The Indian Squad for the Test series in Australia

The One wrote:wow! that has to be one of the stupidest posts i have seen on the cricket forum in 7 years. and thats saying something. congrats

Henry wrote:But it's been pointed out already- History shows that Munaf is incapable of playing more than 2 Tests in a row before getting injured. So it's more than likely that he would have played at Melbourne, then felt a niggle at Sydney a week later, and been ruled out of Adelaide and probably Perth as well.

leg glancer wrote:

Henry wrote:But it's been pointed out already- History shows that Munaf is incapable of playing more than 2 Tests in a row before getting injured. So it's more than likely that he would have played at Melbourne, then felt a niggle at Sydney a week later, and been ruled out of Adelaide and probably Perth as well.

Bowlers who are incapable of stringing consecutive appearances together are a joke -- and an insult to the war that is a test series. Admit it guys. Munaf is just an over-hyped trundler. What really disgusts me about Munaf is his distinct lack of effort with his bowling. He bowls way below par because he has no stamina and refuses to give 100% for his country. That reason alone is good enough for his exclusion. And I don't care how crap the other bowling choices in the squad may seem, overall stamina is vital on a tour like this and Munaf has very little of that. At least give the newbies a chance to fail. Who knows, they may actually manage to walk out of the pavillion without needing to be stretchered off.

Ash wrote:you have a link doremi?

munaf is arguably our classiest bowler when on song. but i tend to agree with leg glancer that the commitment is simply not there. nehra was like this aswell. who knows pankaj or ishant might turn out to be a decent find for us. its important to have a good fast bowling bench.

glad sehwag is in. it probably does mean that yuvraj will sit out the first test though which isnt a good thing.

As for Sehwag/Yuvraj, would depend on the practice match I reckon.

DH News Service,Bangalore:


Maharashtra pacer Munaf Patel might still join the Indian Test team in Australia as a 17th member if he ...


Maharashtra pacer Munaf Patel might still join the Indian Test team in Australia as a 17th member if he acquits himself with credit in the Ranji Trophy Super League.
Severely prone to injuries, the 24-year-old was withdrawn from the Bangalore Test with back spasms, the latest in a long list. On Wednesday, after physio John Gloster advised more match practice for Patel before selection for international matches, the right-arm paceman was left out of the 16-man party.
Maharashtra play Saurashtra in Nagothane from December 17, and Karnataka in Ratnagiri from December 25. Patel can try to convince the selectors that he can last the rigours of back-to-back games without falling apart.
Alternately, it wouldn’t be unwise to spend a few days at the National Cricket Academy with Dav Whatmore before playing in Maharashtra’s last league tie against Karnataka. If he comes through unscathed, there is every possibility of him flying out well in time for the third Test against the Aussies, at the WACA ground in Perth from January 16, it is learnt.(this is the best option)
The thinking behind Virender Sehwag’s somewhat surprise inclusion once Gautam Gambhir was ruled out centred around his past success in Australia, as well as the need for someone to keep the score board moving. Like Wasim Jaffer, but even more doggedly, Akash Chopra is a conventional opener, unlike the flamboyant Sehwag. Jaffer and Chopra together in the middle could easily have resulted in little to show for time spent in the middle.
Sehwag brings a whole new dimension; the toss-up between Sehwag and Chopra was always going to go the former’s way, despite his absence from the list of 24 probables.
Gambhir’s injury isn’t all too serious. The left-hander has had a pain-killing injection, but given the big grounds in Australia, there is every possibility that he could aggravate the sore right shoulder in throwing from the outfield. One man’s loss is another’s gain. Now, the think-tank will hope Sehwag can make his lucky break count.

SG wrote:

As for Sehwag/Yuvraj, would depend on the practice match I reckon.

And BCCI was kind enough on Indian cricketers to demand just 1 practice game from CA for this tough tour.

Hats off to them.

December 13, 2007 23:04 IST

Despite being omitted for the Test tour of Australia due to injury, paceman S Sreesanth is aiming to be fit for the third Test of the series to be played in Perth.

...

"Please don't say that I am dropped (from the team). I have not been found fit by the selectors, due to injury reasons," Sreesanth told reporters in Coimbatore.

"I want to prove my fitness and get a chance to play against Australia in the third Test. If not, I am still confident that I will be back in the one-dayers (tri-series in Australia)," he said.

Asked whether new finds Ishant Sharma and Pankaj Singh would be a threat for him, he said "Do not call it a threat. I know both the bowlers. Just as I got the chance to play for India, they have also got the opportunity to play for the country."

Sreesanth is undergoing ayurveda treatment in the city for the last one week to recover from his shoulder injury.

Since he did not want to go for surgery, he preferred ayurveda.

He would be going to Mumbai on Friday to meet Indian team physio John Gloster and discuss his fitness.

Sehwag went back to domestic cricket and did nothing. He was not among the 24 probables for the squad Down Under, but he got a strong recommendation from former Australia captain Ian Chappell who felt the bouncy pitches would be to his liking. Now Anil Kumble apparently wanted him in the squad.

The irony of it all is that Sehwag's sixth sense told him that he would on the flight to Australia! And out of the blue, there is this news about Gautam Gambhir's shoulder and after asking him to throw a few balls from the deep, it is said that his throwing arm needs rest.

...

Strangely, the selectors want to see Munaf Patel play more matches in domestic cricket before flying him out as the 17th man, but Sehwag has no such compulsion. He walks into the side as if it's his right. What a travesty of justice, batsmen who have won crucial matches for India are perennially on trial even after 5,000 runs in Tests and here is a player who is being given a chance again and again.

THE TONK ALEX BROWN
December 7, 2007

HOW would Andrew Symonds and Shantha Sreesanth behave in a realm where ICC match referees don't exist? Angelo Hyder intends to find out. According to the Secondsout.com website, the headline-seeking promoter is attempting to arrange a boxing bout between the Australian all-rounder and Indian paceman at the conclusion of this summer's four-Test series. Hyder was unsuccessful in organising a cross-code fight between Willie Mason and Barry Hall but has apparently set his sights on organising a stoush involving two of international cricket's more volatile personalities. Symonds and Sreesanth clashed during matches in Cochin and Chandigarh during Australia's recent one-day tour of India, and Sreesanth recently told Inside Cricket of his intention to take the fight to Symonds this summer. On the field, that is. "I am Sreesanth and I'm not scared of any batsman in the world," he said, using the kind of third-person reference that would make many a pugilist gush with pride. But, alas, it appears the catchweight venture is doomed to failure. Sreesanth's shoulder injury is likely to rule him out of the tour to Australia.

Friday December 14 2007 10:24 IST
K R Rajesh

COIMBATORE: Ace bowler Sreesanth, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, said on Thursday that he is looking forward to play the third test against Australia. He also expressed his confidence of playing in the ODIs against Australia.

He was in the city to receive the MALABARICUS award of excellence sponsored by Gomovius group of companies.

“Though doctors advised me to undergo a surgery, I turned down it, because I don't want to miss Australia tour,” he said. “It hurts me if you say I am dropped. I was not selected only because of my injury,” he added.

The young cricketer, who is undergoing treatment at Arya Vaidya Pharmacy here, said he is going to Mumbai to meet John Gloster, Indian team's physio to take his advice on fitness.

On his emotional behaviour on the field, he said he wanted to be himself and will not care about any opposition.

Sreesanth, who was all praise for the Kerala team's performance in the Ranji trophy this season, said if Kerala reaches the finals of the Ranji trophy, he will play for the state team in the finals against Railways on Dec 25 at Ahmedabad.

Kerala has reached the semi-finals of the competition and will play against Gujarat in the semi final.

He believed that the Kerala team will improve more under the new coach Vedan Hariharan Asked about Ishant Sharma and Pankaj Singh's selection in the Indian team for the tour, he said “They deserve it. Both are young and have fire in them.”

He said he had played with Ishant in Ireland and Scotland and met Pankaj Singh at MRF Pace Academy.

Gautom Menon, Executive Director, Gomovius group of companies, presents a cheque of Rs 3 lakh to Sreesanth at a function held at CMS College in Coimbatore on Thursday.

*Buckaroo* wrote:Sreesanth keen to take on kangaroos

Friday December 14 2007 10:24 IST
K R Rajesh

Though doctors advised me to undergo a surgery, I turned down it, because where there is no brain there is no pain,”

tac wrote:That expression has always concerned me, taips. I have a very high pain threshold.