Next Gen Indian Team

[eternalhope]

I hear a lot of complaints from Indian fans that there are not many replacements to the current Maharathis, but let me come up with a few names, ok-- a whole squad itself. In the list, some are ready and some will come good soon. My criteria is any one not a good fielder is not good enuf for ODI's, unless he is exceptional. In the batting department, the three Maharathis are OK, but not exceptional at this point of time. RD might be an exception as atleast, he can be a reliable anchor. SG these days is scoring consistently, but can he do it consistently against the big guns? I am not sure. But, more on this later. Heres the team Batters 1)Uthappa 2)Gambhir 3)Raina 4)Yuvraj 5)Tiwari 6)Rohit Sharma 7)Dinesh Karthik 8)Dhoni Bowlers(spinners) 9)Chawla 10)Yusuf Pathan pacers 11)Yomahesh 12)maybe Ishant 13)......... 14)......... Of the batters, other than Gambhir, I think all the others are very good fielders. My theory of spinners is that they should be exceptional like a Muralitharan or should be able to contribute a bit with the bat as well and be good fielders and I have seen Yusuf Pathan bowl and I would like to see him get a chance. Pacers - I don't find a single Indian Fast bowler who is consistent for 3 matches in a row. Yomahesh is a good fielder. Ishant is young and very accurate and above average fielder. Sreesanth, who I feel is very talented has to find more consistency, I feel he tries a lot of variations rather than be consistent and add his fitness. So, can be a good prospect if guided properly. Irfan might stage a comeback. Zaheer can be used temporarily though he doesn't fit my good fielder criteria. Others like Pankaj Singh are highly rated, but I confess I haven't seen him In batting ASK Varma of Andhra, Yashpal Singh of Services in the future might make it, but the key anyway is testing them against some good attacks. And anyway ODI is a young mans game and we may unearth some good talent this year. But, the key to get a feel of the real talent is to start the A tours again to Australia or SA and not to Kenya. Anyway I know this is asking and hoping too much from the BCCI, but nothing wrong in dreaming, right!

[Ram]

nice idea and write-up ! :wtg: some nice fresh faces there, good to see. Though if this team is there to try out new talent , then what are Yuvraj, Gambhir, Dhoni doing there ?

[Predator_05]

Welcome to ICF, eternal hope ! ...and well said. I agree with everything in your post. I also proposed a complete overhaul of both Test and ODI sides after the World Cup. My thoughts regarding the position of the seniors in this team are well documented. I like your list of players. Good call on Yashpal Singh. I had mentioned him on this board many months ago as an upcoming talent...he piles on the runs every season, but i doubt that he will get a look in as long as he plays for Services. The only way i can envision a player like him being given a chance is if he is picked as a quota selection on 'A' tour. This is how Dhoni got his first look in (for the India 'A' team which toured Kenya in the summer of '04), even though his batting average was very low and he had no outstanding credentials at the time. We hardly see any 'A' tours these days, so Yashpal may have to spend many more years in the wilderness before he falls onto the selectors' radar.

[SightForTheGods]

Not Yuvraj man, he is not really perfoming when we need him these days...

[Chandan]

Batters 1)Uthappa 2)Gambhir 3)Raina 4)Yuvraj 5)Tiwari 6)Rohit Sharma 7)Dinesh Karthik 8)Dhoni Bowlers(spinners) 9)Chawla 10)Yusuf Pathan pacers 11)Yomahesh 12)maybe Ishant 13)......... 14)......... Eternalhope, I get this from your name, but still having Gambhir, Uthappa and Raina in the team will spell doomsday for us because all three are hopeless against moving balls, bounce or quality attack! And why are you thinking of future team in just ODIs? Let us consider tests which is the real cricket anyway!

[Predator_05]

Right on cue...

Replacing West Indies India A to tour Zimbabwe Cricinfo staff June 29, 2007 India will send an A-team to tour Zimbabwe later this month, replacing the West Indies who cancelled their trip on safety grounds earlier this week. They will play two four-day and two one-day matches from July 22. "We are excited to have the replacement tour," Dave Everington, Zimbabwe Cricket's senior manager for cricket operations, said. "Our boys have been in camp for a fortnight so it was a huge blow to them when the West Indies A tour was cancelled. With India A coming, it means those vying for a place in the Zimbabwe Select side have something to fight for again." It is believed that Zimbabwe Cricket is also in talks with the Kenyan board with a view to participating in a triangular tournament including India A in Kenya in August. http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/zimbabwe/content/current/story/300090.html

[King Tendulkar]

Gambhir is a good fielder! Good post though!