First test in Melbourne ... team, plan, tactics?

[bharat297]

First test in Melbourne is just less than 2 weeks away. What should our team be for this Test? Let me also throw a spanner into the works, here ... what happens if Yuvraj and Sehwag both make big scores in the tour game? Anyway, what would be the side you would have? What plans or tactics should we have? Should we target certain players in certain areas, or bowl certain bowlers to them? If so, which ones. Remember going into Australia without a definite plan is as good as signing off to a 4-0 whitewash. Any ideas? For me my team would be (unless Sehwag makes a massive score in the tour game) ... Jaffer Dravid Laxman Tendulkar Ganguly Yuvraj Dhoni Kumble Zaheer Pankaj Singh / Ishant Sharma R.P. Singh Its a tough call between Pankaj and Ishant. Pankaj from what I have seen has the ability to swing the ball away from the right hander, which is a big bonus, plus he is in good form at the moment. Ishant Sharma however has at least a bit more experience at International level. I am leaning slightly towards Pankaj. I think we need to particularly target Ponting. Target the opposition captain. Work out what his weaknesses are, and expose them, and really lower his confidence and morale. I believe when Ponting walks in the plan should be to bowl one left-armer at one end, and Kumble at the other and try to expose what I believe is a weakness of his, which is that he tends to reach for deliveries outside off stump. We should keep the extra slip (so I think 3 slips) for Ponting early on and get a left-armer swinging the ball away from Ponting at one end, and Kumble at the other.

[Laaloo]

i think u should give this info to team india who i belive will be swimming in a swimming pool in a hotel while aus team would be in the room watching videos of our batsmen :giggle::giggle:

[bharat297]

^ Yea ... I really, really, hope that is not the case.

[The Outsider]

I think the tour game is irrelevant. By selecting Sehwag, it is pretty much clear that for the first test Yuvraj will sit out. Moreover, as a matter of confidence there is no better place for Sehwag to venture out than where he scored perhaps the best innings of his career. What happens thereafter depends on the performances at the Boxing Day test. The line up as I see it is pretty predictable, barring injuries : Jaffer Sehwag Dravid Tendulkar Ganguly Laxman Dhoni Kumble Zaheer RP Singh Ishant MCG is not the best place to bat on in the last innings and had we not messed up royally the last time round there was a good chance of putting Australia under some serious pressure with a 300 run chase. The ball does do a bit of up and down, not as much as it used to, so Ishant will be given a chance ahead of Pathan. RP Singh and Zaheer would have covered the swing angle of the first two sessions.

[fineleg]

Not so sure shwetabh. Making YS sit after a 169 is not a easy thing to do. YS has shown he is in good form. So, unless VS sparkles in tour game, I think YS will make it to the 11.

[The Outsider]

Not so sure shwetabh. Making YS sit after a 169 is not a easy thing to do. YS has shown he is in good form. So, unless VS sparkles in tour game, I think YS will make it to the 11.

I can say with certainty Sehwag will open at the MCG even if he scores two king pairs against Victoria unless Yuvraj opens. There is no way anyone from the middle order is going to open and should not. The only way Yuvraj can play at Melbourne is if Sehwag does a major flop show against Victoria AND agrees to open.

[novpj]

I would go with: Jaffar, Dravid, Laxman, SRT, Ganguly, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Kumble, Zaheer, RPS, Ishant IMO the players to target are Symonds and Hayden - who can score very quickly. Regarding Ponting, the trick with him is the ball coming in since he moves across a lot and has tendency to be caught in front early on

[DesiChap]

Expect VVS to stay injured till the 1st test match is over. Its Indian cricket afterall :giggle:

[DesiChap]

I agree with Swetabh, Sehwag will play on Boxing day

[bharat297]

I would go with: Jaffar, Dravid, Laxman, SRT, Ganguly, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Kumble, Zaheer, RPS, Ishant IMO the players to target are Symonds and Hayden - who can score very quickly. Regarding Ponting, the trick with him is the ball coming in since he moves across a lot and has tendency to be caught in front early on

Yep, hopefully RP and Zaheer can get him reaching outside off with an outswinger on or about off stump, outswinger, outswinger, outswinger and as Ponting goes out further and further (either reaching for it, or leaving it ... either way he takes a big stride forward), then big in-dipper or in-swinger that curls back and traps him in front. I would have a catching mid-wicket for this because if Ponting does make contact with the in-swinger, he might just loft it a bit and present a catch.

[Chandan]

Ok. So who are the ral dangermen for us in the Australian team. Potentially every player is a dangerman, but follow you gut feeling and name two batsmen and two bowlers. Then we can discuss how to tackle them.

[novpj]

Dangermen Batsmen: Hayden and Symonds Bowlers: Johnson (he can move the ball both ways), cant think of any other one (dont consider Tait, or Lee as dangerous)

[MundaPakistani]

Ok. So who are the ral dangermen for us in the Australian team. Potentially every player is a dangerman, but follow you gut feeling and name two batsmen and two bowlers. Then we can discuss how to tackle them.

batting: every body bowling: no body.

[theguyinallblue]

Put Ponting Under Pressure....and we will see him crumble... I believe RP Swing will take care of opening pairs of australia...There are many left handers in Australia.... if our zaheer and RP can bring the ball in from the round the wicket bowling... then they will be under a lot of pressure..as incoming deliveries from off stump for left handers...are nightmare.. Danger man for me : Ponting, Johnson, Gilly, Hussey. i believe that we have the batting to score runs against their bowlers....we need to get their batsmen out... somehow...i think zaheer will get over zealous... he will have to bowl with mind and control..

[Chandan]

batting: every body bowling: no body.

Good reply. But I disagree that bowling has no threats. I think this attack is vastly improved from what we faced in 03-04. Lee is a much improved and accurate bowler WITH pace, Johnson is the most promising left armer on the scene, and from what I saw today in Aus-NZ 1st ODI, Tait is the fastest bowler in the world at the mement, though a bit wild. And then we should not forget Clark who had picked a bagful of wickets in last Ashes. I think their bowling attack is very good. Though our bowling attack is very thin, I suppose!

[MundaPakistani]

Good reply. But I disagree that bowling has no threats. I think this attack is vastly improved from what we faced in 03-04. Lee is a much improved and accurate bowler WITH pace, Johnson is the most promising left armer on the scene, and from what I saw today in Aus-NZ 1st ODI, Tait is the fastest bowler in the world at the mement, though a bit wild. And then we should not forget Clark who had picked a bagful of wickets in last Ashes. I think their bowling attack is very good. Though our bowling attack is very thin, I suppose!

One good thing about the Indian batting in recent years has been their ability to play express pace(at least in test cricket). Shoaib has not done much in the last 3 series while Lee had two terrible games in 03. It has been the seam bowlers like Gul and Asif who have done most of the damage so keeping that in mind i expect S Clark to be the best bowler of the series.

[DesiChap]

S Clark is overrated, Lee is the most improved in the last year and is the dangerman.

[MundaPakistani]

S Clark is overrated' date= Lee is the most improved in the last year and is the dangerman.

Agree- but against IND he will be their best bowler.

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Online]

Plan is take it session by session. Dont get overawed. Dont get frustrated if runs/wickets dont come. Stay there. AND FIGHT :isalute: