17 member squad for Australia announced - ZAK selected, Harbhjan misses out.

[anotherhawkeye]

Probably the best team that India has got. Kaptain doesnt have too many options screw up with team selections... If we lose in Aussie, at least you can't blame the selectors.

[Robelinda]

SCG was completely green track against Pak.

Once in like 67 years. Means nothing. The WACA hasn't had bounce for almost a decade, big scores and draws ever since.

[Karan114]

Good squad. I agree with the comments on Mukund but after he was dropped for the WI home Tests, there was very little chance of him returning to the squad for Australia. Anyway, Rahane is a serious talent and deserves his chances in Tests so not a bad selection even if unfair on Mukund. I'm not convinced Zak will be fit enough but would be happy to be proved wrong.

[Cricket Tragic]

As expected.

[cowboysfan]

pujara needs to score big in the upcoming ranji match because he might be next up if there is an injury.

[Sachinism]

Mukund shouldn't be totally written off, he is a talent. Though with lack of experience, it would be very difficult to take him to Aus and all spots are pretty much secured by others anyway

[Trichromatic]

Mukund shouldn't be totally written off, he is a talent. Though with lack of experience, it would be very difficult to take him to Aus and all spots are pretty much secured by others anyway

Mukund certainly looks India's future test opener.

[vayuu1]

Flat Aussie wickets are still better than our green wickets, MCG has been always sticky due to drop in pitches offering seam movement and we struggle most there brisbane has good pace and bounce perth same sydney the ball does swing but subcontinent like pitch adelaide-Flattest pitch of them all. we should get result in all venues except adelaide.

wasn't mcg low and slow when india played there last time

[vayuu1]

zak shud prove his fitness in 2 ranji matches ,as well as practice matches in australia,ideally first bowling line should be zak,ishant ,umesh and ashwin,zak for his guile and experience,ishant for pace and bounce,umesh for swing pace and reverse swing and ashwin for his spin and variations.

[yoda]

Mukund should have been there for the test team. Looks like this is a combined tests and ODI team? Glad that the pressure from guys like Ravi Shastri didn't make the selectors turn stupid and pick Harby.

[SachDan]

Mukund should have been there for the test team. Looks like this is a combined tests and ODI team? Glad that the pressure from guys like Ravi Shastri didn't make the selectors turn stupid and pick Harby.

No. There's a certain Raina from CSK missing in that list.. :--D

[Ultimate_Game]

Good team. The only changes I would have wanted was Karthik instead of Saha, and Mukund (specialist spinner) instead of Rahane or Rohit but other than that the best team around.

[Cricket Tragic]

Karthik's keeping isn't great and he has not been making runs in FC cricket this season either.

[Karan114]

Mukund shouldn't be totally written off, he is a talent. Though with lack of experience, it would be very difficult to take him to Aus and all spots are pretty much secured by others anyway

Don't buy the lack of experience thing, Rahane hasn't even made his Test debut yet. I don't mind his selection as he is a serious talent but Mukund harshly treated.

[Ultimate_Game]

Karthik's keeping isn't great and he has not been making runs in FC cricket this season either.

But he is a better batsman than Saha and on bouncy pitches in Aus I back him to score more than Saha.

[The Outsider]

Mukund should have been there for the test team. Looks like this is a combined tests and ODI team? Glad that the pressure from guys like Ravi Shastri didn't make the selectors turn stupid and pick Harby.

Agree with you on the Bhajji Shastri bit, but Rahane is a much accomplished player than Mukund and should be playing in the Indian side for the last many years instead of clowns like Raina and Yuvraj.

[Ultimate_Game]

Agree with you on the Bhajji Shastri bit' date=' but Rahane is a much accomplished player than Mukund and should be playing in the Indian side for the last many years instead of clowns like Raina and Yuvraj.[/quote'] Agreed that Rahane, and likes of Pujara and Rohit, should have been ahead of Raina & Yuvraj in Tests but you have to pick a specialist opener as the 3rd opener. The selectors are making the same mistake they made when they tried to make Laxman open in 90s - that move nearly stalled Laxman's career and these moves generally never succeed. Other than Sehwag making successful transition as an opener, I haven't seen any other middle order batsman succeed as an opener.

[The Outsider]

What makes you think Rahane is not a specialist opener?

[carnish]

But he is a better batsman than Saha and on bouncy pitches in Aus I back him to score more than Saha.

+1 guess the only advantage of having saha is he is a huge midget :p any bouncers the aussies bowlers bowl to him will be called as wides :giggle:

[Ultimate_Game]

What makes you think Rahane is not a specialist opener?

At least I was under the impression Rahane is a top order batsman who generally bats at 3. I remember reading somewhere when Mukund was selected as an opener on the tour to WI that Rahane was a no. 3 bat so wasn't considered for the opening slot. But if Rahane's a specialist batsman and has scored most of his FC runs as an opener then he deserves the spot ahead of Mukund no doubt.