Changes for 2nd Test

[Dhondy]

Gator, you know that personally, I am a huge fan of yours, but you really should have listened when I said that VRV doesn't have what it takes to cut it at the highest level. He's a loser plain and simple. I told you that at some stage in the game, he would become unbowlable, because he would lose his poise and open the floodgates. That's exactly what happened when India desperately wanted him to keep it tight until the two main bowlers took over with the new ball. No ball after no ball, short pitched delicacies dished up, back to his blinking ways again... Dravid had to bring back the main bowlers, whom he desperately needed to rest to avoid injury, becaue this guy was just making up the numbers. One tailend wicket in slog mode to show for his efforts on a helpful track. Not once in the Test match did ths lumbering lump of humanity touch 140. Not once. So much for the hype. Christ!! He doesn't have to be a 140 kph man to get wickets, of course. But, with his straight up and down, mohalla type action, he is never going to get sufficient leverage on the ball to either seam or swing it. But above all, the boy lacks heart, temparament, guts...whatever you call it. He's just destined for mediocrity, poor soul. I can't believe India left out Pathan for this man. Durban has a very high humidity and the ball will swing like a banana. Munaf for VRV, if the former is fit, is a given, but it may not be a bad idea to replace Jaffer with Pathan as well and get Dravid to open. The opener just seems shot to pieces, and is quite clearly a soft wicket. And how long can Dhoni get away with his "natural" game? It won't be long now before the selectors start taking a cold hard look at his record.

[theguyinallblue]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test if munaf is fit..then vrv out..munaf in..also pathan in as opener as jaffer out. if munaf is unfit..then pathan in as opener and jaffer out.. i think gambhir should not be given a game as he has not played a game in SA..and throwing him straight in a test match will not be a good idea.. may be once we bag the series..we can have some different combinations...

[King Tendulkar]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test How the fack is Pathan a test opener? Has everyone gone bonkers. GAMBHIR an OPENER comes in for Jaffer.

[theguyinallblue]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test pathan has played as opener in a test match before i think...and he has some good technique to play ..and he won't do worst than jaffer...

[Dhondy]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test Dsr, you are obviously not reading anybody else's posts but your own. Pathan replaces Jaffer in the XI, but Dravid opens. Gambhir will be a dodo, believe me. The Saffies will have him as a post-breakfast snack.

[King Tendulkar]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test Yes sorry misssd the bit about Dravid openning Just read Pathan in for Jaffer and lost it :lmao: I would actually stick with Jaffer for next test, it is only one game he failed in. Not interested in his odi or warm up failures. If we do replace him then i would bring Mr Gambhit in and give him a serious run

[Predator_05]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test I don't mean to p iss on our parade, but India's bowling attack still looks a little fragile. It wasn't evident in this test as Sreesanth bowled an unbelievable spell in the first innings and Zaheer was uncharacteristically incisive. That caught SA off-guard. India's biggest liability is their third seamer. In an article written for cricinfo prior to the first test, John Wright was adamant that the key to attaining success in SA is by having three good seamers. I can understand where he was coming from. I recall watching the '96 tour of SA...Srinath and Prasad bowled magnificently with the new ball - rocking the top-order and making the ball talk - both of 'em took heaps of wickets. However, their efforts went in vain. SA quickly worked out that once they can see them off - they will be able to score heavily off Kumble, Johnson, Ganesh, and all the other cannon-fodder which made up India's bowling "attack". The tour was a complete failure. Fast forward 10 years later and with Pathan and VRV looking like liabilities with the ball, India risk suffering the same fate as they did on that tour. Athough Kumble's belated transformation into an all-terrain matchwinner is a positive - after this emphatic victory, you can be sure that the curators at Cape Town and Durban will do their utmost to ensure that he gets no assistance from their juiced up decks. Keeping that in mind, the role of the third seamer would be vital in sustaining the pressure...and niether Pathan nor VRV look like they are up for it. What i fear most is if Pathan or VRV begin to bowl poorly and start leaking runs every over. In those circumstances, Dravid's options will be limited and he will repeatedly turn to Sreesanth and Zaheer as his "go-to men" when India are in need of wickets. God forbid if one of them suffers an injury as a result of being overbowled. Srinath was never quite the same after that '96 tour of SA, when his rotator cuff gave way and he had to return from the West Indies. Likewise Zaheer Khan in the '04 Tour of Australia. I hope Sreesanth doesn't suffer the same fate. India can savour this moment, but they still need to look hard at themselves and set up their little "insurance" plan when a rainy day comes along. Rest assured, SA will come back - and come back HARD.

[King Tendulkar]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test Lets pray for Munaf to be fit :priest:

[Dhondy]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test My fears exactly, Pred. Sree puts everything into it, and he is like, what, 5-10? Although he is supremely fit, the amount of strain he puts that shoulder through puts him at risk. Munaf's injury comes at a most inopportune time.

[theguyinallblue]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test lets see...we have 8 days time before the second test.. if munaf regains his fitness..then our bowling attack will be really lethal... and our opener is really a problem now...akash chopra was atleast good in defence..and negated the new ball well in australia...even without contributing much wth his bat... so we need a character like him as opener...and sehwag needs to now seriously think about his batting... this win has really lifted the morale of the team and hopes of the fans... i pray that our tean does not let us down in the next two matches..

[Predator_05]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test Dare I say India should play Harbhajan Singh instead of a third seamer ? He has played a role in overseas victories - ie; Headingley and Kingston. He won't go for 100 off his 20 allotted overs. He is one of India's best bowlers, and as unreliable as he may be without that SG ball in his hand - he is still a more worthy inclusion than either VRV or Pathan in their current form. The rest of the team will remain the same.

[Guest BossBhai]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test -- Removed on request of the user --

[sm332]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test Well it doesnt look like Munaf is gonna make it so we have some thinking to do. VRV is far too raw from the looks of it. No real improvement can be noticed. Jaffer has had one poor test match after a high quality series in Windies. He deserves some more rope. I would include Pathan instead of VRV ... if he finds his verve again nothing like it. If not we arent losing anything/

[Guest dada_rocks]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test I will give VRV one mre chance only change I wll make is Jaffer replaced by pathan .and yes if munaf is fit then vrv gets the boot

[talksport]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test No need to change anybody or the formation.... VRV came as a replacement and should be replaced by another pacer. Jaffer has to be persisted IMO.

[maatugaara]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test jaffer is no hope..... dravid opening and pathan coming in would b nice.. and vrv if munaf not fit..

[King Tendulkar]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test Why drop Jaffer? Cos of one test match? He was excellent in the windies, why has everyone forgotten those performances? Do not judge him on the odi's as it was unfair to play him on those. He is not an odi player

[talksport]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test ^ Equally Indians are no hope before this Test Match...Cant play bounce and pace seam and swing blah blah blah Jaffer has saved our blushes with a double in WI and also in second innings in Nagpur against England....

[maatugaara]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test i did forget abt windies.. but he seems so very out of depth here...

[King Tendulkar]

Re: Changes for 2nd Test

i did forget abt windies.. but he seems so very out of depth here...

You are basing that on ONE game. Give the guy a break