West Indies tour of India, Nov-Dec 2011

[jairamesh]

For the Tests, rest should be considered only for very very extenuating circumstances, or else play your best side. Lessons from this year should be indicators that resting so many senior players during the West Indies Test series was detrimental to preparations leading up to England tour. Playing your best players in Tests is paramount regardless if India is playing Bangladesh or South Africa. First XI for all three Tests: 1) Sehwag 2) Gambhir 3) Dravid 4) Tendulkar (Needs to get it over and done with before Australia, ideally in Mumbai) 5) Laxman 6) Pujara (If Pujara not fit, then Rahane/Mukund as opener, Kohli, or Rohit) 7) Dhoni 8) Bhajji 9) Ojha (or PK, Varun, Yadav, Neecham, maybe Ashwin* depending of conditions/strategy) 10) Ishant 11) Zaheer (if Zaheer not fit, then PK, Varun, Yadav, or Neecham) *Ashwin would benefit big time if DRS is used in Tests. **The Test boat has sailed for Yuvi *** Though Raina would be successful at home, I would rather he go the M. Bevan route and stick to LOI. Unfortunately fielding standards will take a major hit.

[Pagalpanti]

You guys are being unfair too harsh on Yuvraj, he has played just a single test since his come back and scored 50 at trent bridge where everyone else apart from Dravid struggled.

[JeffThommo_fan]

I will definitely give chances to both UMesh Yadav and varun Aaron in the upcoming tests against WI. This is the best time. Our main bowlers are injured so we can play both of fast bowlers in tendon. My bowling line up will be- Harbhajan Singh, Praveen kumar, Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav. Dhoni ka trundlers ko khilaane ka shounk bi pura ho jaega aur Apne dono fast bowlers UY and VAaron ko chance bi mil jaega

[skindia]

I feel Raina will get chance again in tests against windies...He will do well and seal his place for australia tour where he will fail again.

[skindia]

This should be team for tests: Mukund Sehwag/gambhir dravid SRT Pujara/Kohli Laxman Dhoni/Dinesh Kartik Ashwin Harbhajan Ishant Sharma Zaheer khan/Praveen Kumar

[IKnowU]

Gambhir Sehwag/Mukund dravid SRT/Rohit Pujara/Kohli Laxman/Raina Dhoni Praveen Ojha Ishant Sharma Zaheer/Sreesanth

[Dravid_TheWall]

Sree is a must. He is very important for Aus.

[Dravid_TheWall]

You guys are being unfair too harsh on Yuvraj' date=' he has played just a single test since his come back and scored 50 at trent bridge where everyone else apart from Dravid struggled.[/quote'] Agreed. In his lasst 2 tests v Sl and Eng, he got to half century each time. However, I feel that his time has passed for tests and we have more talented youngsters. Would like to see Pujara, Rahane, Kohli, Mukund rewarded first. Even a fit Rohit Sharma.

[MCcricket]

Good thing is Duncan Fletcher looks like he is working in the background, the team atmosphere is good, Dhoni has shown some attitude changes toward bowlers, maybe that is based on circumstance.India needs to strengthen it's bench and avoid playing the same tried and tested average players, especially bowlers.Fielding was fantastic , let us also play some youngsters in test's and rotate our seniors so we can avoid what happened to Australia,PK , VK are not our future test bowlers and Zaheer might play for max 2 to 3 years , we need to find 3 or 4 good test bowlers.we seem to also have some good spin talent , lets play , Ashwin , Ojha, Jadeja, Abdullah,Rahul Sharma. Umesh , Aaron , Tyagi , Shukla, VRV , Gony , Dinda, Pankaj Singh, Suyal, Parmeswaram , Anwar Ahmed, let them play more games, we surely will find our future bowling attack, batsmen we have too many choices, let us also not label young players as t20 , odi, test players, a player with talent and potential should be tried out Ala Warner, Marsh.

[JeffThommo_fan]

I feel Raina will get chance again in tests against windies...He will do well and seal his place for australia tour where he will fail again.

Spot on buddy!! I feel the same way as well

[maniac]

Gambhir Sehwag/Mukund dravid SRT/Rohit Pujara/Kohli Laxman/Raina Dhoni Praveen Ojha Ishant Sharma Zaheer/Sreesanth

:fear:

[Laaloo]

Dhoni may be rested for Tests against West Indies To play MS Dhoni or bench him? That will be one of the biggest questions facing the India selectors tomorrow evening when they meet in Kolkata to pick the squad for the first Test against West Indies. The other big question is likely to concern Harbhajan Singh, who was dropped from the five-match one-day series against England at home, which India won by an emphatic 5-0 scoreline. Logic would suggest that Dhoni, the India captain, be rested. He has been walking wounded, having had sore fingers since the disastrous England tour during which India failed to win a single game. While as many as ten of his team-mates fell by the wayside due to various injuries, Dhoni took the beating across the four Tests, the solitary Twenty20 match and the five ODIs. Despite his grit and steadfastness, Dhoni's wicketkeeping was affected as the tour wore on. The selectors will consider that, with an important tour of Australia scheduled straight after the home series against West Indies. It is understood that Dhoni has not asked for a break but the majority of the five-man selection panel are in favour of resting him for the three-match Test series against West Indies, which starts in Delhi from November 6. "Quite a few of the selectors empathise with him [Dhoni]. They want to rest him as they know he is exhausted," a BCCI official said. If Dhoni is rested, Virender Sehwag, who returned to competitive cricket during the group stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India's domestic Twenty20 competition, is likely to lead the side. Sehwag, who had joined the India squad in England halfway through the Test series after undergoing shoulder surgery, was forced to return having failed to recuperate completely. In the past, Sehwag has led India in three Tests: in Ahmedabad against Sri Lanka (2005), in Napier against New Zealand (2009), and then against Bangladesh in Chittagong (2010). It is not just the question of whether to rest Dhoni that will make this one of the most interesting selection meetings in the recent past. Harbhajan has apparently fallen out of favour with the selectors, after taking just two wickets in two Tests in England and 11 over three in the West Indies before that. R Ashwin was handed the responsibility of leading the spin attack in the home ODIs against England and impressed with 10 wickets at an average of 20.20, leaving the selectors split. An abdomen strain ruled Harbhajan out of the latter half of the England tour but he bounced back by leading Mumbai Indians to the Champions League Twenty20 title in the absence of the injured Sachin Tendulkar. "It is a difficult one for sure. Ashwin has been performing consistently," the BCCI official said. Apart from Sehwag, the other players who have recovered from the injuries they sustained in England are Gautam Gambhir (concussion), Sachin Tendulkar (inflamed toe), Yuvraj Singh (broken finger) and Ishant Sharma (ankle injury). Zaheer Khan, India's spearhead, is still recuperating after undergoing surgery on his ankle. Praveen Kumar, who led the attack manfully in England, is likely to be joined by Sreesanth and Ishant in the fast-bowling department. Pragyan Ojha could pip Amit Mishra for the second spinner's spot. In other duels, Wriddhiman Saha could be the second-choice wicketkeeper ahead of Parthiv Patel, who did not do himself any favours during the recent home ODI series. One man who did tilt the scales in his favour is Virat Kohli, the highest run-getter in the home ODI series against England. If Kohli is selected it will leave Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina in a fight for the last batsman's spot. Cheteshwar Pujara, who picked up a knee injury during this year's IPL, has said he is close to match-fit again, but is targeting the Australia series for a comeback to the India squad. Squad (probable): MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh/Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha/Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh/R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-west-indies-2011/content/current/story/538256.html The clown Sreesanth is back!!! :facepalm: Lol Dhoni maybe Dhoni not playing again! King Tendulkar will have a rant. Good to see the midget this time not skipping the Windies series just because got owned in England :cantstop: Raina and Yuvi are still in the hunt!!! :WTF: And Amit Mishra, the bastard is still around!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[jairamesh]

It's a probable squad based on one journo, all speculation, so nothing confirmed re: sreesanth

[express bowling]

It would be the ideal test series for trying out a few younger players and the team should be a mix of youth and experience. Rahane, Ashwin, Aaron and Yadav should play instead of Dhoni ( needs to heal fingers ), Harbhajan, Sreesanth and Praveen ( the poor guy needs a break of a month after so much bowling )

[Laaloo]

Oh and no mention of VVS? :WTF: And is Sehwag already fit? Let alone being in the team, these muppets are banking on him to be the captain if Dhoni is rested :mad:

[ravsdh]

It would be the ideal test series for trying out a few younger players and the team should be a mix of youth and experience. Rahane' date=' Ashwin, Aaron and Yadav should play instead of Dhoni ( needs to heal fingers ), Harbhajan, Sreesanth and Praveen ( the poor guy needs a break of a month after so much bowling )[/quote'] so who would keep then if rahane, ashu, ash aaron and yadav play? :giggle:

[Dravid_TheWall]

I got excited thinking Sree had been selected, this is nothing but speculation. The squad is not announced.

[maniac]

Dhoni deserves the rest...but Papa keeping in a test:nervous: or even better Wriddhiman Saha:fear: Dinesh Karthick needs to be drafted...serves 2 purposes back-up opener and definetely our 2nd best keeper

[cowboysfan]

he should have taken this rest during this meaningless odi series which was not even in the FTP!!!!!!.I will be really mad at Dhoni if he skips any more tests from now on.

[deepak_sach]

Should R.Ashwin play for India in tests against WI? Having bowled at an average of 20.20 in the England Series and an excellent average of 24 after 20 ODI matches,is it time R.Ashwin plays for India in the test matches against WI in place of the Turbanator? ? ?