2nd Rank best 3

[dial_100]

This thread is not unexpected. But I am just wondering what your views are on these three players. Yuvi - What is your thoughts on him. Is is another Sehwag or he is better than him. He is young and athletic, scores runs at the most @30 in ODIs. In this recent concluding ODI series against Africa, he managed another 3 scores of 30s. Scores them well but then loses momentum at wrong time. Not able to score as many big scores as he should have. His career is still lingering on low averages. Though in last 30 matches he played, his avg has gone up to 43 which is good but I still dont see him going a season with 50+ avg yet. Dhoni : On the contrary came behind him and established himself at a very healthy average of 47 in the career of 75 odd ODIs that he played so far. In last 30 outings, he is comfortably sitting @ 44 marginally ahead of Yuvi. How do you want to utilize these two talented players of India? Would you want these two to play major role by playing them ahead of some OLD and senile seniors or present batting order justifies our current talent. Lastly but not any less important is off course, Sehwag. Mr. Petu. Sehwag: Another low scoring series for him. He managed one score of 40+. but for god sake, he is an opener and should score lot more runs than he does right now. I have not seen him playing. So tell me how he faired in these 3 games and do you think he is anywhere close to regaining his form. Or should we be done with him and try consistent opener who will give us guaranteed score @ avg of 35 by someone like Jafar/GG/Karthik. Sehwag doesn't seem to be a future promise for us. Cuz you will need top 3 to replace, SRT, Dravid and Gangs. I thought we have these 3, the best. But I always wonder Sehwag could even replace a third of even Gangs. Let alone SRT and Dravid. These two are not known only for these abilities but their consistent performance that we are blessed with... Who would be that 3rd player if not Mr. Petu???

[Predator_05]

Yuvraj - top gun. First name on the team sheet in ODI's. I'd like to see him play more Test cricket though. He should be a natural successor to the likes of Ganguly and Tendulkar in the longer version of the game Dhoni - flat track bully, but a good one nonetheless. He is a handy ODI player, but has been a major disappointment in test cricket. I wouldn't be averse to seeing Karthik playing ahead of him in Tests. Sehwag - i still think he can do the business in Test cricket, although it's obvious that he will never be anywhere near as prolific as he was from '02-'05. He is clearly a waste of space as an ODI opener, but i might consider playing him as a lower order slogger in this form of the game. Those 20's and 30 run cameos will be useful during the slog overs.

[dial_100]

Thats a good point there Preds. But then we have not found replacement for the 3rd senior yet. IMO, Dhoni will be fine in coming years, even in Test matches.

[Predator_05]

I can't envision Dhoni scoring big outside the subcontinent. He just isn't good enough.

[silentstriker]

I don't actually rate any of the three as quality batsmen. Sehwag proved me wrong when he first burst on the scene by scoring a lot of runs, including a good amount of them outside the subcontinent. However, his second innings average is beyond bad, and bowlers have figured him out. As an opener, as far as I am concerned, you need to have strong back foot play and an excellent ability to leave balls. Sehwag has neither, and I am not sure if he can reclaim his spot permanently. I would have liked Chopra to have another go rather than Gambhir personally. Yuvraj has never been, nor ever will be, a good Test batsman. He has too many holes, and often has no idea how to defend properly. Dhoni can actually be decent at his job, and average in the mid thirties, as he will do well at home and though he will struggle away, he will still make some good scores via hitting hard and fast. Mid thirties is not a very good average for a proper batsman, but as a wicketkeeper, I think he could be fine.

[CC1981]

As an opener, as far as I am concerned, you need to have strong back foot play and an excellent ability to leave balls.

Is that why Matty 'no-backfoot' Hayden is getting close to 8000 runs at 53 average ?

He has too many holes, and often has no idea how to defend properly.

That was Ponting too, in the 90s.

[silentstriker]

Is that why Matty 'no-backfoot' Hayden is getting close to 8000 runs at 53 average ?

Matty Hayden is the ugliest player of this century, but he does score a lot of runs and he makes up for his technical deficiencies with very good judgement (people forget that) and an immense amount of power. With that said, against the moving ball on lively tracks, he still struggles. He is lucky to have played in an era where the tracks are flat as pancakes and the opening bowlers are not very good. He tried and failed magnificently in the nineties when it was tougher.

That was Ponting too' date=' in the 90s.[/quote'] Yea, but he has improved quite a bit, and you could see his improvement. I don't see Yuvi doing anything about his game.

[CC1981]

Yea, but he has improved quite a bit, and you could see his improvement.

yes. i see his 'improvement'. Just like i see Youhana, Yousuf, lara part-II, Hayden etc's 'improvement'...its also known as 'Ambrose & Walsh retired; Wasim,Waqar,Donald,Saqlain,Gough stayed a couple of seasons too long for 2003 world cup and beginning that, every tom,dick and harry 'improved'.

I don't see Yuvi doing anything about his game.

So you don't see Yuvvy pulling a Pontin..interesting...both were similar players at similar stages of test career- kinda clueless against quality spin, flashy but loose vs the fast stuff and a clumsy frontfoot technique.

[silentstriker]

yes. i see his 'improvement'. Just like i see Youhana, Yousuf, lara part-II, Hayden etc's 'improvement'...its also known as 'Ambrose & Walsh retired; Wasim,Waqar,Donald,Saqlain,Gough stayed a couple of seasons too long for 2003 world cup and beginning that, every tom,dick and harry 'improved'. So you don't see Yuvvy pulling a Pontin..interesting...both were similar players at similar stages of test career- kinda clueless against quality spin, flashy but loose vs the fast stuff and a clumsy frontfoot technique.

You contradict yourself. You claim that Ponting has improved due to the lack of quality fast bowlers. Yet Yuvraj has never even faced those quality fast bowlers and pretty much played his entire career against this crap bowling attack. Why hasn't he scored?

[CC1981]

Yet Yuvraj has never even faced those quality fast bowlers and pretty much played his entire career against this crap bowling attack. Why hasn't he scored?

he's hardly has had a test career to speak of !! Thats why !

[silentstriker]

he's hardly has had a test career to speak of !! Thats why !

He has had 19 Tests, which is ample time to prove to the world that you belong. You don't have to set the world on fire like Hussey, but 19 tests is quite a bit to show your class. An average of 33 after 19 Tests despite playing 7 Tests at home (at a ridiculous average of 29) does not cut it.

[CC1981]

He has had 19 Tests, which is ample time to prove to the world that you belong.

Not when those 19 tests comes in spurts of 1s and 2s instead of getting a couple of years consistent backing. If you cannot appreciate that single biggest factor, i got nothing more to say.

[yoda]

Not when those 19 tests comes in spurts of 1s and 2s instead of getting a couple of years consistent backing. If you cannot appreciate that single biggest factor, i got nothing more to say.

he averages 31 since playing continuously from the start of the zimbabwe tour (last 13 tests). in fact during the england home series laxman was axed ahead of him. this bangladesh series is the first in a long time that he hasn't been in the playing XI. the guy is a rather mediocre test player with poor defensive technique. we need to be playing someone line a Rao, but that would only make sense.

[CC1981]

the guy is a rather mediocre test player with poor defensive technique. we need to be playing someone line a Rao, but that would only make sense.

I agree..but my point is, Ponting wasn't much better so this silentstriker guy's admiration of Ponting while total disdain of Yuvraj is unjustified.

[silentstriker]

Not when those 19 tests comes in spurts of 1s and 2s instead of getting a couple of years consistent backing. If you cannot appreciate that single biggest factor, i got nothing more to say.

A couple of years of consistent backing? Sorry, you don't give people that many chances. It's your job as a player to seize any and all chances you get. If you don't do that, you don't deserve a spot. Could he have been treated better by selectors? Sure. But if he had scored more runs, there wouldn't have been any need. In the end, it comes down to him throwing his wicket away way too many times.

[CC1981]

Sorry, you don't give people that many chances.

You give people more than just 1-2 match odd apperance for years and years and that does play a huge part.

[dial_100]

Well, CC and SS both have some very valid points there. In my view, 19 test are far too many for some1 to even say I am not quite comfortable. Especially when he has played tons and tons of ODIs about 170+ to be precise. Irony is that this guy has done nothing to improve in that area. He has made all efforts to socialize and do all non-sense stuff when he was not even in 25s of his age. Apart from that I somehow believe that Dhoni will improve with time but he should be persisted with. Akash Chopra was my kinda player. Very solid technique, at least better than all these bunch of new batters. With Akash, and improved Yuvi, Dhoni we should be able to cope up with the big hole in the opening and middle order. How about, Akash Chopra Jaffer Karthik ( Rohit Sharma) Gambhir Yuv Dhoni Ishant (Rohit Sharma) Zaheer SreeSanth Chawla Munaf Man, this team doesnot look promising to me. Rather , looking at this team , I want dravid to extend his career beyond just 2-3 years until these usless new talent gets anywhere near the international standards.

[dial_100]

Striker my friend, Yuvi was unlucky in that. We had Gangs, VVS and a WC who we couldn't have dropped to accommodate Yuvi. And with whatever he got, he did okay with those chances. He didn;t fail all together. But he was not a big success. Even SRT took 2 years to get settled in the Test matches completely when he started scoring big runs. And heck.... we do not have a choice here. He is too good to be dropped from test once 3-4 seniors are gone. With regular fix position in the test side, he will improve. Or at least hope.

[jf1gp_1]

I can't envision Dhoni scoring big outside the subcontinent. He just isn't good enough.

I hate to agree. But i want to highlight few of his other qualities, comes across as a cool customer no matter what the situation always in control, much better read of match situation miles ahead of sehwag and yuvraj. If he could get some runs outside sub continent then he might be the next captain.

[Predator_05]

I hate to agree. But i want to highlight few of his other qualities, comes across as a cool customer no matter what the situation always in control, much better read of match situation miles ahead of sehwag and yuvraj.

I think his ability to play in bowler friendly conditions is limited. I disagree with the description of him as a "cool customer". Sure, he doesn't always slog and can play to situations but the manner in which he gets out sometimes makes you wonder whether he will ever make an impact at Test level. Many of his dismissals in Test cricket so far have been bizarre.