SA in India - Feb 2010

[Ram]

If they have over looked him in this test whats to say they won't overlook him in the next test. If Mishra does decently or even if India wins by a big margin' date=' Dhoni will say why break a winning combination.[/quote'] They're trying out different combinations against B'desh man.. They gave Mishra a chance in the 1st test, while Bhajji and Ojha missed out. Now, its Mishra's turn to miss out, while the other two get a chance.

[Gunner_Mania]

They're trying out different combinations against B'desh man.. They gave Mishra a chance in the 1st test' date=' while Bhajji and Ojha missed out. Now, its Mishra's turn to miss out, while the other two get a chance.[/quote'] So when will they make a decision on who to finally settle on? Or will they be giving them chances in alternative matches so that they never settle down? what is the criteria for the final selection ?Man I wish they would do this with UV. Play him a game, drop him Play Kohli, drop UV, then drop Kohli Play UV.

[zen]

It's about what you think is the best combination to play SA so that Ind can continue its reign as #1 .... Not what Dhoni would think, what's fair/unfair We need that killer instinct and flexibility where we are good enough to select right players to do the job

[saneindian]

What if Ojha bowls us to a win in this test vs BD and bhajji doesnt get too many like the first innings? Will they go with Mishra and Ojha vs SA?

[zen]

SOS: Besides Bhajji and Ojha, is there any other spinner to partner Mishy?

[thevortex]

SOS: Besides Bhajji and Ojha' date=' is there any other spinner to partner Mishy?[/quote'] I saw a very talented young left arm spinner operating for Tamil Nadu this season - Aushik Srinivas. I dont know if he is ready for the big league, but the sad thing is I did not find anybody else who stood out as a spinner in the Ranji matches. ________ new developments in Jomtien

[zen]

I saw a very talented young left arm spinner operating for Tamil Nadu this season - Aushik Srinivas. I dont know if he is ready for the big league' date=' but the sad thing is I did not find anybody else who stood out as a spinner in the Ranji matches.[/quote'] I have heard of Ashwin. Does he have the potential?

[thevortex]

I have heard of Ashwin. Does he have the potential?

Ashwin, in my opinion, need not even be discussed for the longer version of the game. He is a very defensive off spinner. He is very tall, so he tends to fire them in and does not have too much of a scope to actually flight the ball. Plus he is completely open chested and this combined with his action where his palm is almost facing the batsman at the point of delivery means that he gets little to no drift regularly. He is a good defensive bowler though. Very rarely have I seen batsmen advancing down the track against him - a function of the pace and trajectory he bowls at. That same thing is a downside for the longer version of the game though. ________ Glass Smoking Pipes

[zen]

May be Mishy + Chawla might not be a bad idea .... Remember OZ used to play Warne and McGill (but ofc the quality is not even comparable)

[Sachinism]

What about the riddler

[zen]

Looking at the squad for the first test, it appears as if Ind will go with the 7 + 4 combination. Would like a line up like the one below: - Viru - GG - Vijay - Tendulkar - Laxman - Badri - Dhoni - Mishy - Zak - Bhajji / Ojha - Ishant / Mithun

[zen]

If I am not wrong, below is what is at stake for the series: 1. Ind wins or draws: Ind #1 2. SA wins: SA #1 3. SA loses 0-1: SA #2 4. SA loses 0-2: SA#3, Aus move up to #2 Oh boy, this one is so exciting! India first major title defense against a team that is known to give Ind a tough fight! I N D I A :isalute:

[Feed]

"Turmoil can bring SA closer": Saurav Ganguly “These incidents can sometimes help the players come together and make them more determined to perform as a team,” Ganguly told Hindustan Times. More... Turmoil can bring SA closer, says Ganguly Atreyo Mukhopadhyay, Hindustan Times Kolkata, January 28, 2010 Despite the turmoil in their cricket establishment back home, write South Africa off at your own peril, warned Sourav Ganguly. Having been there, done that, the former India skipper knows a thing or two about how international cricketers handle pressure and, according to him, this unrest might just help the Proteas come together. “These incidents can sometimes help the players come together and make them more determined to perform as a team,” Ganguly told Hindustan Times. “The players back each other and, all of a sudden, the team spirit can become much stronger. And as professional players, I don’t think they will let such things affect performance.” Ganguly though said India start the two-Test series as favourites even though Rahul Dravid has been ruled out, because V.V.S. Laxman has recovered from his hand injury sustained in Bangladesh. “My money will still be on India.” Ganguly, however, sounded little apprehensive about the Indian middle order. “We have to rely on the likes of (Murali) Vijay and S. Badrinath.. but, yes batting is a worry.” The winner of many a bitter battle, Ganguly said irrespective of the shape India’s batting finally takes, they will be up against a tough attack. “(Dale) Steyn and (Morne) Morkel are dangerous bowlers. Steyn is outstanding, with good pace, and can reverse-swing the ball. Morkel bowls from a good height, at good pace and can extract bounce. “They can be a handful against any batting side and both have the experience of playing in India.” The surprise weapon, according to Ganguly, might be off-spinner Johan Botha, whose action has been reported against in the past. “I think the Nagpur (where the first Test starts on February 6) pitch will offer spin and bounce. If that happens, Botha can be a tricky customer.” Talking about India’s bowling resources, Ganguly said reverse-swing, which played a major role in the home series win against Australia in 2008, will be effective in Nagpur only. “At Eden (venue for the second Test), the SG ball won’t lose shine that early. So reverse-swing is likely to be a factor in the first Test only.” And about the crucial factor of spin against a strong South African batting line-up, Ganguly said Amit Mishra should partner Harbhajan Singh. “Even though most of their batsmen have the experience of playing in India, they are always vulnerable against wrist spin. Shane Warne has shown that many times. “Though there can’t be any comparison between the two, I still think Mishra should be the second spinner.” Finally, is this going to be the toughest test for Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s India? His answer was a firm no. “That has to be Australia. They are still the best.” Irrespective of rankings then, according to Ganguly, this is going to be a battle to determine who’s next!

[achilles]

Dada has spoken :two_thumbs_up:

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Second SA-India ODI shifted to Gwalior The venue for the second One-day International between India and South Africa on February 24 has been shifted to Gwalior from Kanpur, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said. More... Second SA-India ODI shifted to Gwalior February 06, 2010 15:09 IST The venue for the second One-day International between India and South Africa on February 24 has been shifted to Gwalior from Kanpur, BCCI said on Saturday. The BCCI did not specifiy the reason behind the shift but local media reports suggested it was due to the poor condition of a section of the spectator stands. South Africa are scheduled to play three ODIs after the two-Test series, which began in Nagpur on Saturday. The second Test will be played in Kolkata from February 14-18. The other two ODI will be played in Jaipur and Ahmedabad.