Test Cricket is for Specialists

[Number]

No serious cricket team plays 4 batsmen and a keeper bat. 

 

Pant can be a great batsman but his game is not suited for walking in 15th over. We are only going to minimise his potential with such combinations.

 

When India were a serious test cricket nation we had Laxman at 6 and Dhoni at 7.

Australia even today follow the policy of playing 5 best batsmen in the country in top 5 followed by a solid bat who can bowl then a keeper-bat.

England when they were dominant side had Matt Prior batting at 7.

 

Then all these sides had/have 4 proper bowlers who are specialist wicket taking options.

Edited July 14, 2025 by Number

[Downtown]

You could stack the team with 7 specialist batters and the result would still be the same. 

Our young players are chasing T20 fame, not five-day glory.

India’s Test cricket era is done. Over. Finished.

[Lord]

It's because of the specialists Pant walked in 15th over lol 

[putrevus]

You cannot expect same batsman to score runs. You play with 4 batsmen,two of them are Rahul and Nair.

 

Jaiswal had bad match and Gill came down to earth. Play specalists who can win matches not pad their stats.

[cricspirit]

Please name some specialists that are so special and not getting chances? 

 

We had Rohit, Virat, Rahane, Pujara who were specialists and people did not want them anymore.

 

We also had Patidar and now Karun Nair and they quickly get found out.

 

Specialist Sai lasted one match and I hope he comes back.

 

Bowling ...hmn .. let's think.. who.. damn.. who.. yeah .. kuldeep. Definitely would have won the match. May be Rana would run through if he plays.. or Arshdeep.

 

Who are such highly talented specialists who can win us tests. Please name some.

Edited July 14, 2025 by cricspirit

[bowl_out]

I don't mind all rounders as long as their primary role is defined. They should be accountable for their primary role, while their secondary role should be considered a bonus.

 

Is Nitish a batsman or bowler?

Is Washington a batsman or bowler?

[Bigg Brother]

24 minutes ago, putrevus said:

You cannot expect same batsman to score runs. You play with 4 batsmen,two of them are Rahul and Nair.

 

Jaiswal had bad match and Gill came down to earth. Play specalists who can win matches not pad their stats.

Bhai Rahul scored century. I understand the meek and unlikable aura he has but usko kyun toda..

[Number]

5 hours ago, Lord said:

It's because of the specialists Pant walked in 15th over lol 

Yashaswi and Gill had a bad match but they have performed in previous matches. KL has been excellent this whole series except one innings.

Nair needed to be replaced after first match itself.

Pant needs to bat at 6 with a solid no. 5 before him.

[pkmmamks]

7 hours ago, Downtown said:

You could stack the team with 7 specialist batters and the result would still be the same. 

Our young players are chasing T20 fame, not five-day glory.

India’s Test cricket era is done. Over. Finished.

That does not mean we dont have specialists. Specialists are a must and at the right position.

 

With his keeping Pant cannot bat in top 5. 

 

Karun Nair is a 4 or 5. 

 

Gill is an opener. 

 

Only a specialist batsman can trust his ability to work on a bowler.

 

 

[pkmmamks]

6 hours ago, Bigg Brother said:

Bhai Rahul scored century. I understand the meek and unlikable aura he has but usko kyun toda..

Century desire lead to error of judgement 

[rkt.india]

12 hours ago, pkmmamks said:

That does not mean we dont have specialists. Specialists are a must and at the right position.

 

With his keeping Pant cannot bat in top 5. 

 

Karun Nair is a 4 or 5. 

 

Gill is an opener. 

 

Only a specialist batsman can trust his ability to work on a bowler.

 

 

Gill is not opener. He was a make shift opener who opened just middle order didn't have slot

[deepdynamo]

I agree 100% with OP.

 

1) Kohli-Shastri started this trend of 6 batsman + 5 bowlers which was basically 6 batsman + 2 bowling allrounders ( Jadeja and Thakur)  + 3 bowlers.
2) GG has evolved that to 5 batsman + 3 allrounders + 3 bowlers.

 

Don't subscribe with any of the above. The best template in my opinion is to play 6 'proper' batsman at their suitable position followed by a 'batting allrounder' + 4 top bowlers, one of them can be expected to hold bat. These 4 bowlers must not be judged on how well they bat  but how well they can take 20 wickets and share the workload among themselves.

[deathmonger]

Naah. This team is decent. 

 

Nair is an issue but the others are okay.

 

Two things:

1. There are no other magic players hiding away not selected. This is a Pakistani mentality.

2. England is a pretty good team, especially at home where their pace bowling ARs give them an edge (just like India's spin ARs did in Asia for over a decade)

[R!TTER]

19 hours ago, bowl_out said:

Is Nitish a batsman or bowler?

Is Washington a batsman or bowler?

They're A/R when we're winning, no rounders when we're losing 

 

6 minutes ago, deathmonger said:

There are no other magic players hiding away not selected.

There is Kuldeep!

6 minutes ago, deathmonger said:

England is a pretty good team

England's biggest weakness over the last 30-35 years was this guy SKW - yes even more than McGrath 

[deathmonger]

Just now, R!TTER said:

They're A/R when we're winning, no rounders when we're losing 

 

There is Kuldeep!

England's biggest weakness over the last 30-35 years was this guy SKW - yes even more than McGrath 

Putting Kuldeep shortens the tail a lot.

 

India won in Edgbaston due to tail and even in Lord's tail wagged in both innings.

 

Warne averaged 17 with the bat as well with 12 50s. Lee and Gillespie were no mugs with the bat either.

 

Putting Kuldeep in will have the opposite effect, wickets might be taken but tail will also collapse faster.

 

There is no magic solution. You will have to compromise on some aspect.

 

Until India have a couple of Stokes/Woakes level ARs and tailenders who can bat a bit, this will continue. Only solution is development which management is trying with NKR.

[R!TTER]

42 minutes ago, deathmonger said:

 

India won in Edgbaston due to tail and even in Lord's tail wagged in both innings.

We won because of Gill, not tail. If Kuldeep could hang around for 20-30 overs, instead of WS there, we would likely have won any way.

 

42 minutes ago, deathmonger said:

 

Putting Kuldeep in will have the opposite effect, wickets might be taken but tail will also collapse faster.

That's your opinion, I remember him being the key lower order wicket after Jadeja/Jurel in the home series vs Eng last year. Yes I know it was at home but even here generally wickets have been flatter & more importantly dry.

Primary team India

Home or away home venue

Start of match date between 1 Feb 2024 and 1 Jul 2024

Batting position between 7 and 11

Qualifications runs scored greater than or equal to 50

Player	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	0	4s	6s
DC Jurel	3	4	1	190	90	63.33	354	53.67	0	1	0	12	7
Kuldeep Yadav	4	5	1	70	30	17.50	271	25.83	0	0	1	4	0
R Ashwin	4	5	0	87	37	17.40	205	42.43	0	0	1	12	1
JJ Bumrah	3	4	0	52	26	13.00	127	40.94	0	0	1	6	1

Edited July 15, 2025 by R!TTER

[deepdynamo]

1 hour ago, deathmonger said:

Naah. This team is decent. 

 

Nair is an issue but the others are okay.

 

Two things:

1. There are no other magic players hiding away not selected. This is a Pakistani mentality.

2. England is a pretty good team, especially at home where their pace bowling ARs give them an edge (just like India's spin ARs did in Asia for over a decade)

 

Pretty sure we can find 6 test level batsman provided they can be given consistent run. No harm in trying Tilak and Sai. Karun Nair is not an answer though.

 

One or maybe two allrounders are fine but three ia definetly an overkill considering none of them are bowlers who can threaten an opposition.

 

This same strategy by GG gave us 1-3 results in Aus. Why do you think this would work in Eng?

 

2nd test was definetly an anamoly since Akashdeep/Siraj had an unblelievable match. Yes, lower order produced runs on a flat pitch but any defensive team could have easily drew that game.

[vvvslaxman]

21 hours ago, bowl_out said:

I don't mind all rounders as long as their primary role is defined. They should be accountable for their primary role, while their secondary role should be considered a bonus.

 

Is Nitish a batsman or bowler?

Is Washington a batsman or bowler?

 

SUndar is a bowler. If Bashir is called a bowler, he is 10 times better than him. His batting should be treated as bonus. We shouldn't put him into bits and pieces category. He has been our best spinner in recent times.

[vvvslaxman]

If someone is good at only one skill that won't make them "specialists" lol That makes them one-dimensional. That's it. In order to become specialists they have to do more than just not sucking in other department.

[lemsip]

On 7/15/2025 at 1:24 AM, Number said:

Pant needs to bat at 6 with a solid no. 5 before him.

Jadeja should bat before Pant since he is basically playing only as a batsman. No reason at all why a keeper has to come in before pure batsmen in the order