Assuming Zak does not play tommorow..Whom should play and why?

[hari504504]

besides Munaf..anyone think Sir Ag would've been quite good.. he is still nippy and can move the ball either way... repeat of his Australia heroics a few years back

[Lord]

Unadkat-;eft arm angle,can swing the ball.Yadav is a one-trick pony.just keeps banging it in.isnt even as fast as it is made out.averages low 130s.barely touches 140

[rkt.india]

Unadkat-;eft arm angle' date='can swing the ball.Yadav is a one-trick pony.just keeps banging it in.isnt even as fast as it is made out.averages low 130s.barely touches 140[/quote'] In SA condition, a bowler need not to be very express. A bowler who can bowl at around 135-140 at good length or just short of good length can be very effective whether its Unadkat or Yadav..line is the key there... must be just on around off stump. Yadav is pacy and i last saw him in challenger trophy final. he was consistently quick, bowled fastest at 146 ks., swinging the ball in and away from the batsman in the heat of indore. That was pretty amazing seeing him then though pitch was pretty slow, still batsman like naman ojha and anirudh srikant were tentative and playing on the backfoot mainly and edging a lot of deliveries. he was pretty unlucky not to get many wickets.

[fineleg]

Zak almost certain to miss the First Test India find themselves in their usual predicament of having to start a series without one of their big players. This time, on a tour of reckoning of sorts, it's their best bowler over the last three years, Zaheer Khan, who is struggling with a hamstring injury and is almost certainly going to miss the Centurion Test starting Thursday. "We'll take a call tomorrow morning before the start of the game," MS Dhoni said. "He is quite doubtful for tomorrow." "Zak has been our best bowler who has always led the bowling attack, whatever the conditions may be, whether it is a flat track or a seaming track," Dhoni said on the eve of the first Test. "He is always one bowler who has done really well. It is a blow, but at the same time we have to see the longer picture. We have to think about the World Cup also. We are so close to the World Cup, and any injury to any of your best 11 players may have a bigger impact, so that's also a bit of a concern. Till we are 100% sure about his fitness and injury, we won't risk playing him." However, it could be a great opportunity for one out of Unadkat and Yadav, with Unadkat being the favoured one right now by the virtue of being a left-arm medium-pacer. "We'll have to see [as to who replaces Zaheer]," Dhoni said. "Whoever plays will be making his debut whether it is Unadkat or Yadav. We will discuss with some other senior players, and accordingly pick the best possible XI." Should Zaheer not make it, the rookie this time will be either Umesh Yadav or Jaidev Unadkat. Which begs the question of the national selectors as to where Abhimanyu Mithun is, after he did commendably on a seam bowlers graveyard in Sri Lanka on a short notice.

[Holysmoke]

Unadkat-;eft arm angle' date='can swing the ball.Yadav is a one-trick pony.just keeps banging it in.isnt even as fast as it is made out.averages low 130s.barely touches 140[/quote'] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjEIDOF_WDo]YouTube - Umesh Yadav to Parthiv Patel[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0edUBESpFcM]YouTube - Umesh Yadav to Matthew Hayden[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgrOQck-_vQ]YouTube - Umesh Yadav to Angelo Mathews[/ame]

[putrevus]

Mithun is doing crap in Ranji's also and there is no upside in mithun, he like Yadav all they do is angle the ball in wide of crease, If Yadav plays it will be all right handed bowling attack thats why I think Jaydev will play. Ask Shaun Pollock all you need to do in SA is bowl good line and length and let pitch do the rest.Whoever has better control should play.

[yoda]

this is terrible, our main bowler not available for the 1st test of the most important test series. the replacement choices seem rather poor. why on earth would we pick in-experienced bowlers for such an important series is beyond me.

[putrevus]

This second time Srikant has screwed up against SA , Nagpur where he never gave Dhoni any options in case they have any injuries and now this, this guy needs to go and why cant BCCI send 16 member squad.

[bunny]

I know I will get a lot of flak for this, but I'd go for an extra batsman. Play Vijay too. I'm pretty sure the 3rd seamer will be ineffective...we can fill his overs with Raina's, Sehwag's and Sachin's seam-up (if he still bowls). And bat 2nd if we win the toss. Go with a defensive mindset basically.

[fineleg]

This second time Srikant has screwed up against SA ' date=' Nagpur where he never gave Dhoni any options in case they have any injuries and now this, this guy needs to go and why cant BCCI send [b']16 member squad.

Yeah, why cant we send one or two additional folks to give more choice for the Captain? I seem to recall England or Aus do this in some cases - they send an extended squad for an Away tour (just in case backups are included).

I know I will get a lot of flak for this' date=' but I'd go for an extra batsman. Play Vijay too. I'm pretty sure the 3rd seamer will be ineffective...we can fill his overs with Raina's, Sehwag's and Sachin's seam-up (if he still bowls). And bat 2nd if we win the toss. Go with a defensive mindset basically.[/quote'] Just 3 bowlers? :omg:

[fineleg]

this is terrible' date=' our main bowler not available for the 1st test of the most important test series. the replacement choices seem rather poor. why on earth would we pick in-experienced bowlers for such an important series is beyond me.[/quote'] :(( When is the last time India had first choice pacers (3 of them) fit and ready in the playing 11 for a Test match? Was that against England in England or some other series? I was really hoping to see ZK+IS+SS In India, we only play 2 seamers in the 11.

[Online]

Sreesanth Ishant Ojha Bhajji

[Sachin=GOD]

^no chance of 2 spinners in the team.

[vaibhav_delhi]

tbh, i am not sure. so i will go with m$d.:p guys no need to worry , we are winning this series 2-0 with or without zaky boy:two_thumbs_up:

[Online]

^no chance of 2 spinners in the team.

let's see, I think I know how Dhoni works. :eyedance:

[bunny]

Yeah, why cant we send one or two additional folks to give more choice for the Captain? I seem to recall England or Aus do this in some cases - they send an extended squad for an Away tour (just in case backups are included). Just 3 bowlers? :omg:

yeah why not? Of course, the net form of Unadkat/Yadav is also pretty important. If any one of them looks great, then play them. Otherwise go with a completely defensive mindset. I personally think it wouldnt hurt.

[kabira]

Unadkat, and I am sure he will deliver

[Sooda]

Mithun or even Praveen Kumar; he would have been handy here right. Bit of a shoddy selection policy, no real logic