India Vs Victoria, Tour game, Melbourne, 20-22 Dec 2007

[Desi Cartman]

We all have been discussing the XI India should play on the 26th Dec but there is another important game before that. Since India is playing only one warm up game they need to pick the XI that is almost certain to play in the boxing day test. As Team India will soon find out , it wasn't really smart of the BCCI to schedule only one warm up game . What happens if they play Sehwag and he fails? How can they judge what can Yuvraj do in Aus without even playing him in the warm up game and if they want to play both Yuvraj and Sehwag then who should sit out ? Same issue with the bowlers. In hunger of scheduling as many games as possible every year BCCI has forgotten some basics and have made the team selection difficult for Anil Kumble & co. :isalute:

[Sachinism]

they should have one of those games where u can substitute players, that way more of the players can be tested and seen

[Desi Cartman]

I think they should have scheduled at least 2 games. So now in this one they probably need to rest one of the big guns like VVS , Ganguly or Sachin to include both Yuvraj and Sehwag in the XI

[Ram]

I think both Sehwag and Yuvraj and play, to see how they cope up with the conditions. One who performs better, may get the nod. We may even go one bowler short, in an endeavor to give all our batsman some batting practice.

[Desi Cartman]

I think both Sehwag and Yuvraj and play' date=' to see how they cope up with the conditions. One who performs better, may get the nod. We may even go one bowler short, in an endeavor to give all our batsman some batting practice.[/quote'] Fair point but whom do we leave ... Zaheer and RP are returning after a break , Kumble is the captain, Bhajji needs to get a game as well. We gotta test both I Pathan as well as I Sharma ...:confused_smile:

[Ram]

Fair point but whom do we leave ... Zaheer and RP are returning after a break ' date=' Kumble is the captain, Bhajji needs to get a game as well. We gotta test both I Pathan as well as I Sharma ...:confused_smile:[/quote'] I think the team may have well already decided the bowling line-up, with regards who amongst Irfan or Ishant is going to play. Its the batting needs fine-tuning. Besides, this being a tour opener, the focus will be giving every batsman a decent hit. With most of the Victoria out with injury or other reasons, this may be Sehwg's best chance yet to stake his claim for a place in the first test.

[Donny]

Victoria is equal with NSW on top of the Pura Cup table after six rounds this season. However, they will be without their three leading fast bowlers in Gerard Denton, Shane Harwood (both injured) and Dirk Nannes (rested). Captain, Cameron White and vc, Brad Hodge will also be unavailable through injury. Rain is forecast for all three days of the game with heavy showers forecast for Friday and Saturday in particular in what is already tipped to be a lively Junction Oval wicket.

[Ram]

Why would a state side rest one of their first choice fast bowler ( Nannes), against a touring side ? Isnt it a great chance for these players to make an impression and even better, dent the Indians' confidence with some good performances ? Beats my logic.

[fineleg]

Victoria is equal with NSW on top of the Pura Cup table after six rounds this season. However, they will be without their three leading fast bowlers in Gerard Denton, Shane Harwood (both injured) and Dirk Nannes (rested). Captain, Cameron White and vc, Brad Hodge will also be unavailable through injury. Rain is forecast for all three days of the game with heavy showers forecast for Friday and Saturday in particular in what is already tipped to be a lively Junction Oval wicket.

:film:

[Ram]

I will be very interested to see how Ganguly fares in this match. As much as he has been our best test batsman in the last many series, i still have some fears about him. As i have said many times before, he has some FUNDAMENTAL weaknesses against the swinging ball outside off and the short ball. The Pakistan bowlers were either not fit enough or good enough to test him in those areas for a sustained periods of time.

[Desi Cartman]

There isnt gonna be much rain. There has been some in last few days and even right now its overcast but no rain. In summers when it rains here its usually for just an hour or so Fri Dec 21 PM Showers 24°/16° 60% 24°C Sat Dec 22 AM Showers 17°/13° 40% 17°C Sun Dec 23 Mostly Sunny 21°/12° 0% 21°C Mon Dec 24 Partly Cloudy 22°/13° 0% 22°C Tue Dec 25 Sunny 24°/13° 0% 24°C Wed Dec 26 Partly Cloudy 27°/14° 0% 27°C Thu Dec 27 Partly Cloudy 27°/16° 0% 27°C Fri Dec 28 Partly Cloudy 28°/18° 0% 28°C

[The Outsider]

Sehwag and Yuvraj to open, followed by Jaffer, Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Laxman, Dhoni. Three bowlers in RP Singh, Zaheer, and Ishant.

[Donny]

Why would a state side rest one of their first choice fast bowler ( Nannes), against a touring side ? Isnt it a great chance for these players to make an impression and even better, dent the Indians' confidence with some good performances ? Beats my logic.

Doesn't beat mine. With our 2 front line quicks, Harwood & Denton, already injured. Dirk Nannes has been rested for fairly obvious reasons. Apart from not wanting to risk him in an insignificant match (has no bearing on the season from a competition points perspective), he's also no spring chicken. A late bloomer, Nannes only debuted last year, at 30.

[Chandan]

Following will be the victoria squad: Brad Hodge (capt), David Hussey (vice-capt), Aiden Blizzard, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Nick Jewell, Michael Klinger, Andrew McDonald, Bryce McGain, Robert Quiney, Peter Siddle, Matthew Wade, Allan Wise. Hodge probably won't play. White, Harwood and Denton all still injured. Nannes rested.

[Donny]

Did you miss post #7, Chandy ? :regular_smile:

[bharat297]

Since Sehwag had decided not to open ... then I wouldnt even play him in the game. They should pick the exact same 11 that they intend to play for the First Test. Kumble has confirmed Dravid will open, so that means Yuvraj will slot in to the middle order, so now there are no selection issues that need to be addressed, therefore why not play the exact same XI for the first Test.

[Donny]

Vics going easy on India http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22948551-23212,00.html VICTORIA cricket coach Greg Shipperd has resisted the temptation to urge India to make a game of their three-day tour match after the corresponding fixture four years ago ended in dispute between the two sides. Shipperd conceded India were likely to be interested only in gaining three days of practice instead of playing to win at the Junction Oval, given it is their only hit-out before the first Test against Australia. Victoria encouraged India to make a game of their three-day clash during the 2003-04 tour, but the Bushrangers' then-coach, the late David Hookes, accused then-Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly of reneging on a deal to make an early declaration. Hookes was annoyed Ganguly did not declare after 70 overs, so in response let Victoria bat well into the third day, which allowed Brad Hodge to post a double century. Forecast showers could be India's major headache this match, as their batsmen will want time to acclimatise to local conditions. So Shipperd expected Anil Kumble's side to want to do its own thing.

[Chandan]

Since Sehwag had decided not to open ... then I wouldnt even play him in the game. They should pick the exact same 11 that they intend to play for the First Test. Kumble has confirmed Dravid will open' date=' so that means Yuvraj will slot in to the middle order, so now there are no selection issues that need to be addressed, therefore why not play the exact same XI for the first Test.[/quote'] Bharat, Where has Sehwag decided not to open? Are you talking about that Khaleej-times reports? If that is the one you're talking about then it is a fake news. If you've got to know about it from some other source then please let us know.

[The Outsider]

Donny, you need to graduate from Fox.

[Mr. Wicket]

I would comment on Greg Shipperd's idiocy, but that's fairly well known to all those outside Victoria. Actually, I'm astonished that he managed to get through a press conference without throwing out another stupid sob excuse for yet another one of his Victorians to be picked in the national team. The term One Eyed Victorian was probably created with him in mind.