India A tour of South Africa, 2013

[FischerTal]

India ‘A' squad to South Africa: Cheteshwar Pujara (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Parvez Rasool, Shahbaz Nadeem, Shami Ahmed, Stuart Binny, Ishwar Pandey, Jaydev Unadkat, Siddarth Kaul.

Starting XI for India A ODI against Aus A on August 8 1) S Dhawan 2) R Sharma 3) A Rahane 4) C Pujara (captain) 5) D Karthik (wicketkeeper) 6) S Raina 7) S Binny 8) P Rasool 9) S Ahmed 10) J Unadkat 11) S Kaul I am still not sure who should come at 3, rahane or pujara though.....

[G_B_]

limited overs i would begin with Dhawan Rohit Pujara Rahane Raina Rayadu DK Rasool Kaul Unadkat Shami and bring in Ishwar Pandey for the next game in place of a seamer along with Saha for DK. Other combo would be Binny in for Rasool and Nadeem in for one of the seamers. For the unofficial test Dhawan Vijay Pujara Rahane Rohit Rauadu DK Shami Kaul Pandey Nadeem with Rasool changing with Nadeem and Unadkat coming in for one of the seamers. I will keep the batting the same through both of the unofficial tests.

[carnish]

My team for 1st ODI Rohit Shikhar Pujara Rahane Raina Rayadu(WK) Binny Rasool Pandey Shami Kaul

[Sooda]

^Why would you ask Rayudu to keep with both Kartik and Saha in the squad ? I would not play Raina- really whats the point of asking a man with 150+ ODIs to play List A matches. Its silly. He should not even be in the squad. As he is, let him play the 4 days games only 1) S Dhawan 2) R Sharma 3) A Rahane 4) C Pujara (captain) 5) A Rayudu 6) D Karthik (wicketkeeper) 7) S Binny 8) P Rasool 9) S Ahmed 10) J Unadkat 11) S Kaul

[carnish]

^Why would you ask Rayudu to keep with both Kartik and Saha in the squad ? I would not play Raina- really whats the point of asking a man with 150+ ODIs to play List A matches. Its silly. He should not even be in the squad. As he is, let him play the 4 days games only 1) S Dhawan 2) R Sharma 3) A Rahane 4) C Pujara (captain) 5) A Rayudu 6) D Karthik (wicketkeeper) 7) S Binny 8) P Rasool 9) S Ahmed 10) J Unadkat 11) S Kaul

Why should raina play 4-day game when he isn't going to be selected in test squad ... Let him practice in the format he is sure to play in.

[sekhar]

Persevering Ishwar Pandey eyes India A tour as stepping stone Things were looking extremely bleak for a 19-year-old Ishwar Pandey when he had to undergo an appendix surgery while participating in the inter-division camp in Indore in 2009. The advice from the doctor was complete bed rest for six months. Pandey was distraught as he had already crossed the Under-19 level and a break at that point might put paid to his dreams of being a cricketer. But Pandey survived that tough phase, made steady progress at every level and is now on the verge of representing India A on their tour of South Africa. Pandey is one of four pace bowlers selected in the 16-member squad, which comprises India hopefuls who will stake their claims for the national team that will tour South Africa in November this year. After spending the last three months at the MRF Pace Academy in Chennai, Pandey is looking forward to the tour that might be the first major step to achieve his cherished dream of representing the country. "After the IPL [which ended on May 26] I played the inter-division Twenty20 matches and then went to the MRF where I spent over two months," Pandey, who was the leading wicket-taker with 48 at 21.40 - in the last Ranji Trophy season, tells Cricketnext. Glenn McGrath's influence It could be any upcoming pacer's dream to receive first-hand information about the nuances of the game from the legendary Australian fast bowler. And with McGrath now at the helm of affairs at MRF, Pandey got the maximum out of his presence. "McGrath gave me a lot of tips such as how to get my outswing going. I wasn't able to get the outswing as much as I used to. We then worked on my technique a bit. Also there were a few minor problems which were resolved," says Pandey said about the role McGrath played. Along with teaching him the finer points of outswing bowling, McGrath also told Pandey how to get the ball to reverse on a regular basis. Pandey adds that there has been mo major changes made in his bowling technique at the MRF Academy where he has been a part of for the last three years. "I was told that my action is good and all I need to do is to work on my fitness more. McGrath told me the more I stay fit the better I will get," he says. IPL experience Pandey played two matches for Pune Warriors in IPL 6 which did not go according to expectation as he went for 50 runs and took just one wicket. Pandey said he did not have much experience playing Twenty20 games and that too in such pressure situations. "There was some pressure in the beginning as every IPL match is big. After playing those two matches I got to know in which areas I need to improve upon," says Pandey who has played only six domestic T20 matches. Tough early days Many kids with middle-class upbringing find it tough to convince their parents of a possible career in sports, and Pandey faced the same crisis in 2008. "My father [who is a retired subedar-major] wanted me to become a doctor and he was not convinced of my choice of becoming a cricketer," he says, "but my coach, Aril Anthony, really supported me well in that initial stage. When I thought of stopping after playing just for a year, he spoke to my father and tried to convince him. He asked my father to give me a year's time so that I can prove myself. And what happened after that feels like a dream." After the disappointments of undergoing an operation in Indore in 2009, Pandey never looked back from that point. First he performed in the inter-division matches, taking 11 wickets. Then he was sent to play practice matches in Baroda, where he picked up eight wickets in two matches. That earned him a call-up to the Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy team and he took 24 wickets in six matches in his breakthrough season. After playing a major role in his career, Anthony is confident that his prodigy has a lot of potential to be successful at the next level. "He always had the potential and the way he harnessed it and that too in such a short span of time is extraordinary," says the coach. But Anthony, who heads the Physical Education department at the APS University in Rewa, said he wants his pupil to focus on the longer version of the game. "I want him to concentrate on Test cricket as he is a longer-format bowler. Shorter formats are batsmen friendly and it can affect the bowler's rhythm, especially early on in his career." Aiming for the stars Pandey is hoping to do well in South Africa as a good showing there could pave way for the senior team. "If I perform well in South Africa, it will give me a chance to represent the senior team, which is my ultimate aim."

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/cricketnext/persevering-ishwar-pandey-eyes-india-a-tour-as-stepping-stone/411978-78.html

[Sooda]

Why should raina play 4-day game when he isn't going to be selected in test squad ... Let him practice in the format he is sure to play in.

Practice ltd overs matches for a man with 170 ODIs, just coming off a Champions trophy, WI and Zim ODI series and with a WC win for his country. Not really. The reason Raina is on this tour is to give him another shot at that no 6 test spot.

[adi B]

pretty good and solid squad for the odis

[Sid_SuhaiL]

ODIs team - 1) S Dhawan 2) R Sharma 3) A Rahane 4) C Pujara (captain) 5) D Karthik (wicketkeeper) 6) S Raina 7) S Binny 8) P Rasool 9) S Ahmed 10) J Unadkat 11) S Kaul Unofficial test- 1)Dhawan 2)Vijay 3)Pujara © 4)Rahane 5)Rohit 6)Rayadu 7)DK (wk) 8)Shami 9)Unadkat 10)Pandey 11)Nadeem

[carnish]

Practice ltd overs matches for a man with 170 ODIs, just coming off a Champions trophy, WI and Zim ODI series and with a WC win for his country. Not really. The reason Raina is on this tour is to give him another shot at that no 6 test spot.

He may have played 170 matches but he is shyte against shot balls and on wickets with good pace. He needs to improve that aspect of his game and hence needs to play in SAF before going for the ODI later in the year. This stint will be crucial to improve his technique without wasting a chance in the Indian test team as he is an integral part of Indian ODI side and will be there ... so better give him some confidence before he plays official ODIs in November-December.

[cowboysfan]

will we highlights of these matches?

[Cricketics]

I think this will be the most anticipated, most followed series ever of INDIA A, then ever before. I have nver seen this much interest among people for "A" TOUR. A world cup win does change little things. 2011 has pushed more brains afloat.

[Chandan]

I think this will be the most anticipated' date=' most followed series ever of INDIA A, then ever before. I have nver seen this much interest among people for "A" TOUR. A world cup win does change little things. 2011 has pushed more brains afloat.[/quote'] But the Pretoria pitch will be spoiling the fun! Had it been any of the bouncy and pacy track, our boys would have learnt few things from this trip!

[The Outsider]

I think this will be the most anticipated' date=' most followed series ever of INDIA A, then ever before. I have nver seen this much interest among people for "A" TOUR. A world cup win does change little things. 2011 has pushed more brains afloat.[/quote'] My hypothesis is that the 0-8 has made people more interested in A tours to see if the newer lot can salvage a draw somewhere next time.

[Cricketics]

But the Pretoria pitch will be spoiling the fun! Had it been any of the bouncy and pacy track' date=' our boys would have learnt few things from this trip![/quote'] Very true. Agree with both. 0-8 did hurt plenty of fans who were on the moon after we had won the cup and were living in it's glory until they were put down to earth. BCCI spend so much money for coverage of those NKP Salve trophy. They could have easily arranged coverage for this tour. I am sure plenty of people would have watched. We have seen coverage of under19 games outside world cup games in the past. They need to start investing on broadcasting these games. Atleast ODI's if not the 4 days.

[adi B]

My hypothesis is that the 0-8 has made people more interested in A tours to see if the newer lot can salvage a draw somewhere next time.

true

[saneindian]

My hypothesis is that the 0-8 has made people more interested in A tours to see if the newer lot can salvage a draw somewhere next time.

There used to be similar interest in the Emerging Players Tournament (only 'A' tour in the last few years ) as well in 2009, 2010, 2011 2011 http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=268174&highlight=emerging 2010 http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=230894&highlight=emerging 2009 http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showthread.php?t=165930&highlight=emerging

[MCcricket]

The young team is talented and the new gen U19 AND A PLAYERS have the confidence and ability to perform anywhere, us loosing the close match to AUS A proves fast bowlers make the diff, Nile's pace won the game but results don't matter much on a tours because it is the learning process and batters were great bowlers neeed to perform better, Unadkat and co were pedestrian.

[cowboysfan]

Wrong time to tour Sa,i doubt we learn anything about the new guys.

[adi B]

now i understand how the crappy aus A line up scored 474 and how they conceded 600+ :haha: