Indian team for Ind-SL test series.....

.........to be announced today.

There are reports that Dhoni wants to take a break from int'l cricket and may just opt out of the team for this tour.

Who should be Dhoni's replacement in that case? Karthik or Parthiv?

I'd personally go for Parthiv.

One thing is certain though. In the event of Dhoni opting out of this tour chances of Jaffer's chances of being retained as opener reduce considerably.

Also, after Tendulkar now Sehwag suffers from groin injury and is advised atleast 10 days rest.

Parthiv ( in the IPL ) looked like his keeping was still awful ( in the games I watched )

It's a worrying sign that one of the sport's biggest players is considering skipping a test series to have a break.

I think Karthik will be the replacement. He can also open the batting if need be.

GG should be played as a middle order batsman in tests
My team for the 1st test

1- Dravid
2- Sehwag
3- Laxman
4- Tendulkar
5- Ganguly
6- GG
7- Kartikh
8- Harbhajan
9- Kumble
10- Sharma
11- ZAK

12th man RP Singh

Tendulkar is still not fit, and Sehwag is doubtful but should make the trip. Likely Indian team for the first test-

Gambhir
Sehwag
Dravid
Ganguly
Laxman
Raina
Karthik+
Kumble
Harbhajan
Zaheer
Ishant

Henry wrote:It's a worrying sign that one of the sport's biggest players is considering skipping a test series to have a break.

jadeja said, if he had to skip a series, a test series is probably where india would miss him least. i would agree with the batting side of things, but i think he is india's best wk and both parthiv and karthick are not nearly as good

and its official he has pulled out

srt should be playing the 1st test. unlike dhoni he plans his rest days to coincide with odi series. since the last bombay indians match it will be more than 45 days, enough rest

Dhoni pulls out of Sri Lanka Tests

Cricinfo staff

July 8, 2008

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has pulled out of the forthcoming three Tests in Sri Lanka, citing exhaustion after a non-stop season. Dhoni had requested the BCCI to rest him for the Test leg of the tour alone, meaning that he'd be available for the five-match one-day series which follows the Tests. The selectors are expected to announce the Test squad shortly.

"He conveyed last night that he wants to take rest for the Test series against Sri Lanka," Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI's chief administrative officer, told Cricinfo.

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something like that would be unthinkable 5 years ago. shows you how the game is changing. also him being captain in odis and not tests would be a consideration for him

I hope the players declaring themselves fit are put through the motions and assessed by the team Physio so that we don't have a repeat of the past let downs.

Didn't realise SRT was fit again. What's Zaheer's fitness like?

I read somewhere that SRT has declared bimself fit.

Josh Carney wrote:I read somewhere that SRT has declared bimself fit.

He's done that before, and it turned out that he was nowhere near fit. As has been mentioned, he should be put through his paces by the physio before being selected.

Agree.

Unless there is a marked improvement with the bowling and fielding backed by some innovative captaincy, the Indians could find themselves really being exposed on the Field. I don't see Mendis repeating his deeds consistently, but the combination of Vaas, Murali and Mendis could be a quite a handful for the batsmen.

Need some steely gutsy performers from India if they are to have any chance in SL.

It'll probably be a high scoring 0-0 series draw.

Henry wrote:It'll probably be a high scoring 0-0 series draw.

No chance.

IMO SL pitches aren't as flat as they used to be.

Dhoni's pulling out of SL test series is really unfortunate and as TO said shows where his priorities lie.

Agreed he is playing vritually non stop cricket since last year. But he could've so easily opted for rest in either of the 2 ODI tourneys India played during last month.

I just hope whoever is selected to keep wickets in his place gives such a good performance both with the bat and WK gloves that Dhoni finds it hard to break into Indian test team again.

Perhaps he felt compelled to play the ODI's because he was Captain. In any case he is taking a risk. The replacement may go quite well and Dhoni's test position has never been that secure IMO.

I guess he feels that he's more important to India's ODI and T20 plans than the test side. Apart from the fact that he's a fine 'keeper and one of the world's best ODI batsmen, he is the captain.

Likely squad

Batsmen-

Gambhir
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Laxman
Yuvraj


'Keeper-

Karthik

Bowlers-

Zaheer
RP Singh
Ishant
Sreesanth
Kumble
Harbhajan

Henry wrote:It's a worrying sign that one of the sport's biggest players is considering skipping a test series to have a break.

I think Karthik will be the replacement. He can also open the batting if need be.

In his defence, he can't skip the ODI tournaments as he is captain. Also, I think the decision was taken after consultations with Kirsten and possibly Kumble as well.

Word is that UMB is more or less sure to get picked as second opener. Zaheer too seems certain to be included in the team.

While Ojha's chances too are good to be picked ahead of Chawla provided we pick 3 spinners.

I think Ojha is a good one day bowler but i'd go with Chawla in the longer form of the game.

Will be interesting to see who they pick as back-up to Karthik. If Parthiv is kept for the Aus tour, Goswami could get a go.