Team for 1st test against SA

[StriKe]

Test and Odi squad for SA to be picked tommorow http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2013-14/content/story/692115.html

This is India's first selection since the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar and his spot in the XI is likely to go to Ajinkya Rahane or Ravindra Jadeja,

no no :(( Test squad certainties M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kolhi, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja Remaining four Test slots Two out of Zaheer Khan, Jaydev Unadkat and Ishant Sharma; two out of Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina and Pragyan Ojha :((

[King Tendulkar]

According to this , Raina is in the mix to get in test squad:(( If he does get picked in test squad it will prove for once and for all that CSK and srini prorities decide selction

[FischerTal]

DK just might make it, although that would be rough on Saha

[Sidhoni]

How can cricinfo say with surety that the uncertain spots will go to only those players?

[King Tendulkar]

DK just might make it' date=' although that would be rough on Saha[/quote'] I dont understand why take a player like DK to do double rolw as reserve batsman and reserve keeper. Why not take two players if needed i.e the one batsman you want to come in if injury to bat and the one keeper you want to come in if injury to keeper. Are we broke and cant afford it.

[King Tendulkar]

How can cricinfo say with surety that the uncertain spots will go to only those players?

True Strange how they threw rainas hat in to the ring from no where

[VRV Singh]

That article is a load of crap. Dinesh Karthik is the only touted backup WK yet he is fighting it out with Pragyan Ojha? :cantstop: Wriddhiman Saha who has been on our last away tours and kept in the A-team games is not in contention?

[puneet28]

India set to pick Test squad early

Gautam Gambhir could make it back to the Test squad as a reserve opener

India's selectors will pick squads for the ODIs and the Tests in South Africa when they meet in Baroda on Monday, though the Test series begins only on December 18. The early selection is designed to give the players as much preparation time as possible. The BCCI is planning to send the Test specialists to South Africa a week in advance. The selection committee was scheduled to meet in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, during the second ODI against West Indies, but the meeting was rescheduled due to the cyclone that hit coastal Andhra Pradesh. India are likely to take 16 players for the two Tests in South Africa, and while 12 pick themselves the other four spots could be filled by a variety of people. This is India's first selection since the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar and his spot in the XI is likely to go to Ajinkya Rahane or Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the home Tests against West Indies because of a shoulder strain. The composition of the bowling group, however, is not as clear. Ishant Sharma's place is under the scanner - he was in the squad for the West Indies Tests but did not play - but don't be surprised if he makes the trip to South Africa. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav are the first choice seamers, but because there could be space for a fifth quick, either Zaheer Khan or Jaydev Unadkat might make it. The selectors are likely to leave Zaheer's selection up to the team management. If he is not a certainty in the playing XI, he might not get included in the squad. Gautam Gambhir's chances of being selected as reserve opener hang in the balance despite his match-winning hundred for Delhi, in trying conditions, against Haryana. If the selectors feel Dinesh Karthik is suitable for a dual role - that of reserve wicketkeeper and reserve opener - then Gambhir might not make the squad. Gambhir has scored 372 runs in six Ranji Trophy innings this season, while Karthik has only 85 in four without a half-century. However, if the selectors decide to exclude Pragyan Ojha, who is unlikely to be used in South African conditions, both Gambhir and Karthik could be included, with Suresh Raina being another candidate for a reserve batsman. For the ODIs, it will be interesting to see if the selectors persist with Yuvraj Singh. He scored an unbeaten 77 off 35 balls on his comeback in the T20 against Australia, but scored only 35 runs in five ODI innings since. In the bowling department, Vinay Kumar is likely to be retained despite his mediocre form against Australia because of the unavailability of Dhawal Kulkarni, who got injured a day after being picked for the West Indies ODIs. Test squad certainties M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kolhi, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja Remaining four Test slots Two out of Zaheer Khan, Jaydev Unadkat and Ishant Sharma; two out of Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina and Pragyan Ojha

http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-india-2013-14/content/current/story/692115.html

[Sidhoni]

Gambhir looks fat

[King Tendulkar]

Gambhir looks fat

Thats padding

[express bowling]

Unadkat is in contention !! Why ?

[express bowling]

Same regarding Raina !

[bharat297]

My team would be: Vijay Dhawan Pujara Kohli R.Sharma Rahane Dhoni Ashwin Zaheer / Bhuvi (probably Zaheer because of his record against Smith) Shami Umesh

[SLICKR392]

Gambhir looks fat

That's a guard. :|

[ShebbySB]

1st test starting XI:- Vijay Dhawan Pujara Kohli Rohit Rahane Dhoni Ashwin BK Shami Umesh. No Zak for me in the starting XI.......

[Sidhoni]

Dhawan VJ Pujara Kohli Rohit Rahane Dhoni Ashwin Bhuvi/Yadav (Based on practice match) Zaheer Shami

[SLICKR392]

^ I believe there are no warm ups.

[Sidhoni]

^ I believe there are no warm ups.

There is one before the tests :

Sat Dec 14 - Sun Dec 15 08:00 GMT | 10:00 local 13:30 IST South African Invitation XI v Indians Willowmoore Park, Benoni

[SLICKR392]

:woot: This is handy. 4 days?

[Ghost Buster]

Our bowlers shld be Zaheer,bhuvi,shami,umesh or ashvin. Playing 4pacers in wanderers will be a welcome move as it helps only fast bowling.