Next 8 tests : India needs a plan.

[Muloghonto]

We have a golden opportunity to explore the capabilities of our team by trying to address one question that is nagging away at us : 
Can India successfully do a 4+1+1+4 format ? ( batsman, allrounder,wicketkeeper, bowler)

That is, kind of the holy grail of cricket team compositions and very hard to accomplish. But possible only if we have an allrounder that can be a bonafide #7 at the minimum.

Ashwin has showed potential with the bat and his fundamentals are correct. Now, he is a gun bowler and he does take his batting seriously, so should we watch, what could be an Imran Khan of spinners, turn into a Wasim Akram of it ? ( A bit of an exaggeration since Ash is already a better test bat than Waz ever was but do recall that in Waz's early years, his clean hitting and sometimes impressive defence from really low positions in the order did get hopes high that he could be the next imran, briefly)

So, if we can see ourselves playing Ashwin at #6/7, we have to clearly realize, that for the sake of the experiment to yield dividends, we need  turners, not flat wickets like Rajkot. 

This will ensure that Ashwin's promotion gains us as much comfort room as possible : our opposition is weak versus spin for the next 8 tests and if we can keep the matches under control by outplaying them on the spin aspects on a spinning wicket, we can see whether Ashwin has it to persist in a top 6/7 role.

 

This also yields another added benefit, if we do it right: we discover a good third spinner or a slew of decent spinners who can do the third spinner's job.

But doing it right means keeping it a revolving door on a spinner's wicket. Mishra should get the drop at this point, simply as being the worst off of a failed spin attack this test, with obviously Ash + Jaddu getting 'higher level player immunity' from just 1 performance. 

Do it to the next spinner next test and if he doesnt work, drop him too and go for another one.

Our batting order should be able to handle the likes of Ali, Lyon and other rising, but low level English spinners on spin tracks far, far better than theirs with Ash+Jaddu + 3rd spinner.

 

The logic to this, would be that on spinning wickets, we should be able to slot in atleast 3-4 other spinners in the country without hurting the team cause, while giving them all a chance to 'stick' by putting in a good/great performance. 

The added competition of this open-door 3rd spinner policy will also give a lot of spinners hope of 'being picked' and improve the spinner pool long term.

So two direct benefits to preparing spinning tracks for the next 8 tests, if done right. 

 

Further benefit to this plan can be attained if:

a) we keep the heat on the 'lesser of the two pacers' to play (at the moment, Umesh). Rest them judiciously and involve a third seamer in the fold. At the very least, it gives match practice to the likes of Bhuvi, Ishant, Aaron, etc. Thus constituting a 3-4 man pace pool with some experience leading up to the South Africa-England-Australia test swing all in 12-odd months or so in the future.

 

b) If we persist with the 5+1+1+4 format, we need to make sure, that there is 1 middle order batsman rotated out every 4 tests to give someone else a chance.

Because it will also give us the 4th middle order batsman batting experience at International level. This will give us cushion for a 6+1+4 format, that may be necessitated in our overseas swing, if we find that the likes of Ashwin-Saha-Bhuvi-Jadeja-etc. are not good enough to hold down a 6-9 position overseas.

 

 

 

[cowboysfan]

My simple plan is to not create flat wickets.you can just go with 2 spinners and play Nair or rohit.

[Malcolm Merlyn]

Turning pitches is the plan.

[Vilander]

After we struggle to save the first test, there will be no more cute 'good pitches' anymore for the series, we will see raging turners and all will be good.