Selections for ODI series against England || Senior batsmen under scanner as Pujara set for ODI call-up

[Number]

NEW DELHI: The repeated failures of senior openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag has raised a huge question mark about their selection for the ODI series against England amid increasing pressure on selectors to drop under-performing players in the wake of recent debacles. Talented Cheteshwar Pujara is all set to get a call-up when the selectors meet on Sunday to choose the team for the upcoming five-match ODI series against England starting in Rajkot from January 11. According to sources in the selection committee, there is a high possibility that one among Gambhir and Sehwag will be getting the boot while Mahendra Singh Dhoni's good show with the bat against Pakistan will put captaincy speculation to rest for the time being. Pujara's entry is almost certain after his splendid double century against MP at Rajkot where he reached 200 from 150 in only 17 deliveries. Also the first match will be played on the Rajkot featherbed where Pujara has scored 90 percent of his runs. In case of openers, Gambhir has two centuries and two half centuries having scored 388 runs at an average of 38.80 in his last 10 ODIs while Sehwag has managed a meagre 238 runs at a dismal average of 23.80 in his last ten ODI appearances. But it is their prolonged failure to provide a good start that has hurt the team the most. The selectors will be meeting at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground after the third and final ODI against Pakistan and some of the players may still retain their position by putting up a good performance. As of now, the five wise men led by Sandeep Patil want young Ajinkya Rahane to get a long rope as he has been warming the bench in the 50-over format for nearly one year now. However, the selectors would like to keep atleast one of the two seniors in the squad due to their vast experience. However, the committee will also keep a tab on the performance of Murali Vijay and Abhinav Mukund who will be playing for India A against England on the same day at the Palam ground. Rohit Sharma is another player who is expected to get the boot after a string of failures during which he has managed only single-digit scores. MP all-rounder Jalaj Saxena, who has been a consistent performer for India A over the last season is in selector's radar to replace Rohit. The India A match against England will also be important as one would get the measure of S Sreesanth's fitness as he would spearhead the attack against Alastair Cook and Co. The series defeat against England has also raised speculation over the future of coach Duncan Fletcher and many of the other support staff. Fletcher's stint with India has not brought about the desired results and it looks unlikely that his contract will be renewed.

http://www.sify.com/sports/senior-batsmen-under-scanner-as-pujara-set-for-odi-call-up-news-cricket-nbeuKFfbded.html

[cowboysfan]

One series too late but better late than never.

[Yoda-esque]

IMO Both the Delhi twins need to get the boot.. Ashwin & Jadeja need to be treated as stop gaps nothing more.One cannot field to save his life while the other is a nothing player. With the game marginally tilting in the bowler's favor,Pujara really may not be a bad choice. Rahane can open with Pujara,not the best combo since there is no firepower in either of them, but at least one can "hope" for solidity. Dhoni needs to move up the order maybe 2 down,Raina as well. I also hope Irfan can make a comeback. In the bowling, Ishant ,Bhuv,Umesh/Aaron and Ash/Jadeja would be the combo. So team should look like: Rahane Pujara Dhoni Kohli Raina Yuvraj Pathan Jadeja/Ash Yadav Ishant Bhuv

[Dumbbells]

What about Unmukt chand? i hope they select him.

[skindia]

Donno whats fault of robin uthappa...he played 4-5 good knocks as opener for india in 12-13 matches...yet he is not getting single chance for comeback in odi and how can they persist player like rohit sharma for 70-80 matches despite failure.

[neoripper2]

I dont know how Gambhir is still keeping his spot. He is useless and very selfish. They should just drop him. How this midget is still around after 3 years of sucking is crazy. It is also obvious that Sehwag's reflexes arent good enough anymore. Instead of dropping him and bringing him back a few months later they should move him to the middle order and see if it brings about a change.

[Lord]

Sehwag should stay but bat in MO,Gambhir should be poked out Dhawan is a decent option too

[1983-2011]

Remove sehwag, gambhir, rohit, jadeja and dinda from the ODI team

[daryl1985]

I think Pujara should bat at 4. Not sure who should open with Rahane or whether one of Sehwag and Gambhir should be retained.

[1983-2011]

Who do you really think will get dropped/rested from the current ODI squad that was picked for Pakistan series. ODI squad vs Pakistan: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Dinda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami Ahmed, Amit Mishra. I think the following players will be dropped or rested: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (rested) Gautam Gambhir (rested) R Ashwin (rested) Rohit Sharma (dropped) Ravindra Jadeja (dropped)

[ExpressPace]

SRT should be picked and given a proper farewell. His presence will give indian team much needed boost.

[Magneto]

that was picked for Pakistan series. ODI squad vs Pakistan: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ashok Dinda, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shami Ahmed, Amit Mishra. I think the following players will be dropped or rested: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (rested) Gautam Gambhir (rested) R Ashwin (rested) Rohit Sharma (dropped) Ravindra Jadeja (dropped)

You still want Sehwag in the team? :giggle:

[1983-2011]

You still want Sehwag in the team? :giggle:

I'm saying who I really think will get dropped/rested, sehwag just had his rest against england/pakistan t20s

[Magneto]

I'm saying who I really think will get dropped/rested' date= sehwag just had his rest against england/pakistan t20s

Hmmm. Ashwin Superman will not get rested.

[1983-2011]

Hmmm. Ashwin Superman will not get rested.

he should be, hes been playing all 3 formats for long time now

[Cricket Tragic]

Aren't all the batsmen in the team "seniors"? Who the hell is a junior in the top 6?

[rkt.india]

Aren't all the batsmen in the team "seniors"? Who the hell is a junior in the top 6?

that is why I had asked in another thread? who is thejunior batsman here. This is virtually our WC batting like bar SRT.

[Sandeep99]

My team will be Rahane Pujara Kohli Yuvraj on 'flat tracks'/some decent bat who can face quality bowling on tough tracks Dhoni Raina Ashwin Bhuvaneshwar Shami Ahmed Ishant Sharma DInda/Pathan But it will be Sehwag Gambhir Kohli Yuvraj Raina Dhoni Jadeja Ashwin B. Kumar Ishant Dinda

[Cricket Tragic]

that is why I had asked in another thread? who is thejunior batsman here. This is virtually our WC batting like bar SRT.

Exactly.

[Dumbbells]

Jalaj Saxena? really? Look at this: Take Jalaj Saxena for example, and he stands out not because of his below average cricketing pedigree but because unfortunately and perhaps unwittingly become the poster boy of nepotism this time around. If merit were the only consideration for some of these lesser-reported and lesser-analyzed selections, then Saxena had no business making it to the India ‘A’ team or even some of the representational sides he’s been a part of since the Narendra Hirwani assumed charge as one of India’s five national selectors. I’ll put out some numbers for you, and I leave it to you to assess and thereby conclude. In the last three seasons as a first-class cricketer for Madhya Pradesh, he averages 37.00 (2009-10), 41.50 (2010-11) and 20.66 (2011-12) respectively. And this, for a guy who in the early part of his career was an opening batsman for MP and slipped lower ever since - as low as number eight. He’s scored a lone 100 in this period (142 being that score) and in the 2011-12 season, his highest score was not more than 46. Let’s consider his bowling numbers (since I was told by an MP insider that Saxena has become more of a bowler these days) and see how he fares - 2009-10 (4 wickets at 61.50), 2010-11 (9 wickets at 38.33) and 2011-12 (14 wickets at 45.21). If these numbers are good enough to persuade the selectors into picking him for India A, it’s fair to say that Indian cricket either going through an acute talent deficit (when it probably is not) or that nepotism is irresistible, even when as a selector, your mandate is to pick nothing but the *best* representational teams. Just in case, someone comes up with a bizarre justification of Saxena’s credentials as a quality limited-overs prospect, here are some numbers. In the last three seasons, in List A games played in India, Saxena’s batting numbers include two fifties in 19 innings with a highest score of 79 and averages as follows. In the 2009-10 season, he scored 146 runs at 20.85, and followed it up with 126 runs at 31.50 in the next season and recently finished the 2011-12 season with 137 runs at 22.83 and a highest score of 40. As an off-spinner, this season is by far Saxena’s best - 13 wickets at 19.92, considering that in the past two seasons he’s picked 5 (2010-11 @ 30.40) and 4 (2009-10 @ 71.50) wickets respectively. If the logic of this selection is to be believed, Saxena is perhaps the third best off-spinner in the country with only Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of him. Saxena, over the years has made it to several representational sides with average, if not below average numbers. Saxena was picked first for the Rest of India squad and the Challenger Trophy squads immediately after Jagdale's elevation as Board secretary in September last year. His most recent selection to these squads coincided with the appointment of Sanjay Jagdale (a former selector from the Central Zone and not to forget Hirwani’s cricketing mentor) as the BCCI’s secretary and by virtue of that position, the convenor of the national selection panel. The other interesting bit about Jalaj Saxena’s selection is the fact that he plays for the Cricket Club of Indore, where believe it or not, Jagdale is a coach. Not just that, apart from Saxena, three other cricketers from Madhya Pradesh made the Challenger Squads. A former India cricketer (who represented MP in the Ranji Trophy) refused to comment over Saxena’s selection by simply saying, “You tell me, in 30-odd years many average cricketers have represented India or India A. You have to pose these questions to Kris Srikkanth and his selection committee.” http://cricket.yahoo.com/news/the-curious-case-of-jalaj-saxena-and-nepotism-in-indian-cricket.html