Pankaj Singh!

[Chaos]

6 "5" and has very good built body and i think he will be better bet than inshant sharma in the final XI in melbourne.

[Ram]

His selection seems totally out of the blue for me. I dont even recall hearing his name, till a few days ago and now he is on the plane to Aus. Again, its baffling to see him included over BOTH Munaf and VRV, given Munaf had played 2 tests against Pak and VRV was in the squad for the third. What the selectors are upto, i simply dont understand. Does anyone have any video of Pankaj Singh to share ?

[King]

Not a good selection. You don't throw a rookie bowler against the Aussies in Australia and expect him to keep his place. They should have tried him before taking him there. Only Zaheer and Irafan have measure of bowling in Australia. Two rookie bowlers Ishant Sharma and Pankaj Singh that haven't played test cricket overseas are picked for tour to Australia. I'm quite disappointed at that. You don't go on tour to Australia with untested players. In fact it is bad for both Ishant and Pankaj to be selected to tour Australia with out much test match practice. With regards to Sehwag the selectors fell back on experience but with bowling they have gone for untested and the inexperienced. It's not the batting that was in trouble in the recent past but it's the bowling. India failed to snare 20 wickets in a test match in the series against Pakistan in the last 2 test matches but the batting gets the majority of experience. India is spoilt for batting riches and poor on bowling.

[Ram]

All this can mean only one thing, Irfan is almost certain to figure in the eleven for Melbourne. Will India try out a rookie pace bowler( Ishant/Pankaj) for the opening test of a series in Aus ? I doubt it. So, Zaheer+RPS+Irfan+Kumble it will be.

[Desi Cartman]

Anybody is better than Munaf ... At least these guys wont break down after bowling 5 overs .. At least they'll bowl at a better pace than 120km/h ...

[Chaos]

All this can mean only one thing, Irfan is almost certain to figure in the eleven for Melbourne. Will India try out a rookie pace bowler( Ishant/Pankaj) for the opening test of a series in Aus ? I doubt it. So, Zaheer+RPS+Irfan+Kumble it will be.

no way india will go in with 3 left armers. Right armers in melbourne at necessary. I dont mind Pnakaj being picked cuz of his height he can attract bounce. Regarding vrv and munaf, EVEN your grandmother can bowl better :giggle:

[Ram]

Three quick questions to you Mouni, 1) When was the first time you heard of Pankaj Singh ? How 2) Please explain to me in detail three of Pankaj Singh's outstanding bowling spells. 3) List atleast 5 batsman and their mode of dismissals when they have been outdone by Singh's bounce. Actually, dont even bother answering them. I know, you know nothing about Pankaj Singh, other than the fact that his name starts in P, ends with a G , and he is 6'5

[apocalypse]

I have seen his performance against Delhi in Ranji Trophy match this year. But I doubt he will get a chance to play in final eleven

[Ram]

This is what Cricinfo has to say about him, "Pankaj Singh, a tall and strapping right-arm medium-fast bowler from Rajasthan, has progressed from the Under-19 level to the India A side with consistent performances since he made his first-class debut in August 2003. By 2006 he started showing signs of having matured, taking Rajasthan to the final of the Ranji Plate league, with 21 wickets at 20.95. In 2007, he was part of India A's twin tour of Zimbabwe and Kenya, and a total of 18 wickets in the unofficial Tests and ODIs in Kenya earned him a spot for the home series against South Africa A. With Sreesanth and Munaf Patel injured, he earned a call-up to India's Test squad to tour Australia. Cricinfo Staff December 2007" Hope he doesnt turn out to be another Abey Kuruvilla. Apo, how quick is he ?

[apocalypse]

around 130-135

[Mr. Wicket]

Dunno why you're so low on him mars. He's had a consistent f/c record and done well in A-cricket. Just came off a five-for vs. Mumbai, where he apparently caused a couple of top batsmen problems - got Muzumdar and Kukreja in the first innings (Kukreja in the 2nd as well), and roughed up the lower order a bit with some pace/bounce. And a while before that he wrecked Delhi in the Ranjis - got a cheap five for in the first dig (they were about 100 all out IIRC)... the pitch flattened out a bit in the 2nd innings and Delhi took a big lead with a solid score, but Pankaj got another five-for with some fine bats in there including Dhawan, Manhas and Tehlan. BTW the main reason Rajasthan are IN the Ranji Elites this year is because of Pankaj... had a great season for them, and basically bowled them into the finals single handedly with another 10er v. Orissa. Also impressed in the Challengers... in fact on a fairly spin friendly track he COMPREHENSIVELY outbowled Grandfather Munaf - took 2/37 with the wickets of Praveen Kumar and Kaif early on, while the camel got smashed for 81 runs. BTW when India A toured Kenya earlier this year Pankaj impressed a lot with his new ball bowling... made a good combination w/ Irfan, got a fair few wickets throughout the innings - so more than just a new ball bully. Generally a good e/r and his methods of dismissals are pleasing - a fair number bowled, LBW, caught behind or caught by guys who usually field around the slips like Bishnoi.

[apocalypse]

Here is some other info about him

It has been a day of mixed fortunes for Pankaj Singh. At the very moment, perhaps, when the national selectors were discussing his name for the Australia tour, Pankaj was busy battling it out in Jhalawar, trying to secure for Rajasthan their first-ever victory over Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. Pankaj couldn't save Rajasthan from losing by two runs - but he did get the selectors' call. It was a reward for his performances over the past year and, if it surprised most people, Pankaj himself was confident that the national call was around the corner. "In a way I was expecting this call, especially after my five-wicket haul against a side like Mumbai in the first innings [at Jhalawar]," an excited Pankaj, 22, said. His height - he stands 6' 5" in his socks - and broad shoulders have been his principal assets, along with his work ethic, in purchasing wickets on the flat, unresponsive Indian pitches for the past two years. Venkatesh Prasad, the Indian bowling coach, felt the same during the bowlers' camp held in Mysore in June, before the England tour, where Pankaj was called at the last minute based on his performances during the previous Ranji season. "He's a tall and hardworking fast bowler with a good outswinger," was Prasad's assessment at the time. Pankaj, who took the new ball during the India A tour to Kenya and then against South Africa A at home, runs in hard and delivers with a side-on action. His stock ball is the outswinger that leaves the right-hander at a decent pace, something his colleague Ishant Sharma can make use of; his secret delivery is the disguised incutter that he utilises intelligently. "The outswinger came naturally, but my experience during the A tours this year helped me bring more variety and the inswinger is a work in progress," Pankaj says. His relative youth would raise expectations of greater pace but for now Pankaj is happy consistently hitting the 135kmph mark, so long as he can pitch it on the right spot. "If he can hit the back-of-the-length and short-of-good-length consistently, that's the priority," Prasad says. In essence he is asking Pankaj to do what he has been doing for Rajasthan for the last two seasons. Pankaj understands that well and is not fretting over the lack of pace. "A good line-and-length is what I want to focus on and as for pace I will definitely increase it with time." KP Bhaskar, in his first season as Rajasthan's coach, believes Pankaj will have few problems bridging the gap between domestic and international cricket. "Line and length are his biggest strong points," says Bhaskar, adding that the reason Pankaj is not an all-out fast bowler is because he has to shoulder the burden of the Rajasthan attack almost single-handed. Prasad says India has never been a nation of fast bowlers in any case and it would be beneficial if Pankaj can focus on the consistency. With Ishant bagging his maiden five-for, and Zaheer Khan and RP Singh returning to the fold, Pankaj will most likely be an understudy to the seniors. If at all he gets a chance, it will be during the two practice games ahead of the first Test on Boxing Day at the MCG. Pankaj's performances appear to have impressed Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of selectors, who met him for the first time during the 2006-07 Deodhar Trophy. Since then, Pankaj says, Vengsarkar has encouraged him to believe in himself. "'Work on your basics and concentrate on your strengths', he told me," Pankaj said. Pankaj's trip to Mysore earlier this year saw him acquire a more positive mindset. "We spoke a lot about mental toughness," Pankaj recalls about his conversations with Prasad and the other bowlers. The ideal tool, apart from height, broad shoulders and a strong work ethic, for that trip to Australia.

[ludhianvi]

If you guys recall, he played in the Challenger Series. From what I remember, he was clocking around 75-80mph

[Ram]

Hmmm.. looks like his ave pace is around 128-132, occasionally touching 135+. I wonder....

[apocalypse]

Well if you are really comparing him with Munaf, then this guy can chip in with bat too

[DesiChap]

Dunno why you're so low on him mars. He's had a consistent f/c record and done well in A-cricket. Just came off a five-for vs. Mumbai, where he apparently caused a couple of top batsmen problems - got Muzumdar and Kukreja in the first innings (Kukreja in the 2nd as well), and roughed up the lower order a bit with some pace/bounce. And a while before that he wrecked Delhi in the Ranjis - got a cheap five for in the first dig (they were about 100 all out IIRC)... the pitch flattened out a bit in the 2nd innings and Delhi took a big lead with a solid score, but Pankaj got another five-for with some fine bats in there including Dhawan, Manhas and Tehlan. BTW the main reason Rajasthan are IN the Ranji Elites this year is because of Pankaj... had a great season for them, and basically bowled them into the finals single handedly with another 10er v. Orissa. Also impressed in the Challengers... in fact on a fairly spin friendly track he COMPREHENSIVELY outbowled Grandfather Munaf - took 2/37 with the wickets of Praveen Kumar and Kaif early on, while the camel got smashed for 81 runs. BTW when India A toured Kenya earlier this year Pankaj impressed a lot with his new ball bowling... made a good combination w/ Irfan, got a fair few wickets throughout the innings - so more than just a new ball bully. Generally a good e/r and his methods of dismissals are pleasing - a fair number bowled, LBW, caught behind or caught by guys who usually field around the slips like Bishnoi.

It actually is a conspiracy by the selectors against Rajasthan to put them in the plate group. That is the reason Pankaj Singh has been chosen to be a passenger for the Aus tour. :D

[Chaos]

well we got no experienced right hand bowlers.... sad to see sree not fit :(

[Ram]

Well if you are really comparing him with Munaf' date=' then this guy can chip in with bat too[/quote'] Munaf is way more experienced, and crank it up too, if he wants, as he showed on a few occasions this series. As Ravi has pointed out, its baffling to see selectors including TWO rookie pacers on a trip to Aus. Essentially, what the selectors have done is to pick the playing eleven even before the tour has began. There is no way the management will risk playing either Ishant or Pankaj for the firstv test.

[Desi Cartman]

I wonder why we don't have even a single bowler who can bowl at 145+ consistently. All other sides have at least one. And even these younger guys are bowling at 135 ... huh .. what's the academy doing

[Ram]

Salil, you talk about FC performances, which is fair enough. However, just one thing. Does the name Ranadeb Bose ring a bell for you ? And to point out, I have nothing against him, how can i ? I havent seen him bowl. However, his selection is totally baffling to me, considering Ishant is already there.