Your Indian XI for second Test

[Texan]

I know that we still have a day to go in this Test, but if the next Test pitch is anything like this one, what would your XI look like?

 

Here's mine:

Rahul

Agarwal

Panchal

Kohli

Pant

Rahane

Vihari

Umesh

Shami

Bumrah

Siraj

 

Few callouts:

1. If Ashwin is not effective on day 5 in getting wickets, then there is no point in playing him. His batting is useless in these conditions and as a bowler, he is only doing a holding job, which even Vihari could do.

 

2. Sick and tired of watching Pujara plod around and not score any runs and let bowlers get on top. Its high time he was replaced. I picked Panchal over Iyer since Panchal played in SA recently with A team.

 

3. Bat Pant at #5. It will get a left hander in the middle order, which is dominated by righties. Pant also brings that X-factor that could shift the momentum of the innings. Remember that he played those brilliant innings in Australia from the #5 spot.

 

4. Adding Vihari in place of Ashwin gives more solidity to the batting, hence affording us to play 4 full genuine pacers without worrying about having one of them be a decent batsman. Hence, we can play Umesh in place of Shardul. In the first innings, though Shardul got a couple of wickets, he also leaked runs and it doesn't help other bowlers when pressure cannot be maintained and sustained. 

 

Of course, things could change if one of these players that I dropped shine on day 5, but this is what I feel we should do based on the cricket seen so far.

[Vijy]

24 minutes ago, Texan said:

I know that we still have a day to go in this Test, but if the next Test pitch is anything like this one, what would your XI look like?

 

Here's mine:

Rahul

Agarwal

Panchal

Kohli

Pant

Rahane

Vihari

Umesh

Shami

Bumrah

Siraj

 

Few callouts:

1. If Ashwin is not effective on day 5 in getting wickets, then there is no point in playing him. His batting is useless in these conditions and as a bowler, he is only doing a holding job, which even Vihari could do.

 

2. Sick and tired of watching Pujara plod around and not score any runs and let bowlers get on top. Its high time he was replaced. I picked Panchal over Iyer since Panchal played in SA recently with A team.

 

3. Bat Pant at #5. It will get a left hander in the middle order, which is dominated by righties. Pant also brings that X-factor that could shift the momentum of the innings. Remember that he played those brilliant innings in Australia from the #5 spot.

 

4. Adding Vihari in place of Ashwin gives more solidity to the batting, hence affording us to play 4 full genuine pacers without worrying about having one of them be a decent batsman. Hence, we can play Umesh in place of Shardul. In the first innings, though Shardul got a couple of wickets, he also leaked runs and it doesn't help other bowlers when pressure cannot be maintained and sustained. 

 

Of course, things could change if one of these players that I dropped shine on day 5, but this is what I feel we should do based on the cricket seen so far.

what is Rahane doing in this team? that 40-odd should not be enough to paper over his multiple failures. I think a 7 batsman lineup is probably the way to go, assuming pitch is equally pacer-friendly. I'd stick with shardul for not just batting but also because his bowling will be roughly on par with umesh if there is swing.

[Texan]

18 minutes ago, Vijy said:

what is Rahane doing in this team? that 40-odd should not be enough to paper over his multiple failures. I think a 7 batsman lineup is probably the way to go, assuming pitch is equally pacer-friendly. I'd stick with shardul for not just batting but also because his bowling will be roughly on par with umesh if there is swing.

 

I am fine with Iyer for Rahane too. The 40-odd though was at a very crucial time and in the second innings, he played a selfless knock trying to get quick runs. But, totally fine if Iyer is picked ahead of Rahane. What I don't want to see is Pujara play yet another Test and do the same stuff that he has hopelessly failed in the last two years now. 

 

Shardul didn't offer enough control in the first innings and pace-wise, Umesh is faster and likely more suited to these conditions. If Shardul gets few wickets in the second innings, then he can be retained. 

[Majestic]

Same team will continue in next test too.

[Texan]

5 minutes ago, Majestic said:

Same team will continue in next test too.

More Pujara torture? 

[Vk1]

Washington Sundar is the best replacement for Ashwin or anyone in lower middle order. Unfortunately he is not in the squad. 

Picking Umesh would be a good option but these are bowler friendly pitches and playing 5 fast bowlers is a bit too much without a allrounder

[express bowling]

1. Rahul

2. Mayank

3. Panchal 

4. Kohli

5. Shreyas

6. Pant

7. Vihari 

8. Shardul

9. Shami

10. Bumrah 

11. Siraj

 

 

.... Resting Ashwin just because the next test is in Johannesburg where spin rarely works

.... Kohli is there only because he won't drop himself.

.... Washington would have been the ideal No.7 for SA, but he is not in the squad.

[Majestic]

12 minutes ago, Texan said:

More Pujara torture? 

Clearly they don't want to drop Pujara or Rahane. If they had to, they would have done by now. But they haven't.

 

I think if these two have poor returns after completion of this series, then we may get to see Shreyas and Gill getting matches at home. That is the best chance for India looking beyond these two.

 

Pujara and Rahane producing poor returns this series with averages below 30. This will allow them to give Gill, Shreyas, Vihari a chance vs Sri Lanka and Australia at home now. Then if they merit their place, next time they might travel overseas too ahead of Pujara and Rahane in reckoning.

[Vijy]

1 hour ago, express bowling said:

1. Rahul

2. Mayank

3. Panchal 

4. Kohli

5. Shreyas

6. Pant

7. Vihari 

8. Shardul

9. Shami

10. Bumrah 

11. Siraj

 

 

.... Resting Ashwin just because the next test is in Johannesburg where spin rarely works

.... Kohli is there only because he won't drop himself.

.... Washington would have been the ideal No.7 for SA, but he is not in the squad.

mayank is not a good fit for these conditions, but I guess he is the "best" of what we have. seems like a solid team. Panchal should have worked more on bowling: he used to bowl more frequently in past. decent-ish dibbly-dobbly stuff.

[SRT100]

4 hours ago, express bowling said:

1. Rahul

2. Mayank

3. Panchal 

4. Kohli

5. Shreyas

6. Pant

7. Vihari 

8. Shardul

9. Shami

10. Bumrah 

11. Siraj

 

 

.... Resting Ashwin just because the next test is in Johannesburg where spin rarely works

.... Kohli is there only because he won't drop himself.

.... Washington would have been the ideal No.7 for SA, but he is not in the squad.

 

Its the best team India can produce given the scenarios. Which means it will never happen.

 

Expect Pujara and Rahane to be there along with their mate Kohli.

 

I expect Kohli to drop Ashwin only.

[SRT100]

4 hours ago, Majestic said:

Clearly they don't want to drop Pujara or Rahane. If they had to, they would have done by now. But they haven't.

 

I think if these two have poor returns after completion of this series, then we may get to see Shreyas and Gill getting matches at home. That is the best chance for India looking beyond these two.

 

Pujara and Rahane producing poor returns this series with averages below 30. This will allow them to give Gill, Shreyas, Vihari a chance vs Sri Lanka and Australia at home now. Then if they merit their place, next time they might travel overseas too ahead of Pujara and Rahane in reckoning.

 

Rahane making that stupid 48 is enough to keep his place.

 

Im so upset whenever this clown goes passed 30 as its considered a decent score from Team Management.

[Vk1]

more than us its the south africans /other teams who need to stop picking a spinner /spinner all rounder just for the sake of it on their home grounds.. R Ashwin is 10x better than their spinners

Edited December 30, 2021 by Vk1

[First class]

9 hours ago, Texan said:

I know that we still have a day to go in this Test, but if the next Test pitch is anything like this one, what would your XI look like?

 

Here's mine:

Rahul

Agarwal

Panchal

Kohli

Pant

Rahane

Vihari

Umesh

Shami

Bumrah

Siraj

 

Few callouts:

1. If Ashwin is not effective on day 5 in getting wickets, then there is no point in playing him. His batting is useless in these conditions and as a bowler, he is only doing a holding job, which even Vihari could do.

 

2. Sick and tired of watching Pujara plod around and not score any runs and let bowlers get on top. Its high time he was replaced. I picked Panchal over Iyer since Panchal played in SA recently with A team.

 

3. Bat Pant at #5. It will get a left hander in the middle order, which is dominated by righties. Pant also brings that X-factor that could shift the momentum of the innings. Remember that he played those brilliant innings in Australia from the #5 spot.

 

4. Adding Vihari in place of Ashwin gives more solidity to the batting, hence affording us to play 4 full genuine pacers without worrying about having one of them be a decent batsman. Hence, we can play Umesh in place of Shardul. In the first innings, though Shardul got a couple of wickets, he also leaked runs and it doesn't help other bowlers when pressure cannot be maintained and sustained. 

 

Of course, things could change if one of these players that I dropped shine on day 5, but this is what I feel we should do based on the cricket seen so far.

Why Umesh is so underrated in India, even Shardul is picked ahead of him , unbelievable. Why no one talks about brining back Iyers ahead of Pujara, Rehane and Vihari ? 

[SRT100]

16 hours ago, express bowling said:

1. Rahul

2. Mayank

3. Panchal 

4. Kohli

5. Shreyas

6. Pant

7. Vihari 

8. Shardul

9. Shami

10. Bumrah 

11. Siraj

 

 

.... Resting Ashwin just because the next test is in Johannesburg where spin rarely works

.... Kohli is there only because he won't drop himself.

.... Washington would have been the ideal No.7 for SA, but he is not in the squad.

 

 

I had requote this team again its perfect.

 

Sure Ashwin drop is harsh but needed given conditions.

 

The strength in batting is phenomenal.

 

 

 

 

 

@Vijy your thoughts too along with @express bowling

[SRT100]

Dravid needs to show some balls, he is not drunk like Shastri.

 

Drop Rahane and Pujara lets move on.

[Sgattick10]

5 minutes ago, SRT100 said:

Dravid needs to show some balls, he is not drunk like Shastri.

 

Drop Rahane and Pujara lets move on.

Absolutely. 

[ravishingravi]

No change. 

[deepdynamo]

Joberg will be spitting mamba..no doubt about it.

 

Lets pack the team with 7 batsman and 4 genuine quick bowlers.

 

Rahul

Mayank
Trimurti Joker 1
Trimurti Joker 2
Trimurti Joker 3
Vihari

Pant
Yadav
Shami

Bumrah

Siraj

[rollingstoned]

I want to see what Iyer can do here but that will only be possible if one of the trimurti is niggled out for some reason. Swap ashwin for vihari and we should be okay. There isn't much time before the next test so take a call on whether Bumrah or shami need a rest. It is an important one so I wouldn't want Ishant to play it unless really necessary. 

[cowboysfan]

they are not dropping the 3 idiots this series as this is their swan song,i would play vihari instead of the lord and play umesh for ashwin if its a green top.