I am the best person to fill vacant middle order slot: Badrinath

[pensionplan]

I am the best person to fill vacant middle order slot: Badrinath While there are quite a few in the race to grab the number six spot in India’s Test squad, Tamil Nadu’s middle—order mainstay Subramaniam Badrinath on Wednesday said he was the best bet for the position. “I have been waiting in the sidelines. Honestly, there is just one spot left (in the middle—order). To be honest, I do not want to be that one guy who is only in the squad and not playing. I want to play in the eleven, and that is my biggest motivation,” Badrinath told PTI. “I have been in the national team for a while but haven’t got a chance to play. In the back of my mind I know I haven’t really lost. Maybe the spots would open up soon, and I feel I am the best guy to do the job,” insisted the 31—year—old, who has played two Tests and seven ODIs. Stating that Michael Hussey, who made his international debut at the age of almost 30, is his “idol”, Badrinath said, “I have spoken to him quite a lot regarding this (the age). I am backing my fitness, which has always been my strength. “I think I have got quite a bit of cricket left in me. And the best part is I have got quite a bit of experience, so once I can make it to the team I would make it count.” Badrinath, who suffered a rotator cuff injury during the Challenger Trophy, is continuing with his rehabilitation and has missed all three of Tamil Nadu’s Ranji Trophy matches, but the batsman said he was confident of making a comeback soon. “I’m making good progress. I have started batting from this week. I am aiming to play the upcoming Ranji match from December 6 (against Bengal). I’ll get to know on Monday whether I would be able to take the field,” revealed Badrinath, who was here to announce the launch ‘Nike Cup’ Tennis ball cricket tournament to be held in Mumbai and Delhi. Badrinath is all set to be bestowed with the Madhavrao Scindia Award for being the highest scorer in the Ranji Trophy in the 2010—11 season, when he hit 922 runs at 131.71 in nine matches, including four centuries and three half centuries. “It was something I wanted to achieve. Last year I went into the season with an aim to do something phenomenal and make a statement with what I do on the field. So I am happy I was able to achieve it and I hope it doesn’t go unnoticed.” He, however, admitted that losing out on three Ranji matches this season “is tough to digest”. “But I think I will come back and do whatever I can in the rest of the games. My aim is to make an impact. I have not got a triple century yet in a first—class game and that is what I want to do,” said Badrinath. But he stressed that he would not rush his comeback. “Injuries are a part of a sportsman’s life. You have to go through the grind. I don’t want to hurry. I just want to make sure I am 100 per cent fit when I make a comeback.” Giving credit to the Indian Premier League (IPL) for shaping up his cricketing career, Badrinath said, “IPL has helped me grow as a cricketer. It has broadened my profile. Earlier, I could play only one format of the game. It (IPL) has made me realise that I can play the way I am playing right now. “It has bridged the gap between what I was and what I am now. It has helped me evolve as a cricketer.” The Tamil Nadu player though conceded that he was still most comfortable playing the longest version of the game. “I’m most comfortable playing Test cricket as that is something that has been there in the bottom of my heart and mind since I started playing cricket at the age of 7 or 8. It has always been Test cricket,” he concluded. http://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/article2653441.ece

[Vijay.Sharma]

Good luck Badri! But why this kolavari da?

[ganeshran]

The Badrinath topic has been discussed to death on ICF. He deserved and was given chances based on his great domestic record but he flubbed it. In the Windies series he could have very well become a part of the second string side, had he done well. But he looked unsure, tentative and didnt show the tendency to stick around in not so friendly batting conditions. In the coming years once the big 3 retire and our batting weakens, selectors might be tempted to give him a cap, but he is already 31 years old. Even if he makes good in that period, he would hardly have a lot of time left. Better to groom a youngster.

[yoda]

He got his chances and blew it. It's over for Badri unless Cheeka decides to try another revival.

[WC2011INDIA]

LOL ya...we know how he played in ODIs against WI in WI. Maybe he deserves a chance in test cricket...but I think he is another one of those players that are superstar in domestic cricket and no good for international cricket. Frankly speaking he lacks that x-factor in him. Oh and he is 31..even if he starts performing in test cricket, he can't serve Indian cricket for more than 6-7 years.

[rahulrulezz]

Biggest problem with Badrinath is his extra cautious approach in international cricket. He can even make Dravid look like Sehwag. All it takes is 1 good ball to get ya out so gotta make sure to score off those bad ones. That's where Badri needs to work on. In domestic, there aren't many good bowlers who bowl wicket taking deliveries(that's y he is a huge hit in domestic) but that's not the same case in international cricket. Though imo he still deserves second chance.

[pensionplan]

The Badrinath topic has been discussed to death on ICF. He deserved and was given chances based on his great domestic record but he fluffed it.

How many Tests did he play? Quite frankly when he was selected for the WI'an Test series he should have played all the 3 Tests and SRT's vacant spot should have gone to him and not Kohli or Raina. He earned it through the grind of FC cricket and scoring 1000 runs there in a season. Not the stupid ODI's. They had this figured out all wrong. Idiots.

[pensionplan]

Oh and he is 31..even if he starts performing in test cricket' date=' he can't serve Indian cricket for more than 6-7 years.[/quote']If you can get 6-7 good years from any player in Tests I will take it.

[WC2011INDIA]

If you can get 6-7 good years from any player in Tests I will take it.

That's the thing. Will he consistently perform for 6-7 years? Will he score big 100s? I am not too sure.... But ya I guess they should try him out once in a Test format against Aus, SA or England. Let's see what he is made of.

[VRV Singh]

He can be happy with his excellent domestic career but this ship has sailed.

[zen]

from what I remember, he didn't look too good facing the quicks in tests

[Pagalpanti]

Can be said he never got consistent chances like Rohit (in ODI's) but then life isn't fair to everyone. He should've made it count in the opportunities he got.

That's the thing. Will he consistently perform for 6-7 years? Will he score big 100s? I am not too sure.... But ya I guess they should try him out once in a Test format against Aus, SA or England. Let's see what he is made of.

Age is not a factor, Mike Hussey made his debut at the age of 29 or 30? I guess. But yeah Badri hasn't looked like International quality in the chances he's got.

[Holysmoke]

Virat, Rahane, Rohit, Pujara. Raina, Yuvraj. Badri. In that order.

[Karan114]

Got his chances, wasn't good enough. With so many young batsmen vying for spots, his international career is over.

[Manny_Pacquiao]

badrinaaaaaaaaaad is trash. he should never play another game for india. a complete misfit at international level, IN ANY FORMAT of the game. the guy can stick to scoring hundreds in the piss poor south zone and making pointless runs for the chennaaaaaaaai peela jersey kings. thats where his level is. unfortunately, he will probably keep finding hsi way into the indian squad based on his IPL performances.

[pensionplan]

from what I remember' date=' he didn't look too good facing the quicks in tests[/quote']He played a total 3 Test innings up to now. In one of them in the 1st Test he got a 50 and in the 2nd Test he played that late evening batting along with VVS he really looked out of sorts facing Steyn and was bowled for 1. That is about what we saw of him in Tests. Now based on that if one wants to extrapolate and draw conclusions then so be it. This is a team that gave Yuvraj, Kaif and Raina repeated chances in Tests and here again Kohli gets another after a string of 3 bad Tests in WI. I say if there an opportunity out there let Badri too get another shot(3-4 Tests) based on his FC deeds and if that does not work it should be curtains for him. No problems then.

[Manny_Pacquiao]

He played a total 3 Test innings up to now. In one of them in the 1st Test he got a 50 .

total fluke. half the runs were edges to third man, never looked comfortable at the crease. i dont know how badrinaaaaaad can keep making these statements in the media. i have never seen a single cricketer whine this much in the media. for somebody who has acoomplished NOTHING in his career, he sure has a big mouth. does he think the public are all fools and they dont watch games? he couldn't even score against a garbage west indian bowling attack, they roughed him up. the guy scores some runs in the IPL and thinks he belongs. that's hilarious.

[master22]

Badrinath=vinay kumar of batting:cantstop:

[Number]

I think greats will be there for a year at least. He'll be 32+ by then. From all his innings at intl. level , one can see he is too much stage frightened. Complete lack of belief in himself that he belongs to this this level.

[Sachin=GOD]

He got his chances but blew them and now with others like Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Kohli, Rahane etc there is not much chance of him playing test in the near future. He was unfortunate to have not got a chance earlier in his career but now the selectors would (rightly) look for youngsters ahead of him.