WC Post-Mortem

[sandeep]

I don't support a witch-hunt, but questions have to be asked about the strategic and tactical choices made by the captain and team management.  If we had won the WC, both captain and coach would have deservedly gotten the credit.  It was a choice to recycle old 'experienced' faces for the middle order roles - instead of using the last 2+ years to give proper opportunities and evaluations to the likes of Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant etc. 

 

The cynic in me, believes that maybe there were some intentional calculations made - with more younger faces featuring more regularly in the national team, would the advertising dollars start shifting their focus towards youth, as they often do?  

 

Something that Ajay Jadeja said, before the semi final is still bouncing around in my brain.  He pointed out the fact that post CT 2017, the Indian team supposedly decided that the finger spinners were the problem, and replaced them with wrist spinners.  For 2 years, that was the promised solution - nothing much was done about preparing the middle order though.  And then come the big game, the last 2 games of a world cup - the team is still not sure about the spinner slot, and going back to Jadeja?  So what did the 2 years accomplish?  

 

Even setting aside the cynicism, the conspiracy theories - it is clear that the current selection committee and its fixation with recycling 'proven' experienced players, giving them 2nd chances, has not worked out, and hurt the team - both in the short term, and long term.  MSK Prasad was given some chances as a player, thrown out, and never seen again.  Is it mere speculation to think that he wants to address the 'wrongs' that were done to him, when he was in the selector's chair?  

 

• MSK Prasad and Co. need to go. 
• Dinesh Karthik should never again feature in any ODI XI or squad. No disrespect, or hate.  His time is done.  Its simply in the team's interest to use that slot to audition other younger candidates.
• Dhoni has to retire.  No more ODIs or T20Is for him.  He can announce whenever.  But he's done.
• KL Rahul needs to earn his way to the reserve opener slot again.  Mayank and Prithvi need to be in the mix.
• This one's a bit unfair - but I believe Kedar Jadhav should be bid adieu as well.   

 

 

 

 

[Ankit_sharma03]

1 minute ago, sandeep said:

• MSK Prasad and Co. need to go. 

Need New bunch of selector with fresh thoughts and pateince to back youngster and their is one damn good option 

 

 

• Yuvraj singh who has gone through up n down
• He understand the struggle a young player goes through his initial part of career
• He has an eye for talent 

1 minute ago, sandeep said:

• Dinesh Karthik should never again feature in any ODI XI or squad. No disrespect, or hate.  His time is done.  Its simply in the team's interest to use that slot to audition other younger candidates.
• Dhoni has to retire.  No more ODIs or T20Is for him.  He can announce whenever.  But he's done.

1 minute ago, sandeep said:

• This one's a bit unfair - but I believe Kedar Jadhav should be bid adieu as well.  

DK, Dhoni, Jadhav .......shud not be selected again

Even shami- Its not that he did bad....he was excellent but looking at his body let him use that for test cricket. Neways he wont play Next WC

1 minute ago, sandeep said:

• KL Rahul needs to earn his way to the reserve opener slot again.  Mayank and Prithvi need to be in the mix.

Persist with him .........Talent is very much there. He didnt do bad this Wc.

But decide n tell him is he considered as opener or no.4

 

[Ankit_sharma03]

Most importantly we need a change in Captain.....Rohit shud be the next captain and given 4 yrs to build his team the way he wants 

[Ankit_sharma03]

Just now, Shaz1 said:

You think India should stick to Bhuvi, Bumrah and Pandeya as fast bowlers?

What wrong has bumrah done ??

 

Bhuvi has age his side .......players improve massively so can he . If u look at Zak when irfan pathan arrive ppl wrote him . But after few years he became the leader of attack. Look At ishant career.....now he commands a place in test side. So i dnt beilve in conuting a player out who has age n quality in his side. M not a fan of bhuvi skill set but still the boy has it in him to make a great career. 

 

Pandya is not a fast bowler - he is an all rounder . Next 4 years we ll see his peak

[sandeep]

Pandya should be played as #5 batsman and part-time bowler.  No sense burning him out having him bowl full quotas in useless ODIs.  If he's not good enough with the bat to hold down a specialist batsman slot - i.e. average above 40, than he can be replaced as well. 

 

 

[zen]

I did not expect Ind to go beyond SFs. I think they did well to top the table 

 

 

 

[Ankit_sharma03]

1 minute ago, sandeep said:

Pandya should be played as #5 batsman and part-time bowler.  No sense burning him out having him bowl full quotas in useless ODIs.  If he's not good enough with the bat to hold down a specialist batsman slot - i.e. average above 40, than he can be replaced as well. 

 

 

Pandya deserves a promotion but for that to happen we need to find power hitters at 6 n 7 to 

I dont agree to make him part timer..,.....his bowling will get better if he bowls more. His workload can be managed smartly. Their wud be a phase when he wud struggle with his bat like stokes was some time ago but thats where ur other skill comes to rescue 

[sandeep]

1 minute ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

Pandya deserves a promotion but for that to happen we need to find power hitters at 6 n 7 to 

I dont agree to make him part timer..,.....his bowling will get better if he bowls more. His workload can be managed smartly. Their wud be a phase when he wud struggle with his bat like stokes was some time ago but thats where ur other skill comes to rescue 

Indian team should aim higher than using Pandya as a 5th bowler.  Its not optimal to only have 5 bowling options in the team.  That's why we need another player who can bowl 5 to 10 overs, while holding his own with the bat, in the team.  

 

If we keep using Pandya for 10, then we will never develop such a player or find one.   

[Ankit_sharma03]

Just now, sandeep said:

Indian team should aim higher than using Pandya as a 5th bowler.  Its not optimal to only have 5 bowling options in the team.  That's why we need another player who can bowl 5 to 10 overs, while holding his own with the bat, in the team.  

that neways we do need. Its never smart to go with 5 bowlers in LOI.....u need 6th one .

Pandya needs to be used smartly on some days for eg. if we settle for krunal....on pitches that turn use krunal as 5th bowler and hardik as 6th 

 

[coffee_rules]

Kuch nahin honewaala. It will be business as usual. There will be flowery praises for Rohit, Kohli, Dhoni, Jadeja etc and a few brickbats to Rahul, DK, etc. Dhoni will not retire because he needs a home series for a send-off, with a grand ceremony..

 

 

[sandeep]

1 minute ago, coffee_rules said:

Dhoni will not retire because he needs a home series for a send-off, with a grand ceremony..

 

 

I expect him to retire without that.  Will lose massive respect for him if he does that.

[Kronadler]

22 minutes ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

What wrong has bumrah done ??

 

Bhuvi has age his side .......players improve massively so can he . If u look at Zak when irfan pathan arrive ppl wrote him . But after few years he became the leader of attack. Look At ishant career.....now he commands a place in test side. So i dnt beilve in conuting a player out who has age n quality in his side. M not a fan of bhuvi skill set but still the boy has it in him to make a great career. 

 

Pandya is not a fast bowler - he is an all rounder . Next 4 years we ll see his peak

Count on Dravid's NCA in the future. Rest assured, great cricketers will emerge out of that facility. It is the perfect platform/foundation to take Indian Cricket from mediocrity to excellence. Of course, contingent upon total autonomy and a wise group of selectors who are committed to excellence and able to rise above regionalism. 

[zen]

Maybe it is time for a foreign coach and also to have different captains for Tests, ODIs, and T20s.  Also, T20s should ideally be to promote youngsters and largely consist of players who would not be more than 32 at the time of the next world cup. 

 

 

[jalebi_bhai]

Some very valid points raised in the OP. 

 

Here's my two cents:

 

1. Kuldeep having a poor tournament threw a spanner in our plans. Jadeja performed admirably no doubt, but Kuldeep was supposed to be one of our main weapons in this WC.

 

2. Uncertainty with our middle order screwed us big time, again. The lack of a proper specialist bat at 4 was detrimental. Vijay Shankar at 4 was never the solution. Pant atm is a number 5-6 at best. 

 

3. The batting line up is in desperate need of some fresh blood. Rohit, Kohli, Pant, Pandya + 3 new faces will be required, at the very least.

 

4. As much as I like Chahal, it is maybe time to try Rahul Chahar as one of our wrist spinners. He is a handy lower order batsman as well.