Kohli and Ojha to replace Yuvi and Bhajji

[VRV Singh]

Agree with general sentiment on Kohli. He was very poor in WI, and one was led to believe that the dropping was a message to forget Test cricket for a while...this recall is another reflection of scattergun policy IMO. It's not like they've never considered someone like Sharma for Tests, was it not just last year that he was set to debut but for injury? In any case I don't think Kohli will play. His technique against this lot = death by outside edge. Ojha is a decent selection. He is very limited but he can keep things in check.

[Temujin Khaghan]

anyways raina will not be replaced in the next test... so all you kohli fans take it easy for two weeks.

[Cricketics]

Agree with general sentiment on Kohli. He was very poor in WI, and one was led to believe that the dropping was a message to forget Test cricket for a while...this recall is another reflection of scattergun policy IMO. It's not like they've never considered someone like Sharma for Tests, was it not just last year that he was set to debut but for injury? In any case I don't think Kohli will play. His technique against this lot = death by outside edge. Ojha is a decent selection. He is very limited but he can keep things in check.

No get the facts straight up. Mukund also failed in Windies. Just that he was needed as back up opener. Kohli had to be replaced since Sachin was returning back to the team and he won't have found his place. I don't know which way you looking at, but this is a totally different scenario from the past. In the past, we used to stick with pretenders like Sharma in ODI'S, who made us lose plenty of ODI'S. Yes, now atleast Selectors are using brain and giving chance to someone who actually deserve. I am not saying again that someone like Sharma doesn't deserve. But the kind of clumsy innings he has regularly played at international level, he should be 2nd to Rahane. and offcourse way after Kohli.

[VRV Singh]

No get the facts straight up. Mukund also failed in Windies. Just that he was needed as back up opener. Kohli had to be replaced since Sachin was returning back to the team and he won't have found his place. I don't know which way you looking at, but this is a totally different scenario from the past. In the past, we used to stick with pretenders like Sharma in ODI'S, who made us lose plenty of ODI'S. Yes, now atleast Selectors are using brain and giving chance to someone who actually deserve. I am not saying again that someone like Sharma doesn't deserve. But the kind of clumsy innings he has regularly played at international level, he should be 2nd to Rahane. and offcourse way after Kohli.

I concede the point regarding Mukund. Though he did have two or three good scores. I don't believe that Kohli had to be replaced. Yuvraj being drafted in and Raina keeping his place is evidence of that. No.6 was wide open, so it is completely different to the openers situation. To be clear I'm not championing Sharma in particular. He came to mind with his form in the Windies and the fact he has been on the fray before. You could similarly suggest Pujara (if he was fit) or Rahane (not seen him but he has a high reputation and lots of runs).

[Cricketics]

I concede the point regarding Mukund. Though he did have two or three good scores. I don't believe that Kohli had to be replaced. Yuvraj being drafted in and Raina keeping his place is evidence of that. No.6 was wide open, so it is completely different to the openers situation. To be clear I'm not championing Sharma in particular. He came to mind with his form in the Windies and the fact he has been on the fray before. You could similarly suggest Pujara (if he was fit) or Rahane (not seen him but he has a high reputation and lots of runs).

Pujara did impress a bit in session, but his ability not not convert into even a single 50 on the south african tour, made sure selectors don't pick him. Yes, no. 6 was wide open and Kohli would have won. But Raina did play better than Kohli during windies tour and hence retained his slot. Yuvraj, after the whole world cup buzz, had to be given chance in the test squad. Kohli might not have even gone to West Indies for test, had Yuvraj been fit. Kohli was always going to be dropped after Raina had edged himf or no. 6 slot in the only series they played together in. I am sitll not convinced with Raina, and offcourse Yuvraj hasn't predicted any earthquake eithe. 2 slots will be there for the taking again when West Indies arrive home.

[Sooda]

Harbhajan was largely ineffective at Nottingham in a match dominated by seamers and batsmen. But it turned out the world's leading active Test wicket-taker, with 406 victims, was bowling through the pain of what has since been diagnosed as a grade one lower abdominal tear, which will prevent him playing for the next three weeks. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/14386511.stm

[Sooda]

yeah after watching 20 years of test cricket I am very ignorant. Let us continue with this billboard selection policy of India, where based on foolish public perceptions of greatness (like a popularity contest) we select people instead of ability and see what happens. I reckon the whole Yuvraj circus was not enough, we must try it one more time. Insanity is defined as trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, Indians definitely fit that. What is even funnier is that Indians don't even realize that they are trying the same thing over and over again. Kohli should perfect his technique and then play tests not use test matches to learn technique as you suggest. Unfortunately ignorant flag waving fools are more heard in India than any reasonable voice. So go on, let us all form a circle and sing "chak de India" and jerk off.

Do you think Rohit has the technique to succeed in England then? More so than Kohli? I do not. ANY young bat we pick will effectively be learning and honing technique here, considering that Kohli and Rohit have 2 and 0 tests played respectively that's ok, as long as they learn quickly. Id back both to score if they played tests in India, it wont prove anything Or is this yet more sarcasm :hmmm:

[VRV Singh]

Pujara did impress a bit in session, but his ability not not convert into even a single 50 on the south african tour, made sure selectors don't pick him. Yes, no. 6 was wide open and Kohli would have won. But Raina did play better than Kohli during windies tour and hence retained his slot. Yuvraj, after the whole world cup buzz, had to be given chance in the test squad. Kohli might not have even gone to West Indies for test, had Yuvraj been fit. Kohli was always going to be dropped after Raina had edged himf or no. 6 slot in the only series they played together in. I am sitll not convinced with Raina, and offcourse Yuvraj hasn't predicted any earthquake eithe. 2 slots will be there for the taking again when West Indies arrive home.

Pujara's chances would be based on technique and aptitude to face conditions rather than numbers, IMO. I'm quite sure he'd be a frontrunner but for injury. Two spots were available for Raina/Yuvraj/Kohli. The reason for selecting Raina is fair but doesn't mean Kohli is automatically binned. The reason you suggest for Yuvraj is extremely flimsy and almost entirely outweighed by his career failure in Tests. Bottom line - if Kohli had done well in the Windies I find it very hard to believe he wouldn't go to England irrespective of Yuvraj's World Cup.

[Cricketics]

Pujara's chances would be based on technique and aptitude to face conditions rather than numbers, IMO. I'm quite sure he'd be a frontrunner but for injury. Two spots were available for Raina/Yuvraj/Kohli. The reason for selecting Raina is fair but doesn't mean Kohli is automatically binned. The reason you suggest for Yuvraj is extremely flimsy and almost entirely outweighed by his career failure in Tests. Bottom line - if Kohli had done well in the Windies I find it very hard to believe he wouldn't go to England irrespective of Yuvraj's World Cup.

Never denying that. Surely, one slot was there atleast. May be 2. And as I mentioned above, Raina edged him in that. Infact came out clear winner. I am not big Yuvi fan rite now for test. Would rather see Kohli really over Yuvi any day. That said, would love and want to see Yuvrja improving his game and doing well in tests.

[Trichromatic]

Even if someone hadn't watched him before all they had to do was to watch the first 10 deliveries he faced from the seamers when he came in to bat in the 1st innings at TB' date=' they made him looked like a silly child. Someone said yuvraj would hit broad for six sixes, I was laughing so hard it hurt, broad would have rearranged UV's face for him. Subsequently,we saw what happened in the 2nd innings, Bresnan roughed him up and got him and not just that Bresnan gave him such a boo boo that our sher ran back home immediately.[/quote'] This is where I think feel uneasy about Raina. My thinking is that if a batsman has the potential to be a good test player i.e. he has good technique and basic ability to handle swing and bounce, then only he should be part of the team. If a player has known weakness related to a particular delivery then he should go back to FC cricket and improve there even if he is star in LOI and scores good 30s in tests. Remember Gambhir. In earlier days he used go get good scores but going too across was his weakness and he was dropped. I thought that was good decision even though he was scoring better than other openers. He improved his technique and now is much better test player. Yuvraj can't handle bounce. That's very disappointing for a test player. By ability to handle bounce I don't mean he should play pull very well, rather his technique should allow him to leave the deliveries. He has high back-lift. He has tendency to play at each delivery. That's why it's very hard for him to sway away from short balls. He looks like a novice when there is sharp bounce. Raina has somehow showed that he can manage bounce, but I'm still not convinced with him as a test batsman. I hope he improves. Even Ishant Sharma has improved his technique of playing short balls. Can't understand why main batsmen don't improve.

[kabira]

Rohit Sharma was found out in SA ODI series. Similar dismissals throughout the seires. He is not an opener, but we should have atleast seen couple of fighting knocks. On the other Kohli played well on similar pitches, similar bowlers in SA. Kohli is right choice.

[Yoda-esque]

Lets see : Kohli = Avg./Poor Technique + Good temperament Rohit= Great technique + Avg/Poor temperament + "X" factor Pujara = Good technique + Great temperament Hmm Rohit wins..Its not too difficult to see why. He has great footwork & plenty of time to play his strokes. I can't remember him being caught behind much either. Get Rohit in.He is the future. After that its Pujara. Kohli is a distant 3rd or 4th .

[kabira]

^who says Rohit has great technique...He did ***** in SA conditions.

[Cricketics]

^who says Rohit has great technique...He did ***** in SA conditions.

What is Technique really?? The one which is shown by Dravid? The one which is shown by Sehwag? Both have amazing way of batting. Two different ways. And two different techniques. Dravid looks more elegant, than Sehwag has his own way of batting. Or you can say his OWN TECHNIQUE. Enough to score. You either be Dravid, work hard and make that great looking technique COUNT. or just keep playing Ranji.

[Yoda-esque]

^who says Rohit has great technique...He did ***** in SA conditions.

True.He didn't do well there at all. But you can just see that he has the class. He rarely looks troubled by pace and/or bounce. Players like Sharma take time to mature because they have such an array of shots at their disposal that they frequently lose out due to poor shot selection. It happens to the best.Federer had that problem until he sorted his temperament out. I have no doubt that Sharma will be a great bat for India if he is given the chances and the right guidance.

[NareshK]

I feel Ojha can be good because he bowls a very tight line and length and doesnt give too many runs away but he also flights the ball and not afraid to let the batsmen have a hit. He is also tall and gets extra bounce if its available in the wicket. Mishra can be a hit or miss bowler. Sometimes he turns up and bowls well and other days, he is all over the place. That can happen to a leg spinner. But he is someone who comes across as a wicket taker and a strike bowler. It would be interesting to see if they will pick him in the side considering his inexperience at the test level. About Kohli's inclusion, I think its reasonable considering the next batsman in line Rohit Sharma hasnt performed consistently even in ODIs. Kohli has done regularly well in ODIs and has a better temperament than Rohit. Rohit is known to throw his wicket away and wouldnt have continued for long if he had not been given a long rope by the selectors. He finally came good in the West Indies tour after ordinary performances in 60 odd ODIs. Kohli's technique is not water tight as we saw in West Indies series but he will improve with experience and going to England will stand him in good stead. Both are good future prospects but rightly Kohli got picked ahead of Rohit.

[Yoda-esque]

What is Technique really?? The one which is shown by Dravid? The one which is shown by Sehwag? Both have amazing way of batting. Two different ways. And two different techniques. Dravid looks more elegant, than Sehwag has his own way of batting. Or you can say his OWN TECHNIQUE. Enough to score. You either be Dravid, work hard and make that great looking technique COUNT. or just keep playing Ranji.

Sehwag is a freak with method to his madness. Hes the exception to the rule.Jayasurya was another like that but even he failed on bouncy pitches. Most people here will agree when I say that you require good technique when you play on bouncy/swinging pitches outside the sub-continent.

[Andy]

Not happy about Kohli's Inclusion, Its high time we take some Bold decision, and That would have been trying out Rohit Sharma.

[kabira]

True.He didn't do well there at all. But you can just see that he has the class. He rarely looks troubled by pace and/or bounce. Players like Sharma take time to mature because they have such an array of shots at their disposal that they frequently lose out due to poor shot selection. It happens to the best.Federer had that problem until he sorted his temperament out. I have no doubt that Sharma will be a great bat for India if he is given the chances and the right guidance.

How long do they need to mature?? He came before Kohli and if he was consistent in ODIs would have got his test match berth long back..

[Cricketics]

Not happy about Kohli's Inclusion' date=' Its high time we take some Bold decision, and That would have been trying out Rohit Sharma.[/quote'] That bold decision is being taken from past few years now. He is coming back and forth in Indian team by doing nothing. He didn't deserve to be part of World Cup team either and I am glad Kohli rose to he occasion in South Africa and got selected for World Cup over him easilty. I am glad he wasn't picked in the world cup. Though good to see him doing well in Windies.