoo.
1 WK: Baugh
5 batsmen: Simmons, Barath, Chanderpaul, Sarwan and Darren Bravo.

Shillingford should also get a look in after he's been cleared to play again. If Sammy is the only player galvanising the squad, then he probably shouldn't be dropped, as we've all seen this West Indian side capitulate far too often.

Maybe play Nash in there somewhere. Just need someone to weigh anchor once in a while, as I know Mishra and Bhajji will be all over this WI side, especially as they're very suspect against spin of all kinds.

doremi wrote:Vijay
Mukund
Kohli
Raina

it's a good thing we are playing the windies

Is Rohit in the test squad?

nope

badrinath is

Badrinath ahead of slogger Raina, surely. Especially after the woeful shots Raina has played in the ODI series.

So far, Badrinath has just been a lot of shades of useless. Given a choice, I'd pick Raina everytime.

Ofcourse, if Pujara hadn't been so bloody injury prone, we would not be having this discussion anyways.

****** IPL.

can they somehow make sharma stay back in the windies? maybe break badri and/or raina's legs

Likely Indian side for the first test-

Vijay
Mukhund
Dravid
Laxman
Kohli
Raina
Dhoni(c)+
Harbhajan
Mishra
Ishant
Mithun

i cant decide which is weaker - the batting or the bowling

will be a close series one feels. windies definitely have a good chance

is sunny allowwed back to commentate in the WI these days?

surprised the harby has been allowed in

Barath is back from injury but Andre Russell effectively misses out because Sammy must play. So Windies test xi will be:

Simmons
Barath
Sarwan
Bravo
Chanderpaul
Samuels/Nash
Baugh (wk)
Sammy
Rampaul
Roach
Bishoo

Not a bad side, IMO. Fully of raw talent, at least.

Mithun will miss the 1st test, and Munaf is doubtful. We're ******.

Munaf is ALWAYS doubtful. It must be doubtful as to whether he'll bother to get out of bed each day.

I guess my pick of Martin was a bit premature.

so an opening 'attack' of praveen kumar and ishant sharma?

another spinners pitch made to order?

Jamaica tends to have a bit more pace than the other pitches, doesn't it? Perhaps. I can't remember.....

The TN boys to go against Fidel, RaviR and Sammy. Roach has been dropped. Idiots.

time to peek into the future of indian cricket

doremi wrote:The TN boys to go against Fidel, RaviR and Sammy. Roach has been dropped. Idiots.

That's it I'm out...

Can't watch the game, will have to follow on cricinfo, atleast the first sessions everyday.

good pace from castro so far

poor direction as well though