Aakash Chopra's performance thread, 07-08..

[Guest dada_rocks]

Akash Chopra is just a ranji bully of low standard bowling on wickets like the beach sand. In international cricket he has been tried and exposed again and again. We cannot hope he will "hold one end up" for 30 overs etc Remember the Brisbane test when Chopra got his "best" 36 off 140 balls ? Sehwag got us off to a flying start with 45 off 50 balls, but the moment Sehwag got out, the bowlers were on top and Gillespie snared Dravid and Sachin in the same over and we were reeling. Chopra had batted for more than 70 balls getting 15 or something in the first 20 overs when Sehwag departed. When he couldn't force the pace and eventually got out at 127-4, it was ganguly's aggressive 100 and VVS aggressive batting that restored the inngs. Chopra will be a liability in the top order and those who claim he will "take shine off and protect sachin"...are surely childish and stupid. If we need a mediocre Chopra to "protect" Sachin from the new ball, when Sachin has been facing the new ball almost all his life in ODIs and is very competent technically, then we are lost. Akash Chopra is a proven international failure and even if he gets 500 notout against Assam or J & K, it will be a wise thing to turn the newspaper to the next page and read what is the latest bollywood gossip. A stone walling Chopra ( if at all he gets to play 20 overs) will only succeed in letting the bowlers get on top and the moment Chopra goes, Sachin and others will come in to an Aussie bowling with tails up, 4 slips and shortlegs and 3 wkts in the bag. Chopra will be the worst possible move if selectors choose him ( even worse than ignoring Sehwag) And...lastly.....check Chopra's average in tests, and his avg in Aus too....23 something...hardly any impact. Further we are planning to win a test series, not try and draw tests in Australia , and for that even an out of form Sehwag is a better bet . Ian Chappell had written a few days back in The Herald Sun that the Indian selectors have done their first mistake by excluding Sehwag. Benaud too said this on channel 9 when the issue of Sehwag dominated the commentary even during the Aus/Sri Lanka test at Hobart. Above all Akash Chopra is 30 years old....and probably one season away from joining ICL if they call him.... Sehwag is younger, and FAR FAR better

kaun samjahye in logon ko for me his innings in 20/20 against newzealand was enough to select him

[bharat297]

Akash Chopra is just a ranji bully of low standard bowling on wickets like the beach sand. In international cricket he has been tried and exposed again and again. We cannot hope he will "hold one end up" for 30 overs etc Remember the Brisbane test when Chopra got his "best" 36 off 140 balls ? Sehwag got us off to a flying start with 45 off 50 balls, but the moment Sehwag got out, the bowlers were on top and Gillespie snared Dravid and Sachin in the same over and we were reeling. Chopra had batted for more than 70 balls getting 15 or something in the first 20 overs when Sehwag departed. When he couldn't force the pace and eventually got out at 127-4, it was ganguly's aggressive 100 and VVS aggressive batting that restored the inngs. Chopra will be a liability in the top order and those who claim he will "take shine off and protect sachin"...are surely childish and stupid. If we need a mediocre Chopra to "protect" Sachin from the new ball, when Sachin has been facing the new ball almost all his life in ODIs and is very competent technically, then we are lost. Akash Chopra is a proven international failure and even if he gets 500 notout against Assam or J & K, it will be a wise thing to turn the newspaper to the next page and read what is the latest bollywood gossip. A stone walling Chopra ( if at all he gets to play 20 overs) will only succeed in letting the bowlers get on top and the moment Chopra goes, Sachin and others will come in to an Aussie bowling with tails up, 4 slips and shortlegs and 3 wkts in the bag. Chopra will be the worst possible move if selectors choose him ( even worse than ignoring Sehwag) And...lastly.....check Chopra's average in tests, and his avg in Aus too....23 something...hardly any impact. Further we are planning to win a test series, not try and draw tests in Australia , and for that even an out of form Sehwag is a better bet . Ian Chappell had written a few days back in The Herald Sun that the Indian selectors have done their first mistake by excluding Sehwag. Benaud too said this on channel 9 when the issue of Sehwag dominated the commentary even during the Aus/Sri Lanka test at Hobart. Above all Akash Chopra is 30 years old....and probably one season away from joining ICL if they call him.... Sehwag is younger, and FAR FAR better

Chopra did exactly what was needed of him in every test in that series, and his best was not 36, it was 48 . He saw off the new ball. To say that Sachin can face the new ball because he has done so in ODIs does not make sense. In ODIs when Sachin faces the new ball, there are at most 2 slips. In test, for the new ball, there are usually 2 or 3 slips, a couple of gullies. Any edge usually gets taken. In ODIs there are also bowling constraints, and it is much more difficult for a bowler. Also, the types of balls used in Tests are slightly different to ODIs. Not to mention the fact that pitches are a little bit more bowler friendly in Tests. I am not saying Sachin can't face the new ball in Tests, but why would you risk it? Also, the fact that Chopra is 30 years old is a reason to include him if anything. Historically a Test batsman's best years are between 28 and 32, with a few exceptions. Look at Sangakkarra, Yousuf, Dravid, Hayden, Ponting, or Laxman. You said Sehwag is younger, but he is only 1 year younger, and Chopra is fitter than Sehwag anyway (nothing against Sehwag, I am just trying to prove a point). Anyone who thinks Chopra had a bad series in Australia, probably didnt watch any of the series and are looking at the statistics. Chopra's case in Australia proves how statistics can be misleading. In the 91/92 tour and the 99/00 tour, our openers failed and our middle order was exposed to the new ball on bouncy tracks, and mostly failed (except for Sachin). In 03/04, we needed an opening pair that could see off the new ball, and in the first innings of every match Chopra and Sehwag scored at least a 50+ opening stand, including 2 century stands. Chopra's slow and steady style was perfect for Sehwag's tear-away style. Not to mention his sensational fielding during that series. No doubt Sehwag had a better series than Chopra, but Chopra still had a good series and did the job for his team without getting much recognition.

[living]

Chopra did exactly what was needed of him in every test in that series, and his best was not 36, it was 48 . He saw off the new ball. To say that Sachin can face the new ball because he has done so in ODIs does not make sense. In ODIs when Sachin faces the new ball, there are at most 2 slips. In test, for the new ball, there are usually 2 or 3 slips, a couple of gullies. Any edge usually gets taken. In ODIs there are also bowling constraints, and it is much more difficult for a bowler. Also, the types of balls used in Tests are slightly different to ODIs. Not to mention the fact that pitches are a little bit more bowler friendly in Tests. I am not saying Sachin can't face the new ball in Tests, but why would you risk it? Also, the fact that Chopra is 30 years old is a reason to include him if anything. Historically a Test batsman's best years are between 28 and 32, with a few exceptions. Look at Sangakkarra, Yousuf, Dravid, Hayden, Ponting, or Laxman. You said Sehwag is younger, but he is only 1 year younger, and Chopra is fitter than Sehwag anyway (nothing against Sehwag, I am just trying to prove a point). Anyone who thinks Chopra had a bad series in Australia, probably didnt watch any of the series and are looking at the statistics. Chopra's case in Australia proves how statistics can be misleading. In the 91/92 tour and the 99/00 tour, our openers failed and our middle order was exposed to the new ball on bouncy tracks, and mostly failed (except for Sachin). In 03/04, we needed an opening pair that could see off the new ball, and in the first innings of every match Chopra and Sehwag scored at least a 50+ opening stand, including 2 century stands. Chopra's slow and steady style was perfect for Sehwag's tear-away style. Not to mention his sensational fielding during that series. No doubt Sehwag had a better series than Chopra, but Chopra still had a good series and did the job for his team without getting much recognition.

Thank you for responding quickly I agree with bharat 100% - Akash Chopra did his job beautifully and fact is he is the only other tried and tested option, if india decides against KKD opening. That entire test series was beautiful and classic cricket.

[chanakya]

Akash Chopra is just a ranji bully of low standard bowling on wickets like the beach sand. In international cricket he has been tried and exposed again and again. We cannot hope he will "hold one end up" for 30 overs etc Remember the Brisbane test when Chopra got his "best" 36 off 140 balls ? Sehwag got us off to a flying start with 45 off 50 balls, but the moment Sehwag got out, the bowlers were on top and Gillespie snared Dravid and Sachin in the same over and we were reeling. Chopra had batted for more than 70 balls getting 15 or something in the first 20 overs when Sehwag departed. When he couldn't force the pace and eventually got out at 127-4, it was ganguly's aggressive 100 and VVS aggressive batting that restored the inngs. Chopra will be a liability in the top order and those who claim he will "take shine off and protect sachin"...are surely childish and stupid. If we need a mediocre Chopra to "protect" Sachin from the new ball, when Sachin has been facing the new ball almost all his life in ODIs and is very competent technically, then we are lost. Akash Chopra is a proven international failure and even if he gets 500 notout against Assam or J & K, it will be a wise thing to turn the newspaper to the next page and read what is the latest bollywood gossip. A stone walling Chopra ( if at all he gets to play 20 overs) will only succeed in letting the bowlers get on top and the moment Chopra goes, Sachin and others will come in to an Aussie bowling with tails up, 4 slips and shortlegs and 3 wkts in the bag. Chopra will be the worst possible move if selectors choose him ( even worse than ignoring Sehwag) And...lastly.....check Chopra's average in tests, and his avg in Aus too....23 something...hardly any impact. Further we are planning to win a test series, not try and draw tests in Australia , and for that even an out of form Sehwag is a better bet . Ian Chappell had written a few days back in The Herald Sun that the Indian selectors have done their first mistake by excluding Sehwag. Benaud too said this on channel 9 when the issue of Sehwag dominated the commentary even during the Aus/Sri Lanka test at Hobart. Above all Akash Chopra is 30 years old....and probably one season away from joining ICL if they call him.... Sehwag is younger, and FAR FAR better

Why don't we get Sachin to open then?

[Guest HariSampath]

Sehwag : test average 50, In Australia 54 , playing till Jan 2007....averaged 36 during his "failure" is to be discarded. Chopra : test average of 23: Avg in Aus 23. last played years back. Proven failure is to be selected because he is "tried and tested " ?? well let me add to that " tried, tested and failed" That way, Sehwag is the one who has been tried and tested....I can't even believe Akash Chopra is being mentioned alongside Sehwag..the closest he ever got to Sehwag was when he walked out with him to open LOL

[Guest HariSampath]

Chopra should definitely be on the plane to Aus.

In the baggage hold

[Bumper]

Am afraid, people who argue that Chopra will be able to repeat what he did back then, have no clue really. Chopra is a role player & will fit into our plans ONLY when you have an aggressive top order to bat alongside him. With Dravid & Tendulkar batting at 3, 4, we need someone at the other end to keep scoring. Otherwise, we will shut shop & get rolled over. (We cant assume Jaffar will succeed every time). Chopra can be excused if he is just slow. But his problem is he cannot really do anymore than provide a start. Thats a ridiculously one dimensional player. Its a joke really to play such dodos, when u have someone like Yuvraj sitting on the sidelines. Besides, Chopra was a relatively unexplored material back then. Aussies will never let role players like Chopra succeed against them TWICE. We already saw how McGrath & Gillespie sorted him out in the following BG trophy in India, with pacy in dipping deliveries, didnt we ? If anyone needs to be backed based on history, its Sehwag. He looks clueless at the moment & odds are against him, fair enough. Backing chopra because he succeeded back in 2003, is as ridiculous as backing Agarkar because he won us the Adelaide test.

[Guest HariSampath]

Its not as if Chopra gives a start or anything....just that he was sittting beside Sehwag in a car that Sehwag was driving fast....that was his role

[Bumper]

Its not as if Chopra gives a start or anything....just that he was sittting beside Sehwag in a car that Sehwag was driving fast....that was his role

He did rotate the strike brilliantly with Sehwag & was playing his part in taking the shine off the ball. We should credit him for that. But expecting him to succeed every time, because he did so once, is nonsense. He cant be shadow of some body all the time. An avg of 23 during his golden era, is all we need to know about his potential.

[PaiN_KiLLeR]

Chopra and Jaffer to open for me.

[Bumper]

Whats Gambhir's average in the domestic games, again ? 86 ?:hysterical: Chopra is suddenly in the reckoning because he killed all our domestic trundlers ? When are we gonna learn ?

[Cricketics]

and yes.. thread has to bumped yet another HUNDRED, from the Champion AAKASH CHOPRA this time when it really mattered.. RANJI FINAL AND TEAM IN TROUBLE 15-3

[Chandan]

And the 6th failure from Jaffer in this series. Still Jaffer is good on pitches having less bounce and pace and against attacks not so methodical as to pick even the slighest chink and exploit it every time. Wonder why Kumble kept him in the XI for the Perth test!!

[Cricketics]

because the resplacement which is karthik isn't really an interesting one??? had there been Aakash chopra in the squad instead of karthi, would have been so much better and he would have been replaced by now too

[varun]

because the resplacement which is karthik isn't really an interesting one??? had there been Aakash chopra in the squad instead of karthi, would have been so much better and he would have been replaced by now too

Agreed. Akash and Sehwag at the top was ideal for us.

[fineleg]

Agreed. Akash and Sehwag at the top was ideal for us.

This was the best pair for us, till we decided to muck around with it. (why did we muck around? Becos we wanted to fit Yuseless in, same mistake we did now in Australia as well - muck the opening to fit Yuseless!)

[Cricketics]

AND here i come.. Aakash Bros scored another big one.. this time a double ton.. 205 not out against East Zone.. P.S - modz, can u make it Aakash chopra performance thread as the title..

[fineleg]

Ticz shud have a separate Delhi playerz tracking thread or forum :)

[Cricketics]

fineleg, seriouzly, i am not showing any regionalism here.. the guy deservz to be in the test squad

[fineleg]

fineleg' date=' seriouzly, i am not showing any regionalism here.. the guy deservz to be in the test squad[/quote'] I know ticz...just pulling ur leg - u do go gaga over Sehwag, Gambhir, Chopra, I.Sharma, Virat Kohli....so just pulling ur leg.