Have Sehwag, Bhajji and Ishant run out of time?

[rkt.india]

The Hyderabad Test is going India's way even with Australian passages of resistance. If the match threatens to change course - Australia's best batsman is yet to turn up - there is enough time in the game for India to stem that tide. The series is under India's control and the "turn and bounce" in the pitch is producing the requisite cocktail. Unlike in Chennai, in this Australian second innings, Bhuvneshwar Kumar opened the bowling, ahead of the more experienced Ishant Sharma. His was a precise, targeted burst of six overs, in which he induced chances from the openers but had both catches put down. If there is still any question mark left lingering from India's performances in Chennai and Hyderabad, it would be whether the opening combination needs to be rejigged yet again with a call taken on Virender Sehwag's form. The selectors will meet after the Hyderabad Test to pick the team for Mohali and Delhi and Sehwag will be debated. The selectors are said to have an eye on India's next away Test tour to South Africa coming winter. Performances against Australia are being studied, it is said, with that tour in mind. In theory, a meeting with Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander without at least a couple of experienced batsmen would appear fatal. Who are the openers in the running to travel that far then? The Sehwag riddle arises from his form, or the lack of it. Starting from the tour of Australia, Sehwag has scored one century and two fifties in his last 21 innings. After the century against England in Ahmedabad, his scores read: 25, 30, 9, 23, 49, 0, 19, 2, 6. In the last five years, his best innings outside the sub-continent has been 67 in Melbourne in December 2011. Outside conditions of comfort, he averages 22.73. M Vijay will definitely get another two Tests following his century and the 370-run partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara that should seal this Test. Should Sehwag be spoken to quietly, the other opening option is left-hander Shikhar Dhawan, who was pulled in following an excellent domestic season. Dhawan is a left-handed replacement for Gambhir, who has gone away and scored 44, 69 and 5 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament for Delhi. Giving Sehwag the nudge may appear the logical thing to do, but who replaces him? There are two choices: one could be to bring back Wasim Jaffer, who has ended feasting on another mammoth domestic season. Jaffer has played 20 of his 31 Tests overseas: in England, West Indies, South Africa and Australia. India won series in the West Indies and England with him. The choice of Jaffer apparently runs contrary to the unwritten "BCCI's youth policy" whispered to the selectors, a policy which is ruled, it seems, by selective application rather than long-distance vision. On the side of the youth policy, however, there is another silent, not spoken-of candidate who cannot be ignored any more. Ajinkya Rahane has been waiting in the dressing room for more than 12 months since he got drafted to tour Australia. Chief selector Sandeep Patil may have declared that Rahane has been picked as a middle-order batsman, but the middle-order berths in the Indian line-up are full. Dhoni has already said he will go in at No.6 to make room for Ravindra Jadeja in the XI. While India's middle order is always jammed, the demand for openers never ends, particularly when travelling overseas: Rahane is, at the very least, ready to be tested. The only time to do so between now and South Africa will be the last two Tests against Australia. To stand up against James Pattinson and Peter Siddle in the first session at Mohali won't be a bad way to check footwork and stomach. Just like this series against Australia has produced both performances and results that will renew the team's essential faith in itself, the tour of South Africa must act as a laboratory where the imbalances wrought by the tours to England and Australia can be redressed. One more thing: for all the happiness and back slapping from Chennai and Hyderabad, India had another hiccup they would do well to take note of. India lost its last eight wickets for 116 runs once the Vijay-Pujara partnership ended. The Hyderabad pitch has been blamed for much of the problems and questions it poses to fresh batsmen and the importance of set batsmen to stay stuck in. Pujara said on Monday that he thought there was, "a bit of help for the spinners." The pitch was, "turning a little more and the odd ball is jumping. It's good for spinners and you have to apply yourself to bat well." Kohli and Dhoni did put up 56 for the sixth wicket, but the last six wickets fell for 43. Now while 9 for 116 is not the most breathtaking collapse by India at home in the 2000s - that is 9 for 52 against South Africa in Ahmedabad - it is the third time in two years they have gone down such route. In November 2011, it was 9 for 109 versus West Indies in Delhi and a year later, 9 for 105 against England in Mumbai. It says more about the batting than the opposition.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2013/content/current/story/623495.html

[NareshK]

They will probably retain the squad and give him 2 more chances. If he fails, I dont see how he will continue.

[G_B_]

India need to be ruthless and cut the non performers Sehwag Bhajji Ishant One of the main weaknesses of India has been that we persist with non performing entities for too long. Lets be ruthless and explore our options. Ishant sharma especially, i am sure there are many to can average less than 80 odd with the ball for a couple of test matches.

[NareshK]

New seamers should be given an opportunity instead of Ishant. Anybody can do better him. I thought Bhajji didnt bowl too badly but Ojha can do a better job.

[rkt.india]

They will probably retain the squad and give him 2 more chances. If he fails' date=' I dont see how he will continue.[/quote'] Problem is if he plays next 2 tests and still fails, you are not sure who will be your opener in SA.

[NareshK]

Problem is if he plays next 2 tests and still fails' date=' you are not sure who will be your opener in SA.[/quote'] Yeah, it will be testing time for any opener there. Gambhir did well last time India toured there but he looks out of form now. He made a century in tour game against Aussies recently. I wonder if he will be called back or made to play in FC for some time and score runs there first.

[G_B_]

New seamers should be given an opportunity instead of Ishant. Anybody can do better him. I thought Bhajji didnt bowl too badly but Ojha can do a better job.

well 2 wickets in this match and 3 in chenani is a poor rate of return. He is averaging 41 with the ball http://stats.espncricinfo.com/india-v-australia-2013/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=7977;team=6;type=series look at how Jadeja and Ashwiin are doing. Plus with the bat as well there is nothing from bhajji

[G_B_]

Ishant's spell today looked fine to me. He looked decidedly more probing than the Aussie quicks have so far bar Pattinson in a couple of spells. It's not easy to prosper as a fast bowler in India and under a captain who clearly leans towards spin to do the damage. I saw enough of Siddle and Starc in Chennai to know what Ishant is up against day in and day out. I feel the team management is wise enough to see his long term value instead of bare stats. Although as things stand' date=' he'd make way for Yadav once he comes back.[/quote'] thats the things though. He does have a poor record away from the sub as well. Hardly set the world of fire in england

[Lord]

Ishant's spell today looked fine to me. He looked decidedly more probing than the Aussie quicks have so far bar Pattinson in a couple of spells. It's not easy to prosper as a fast bowler in India and under a captain who clearly leans towards spin to do the damage. I saw enough of Siddle and Starc in Chennai to know what Ishant is up against day in and day out. I feel the team management is wise enough to see his long term value instead of bare stats. Although as things stand' date=' he'd make way for Yadav once he comes back.[/quote'] what long term value?the guy was 'unlucky'(read crap) in Eng n Aus too.just one off spells arent enough

[rkt.india]

Thing about Ishant is his inconsistency and lack of control. He can look world class one spell and pedestrian the rest of the match. He is doing too much tinkering with his action and approach and is going nowhere with that.

[Crookbond]

http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showpost.php?p=2282440&postcount=58

[MCcricket]

Ishants problem rightly put by rkt is he is listening to everyone and not doing what comes natural yo him, now it seems he is trying to cut down on pace bowl the channel and move the ball out, he should look at his old spells and action and bowl aggressively and keep coming at the batsmen and with his natural action he gets pace around 140 plus, ball comes in and the ocassion scram led seam which keeps straight will be a variation, he needs to play county for 2 seasons, coz it is all in his head.

[G_B_]

I saw this comment coming. People imagine that an Indian seamer should automatically fetch greater returns when they tour abroad but that is absurd. There are so many variables that need to be overcome like adjustments to be made (length etc) and the opposition that is used to play on pace on bouncier tracks. The Siddles and the Starcs, hailed so much on this forum, are bowling half the time to batsmen on familiar tracks against opposition that is susceptible to pace. There's no comparison. I do not dispute that Ishant has to lift his game but he's looked competent this series.

so how come P kumar did better than him in england? even rp singh and sree have better averages with the ball than him in England. so i am comparing him to indian bowlers. In this series B Kumar has done better than him.

[rkt.india]

Ishants problem rightly put by rkt is he is listening to everyone and not doing what comes natural yo him, now it seems he is trying to cut down on pace bowl the channel and move the ball out, he should look at his old spells and action and bowl aggressively and keep coming at the batsmen and with his natural action he gets pace around 140 plus, ball comes in and the ocassion scram led seam which keeps straight will be a variation, he needs to play county for 2 seasons, coz it is all in his head.

His action again looks changed and his delivery stride is not balanced and stable. In an effort to get that outswinger, he has tinkered with his action and also lost pace.

[Crookbond]

I saw this comment coming. People imagine that an Indian seamer should automatically fetch greater returns when they tour abroad but that is absurd. There are so many variables that need to be overcome like adjustments to be made (length etc) and the opposition that is used to play on pace on bouncier tracks. The Siddles and the Starcs, hailed so much on this forum, are bowling half the time to batsmen on familiar tracks against opposition that is susceptible to pace. There's no comparison. I do not dispute that Ishant has to lift his game but he's looked competent this series.

Wait what? :facepalm: He's gone 80 odd overs w/o taking a wicket starting from the series in England. Forget incompetent, he's a mismatch for Test cricket.

[CG]

What u guys on about.After Losing 4-0 in eng and Aus and even at home against england.Same team was picked and u want change now.Indian cricket core is rotten.Their is no long term vision and planning its a family setup being run here nothing else.The wheels will come up when we go abroad and even in champions trophy in odis away we will be exposed.The cycle of home wins againsy weak teams and away loses will continue .

[DomainK]

Sehwag was our bait in this match. It was because of Sehwag that Clarke felt so confident to declare and look for a wicket. By dangling Sehwag in front of them, we fooled them and made them the first team and declare and lose by more than an innings.

[saneindian]

They should aim for 4-0. We do not play at home for the next 20 months (next planned series is vs WI in Nov 2014). Plus hopefully they will give chances to some players who could be part of the squad to SA. Dhawan, Rahane and Shami Ahmed need to come into the side for the last 2 tests.

[saneindian]

What a terrible merging of threads. One thread talks about one individual, other talks about a group of players, yet both the threads get merged!!

[SLICKR392]

Why has the dropping players been merged to this one?