Team for the CT knockouts (SF and Final) - fill the team with spinners

[Ultimate_Game]

Folks, it's clear that at Dubai playing on these pitches, pacers are useless, especially against SENA countries. Instead of allowing likes of Head and Short have a go against pacers, unleash our spinners against them. My team for the knockouts:

 

Rohit

Gill

Kohli

Iyer

Axar

Pant (wk)

Pandya

Sundar

Jadeja

Kuldeep/Shami

Varun C

 

KL should be dropped for Pant. Pant is a better keeper and a better batter. Can hit Aussie spinners out of the park which KL can't. Also, Sundar should come in to either replace Kuldeep or Shami. If you want to play 2 seamers, let him replace Kuldeep. Personally I would play only Pandya as the pace option. Why go with pacers on this pitch?

 

This is our tourney to lose and wish we had Jaiswal and Parag in the squad as I would've played them as well.

Edited March 2, 2025 by Ultimate_Game

[rangeelaraja]

16 minutes ago, Ultimate_Game said:

Folks, it's clear that at Dubai playing on these pitches, pacers are useless, especially against SENA countries. Instead of allowing likes of Head and Short have a go against pacers, unleash our spinners against them. My team for the knockouts:

 

Rohit

Gill

Kohli

Iyer

Axar

Pant (wk)

Pandya

Sundar

Jadeja

Kuldeep/Shami

Varun C

 

KL should be dropped for Pant. Pant is a better keeper and a better batter. Can hit Aussie spinners out of the park which KL can't. Also, Sundar should come in to either replace Kuldeep or Shami. If you want to play 2 seamers, let him replace Kuldeep. Personally I would play only Pandya as the pace option. Why go with pacers on this pitch?

 

This is our tourney to lose and wish we had Jaiswal and Parag in the squad as I would've played them as well.

 

Gambhir is a stubborn A.O. 
 

Dheet aadmi hai… he will not drop KL for Pant. 

Edited March 2, 2025 by rangeelaraja

[cowboysfan]

5 spinners will be a bold statement and Sundar being a offie also helps with the lefties

[raki05]

36 minutes ago, Ultimate_Game said:

Folks, it's clear that at Dubai playing on these pitches, pacers are useless, especially against SENA countries. Instead of allowing likes of Head and Short have a go against pacers, unleash our spinners against them. My team for the knockouts:

 

Rohit

Gill

Kohli

Iyer

Axar

Pant (wk)

Pandya

Sundar

Jadeja

Kuldeep/Shami

Varun C

 

KL should be dropped for Pant. Pant is a better keeper and a better batter. Can hit Aussie spinners out of the park which KL can't. Also, Sundar should come in to either replace Kuldeep or Shami. If you want to play 2 seamers, let him replace Kuldeep. Personally I would play only Pandya as the pace option. Why go with pacers on this pitch?

 

This is our tourney to lose and wish we had Jaiswal and Parag in the squad as I would've played them as well.

Play Harshit in place of Kuldeep and shami…

[Lord]

nah would still say there is enough for pacers here. NZ pacers did well as did Pandya early on.

 

get Harshit for Shami and Arshdeep for Kuldeep

[Vickydev]

If we bat decently, we should comfortably win this event. Our bowling is too OP for these conditions

[cowboysfan]

in all honesty i will be thrilled i they played 4 spinners,Shami isnt looking great either but he wont be belted like Harshit by the aussies.

[rangeelaraja]

Travis Head and Aussie top order would make mince meat of Shami and Pandya in these conditions. 
 

Rana is a much better bet than Shami. 

[R!TTER]

11 minutes ago, Vickydev said:

If we bat decently, we should comfortably win this event. Our bowling is too OP for these conditions

We thought that in 2023 as well didn't we 

[Ultimate_Game]

26 minutes ago, cowboysfan said:

5 spinners will be a bold statement and Sundar being a offie also helps with the lefties

 

Yup. Offie to go against Aussie lefties like Head, Carey. Better fielder than Kuldeep and can score some runs down the order. We packed the squad with spinners. Time to unleash them!

[Lord]

Arshdeep is must. He's got  Head 2-3 times in IPL already-

[bowl_out]

Just now, Lord said:

Arshdeep is must. He's got  Head 2-3 times in IPL already-

In place of Kuldeep probably?

[Ultimate_Game]

22 minutes ago, raki05 said:

Play Harshit in place of Kuldeep and shami…

 

So Harshit replaced Shami and Sundar comes in place of Kuldeep. I'm fine with it. Kuldeep is mentally fragile and going at nearly 6 an over on this pitch is criminal. Aussies will eat him alive anywhere.

 

Kuldeep is suited only for Tests and time to ditch him. Sundar is mentally tougher and adds much more value to the team.

[Ultimate_Game]

1 minute ago, Lord said:

Arshdeep is must. He's got  Head 2-3 times in IPL already-

 

Better to open with Axar and Sundar/Varun C. Let's see what Head and Aussies do against them on this pitch.

[Lord]

5 minutes ago, bowl_out said:

In place of Kuldeep probably?

 

yes

[Ultimate_Game]

25 minutes ago, Vickydev said:

If we bat decently, we should comfortably win this event. Our bowling is too OP for these conditions

 

Yup but why take the risk of not going with spinners here and adding depth with Sundar. The only way we lose is if Head or someone unleashes another one of those innings. The best way to counter is to go with spinners. Axar and Sundar along with Varun can take care of PP. Once we have the PP overs under control, don't see Aussies do anything against our spinners. The only way we lose against them is if we let them get off to a flier in PP overs, and the best way to counter it is spin in these conditions.

 

Plus having someone like Sundar at 9 will come in handy. Can allow us to score a few extra runs which will come in handy.

[Ultimate_Game]

16 minutes ago, R!TTER said:

We thought that in 2023 as well didn't we 

 

That's why don't want to make the same mistake. We should've replaced Siraj with Ashwin and opened with Ashwin. But we went with Siraj who was useless. Time to rectify the mistake and have the right combination. Plus drop mental midget Kuldeep. He has never showed up in big matches and he's the bowling equivalent of KL Rahul.

[Norman]

Bc the game is on Tuesday. What kind of a scheduling is this? 

 

How the fukk can we be fresh enough for a 50 over game with just one day gap in between? That too a high pressure semi final! 

[Ultimate_Game]

1 minute ago, Norman said:

Bc the game is on Tuesday. What kind of a scheduling is this? 

 

How the fukk can we be fresh enough for a 50 over game with just one day gap in between? That too a high pressure semi final! 

 

Absolute batshyte crazy. How can they schedule a SF after just a day's gap? Give at least 2 days off. This is advantage to Aussies who had a few days to get ready and we have to play just after a day.

[R!TTER]

33 minutes ago, Ultimate_Game said:

That's why don't want to make the same mistake. We should've replaced Siraj with Ashwin and opened with Ashwin. But we went with Siraj who was useless. Time to rectify the mistake and have the right combination. Plus drop mental midget Kuldeep. He has never showed up in big matches and he's the bowling equivalent of KL Rahul.

Sobers lite was arguably the biggest miss in the last few games, him+Ashwin would've strengthened the batting/bowling & fielding.