B-G Trophy 2008 : Build-up

[Kartikey]

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/india/content/current/story/366418.html The Indian board wants to utilise the window in the international calendar created by the postponement of the ICC Champions Trophy to prepare for the "very important" home Test series against Australia, Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, said. Shah said India, as of now, had no plan to participate in any international event during that period - September 12 to 28. The board wanted its top players playing in key domestic tournaments and participating in a preparatory camp ahead of the four-Test series against Australia starting in Bangalore on October 9. Shah said the BCCI expected members of the Indian team to be involved in the season-opening Irani Trophy match - between Ranji Trophy champions Delhi and Rest of India - which has been advanced to September 24, instead of October 1-5 as originally scheduled. "The match [in Vadodara] will feature all the probables for the Test series against Australia," Shah said. Media reports in Pakistan claimed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was hoping to be part of a quadrangular one-day tournament in South Africa, which would also involve the hosts, Sri Lanka and either India or Australia. However, Shah said the BCCI had no plans to participate in any such event. "We would like to use that time to get our best players to play in domestic cricket and prepare in the best manner possible for the very important series against Australia," Shah told Cricinfo. "What we are also planning at this stage is to organise a comprehensive camp for our players ahead of that series. "We are also keen to have the Mohammad Nissar Trophy [on September 15 in Delhi, between the domestic champions of India and Pakistan] too. There is also the important series [two 'Tests'] between India A and Australia A [starting in Bangalore on September 3]. We would like to focus on these events, and I don't think anything else is possible," Shah said. India A will also participate in a one-day tri-series at home against Australia A and New Zealand A from September 15 to 22, and later take on the New Zealanders in two unofficial Tests from September 28 to October 6. Shah said these matches would be crucial for players on the fringe for selection to the Indian team. The India A team includes players like Sreesanth, who is looking to make a comeback from injury, and S Badrinath, the India A captain, who is in line for a Test call-up. On Wednesday, Pakistan's daily the News reported that "Pakistan, Sri Lanka and South Africa have confirmed [for a quadrangular one-day tournament in South Africa] while India, Australia or New Zealand will most likely be filling in the final spot." Whoo, this is awesome. Finally the BCCI have got their act together, this would be a very good opportunity for the likes of Sachin and Sehwag to come back to full fitness and the likes of Dravid, Ganguly and Kumble to regain form and for Laxman and Bhajji, well it doesnt for them, they will destroy the Aussies no matter what.

[Sachinism]

lol once again PCB spoke too soon

[Guest Hiten.]

The board wanted its top players playing in key domestic tournaments and participating in a preparatory camp ahead of the four-Test series against Australia starting in Bangalore on October 9. Shah said the BCCI expected members of the Indian team to be involved in the season-opening Irani Trophy match - between Ranji Trophy champions Delhi and Rest of India - which has been advanced to September 24, instead of October 1-5 as originally scheduled. "The match [in Vadodara] will feature all the probables for the Test series against Australia," Shah said.

Excellent news. Though it should be understood that any opposition team that is to play against Australia needs a good break and preparatory camp, but we are talking about BCCI here. So this news sounds almost like a miracle to me. Hopefully all the 'key' players play the domestic match and get match fit (heck series fit) before we clash against the Aussies.

[MalikBrother]

I forsee the bitter relationship between PCB and CA. Since, there can't be CT in next year. And CA would refuse to tour in Pakistan next year, and in return PCB would refuse to send Pakistan in Australia. That's not looking good !

[DomainK]

Sounds too good to be true. Our players need this break. A bot of family life, some relaxed vacation and a practice session would recharge them. Thanks SA, Australia and England.

[King Tendulkar]

Wow. Common sense from BCCI! BRING ON THE AUSSIES!

[Feed]

B-G Trophy 2008 : BCCI rejects the proposal of extra practice match for Australia More... Indian board unwilling to organise second practice match Jon Pierik and Ben Dorries August 28, 2008 12:00am AUSTRALIA'S preparations to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in October may have hit a snag, with India unlikely to schedule an extra warm-up match. A senior Indian official yesterday said the Board of Control for Cricket in India was unwilling to organise a second practice match before the first Test starting on October 9 in Bangalore because it would mean having to reshuffle its domestic competition. The cancellation of next month's Champions Trophy tournament has given Australia extra time to prepare and maximise its chances of repeating its breakthrough success of 2004. Cricket Australia has yet to formally ask the BCCI for another warm-up match, but some officials have said the side wants to arrive in India earlier than planned. The current four-day warm-up match begins on October 2 in Hyderabad, with the Australians flying out in the last week of September. If there is no second warm-up match, Australia could still leave early and adjust to local conditions with more practice and net sessions, or remain at home and try and simulate Indian conditions at the Centre of Excellence in Brisbane. Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke welcomed the chance to prepare for India with more focus than expected. "I think we can prepare more now in conditions that we are going to be playing the Test series in," Clarke said yesterday. "Whether that means we stay in Australia and try to get some wickets made up to what we assume the pitches are going to be like in India, or we travel to India a little bit earlier and maybe get another tour game in." Clarke has fond memories of India after becoming the 17th Australian to score a century on Test debut in Bangalore four years ago. Australia has spent the past week in a camp planning tactics for a series that is expected to be emotionally charged after the events of last summer. While thoughts have already begun to turn to India, the Australians must first deal with a three-match one-day series against Bangladesh in Darwin, beginning on Saturday. Australia arrived in Darwin yesterday, led by acting skipper Clarke, who is standing in for an injured Ricky Ponting.

[Desi Cartman]

Thats the reason they are the best. They plan way ahead and are never over confident ... amazing

[flamy]

Thats the reason they are the best. They plan way ahead and are never over confident ... amazing

And the fact that we give them a run for their money with our system is flabbergastingly awesmacking! :yay:

[DomainK]

Good. All of a sudden BBCI is growing some brains?

[MPS 3]

Good decision. India only had one practice match when they toured australia last yr.

[SachDan]

BCCI gets it right this time...If the world champs are given too much match practise,then the series is as good as over even before the first ball is bowled.

[Kartikey]

Their the best, one game should be enough for them.

[DomainK]

Good decision. India only had one practice match when they toured australia last yr.

That was BCCI's fault entirely. They never even requested for an additional practice match. Our players didn't even have the the time to adjust to the weather there when they played the first match.

[THX_1138]

Up yours Mitchell Johnson! While i maintain the opinion that within 5 years, Mitchell Johnson will come to be regarded with the same reverence extended to Aussie fast bowlers such as McDermott, Huges, Thompson, Lillee, McGrath and Lee... however, he needs to shut it. He is complaining about the single practice match ahead of the test series and feels that it is not 'enough time to acclimatize'. well guess what you dumb marsupial, we too played our first test after just one practice game, and that too was rained out. Which explains why we lost the first test. Bucknor assisted you guys to make it 2-0 at sydney, but this time, there will be no jive ****, blind trinidadian to swing the pendulum in your direction. This time, there will be a hostile bowling attack, a batting lineup revived with an injection of youth, and a belligerent crowd that will identify you as the appropriate primate you most resemble. I want some kangaroo blood damnit!

[siddhu]

Easy there... perky...:-D

[Dravid]

agree except >a batting lineup revived with an injection of youth, doubt any1 of the fab 4 will be dropped

[Kohum]

Mr. Johnson : You reap what you sow.

[King Tendulkar]

B-G Trophy 2008 : Build-up No idea at anger towards Johnson. Our schedule of only one warm up game in oz was done to BCCI. We could have had more if we wanted. He has a point. Touring teams should have more then one warm up game but unfortunatley crammed scheduled mean this is now the norm

[diegovegaz]

Pace or spin against australia?? 36 days remaining for the test series against australia to win a test match against them, we have no other option than to take 20 wickets considering the nature of indian pitches, and importantly anil kumble's bowling form will the pacers be effective?? or will the spinners shine over them?? zaheer khan, ishant sharma, anil kumble & harbhajan singh this is the most probable and highly likely bowling attack that india will go with anil kumble is not in his best bowling form bhajji's inconsistency will spin deliver the goods?? not to forget that spin has been india's primary weapon in tests in india