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

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.

Why he has chosen to not avoid the ODIs and only tests is beyond me. I know he is a captian there but FFS shouldn't missing JAMODIs be more acceptable than missing tests? I which case I hope he misses the whole leg of SL in both versions and gets all the rest he needs.

Henry wrote: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

Who told you that Sachin is still not fit?

Rohit and Ojha included for Sri Lanka Tests

Cricinfo staff

July 8, 2008



Pragyan Ojha and Rohit Sharma are the new faces in the Indian Test squad © AFP




India have included uncapped players Rohit Sharma and Pragyan Ojha in the 16-member squad for the three-Test series in Sri Lanka. Gautam Gambhir has been drafted in as opener ahead of Wasim Jaffer, who's been dropped, while Zaheer Khan also returns to the team after injury niggles ruled him out of international action so far this year. With Mahendra Singh Dhoni opting out, the selectors have named two wicketkeepers in Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel.

The selectors have 'rested' Yuvraj Singh, while Irfan Pathan and Piyush Chawla are the other omissions from the Test squad for the home series against South Africa. Harbhajan Singh returns to the India side after completing his five-match ODI ban for slapping Sreesanth, who wasn't in the reckoning as he's still recovering from a side strain.


India squad:
Anil Kumble (capt),
Virender Sehwag,
Gautam Gambhir,
Sourav Ganguly,
Rahul Dravid,
VVS Laxman,
Sachin Tendulkar,
Rohit Sharma,
Dinesh Karthik,
Parthiv Patel,
Harbhajan Singh,
Ishant Sharma,
Zaheer Khan,
RP Singh,
Munaf Patel,
Pragyan Ojha

-----------------------------------

Choice of reserve batsman and reserve spinner is disappointing.

munaf? hmm

sehwag
karthik
laxman
sachin
ganguly
dravid
kumble
harbhajan
khan
sharma

seem almost certain. an extra place is left, but will they pick a batsman or a bowler? a bowling all-rounder would have been perfect

The One wrote:munaf? hmm

sehwag
karthik
laxman
sachin
ganguly
dravid
kumble
harbhajan
khan
sharma

seem almost certain. an extra place is left, but will they pick a batsman or a bowler? a bowling all-rounder would have been perfect

We have just one bowling all rounder and he is in horrible form right now.

Can't believe Dhoni has pulled out of a test series. How soft is that?

And first test is still 2 weeks away.

So, it looks like:

Sehwag
Gambhir
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Laxman
Karthik
Kumble
Harbhajan
Zaheer
Ishant

vs

Warnapura
Vandort
Sangakkara
Jayawardene
Samaraweera
Dilshan
Prasanna
Vaas
Mendis
Malinga
Murali

A lot of guess-work on SL team. Surely they'll go with two spinners? Both teams look way short of seamers, but I can't see it going any other way. India went into their last Test with two seamers and two spinners, so one would assume they'd do the same in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka might not pick Mendis yet, who knows. Madness if they don't, 'cause they haven't got a third seamer worthy of the name.

mendis not being picked after the asia cup would result in a riot. he is almost as certain as murali

indian bowling looks thin. will be a nightmare getting sanga or jaya out once they are set

The One wrote:munaf? hmm

sehwag
karthikGambhir
laxman
sachin
ganguly
dravid
Karthik
kumble
harbhajan
khan
sharma

seem almost certain. an extra place is left, but will they pick a batsman or a bowler? a bowling all-rounder would have been perfect

Gambhir will open. There's your XI.

gambhir o gambhir. oh well, better to try him against sl than against aus

That's the thing I'm worried about. If he survives Vaas and Malinga he'll score a ton atleast for sure. Would mean he gets in for the Aus series.

doremi wrote:That's the thing I'm worried about. If he survives Vaas and Malinga he'll score a ton atleast for sure. Would mean he gets in for the Aus series.

LOL. That would be called DESERVING of a spot.

doremi wrote:That's the thing I'm worried about. If he survives Vaas and Malinga he'll score a ton atleast for sure. Would mean he gets in for the Aus series.

You are really losing the plot now dude.

from cricinfo...

"Since 2007, Dhoni has played 14 Tests, 56 ODIs and eight Twenty20 internationals - 134 days of international cricket in a span of less than 20 months. He also captained Chennai Super Kings to the final of the Indian Premier League, and featured in all their 16 matches."

its a hard life aint it!

by my reckoning, baseball players play more games, so do ice-hockey players. ice hockey especially is really intense, whereas for half a game of cricket you just sit on a chair.

hopefully karthik will perform so well dhoni gets kicked out the test squad

lazy cricketers

Henry wrote:

doremi wrote:That's the thing I'm worried about. If he survives Vaas and Malinga he'll score a ton atleast for sure. Would mean he gets in for the Aus series.

LOL. That would be called DESERVING of a spot.

Yes, because Australia is positively overflowing with great spinners right now.

Well, he's better than Jaffer. You've got to admit that.

Any Englishman who has played all of England's cricket will have played on 132 days. I think that pretty much limits you to Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell though. After this series, that figure will be way above Dhoni's. We'd better start "RESTING" the latter two, quickly...

i dont think the rest is only for exhaustion. he has had back problems for quiet a while now, has not kept wickets in a few matches in that time. probably to rest that

still, it puts his test place into jeopardy. he might be the best wk, but if karthik/parthiv do a good job behind the stumps it will be hard to ignore them

Is Malinga fit for this tour?

Finally the penny seems to have dropped with respect to Irfan Pathan and Yuvi when it comes to the test arena.

Good to see Rohit get a go. GG is also a reasonable chance to do do OK in SL.

But then there is a lot of the same. Off the big 4 only Ganguly deserved automatic selection despite his fielding weakness. VVS and Dravid are lucky to be given another go. SRT again self declares to be fit and Vengsarkar is happy to oblige.

Kumble has never had much success against SL. This was the time to make a change and move on with the Captaincy but then reputations are hard to ignore in Indian Cricketing circles.

Imagine Zaheer, Gangs, Kumble and other not so fit players against a youthful dynamic SL on home soil. Does not look good to me. This Indian team will be chasing plenty of leather from what I can see.

Other inexplicable decision relates to Kaif. He was chosen for the last two SA tests and benched ahead of the like of Yuvi. Between that series and the SL tour we have had the IPL circus and some Asian ODIs and based on that Dilipji wields his club again.

Normally I am a supporter for two Keepers, but for SL we could have done away with one given the distance and the not so alien conditions.

Looks like a pretty settled side to me:

Gambhir
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Laxman+
Karthik*
Harbhajan
Zaheer Khan
RP Singh

And if you want a bit of extra ammo for the flat Sri Lankan wickets then Munaf or Instant Karma come in for Gambhir with Karthik opening.

5 bowlers might be the way to go actually, considering Kumble and Harbhajan's form with the bat, the tail won't be quite as weak as that would have looked on paper 5 years ago. Even Zaheer has improved his batting a little bit.

Gary 111 wrote:Looks like a pretty settled side to me:

Gambhir
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Laxman+
Karthik*
Harbhajan
Zaheer Khan
RP Singh

And if you want a bit of extra ammo for the flat Sri Lankan wickets then Munaf or Instant Karma come in for Gambhir with Karthik opening.

5 bowlers might be the way to go actually, considering Kumble and Harbhajan's form with the bat, the tail won't be quite as weak as that would have looked on paper 5 years ago. Even Zaheer has improved his batting a little bit.

A bit rough to go in with 10 players.

JGK wrote:

Gary 111 wrote:Looks like a pretty settled side to me:

Gambhir
Sehwag
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Laxman+
Karthik*
Harbhajan
Zaheer Khan
RP Singh

And if you want a bit of extra ammo for the flat Sri Lankan wickets then Munaf or Instant Karma come in for Gambhir with Karthik opening.

5 bowlers might be the way to go actually, considering Kumble and Harbhajan's form with the bat, the tail won't be quite as weak as that would have looked on paper 5 years ago. Even Zaheer has improved his batting a little bit.

A bit rough to go in with 10 players.

Shut up.

They only need 10. And Karthik would make an excellent captain. But not as good as Laxman would be as keeper.

Okay, maybe that was supposed to read:

Gambhir, Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Laxman, Karthik+, Kumble*, Harbhajan, Zaheer, RP Singh

Always had a blind spot for Kumble's!