Switchblade Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 http://www.hindustantimes.com/sports-news/cricketnews/new-rule-holds-out-hope-for-the-classical-pujara-in-odis/article1-1187215.aspx As India take the flight to Bangladesh for the Asia Cup, the focus will be on Cheteshwar Pujara, apart from skipper Virat Kohli. Winners of the last edition of the World Cup and Champions Trophy, India have run into rough weather and are battling confidence issues after the battering in South Africa and New Zealand. The 2015 World Cup will be played in Australia and New Zealand, conditions which require batting technique to play the moving and bouncing ball, but equally important will be the role of a player who can hold the innings together. So far given a cold shoulder, its being felt that Pujara can play the role for India. He has the game to complement the stroke-makers in the side. In Bangladesh, it should be about settling into the combination as the conditions will be ideal for batting. The team management will be looking to groom him for the bigger assignment in 2015 in Australia where he will be needed to perform the sheet-anchor's role. Batting at the top order was the easiest thing in limited-overs cricket but the two new-ball rule has made the teams change their gameplans. It has brought players in the mould of Rahul Dravid back in fashion and it is here that Pujara fits in the scheme of things. The 26-year-old plays the spinners and seamers equally well. His game is about rotating the strike at the start and then opening up with the passage of play. Pujara has the ability to shift gears without playing the ball in the air as he can be savage in his driving and cutting. "Pujara's strength is his mental toughness and technique. India's batting line-up will be richer with his presence. His ability to play against the moving ball will be a great asset," said former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar. The first step will be about deciding on his batting position. Pujara has played two One-dayers and both under Virat Kohli in Zimbabwe. He was made to open the innings but couldn't get going. "I think he should ideally bat at No 3. I feel he can anchor the innings from that position," opined Vengsarkar. Pujara's challenge will be fielding, He is not the most agile of players in the outfield. If he can lift his game in this department, his integration in the One-day side will be easier. The number will suit him because while not exposing him to the new ball, it will allow him time to settle down and go for the long innings. While the likes of Virat, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan would be the ones who would be setting the pace, India will be looking to Pujara to give the opposition the slow death.
express bowling Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 Kohli is set and performing superbly at no. 3. Would not be prudent to change his position.
putrevus Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 No one is taking no 3 from one of ATG , it is upto Pujara to find a spot , he has play any role given ideally i want him to open but this nohit guy is there so dont know where he will fit.
G_B_ Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 replace Rahane with Pujara pretty simple for me.
express bowling Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 Ideally it should be Dhawan Pujara/ Rahane Kohli Rohit Raina Dhoni Sir In the Asia Cup Dhawan Pujara / Rahane Kohli Rohit Karthik Binny Sir
Austin 3:!6 Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 India must play the below team for Asia Cup: Dhawan Rahane Pujara Kohli Rohit Karthik Jadeja Ashwin Bhuvi Shammi Aaron Rahane must play as an opener if he in the team. Pujara must bat at the top. We need hitters in the end and since there is no Raina/Dhoni, Rohit can do the job. Mind you he bats at no.5 for Mumbai Indians and slogs really well. Ofcourse this team is only for Asia cup and everything changes when MSD/Raina comes back.
express bowling Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 that is a weak batting line up The lower middle order is weak. But, do we have any other choice ? Not enough big hitting finishers in this side.
Switchblade Posted February 23, 2014 Author Posted February 23, 2014 We lack power hitters in our batting now ever since Yuvi became out of form he was brilliant for us when he was in form.
express bowling Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 India must play the below team for Asia Cup: Dhawan Rahane Pujara Kohli Rohit Karthik Jadeja Ashwin Bhuvi Shammi Aaron Rahane must play as an opener if he in the team. Pujara must bat at the top. We need hitters in the end and since there is no Raina/Dhoni, Rohit can do the job. Mind you he bats at no.5 for Mumbai Indians and slogs really well. Ofcourse this team is only for Asia cup and everything changes when MSD/Raina comes back. If Dhawan is out early then Pujara and Rahane may slow things up a lot. If this were played outside the subcontinent then this lineup would have been ok.
NareshK Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 You need batsmen like Yuvraj and Raina in SC conditions but there is a catch because when we play World Cup and if we get conditions with bit of help for seamers, Yuvraj and Raina will not do well. Rahane, Pujara are better bets in those conditions and will be more solid batsmen in the longer run to complement Kohli, Dhawan, Dhoni etc. Only thing is they need to switch gears and score quickly when needed and that's where they have to adapt. Dhawan Pujara Kohli Rohit Rahane Kartik Jadeja Ashwin B Kumar Varun Aaron/Ishwar Shami Pujara and Rohit's positions can be interchanged.
Austin 3:!6 Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 If Dhawan is out early then Pujara and Rahane may slow things up a lot. If this were played outside the subcontinent then this lineup would have been ok. If an opener gets out early, you need to consolidate the situation a bit. That is how it always been in cricket.
Austin 3:!6 Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 People are over estimating Binny...he is a complete hack.
vvvslaxman Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 India has won lot of one dayers in the last 3 or 4 years with attacking batting. Suddenly bringing in two specialist Test batsmen will hurt us more than help us.
express bowling Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 If an opener gets out early' date=' you need to consolidate the situation a bit. That is how it always been in cricket.[/quote'] You don't need 2 players to consolidate after the fall of just one wicket in a subcontinent ODI.
vvvslaxman Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 You don't need 2 players to consolidate after the fall of just one wicket in a subcontinent ODI. We made that mistake by recalling Dravid in England. Good batsmen in testing conditions sure. But how far that is going to help a team? Hardly.
Austin 3:!6 Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 You don't need 2 players to consolidate after the fall of just one wicket in a subcontinent ODI. Agree but Pujara/Rahane can play few strokes as well at the top. Palying them at no.5/6 becomes a liability. They don't have change gear game like say a Kohli / Dhoni. So they need to bat at top if in the team.
express bowling Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 Agree but Pujara/Rahane can play few strokes as well at the top. Palying them at no.5/6 becomes a liability. They don't have change gear game like say a Kohli / Dhoni. So they need to bat at top if in the team. Both can play strokes after they are set. It is better to play just one of them to start with and, if he performs well and can play strokes, then the other can be played at a suitable position.
NareshK Posted February 23, 2014 Posted February 23, 2014 We made that mistake by recalling Dravid in England. Good batsmen in testing conditions sure. But how far that is going to help a team? Hardly. Dravid scored 10,000+ runs in ODI cricket. You dont think many of his knocks after fall of Sehwag or Sachin helped us win ODI games ? Also, cant really compare Dravid in ODIs with Pujara or Rahane. Pujara averages 50 in List A. Just because he bats slowly in tests, doesnt mean he will bat the same way in ODIs but he should bat in top 4 rather than down the order. Rahane hasnt done well in ODIs so far but he has shown he can play lots of shots in IPL. It could be just a matter of adjusting to ODI format - rotating strike, picking gaps, scoring the occasional boundary which he can learn.
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