A tale of two openers

[bunny]

Please back up your post with some examples of players averaging ~50' date=' who failed depite being given a long rope, say 10 Tests, as Hayden was, and I'll try and respond.[/quote'] As talksport already said Strauss would be one. Graeme Smith himself would be another who has repeatedly failed on seaming tracks although to his credit he is the captain and he did well on subcontinent pitches. I don't know of too many players who averaged 50+ and had slumps extending 10+ tests and were given a long rope. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is it's not a universal truth that players should not be dropped. Moreover, the selectors chose DK for the Eng tour and he worked. Wouldn't you give credit to the selectors for that? They have also brought back Sehwag. So, shouldn't Sehwag perform now rather than being termed unlucky?

[Dhondy]

As talksport already said Strauss would be one. Graeme Smith himself would be another who has repeatedly failed on seaming tracks although to his credit he is the captain and he did well on subcontinent pitches. I don't know of too many players who averaged 50+ and had slumps extending 10+ tests and were given a long rope. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is it's not a universal truth that players should not be dropped. Moreover, the selectors chose DK for the Eng tour and he worked. Wouldn't you give credit to the selectors for that? They have also brought back Sehwag. So, shouldn't Sehwag perform now rather than being termed unlucky?

Strauss averaged 40 when he was dropped. To my knowledge, in the modern era, there has not been a single player who was dropped when averaging 50 after 50 odd Tests (Samaraweera and Kambli might come close, but they only played a handful of Tests). That tells you something, doesn't it? It appears that you ran out of examples and went back to Smith. Smith's example bolsters my point. He was kept in the team despite repeated failures because of his pedigree, just as De Villiers, Gibbs or Hayden was.

[bunny]

Strauss averaged 40 when he was dropped. To my knowledge, in the modern era, there has not been a single player who was dropped when averaging 50 after 50 odd Tests (Samaraweera and Kambli might come close, but they only played a handful of Tests). That tells you something, doesn't it? It appears that you ran out of examples and went back to Smith. Smith's example bolsters my point. He was kept in the team despite repeated failures because of his pedigree, just as De Villiers, Gibbs or Hayden was.

Apologize for the Strauss example. I just remembered him averaging 50+ at some point of his career. Smith's example doesn't bolster your case though because he again failed against NZ and I didn't run out of examples, the problem is you placed a restriction on the avg. Now, off the top of my head I can't think of too many people who have averaged over 50, let alone being in a rut like Sehwag was and then being dropped or given a longer leash. Otherwise there have been many people who have been dropped and have come back strongly. Azhar, Ganguly and Mohinder Amarnath are examples of that from India itself. Anyway, I'm done making my point. If people disagree that's fine. Best of luck to Sehwag for the Oz tour.

[talksport]

Strauss was averaging 50, dipped in form .....given a long rope .....more than 10 tests as per the criteria and then eventually dropped..... Some might say umpires screwd him,...some might say his compulsiveness to hook , some might point to his bad luck like caught from his shoe... I am sure he will come back

[Chandan]

Looks like Sehwag might stay unlucky on this tour as India have committed this huge mistake of moving their best #3 bat up and giving that crucial batting position to Laxman who might have huge difficulty in dealing with the new ball if Jaffer gets out quickly. And India's chances will end there and then when two of the MO batsmen will be fighting to see the new ball off. I just can't understand how Kumble could make this mistake!!

[Donny]

How else could he be retained in the team if not as an opener ? It's a long time since he's had the form or class to bat at first drop.

[The Outsider]

How else could he be retained in the team if not as an opener ? It's a long time since he's had the form or class to bat at first drop.

I am not sure what a long time is in your books but a year and half and 10 tests back, Dravid played two outstanding knocks at Sabina Park where Lara was reduced to mocking the curator instead of playing cricket. Chandan, I find it crazy to unsettle what has been a performing batting line up and order, all to make room for Yuvraj on the back of his innings at Bangalore. We are displacing Dravid, displacing Laxman, so that an unknown commodity at test level can be slotted in. Insanity.

[MundaPakistani]

I am not sure what a long time is in your books but a year and half and 10 tests back, Dravid played two outstanding knocks at Sabina Park where Lara was reduced to mocking the curator instead of playing cricket. Chandan, I find it crazy to unsettle what has been a performing batting line up and order, all to make room for Yuvraj on the back of his innings at Bangalore. We are displacing Dravid, displacing Laxman, so that an unknown commodity at test level can be slotted in. Insanity.

You both are spot on.

[Donny]

I am not sure what a long time is in your books but a year and half and 10 tests back' date=' Dravid played two outstanding knocks ..... [/quote'] Eighteen months and 10 Tests (or the last 13 Tests with no centuries against a top 8 team) easily qualifies.

[The Outsider]

Eighteen months and 10 Tests (or the last 13 Tests with no centuries against a top 8 team) easily qualifies.

Forget about centuries. They are contextual. Each one of those innings at Sabina Park was worth much more than a century on a normal wicket. But I guess we can have this difference of opinion. 10 tests is too short a time to pass a verdict on someone of the class and proven success like Dravid. Persistence with class players pays off generally.

[Bumper]

Fantastic posts Dhondy & Shwetabh (on Sehwag). I cant believe in a country that isnt exactly spoilt for riches when it comes to openers, we dropped our best opener since Gavaskar -- all because one man in the selection panel was after him. Sehwag was not just a successful opener. He was a trend setter. He changed the way India played its test cricket. I wonder, how many times in the past, India scored at nearly 3.5 to 4 rpo over extended periods of time, starting from ball one ? Just like our new ball bowlers of yesteryears, whose job was to roughen up the cherry, our openers prior to Sehwag, were merely meant to blunt the new ball. Sehwag changed it all in a couple of years. Whatever the conditions, the opponents knew, they are up against a monster from the get-go. This FEAR FACTOR about an Indian opener was unseen or unheard of in the 90s. How cocky have we felt as fans to have a player like that in our ranks who can induce that kind of fear in an opponent ? We can mine our domestic circuit & lineup bullies such as Chopra, Gambhir & Gandhi. But where are we gonna conjure up a player who can hit McGrath for a couple of boundaries & tell him on his face that he'll see him tomorrow ? Sehwag is a simple minded villager. He is a raw talent. Like most sportsmen who hail from such background, Sehwag rides on his confidence. In Ganguly's era too, Sehwag went thru some form slumps. But because he knew he was assured of a spot, Sehwag was able to lift himself and perform like there was no tomorrow. With neither the captain nor selector showing faith in him (recently), he has been all at sea. He does not have the work ethic of a Dravid or a Tendulkar to go back to the counties and pile on the runs to earn a recall. He is just that type of player, who needs the security & backing to perform. He is a special talent and must be treated like one. Am sure Sehwag will be back for more. Go veeru!

[Chandan]

Will Sehwag be chosen or won't he? This lack of stability in the thought of India just before the start of their toughest tour is really frightening.

[fineleg]

He does not have the work ethic of a Dravid or a Tendulkar to go back to the counties and pile on the runs to earn a recall. He is just that type of player, who needs the security & backing to perform. He is a special talent and must be treated like one.

Right! And we should accept that becos he is Maharaj of Najafgarh. Pronto. He needs to work hard, but always is looking for the "easy opening".

[The Outsider]

I guess with his show in Australia, Sehwag has clearly distinguished himself from Smith, who has been a failure against Australia all along. Despite Smith's penchant for verbal volleys against the Aussies, he has never had the performance to back it up. Sehwag had done it in the past and given an opportunity which was at the most going to last 2 test matches if he failed has really come up trumps and taken the lead ahead of his peers as the best non Aussie opening batsman of the decade.

[Grim Reaper]

Sehwag and Sachin to open = OWNAGE!

[diegovegaz]

both are match winners that is all one needs from a member of the team