Rahane is better than Mukund

[Holysmoke]

Look at the techniques and the innings that both have played. Also, the stats dont lie. Just one look at both these players playing will have you know who is better. Yet, the southie lobby does not give him a chance. (

[Cricket Tragic]

I would have picked both of them tbh.

[jairamesh]

wots there india u19, india A records like?

[Karan114]

I don't have an issue with Mukund's selection, but it is a travesty that Rahane can't find a place in the Test or limited overs squads even with 4 senior batsmen resting/recovering from the IPL.

[ganeshran]

Yes Southie lobby has grabbed all of the places in the top 11.. How many Southies are there in the first choice 11?

[Holysmoke]

Yes Southie lobby has grabbed all of the places in the top 11.. How many Southies are there in the first choice 11?

By southie lobby I mean CSK lobby Dhoni Raina Ashwin Vijay Mukund Badri Saha (Now preffered???) FYI - Rahane has the best FC record in the last 55 years. The only players who have a better FC record than him are Bradman, Headley, and V. Merchant. Rahane is a talent to be persisted with, and here we are not even trying him out. :((

[Sachin=GOD]

Rahane should've been there. He definitely deserved a place.

[Sid]

Rahane should have been in the ODI side ahead of that tailunted piece of crap Rohit.

[Sachin=GOD]

^Rohit is much better than Rahane - yeah, he hasn't performed to his potential but a talent like him deserves a few more chances.

[Sooda]

I agree, Rahane and Mukund would have been my first choice opening duo, though that leaves it a bit short of experience. As CT says they should have taken them both. And not picked Raina, as Rahane can bat in the top/middle order too. Im guessing they view him not as an opener. All those people claiming southie bias etc, there really are not too many options other those southies. And they are all there on merit, including Mukund. Saha was in the India set up well before he joined CSK..really clutching at straws there

[cowboysfan]

I think Rahane is better than mukund too but can he open at the test level?

[Ultimate_Game]

I was really hoping Rahane gets a chance after Tendulkar, Gambhir and Pujara missed out on the WI tour. The guy has averaged 60+ in first class and deserves a chance at intl level. I would love to see Badrinath, Rahane and Kohli get a chance in the Test squad to see what they are capable of. Once Pujara is back he can replace one of these 3 players in the squad.

[ganeshran]

By southie lobby I mean CSK lobby Dhoni Raina Ashwin Vijay Mukund Badri Saha (Now preffered???) FYI - Rahane has the best FC record in the last 55 years. The only players who have a better FC record than him are Bradman, Headley, and V. Merchant. Rahane is a talent to be persisted with, and here we are not even trying him out. :((

Dhoni, Seriously?? Raina played brilliantly in the world cup, even there he was given lesser chances than Yuppo Ashwin - played grand total of one match in World cup. Even now he will not be first choice since Harbhajan is the vice captain Vijay - He didnt perform to his potential Mukund - just been given the chance. Badri - has played less than 5 matches for India. His FC average is 62 btw having played twice the number of matches. Saha - Saha wont even get the call. He is most likely a backup wicketkeeper. These are not the only players who have got the call for India in recent years - We have tried out duds like Saurabh Tiwary and Ravindra Jadeja too. What was the bias behind their selection. No one is saying Rahane isnt a talent. He will get his chance when the time comes, but accusing selectors of regional bias is absurd given the number of southie players in our first choice 11

[Cricket Tragic]

Dhoni, Seriously?? Raina played brilliantly in the world cup, even there he was given lesser chances than YuppoAshwin - played grand total of one match in World cup. Even now he will not be first choice since Harbhajan is the vice captain Vijay - He didnt perform to his potential Mukund - just been given the chance. Badri - has played less than 5 matches for India. His FC average is 62 btw having played twice the number of matches. Saha - Saha wont even get the call. He is most likely a backup wicketkeeper. These are not the only players who have got the call for India in recent years - We have tried out duds like Saurabh Tiwary and Ravindra Jadeja too. What was the bias behind their selection. No one is saying Rahane isnt a talent. He will get his chance when the time comes, but accusing selectors of regional bias is absurd given the number of southie players in our first choice 11

Not getting into the regional debate but Raina does not deserve a test spot. How long will it take for people to realise that Raina is not a test player and will never be one? Watching him bat on a pitch with a bit of bounce is embarrassing. He looks like he doesn't want to be out there.

[Karan114]

Don't think Saha was a CSK player when first selected for India (February 2010). Was he?

[Karan114]

Not getting into the regional debate but Raina does not deserve a test spot. How long will it take for people to realise that Raina is not a test players and will never be one? Watching him bat on a pitch with a bit of bounce is embarrassing. He looks like he doesn't want to be out there.

I fear we're going to see the Yuvraj story repeated with him - a batsman repeatedly selected for Test sides based on ODI batting, especially under pressure in the late overs. As you say, his technique against the short ball is embarrassing, and this isn't someone just plucked out of domestic cricket - he has had several years of international experience but can't even defend short pitched bowling, leave alone score runs off it. He is a very good ODI/T20I player, especially on slow pitches (he was rubbish on bouncy pitches in the ODIs in SA). Let's keep him to those formats.

[ganeshran]

Not getting into the regional debate but Raina does not deserve a test spot. How long will it take for people to realise that Raina is not a test players and will never be one? Watching him bat on a pitch with a bit of bounce is embarrassing. He looks like he doesn't want to be out there.

He isnt a good player on bouncy wickets. If Pujara was not injured, I reckon he would been preferred ahead of Raina

[Cricket Tragic]

He isnt a good player on bouncy wickets. If Pujara was not injured' date=' I reckon he would been preferred ahead of Raina[/quote'] Alright, so Pujara is injured. Why does that put Raina into the squad? Rahane could have been picked just for the experience even if he doesn't play. Raina is not a long-term option. We made the mistake with Yuvraj Singh as well.

[Cricket Tragic]

I fear we're going to see the Yuvraj story repeated with him - a batsman repeatedly selected for Test sides based on ODI batting, especially under pressure in the late overs. As you say, his technique against the short ball is embarrassing, and this isn't someone just plucked out of domestic cricket - he has had several years of international experience but can't even defend short pitched bowling, leave alone score runs off it. He is a very good ODI/T20I player, especially on slow pitches (he was rubbish on bouncy pitches in the ODIs in SA). Let's keep him to those formats.

What is most disappointing is that he has not been prepared to fight it out, take a few blows and score some ugly runs. He gives the impression that he would rather not be out there. He doesn't get into line and just hangs his bat out/goes for an ugly pull (more like a hopeless slog to midwicket).

[ganeshran]

Alright, so Pujara is injured. Why does that put Raina into the squad? Rahane could have been picked just for the experience even if he doesn't play. Raina is not a long-term option. We made the mistake with Yuvraj Singh as well.

That is true, but how many greenhorns should we play in a single side? Best time for youngsters is to make their debut alongside senior players where others can be there to shoulder responsibility incase they fail and hence relieve pressure. A team full of debutantes is no different from a minnow side and each newbie will end up taking too much pressure on himself. Anyways, thats just my opinion.