Test Team for 2019

[Straight Drive]

9 minutes ago, zen said:

Not much useful in conditions in WI and Ind, esp when we have batsmen like Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Kohli, Pant, etc., who can all bat effectively in such conditions 

 

Even in Aus, it failed as KL, Vijay, Vihari, Rahane and Rohit were below avg or passengers. Runs largely came from Pujara, Agarwal, Kohli and Pant (WK)  

We won Australia series playing 7+4 in all matches.

[zen]

 

20 minutes ago, Straight Drive said:

We won Australia series playing 7+4 in all matches.

It has nothing to do with combination but key players doing extremely well to cover for the shortfall 

 

Table A

  

 

Table B

 ^ Pujara has scored as many runs as Table B in only 7 innings (vs 25 for those in Table B). Ind could have easily played an AR or a bowler in place of one of the struggling batsmen (which many anticipated would struggle) 

Edited January 10, 2019 by zen

[rkt.india]

20 minutes ago, zen said:

Not much useful in conditions in WI and Ind, esp when we have batsmen like Shaw, Agarwal, Pujara, Kohli, Pant, etc., who can all bat effectively in such conditions 

 

Even in Aus, it failed as KL, Vijay, Vihari, Rahane and Rohit were below avg or passengers. Runs largely came from Pujara, Agarwal, Kohli and Pant (WK)  

7+4 is the best combination if you have 4 bowlers who can win you games and can get teams out early.

[zen]

7 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

7+4 is the best combination if you have 4 bowlers who can win you games and can get teams out early.

Since WK plays by default .... it is 6+1+4 .... with AR, it would be 5+1+1+4 .... With extra bowler, it would be 5+1+5

 

If you have great bowlers, who can bowl the opposition out quickly, you can get by with 4 bowlers. However, those being considered for specialist batting slots should be good enough to play as specialist batsmen (not be glorified nighy watchmen) .... Also if it is a long and hectic series, and you do not have quality back up bowlers, you may need to safeguard against burnout. At times, you have strike bowlers who go all out in short spells so need workhorse bowlers in the team .... So it depends upon various factors including how good the WK can bat 

Edited January 10, 2019 by zen

[Straight Drive]

12 minutes ago, zen said:

 

It has nothing to do with combination but key players doing extremely well to cover for the shortfall 

 

Table A

  

 

Table B

 ^ Pujara has scored as many runs as Table B. Ind could have easily played an AR or a bowler in place of one of the struggling batsmen (which many anticipated would struggle) 

In both the charts you have posted i see only 5 players. Should be 7 isn't it for the recent combo we played throughout the series.

[zen]

1 minute ago, Straight Drive said:

In both the charts you have posted i see only 5 players. Should be 7 isn't it for the recent combo we played throughout the series.

Those are the ones who batted in top 7 (WK being default) .... Pujara scored as many runs in 7 innings has those in Table B scored in 25 

[express bowling]

34 minutes ago, rkt.india said:

7+4 is the best combination if you have 4 bowlers who can win you games and can get teams out early.

 

With Ishant and Ashwin getting injured mid-way in the last 2 away tours ...  we are lacking the 2 workhorse bowlers who will allow the 2 strike quick bowlers to bowl with intensity.

 

Either we must pick Jadeja and a fully fit and accurate workhorse pacer from the beginning ... or have 5 bowling options.

 

 

Edited January 10, 2019 by express bowling

[ShoonyaSifar]

7 minutes ago, express bowling said:

 

With Ishant and Ashwin getting injured mid-way in the last 2 away tours ...  we are lacking the 2 workhorse bowlers who will allow the 2 strike quick bowlers to bowl with intensity.

 

Either we must pick Jadeja and a fit accurate workhorse pacer from the beginning ... or have 5 bowling options.

 

 

Ishant has  beenTHE workhorse pacer on away tours for last 3-4 years - tying one end up and picking up crucial wickets. Why do we need to replace him?

[express bowling]

11 minutes ago, ShoonyaSifar said:

Ishant has  beenTHE workhorse pacer on away tours for last 3-4 years - tying one end up and picking up crucial wickets. Why do we need to replace him?

 

We don't need to replace Ishant.  We need him filly fit. 

 

If   

he is not fully fit, or the workhorse spinner is not fit  

then  

we either need to play 5 bowlers

or  

need a backup fully fit workhorse pacer or spinner.

 

Ishant injured himself in the last test in England and could not finish the test ... after that he did not look fit in the 2nd and 3rd tests in Australia ... and withdrew from the 4th test.  And we did not have a backup or a 4th pacer.  I suspect he did not recover fully from his injury in England.

Edited January 10, 2019 by express bowling

[Straight Drive]

37 minutes ago, zen said:

Those are the ones who batted in top 7 (WK being default) .... Pujara scored as many runs in 7 innings has those in Table B scored in 25 

I think the TM will continue with 7+4 in most matches by dropping some non performers like Rahul (once Shaw is fit) and that is likely to be test batting lineup. 

 

I doubt we will play 5 bowlers. 6+5 looks unlikely to me, unless the matches are in India where our batsmen can score big tons and even odd double. 

[Vijy]

On 1/9/2019 at 12:13 AM, express bowling said:

Tests Outside Asia --

 

1.  Shaw

2.  Agarwal

3.  Pujara

4.  Kohli

5.  Gill

6.  Pant

7.  Pandya /  Vihari  

8.  Kuldeep /  Jadeja

9.  Ishant  /  Avesh /  Rajpoot

10. Avesh /  Shami

11. Bumrah 

  

 

12.  Vihari / Pandya

13.  Rahane

14.  K. S. Bharat

15.  Jadeja /  Kuldeep

16.  Shami / Avesh

17.  Rajpoot

18.  Mavi

19.  Bhuvi

 

 

 

Tests in Asia --

 

1.  Shaw

2.  Agarwal

3.  Pujara

4.  Kohli

5.  Gill

6.  Pant

7.  Ashwin  /  ( Pandya against weak teams )

8.  Jadeja  

9.  Kuldeep

10. Shami

11.  Avesh / (  Bumrah against big teams )

 

 

12.  Vihari

13.  Pandya

14. Bumrah

15. Mavi

16.  Siraj

 

 

 

--   Time to look ahead and plan for the test Championship. The solitary test against very weak Zimbabwe in March 2019  and 2 tests in July 2019 against weak WI in WI, are ideal for grooming youngsters like Avesh, Mavi, Rajpoot, Shaw, Gill, Agarwal, Vihari, Kuldeep and Pandya 

 

--   It is time to let go of Vijay and Rohit in the name of experience.  Young and inexperienced  batters like Agarwal, Shaw and Pant have shown that they are more hungry for success and can perform better in big games than below average veterans. 

Same logic applies to pacers like Umesh.

 

--  Rahul needs to go back to FC.

 

--  Try Kuldeep as the first spinner against weak WI in WI.  Give him the responsibility and see how he does. If he comes good, we can have a more potent attack in SENA.

 

--  Try Avesh, Mavi and Rajpoot against the weak teams in the next 3 tests.

this is a good strategy. I think bhuvi should be more in the mix overseas if the pitches are conducive to swing. as we know, he is a useful batter as well. My only quibble in the lineups is that bharath ought not be the reserve keeper if we play 5+1+1+5 since I don't think he is competent enough with the bat to play at 6. kishan has regressed as a batsman sadly. we need to identify a back-up to pant who is young-ish, keeps decently (and on an upward learning curve), and can avg in the high 30s at least with the bat.