If Dravid can't play first test match

[gullu]

3 scenarios Play Gambhir as a middle order batsman to go with 6 bats. Carry on with Kaarthik as a specialist batsman. Play both spinners and go with 5 bowlers. What's your choice?

[Bumper]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Karthik is not a long term choice, as a batsman. Gambhir deserves a go ahead of him, IMO. We dont need 5 bowlers in these conditions. We need to pack the lineup with as many batsmen as possible.

[gullu]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match If Pathan was in any sort of reasonable form, I would have gone with 5 bowlers option. But given Pathan's wretched bowling form, going in with 5 bowlers would put enormous pressure on already struggling batting line-up. I'd also go with Gambhir in middle order (or maybe Jaffer at number 3 position).

[yoda]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Karthick can be a long term choice, especially in tests. He lost his test spot only because Dhoni lit the ODI scene on fire. He did show us what he is capable of with that excellent 93 against Pak. I would go with Karthick for the middle order spot and use Gambhir as a fall back for the "likely to fail soon" Jaffer.

[beetle]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Munaf a doubtful starter for tour match Dileep Premachandran at Centurion December 2, 2006 India may take a gamble with Munaf Patel for the Johannesburg Test ? AFP Munaf Patel could well be pitchforked into the opening Test match at the Wanderers without having had any match practice for nearly a month. Despite the fact that his ankle is healing slowly, he's rated doubtful for the tour game at Potchefstroom which starts on December 7. If the team management feel that he's not yet ready for the rigours of a four-day game, they will restrict him to net sessions in the hope that he's ready to go for the Johannesburg Test. John Gloster, the physio, and a consultant physician are constantly monitoring his progress, but he's definitely a few days away from being able to put enough weight on the foot to have a bowl. The news on the Rahul Dravid front is much more encouraging. The protective cast - more of a net-like contraption than a huge chunk of plaster - will come off on Monday, and he'll then embark on strengthening exercises. "I've been told that I shouldn't field in the slips," Dravid told Cricinfo. "There's a fair bit of time between the first Test and the second, so till then, we can certainly manage with [VVS] Laxman and Sachin [Tendulkar] in the slip cordon." Taping up the finger and using gloves that provide extra protection should allow him to bat, but on surfaces where the bottom hand comes into play so much - the cut and pull are big scoring options here - it remains to be seen how well he will adjust to that. "We'll play it by the year," he said. "It should be fine." Ajit Agarkar, who tore a groin muscle yesterday, isn't quite as fortunate. He'll have to sit on the sidelines for atleast a month, leaving him with precious little time to get match-fit before India start a punishing schedule of eight one-day games at home.

[The Outsider]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Sehwag Jaffer Laxman Tendulkar Ganguly Pathan Dhoni Harbhajan Kumble Zaheer Munaf would be my pick. If its a typical Johannesburg pitch I would play both Kumble and Harbhajan which means playing Pathan by default. If its a seamer's wicket drop Harbhajan and Pathan and play Sreesanth and Gambhir instead.

[Dhondy]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Harbhajan in a Test team in SA, Shwetabh? You hitting the bottle again?

[Dhondy]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Dravid will play. He can bat through pain, and won't miss out. Tendulkar will replace him in the slips, accompanied by Laxman and Sehwag. BTW, the best batsman against pace amongst Kartick, Gambhir and Pathan is the latter. He also has the best temparament.

[The Outsider]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Dhondy, these guys are pathetic against spin and Johannesburg generally turns in the last innings. I dont want Motu bowling as our second spinner on a turning pitch in the last innings like it happened in WI.

[Predator_05]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match I don't like the first two alternatives. Although Sehwag can be moved into the middle order and India might as well open with Gambhir and Jaffer. I'd go with 5 bowlers - not just for this test, but for the whole series.

[Gambit]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Will def play Gambhir in the middle order with Laxy at 3. I think GG will do well in RSA as he likes the ball coming on to the bat and is not afraid of playing shots.

[Dhondy]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match

Dhondy' date=' these guys are pathetic against spin and Johannesburg generally turns in the last innings. I dont want Motu bowling as our second spinner on a turning pitch in the last innings like it happened in WI.[/quote'] Away from home, that guy can't bowl out a kindergarten girl's team with their hands tied behind their back, even if his life depended on it, Shwetabh.

[Gambit]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Dhondy, he played a gigantic role in our last away test win. 5/12 is no mean feat.

[The Outsider]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Dhondy, itne bure bhi nahin hain Bhajji paaji.

[Dhondy]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match IMO, India's over-reliance on spin is what's holding us back. Bhajji has been exposed time & again away from home, but no, the short memories keep getting shorter, except when it comes to remembering the odd bad-pitch performance where he rode on the back of others. If we are to put a team out there on the park that can take on sides away from home, we need to trust our seamers, back their talent, and tell them it's alright to fail. Look around guys, spin is dead. It was always a sissy art anyway, and with tracks getting flatter all over the world, I can see the day, with Warne and Murali gone, when young cricketers will simply stop wanting to be spinners. Such a state already exists in SA. Only invalids and weaklings bowl spin. They consider it seriously passe.

[The Outsider]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match

Such a state already exists in SA. Only invalids and weaklings bowl spin. They consider it seriously passe.

And thats why their batmsen look downright inept facing upto the likes of Kumble, Warne, or Murali even on good tracks. Spin is not going anywhere. Similar obituaries were written in the 80s but the next decade saw three of the greatest spinners ever playing simultaneously.

[Inside_edge]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Going by the ODIs Bhajji is being read like a book by one and all.On the so called bouncing tracks where he was supposed to be our trump card was cleaned up pretty good both wkt and run wise. If hes scared to bowl doosra, fielders around bat (particularly backward shortleg) can be his only hope.

[Guest dada_rocks]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match sachin bowled in 2-/20 so he might fill the shoes of other spinner in fourth inning..

[Sooda]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match >>It was always a sissy art anyway, Oooh. Controversial. It takes great skill to be a good spinner. Also the Saffies are DESPERATE for a good spinner. They don't choose not to have one. I think we have to go with 6 batsmen. the batting is just too out of form NOT to. Particularly with Dravid not in. I would open with Gambhir and Jaffer and play Sehwag at 5 Jaffer,GG,VVSL,SRT,VS,SCG

[Bumper]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Point taken, that two spinners might be an overkill, esp for a team lacking a stable order & given the general seamer friendly nature of SA wickets. But spin is neither a sissy nor a dead art. Its a myth propagated by the whitemen. Look around you. Four major international teams, have won games consistently because of their ace spinner (Warne, Murali, Kumble, Kaneria).