Yuvi or raina for the first test match?

[saneindian]

At the time he decided to skip the series over "lung infection" I was convinced it was due to not being given captaincy of the ODI side for that series. I didn't buy the medical certificate argument

Without getting into conspiracy theories, he indeed had a lung infection and was bed ridden when the ODIs were on. But he was back to playing cricket by the time tests in WI started and should actually have been there. Could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Raina as had Yuvi traveled to WI, Raina may not have played in the tests!

[Trichromatic]

Without getting into conspiracy theories' date=' he indeed had a lung infection and was bed ridden when the ODIs were on. But he was back to playing cricket by the time tests in WI started and should actually have been there. Could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Raina as had Yuvi traveled to WI, Raina may not have played in the tests![/quote'] Yeah, Yuvraj shouldn't miss test matches if he is fit. He rarely gets chances in tests and he should try to grab the opportunity whenever it comes. Unfortunately it's not so.

[rkt.india]

Without getting into conspiracy theories' date=' he indeed had a lung infection and was bed ridden when the ODIs were on. But he was back to playing cricket by the time tests in WI started and should actually have been there. Could turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Raina as had Yuvi traveled to WI, Raina may not have played in the tests![/quote'] Kohli may not have played then. Raina was certain to play.

[saneindian]

Kohli may not have played then. Raina was certain to play.

On what basis? Kohli had easily outscored him in the ODIs and looked the better player, Raina OTOH had looked horrible out of sorts in that ODI series as well as in the last few tests he had played before that!

[riwi999]

I want to see both Yuvi and Raina in the side. Mukund is a joke. I'd rather take my chances with Yuvi as opener than see Mukund in the side purely because technically he is an opening batsman. Didn't they once get Parthiv Patel, with no opener credentials. to open in a Test in Pakistan? IIRC, he got a 50. I'd back Yuvi to do better against Anderson, Broad and Tremlett anyday than Mukund. If nothing, he has much more experience of these conditions than Mukund has.

[rkt.india]

On what basis? Kohli had easily outscored him in the ODIs and looked the better player' date=' Raina OTOH had looked horrible out of sorts in that ODI series as well as in the last few tests he had played before that![/quote'] Raina was not out of sorts in ODIs. He even played a good attacking knock of 43 in first ODI and he tried to too continue to play aggressively in rest of the matches which were not suited to those pitches, but could not do successfully, and his experience of test cricket was always there. They would not have gone with so many debutant at least in the first test if they had options like Yuvraaj and Raina both in the team. I know Dhoni's thinking. I am talking about, at least in first test and only if one of them had failed, Kohli would have got his chance.