Dravid to open, Yuvraj to play in 1st Test: Consequences

[novpj]

and I say thats good for Indian cricket. We get Yuvraj who is much more desevring a chance and I hope Sehwag doesnt play a single test on this tour. This will disppoint some who live in the past but for a change the management has figured out that Yuvraj is the future and that Sehwag has a long way to go to make the team

[The Outsider]

Sure, screwing up the best number 3 batsman the country has produced and one of the best ever can obviously be good.

[coffee_rules]

I still feel it might be an Indian bluff. I will not be surprised of Sehwag walks out with Jaffer in the Boxing day test just to surprise the Aussies. Dravid at #1 can still consolidate if Sehwag goes out early.

[Ram]

I still feel it might be an Indian bluff. I will not be surprised of Sehwag walks out with Jaffer in the Boxing day test just to surprise the Aussies. Dravid at #1 can still consolidate if Sehwag goes out early.

My thoughts too, I cannot understand Dravid opening at all. And with regards to the OP, it couldnt be off the truth more. Sehwag is a crown jewel, he needs to backed, preserved.

[veer]

yup... dravid opening for India is worst than veeru playing in 11... dravid is solid no.3 .. i hope we dont repeat this mistake that we made against pakistan couple of yrs back..

[Predator_05]

What is a kibosh ?

[talksport]

From Google: something that serves as a check or stop The word kybosh, or kibosh, has been used throughout much of the English-speaking world for at least 150 years. Possibly the first printed examples of "putting the kybosh on it" are in Charles Dickens's Sketches by Boz. **** I do not want Dravid to Open...... I dont mind Karthik or Sehwag , but not Dravid.

[Online]

I still feel it might be an Indian bluff. I will not be surprised of Sehwag walks out with Jaffer in the Boxing day test just to surprise the Aussies. Dravid at #1 can still consolidate if Sehwag goes out early.

This is cricket, not poker....

[living]

I think if Yuvraj flops in his innings against Victoria, then considering the fact that gangs didn't look too comfy against the fast guys with that newish ball when he came on, and that VVS failed at the no 3 slot, then they might go with KKD or Sehwag along with Jaffer ... I honestly hope they go with KKD and Jaffer. I hate all this shuffling, it will be the downfall of our batting ... and the series will be a big flop ...

[DesiChap]

If required, I am ready to open: Dravid http://cricket.indiatimes.com/If_required_I_am_ready_to_open_Dravid/articleshow/2637370.cms PTI MELBOURNE, December 20: Rahul Dravid on Thursday said he does not mind donning the role of an opener in the challenging four-Test series against Australia starting on the Boxing Day. Dravid said he has no problem facing the new ball bowlers led by Brett Lee on the bouncy wickets. "If I am asked to open in the Test matches, I will be happy to do so," said Dravid after opening the innings with Wasim Jaffer on the opening day of the three-day warm-up match against Victoria. "I am comfortable doing any role that is given to me by the team management. I try and do the best I can, irrespective of where I bat," said Dravid, who had opened the innings for India on several occasions. In today's match, Dravid was unbeaten on 33 after two-and-a-half hours of batting when the rain came pouring down and building on to the start in the final session. "I just batted where the team management wanted me to," said Dravid who, to put things in perspective, has made just 369 runs from eight games at 33.55 as an opener, including two centuries against Pakistan on flat decks. As against this, he made in excess of 600 runs against Australia in four Tests, including a match-winning double century in Adelaide, when India last toured Down Under for the 2003-2004 series. Dravid said India had a solid middle order which can pile up big scores if provided with good starts. "If they feel that the best chance for us to do well in Australia is by me opening the batting, that is fine with me. We have a very strong middle-order, a constant middle-order for sometime now. But there are a lot of good youngsters coming in, and they can't be ignored. "It is critical to get off to good starts in Australia. If you can see off the early part without losing too many wickets, then you can make it count later on." Asked what are the major differences between batting at three and opening the innings, the former India captain said, "at number three, though, sometimes you do come in early as well, there is a little difference. It is a little different with the mindset." "Right from my school days, I have played in the middle-order and I have got used to it. But as a professional cricketer, it is important to adapt and adjust. I have done it before, and if I am asked to again, it is a question of figuring out my routines." "The critical thing is the 10-minute changeover between innings. You have got to rush in and get ready in those ten minutes. You need a different mindset, that is probably the only difference." Dravid admitted that just one practice game prior to the Tests wasn't an ideal way to prepare for a tough series against the Aussies. "Ideally, yes, we would definitely have liked more than one game. Our preparation on our last tour was ideal -- we had two practice games and good practice in Brisbane before the Tests. But international calendars are cramped these days, the schedules are tight. So that is not an issue anymore. We have just got to knuckle down and get on with it." Dravid, however, played down the threat of bouncy wickets in Australia. "You expect the bounce here, but it is a question of getting used to it. If you get set, the bounce opens up your back foot game, it opens up a whole new range of strokes and gives you a lot more opportunities to score runs." About the ongoing warm-up game against Victoria, Dravid said, "Considering the weather, it's good to have got 38 overs in. Something is better than nothing. The last series was a bit strange. I got starts but didn't have the rub of the green, got out

[kumble_rocks]

It is beyond me why Ganguly is not opening or being forced to open , the right - left combo is a must to disturb the line of the new ball pair.

[DesiChap]

Ganguly opening in testmatches is asenine. He is our best middle order bat for a year and there is no need to ask him to open. Dravid has to bat in the 1st 5 overs either an an opener or #3 bat.

[Guest dada_rocks]

Why u all want to revive the process of whoever is in form send them to open and when they fail there dump them from the team saying he is not good enough.. Sabse opening kadwa lo bari bari se

[putrevus]

Consequences of Dravid as opener Consequences of Dravid becoming opener in this series and beyond.Looking at his past record as opener his average is 33 as opener compared to 56 coming at no3. He has agreed to become opener becuase two things one his form recently is not good and second he like kumble even though they played vital part in Indian team's success have never gotten the due they deserve.He was dropped from odi's after couple of bad series.Which is very strange given his track record.It is very sad for batsman of his stature being dropped from team and has made him insecure. Let us examine to make place for Yuvraj we have reshuffled entire batting order if it clicks it is fine but downside is Dravid is the glue which has held this batting lineup together.VVS laxman is nice player but he is way too inconsistent just like the match against Victoria one opener got out early , laxman comes at no3 and gets out as quickly as he come.India will two or three down putting pressure back on to middle order where once Sachin was sure thing he is not sure thing anymore. Is Indian think tank playing with dravid's career by making him as opener and shuffling whole batting order to make room for yuvraj who I know is playing great .But changing whole batting lineup for yuvraj is it worthwhile. Your views

[living]

I hate the idea of shuffling the batting order... look at the eng series, we stuck with KKD and he played beautifully. Playing at no 3 is very different from opening. I guess RD doesn't care about his position in the side anymore, and just wants to do what he thinks is right for the team. noble but foolish, he is still india's best bat. I would still have KKD open the first test (I would have opted for Akash Chopra if he was in the squad, but ... politics ...)

[putrevus]

He is best batsman India has , I dont think we have anyone coming in near future who is as good as Dravid.I understand he was not successful as captain but this move if it backfire will push indian team backwards five years.

[Guest HariSampath]

Dravid opening ....will be the fastest exit route from intl cricket for him...sad

[guju24]

^then wht is sehwag doing AUS...visiting there....

[putrevus]

Was Viru an opener no he was also a middle order guy who couldnt find a spot became an opener , why not try Yuvraj as opener and see what he can do.both play fast and are shot makers it gives left right opening combo.

[fineleg]

Was Viru an opener no he was also a middle order guy who couldnt find a spot became an opener ' date=' why not try Yuvraj as opener and see what he can do.both play fast and are shot makers it gives left right opening combo.[/quote'] If RD should bat at #3, then either Yuvraj Singh has to open or Ganguly has to open. That will atleast give Left Right combo at the top of the order. (obv. i prefer YS to VS)