Team for 1st test against SA

[SLICKR392]

Assume they will pick 16 man squad. My team and squad 1 Vijay 2 Dhawan 3 Pujara 4 Rohit 5 Kohli 6 Rahane 7 Ashwin 8 Dhoni 9 BK 10 Shami 11 Yadav Gambhir, Jadeja, Karthick, ZK, Pandey

Ashwin should bat at #8. He bats freely there and we shouldn't really tamper with the line up for the 1st Test. Dhoni was decent in SA the last time around and Ashwin should be left to bat without much pressure on him. Need to fit in Zak in there. Bhuvi and Shami aren't skilled against Lefties (Bhuvi is in ODIs).

[King Tendulkar]

Ashwin should bat at #8. He bats freely there and we shouldn't really tamper with the line up for the 1st Test. Dhoni was decent in SA the last time around and Ashwin should be left to bat without much pressure on him.

yeah probaly agree actually. not worth putting too much presurre on him at this stage

[adi B]

Assume they will pick 16 man squad. My team and squad 1 Vijay 2 Dhawan 3 Pujara 4 Rohit 5 Kohli 6 Rahane 7 Ashwin 8 Dhoni 9 BK 10 Shami 11 Yadav Gambhir, Jadeja, Karthick, ZK, Pandey

absolutely

[Pagalpanti]

Assume they will pick 16 man squad. My team and squad 1 Vijay 2 Dhawan 3 Pujara 4 Rohit 5 Kohli 6 Rahane 7 Ashwin 8 Dhoni 9 BK 10 Shami 11 Yadav Gambhir, Jadeja, Karthick, ZK, Pandey

I'd back out of form Gambhir to do better than Vijay but we all know thats not going to happen and Vijay will be opening in Jo'burg.. :(( Vijay will be our very own Hafeezisque bunny for Steyn

[G_B_]

Vijay Dhawan Pujara Rahane Kohli Rohit MSD Ashwin Bhuvi Shami Umesh Zaheer, Pandey, Parthiv Patel, Sir Jadeja my 15 man squad I dont think Gambhir has displayed enough form to be selected. Basically has hit 1 50. Dont think he is the right man. I chose Parthiv Patel cause he has been in good form for Guj and can back up as a middle order batsman opener and keeper.

[RedFever]

Vijay Dhawan Pujara Rahane Kohli Rohit MSD Ashwin Bhuvi Shami Umesh Zaheer, Pandey, Parthiv Patel, Sir Jadeja my 15 man squad I dont think Gambhir has displayed enough form to be selected. Basically has hit 1 50. Dont think he is the right man. I chose Parthiv Patel cause he has been in good form for Guj and can back up as a middle order batsman opener and keeper.

this looks like an ideal lineup write now, but most probably MSD will go with Sir at no 6 in place of rahane for the fifth bowler.

[jalebi_bhai]

Dhawan Mooli Pujara Kohli Rohit Dhoni Sir Ashwin Bhuvi Shami Umesh Ishwar Pandey, Rahane, Pappu Patel (GTB), Zaheer Sir ji to provide the extra bowling option if needed......he is good at building up pressure from one end......besides......we need to start backing his batting ability in overseas tests.......

[urbestfriend]

Dhawan Mooli Pujara Kohli Rohit Dhoni Sir Ashwin Bhuvi Shami Umesh Ishwar Pandey, Rahane, Pappu Patel (GTB), Zaheer Sir ji to provide the extra bowling option if needed......he is good at building up pressure from one end......besides......we need to start backing his batting ability in overseas tests.......

Yeah , will go with this XI but Ashwin comes before Sir ji at 7. Extra players are : Rahane, Karthik, Awana and Ojha.

[urbestfriend]

You cant have Zak in 15, and not play him in first test...Seniority counts! Either dont select him altogether or he is playing in first test.

[Temujin Khaghan]

i have one big doubt with team composition dhoni keeps saying that he is missing jadeja and now, - ashwin is already cemented his place in the team. so we are playing two spinners in the opening match - ashwin+jadeja - we will play 3 seamers - bhuvi+shami+zak/umesh in saffer series - so we are playing a 5-1-5 lineup in saffer series but our commentators keep sayin rahane will take the vaccum left by sachin - dhawan+vij+pujara+rohit+kohli+rahane + dhoni + 4 bowlers - this is a 6-1-4 combination are the commentators stupid or dhoni gonna push ashwin from the ship on the way to saffer series... so he gonna waste the test allrounder for the odi allrounder jadeja? both dhoni and commentators can be correct if we are playing a 6-1-4 combo with jadeja+3 seamers... wasting ashwin is such a crime acc. to me. iam dying from this suspense

[Temujin Khaghan]

the big question is that if our starting lineup is 5-1-5 or 6-1-4 if we play 5-1-5 it means we are going for the series win. we are aggressive and going to attack. if we play 6-1-4 that means we are going defensive no need to be scared about the lack of batting power in the 5-1-5 as ashwin > raina as far as test batting is concerned

[Lord]

^ Jaddu won't play.it will be Rahane

[urbestfriend]

^ Jaddu won't play.it will be Rahane

I guess Jaduu will play , if Jaddu is not playing we should play Ojha instead of Ashwin.

[ShebbySB]

17 man squad for me:- Openers:-Dhawan,Vijay,Gambhir Middle-order batsmen:-Pujara,Kohli,Rohit,Rahane,Jadeja. Wk/bat:-Dhoni,Samson. Spinners:-Ashwin,Ojha Seamers:-Shami,BK,Umesh,Pandey,Zak if fit else Mohit/Aaron.

[ShebbySB]

First XI:- Dhawan Vijay Pujara Kohli Rohit Rahane Dhoni© Ashwin BK Shami Umesh

[Lord]

I guess Jaduu will play ' date=' if Jaddu is not playing we should play Ojha instead of Ashwin.[/quote'] no Ashwin gives batting option

[urbestfriend]

no Ashwin gives batting option

But he cant be lone spinner in pacy condition..We have seen it in the past , he is ineffective as well goes for lot of runs..Need spinners who can contain in non-helping condition.

[jf1gp_1]

Irrespective of the team that goes i just hope people are patient , we will lose againt SA and atleast 1 will be innings defeat. This new look middle order will settle down in a year or so .

[SLICKR392]

^ Jaddu won't play.it will be Rahane

+ Jaddu would probably miss out the first game.

[King Tendulkar]

It wont happen and I would not do it. But if you said right Ashwin is genuine all rounder, bat him 7. It means extra bowler, why do extra spinner? In SA play extra seamer and attack with good 4 pronged pace attack BK - Swing and seam Shami - Swing and seam at pace Zak - Left armer Yadav - Raw pace Could be awesomely balanced seam attack to cause saffies massive problems