Mukul Kesavan: "Yuvraj Singh doesn't belong in Test cricket"

[fineleg]

What makes the decision to coerce Dravid into opening even more infuriating is that it was done to make room for a pretender. Yuvraj doesn’t belong in Test cricket. He’s a wonderful limited-overs player who, unfortunately for India’s Test fans, scores the occasional century on the sub-continent’s dead wickets to stay in contention. If you’re playing a side with one dysfunctional fast bowler, a defensive spinner and a bunch of middling medium pacers on a flat track, then Yuvraj is the bully you need. In any other circumstance, he ought to be India’s first pick for 12th man. In the first innings of this Test Yuvraj mimed elaborate dissatisfaction when he was given a bad decision. Given that he had just been let off when he nicked one off Hogg that wasn’t given, you have to marvel that he had the gall to moan. To top that, in the second innings when Hogg had him lbw with a flipper that was going to hit middle, he still managed to look injured in that hard-done-by way that he’s patented.

[fineleg]

Full writeup: http://blogs.cricinfo.com/meninwhite/archives/2007/12/dravid_the_meddle_and_the_mudd.php Dravid: The meddle and the muddle Shoehorning Yuvraj Singh into the side didn't work and his body language wasn't encouraging either © Getty Images In a perverse way, it was a pleasure to be beaten by the Australians. It was a reality check conducted by a first-rate professional team. Amongst the many good things about the Australian demolition job, one stood out: Ponting’s handling of Hogg. Despite the rough treatment he suffered at the hands of Tendulkar and Ganguly, Ponting kept him on and by the end of the Test, instead of being a marginal man, he was looking like an asset to the Australian team, going into Sydney. It was a fine piece of man-management, an investment of faith that will likely pay off later in the series. Which brings us to the way the Indian tour selectors managed their players, particularly Dravid. Rahul Dravid in the kind of form he’s in, isn’t just a bad opener, he’s a blight. In both innings in this MCG Test, but most particularly in the first innings when there was everything to play for after a decent bowling performance by Kumble and Co., Dravid’s example killed such momentum as the Indian bowlers had generated and demoralised his fellows. He’s a great batsman, completely out of sorts, who should be playing at No. 6 so that he doesn’t have the responsibility of giving the Indian innings a start. He was forced to open because the people who picked the team for the Melbourne Test wanted to have their cake and eat it: shoehorn Yuvraj Singh into the side without making difficult choices. Well, it didn’t work. Dravid was clearly unhappy doing an opener’s job despite his press statements. And he has a right to be: to mess about with India’s best and most consistent middle-order batsman since Tendulkar’s glory days, especially when he’s going through a lean period, is stupid and inconsiderate. To watch the hero of India’s last Australian tour batting like an oppressed bank clerk was awful. In the seventies and eighties when public sector unions in India were stronger than they are now, they would ‘work to rule’, i.e. they would sleepwalk through their jobs in slow motion, doing the barest minimum required by the law. Unlike those time-servers Dravid, as always, gave his all, but the end result was the same: an agonized crawl. What makes the decision to coerce Dravid into opening even more infuriating is that it was done to make room for a pretender. Yuvraj doesn’t belong in Test cricket. He’s a wonderful limited-overs player who, unfortunately for India’s Test fans, scores the occasional century on the sub-continent’s dead wickets to stay in contention. If you’re playing a side with one dysfunctional fast bowler, a defensive spinner and a bunch of middling medium pacers on a flat track, then Yuvraj is the bully you need. In any other circumstance, he ought to be India’s first pick for 12th man. In the first innings of this Test Yuvraj mimed elaborate dissatisfaction when he was given a bad decision. Given that he had just been let off when he nicked one off Hogg that wasn’t given, you have to marvel that he had the gall to moan. To top that, in the second innings when Hogg had him lbw with a flipper that was going to hit middle, he still managed to look injured in that hard-done-by way that he’s patented. If the squad’s selectors want to gamble on a batsman, much better that they gamble on Sehwag who is, as Ian Chappell persistently points out, the kind of aggressive opening batsman who might seize the initiative from Australia. At least Sehwag can point to previous successes Down Under. Since we haven’t got another spinner in the touring party, Harbhajan Singh will play in Sydney despite his performance here, so it’s even more urgent that the Indian team gets its batting sorted out. Given Harbhajan’s recent record, Sehwag’s inclusion would at least give Kumble the option of an offspinner who occasionally flights the ball. None of this is likely to happen. I have the sinking feeling that in the name of consistency and giving Yuvraj a proper run, we’ll go into the Sydney Test with the same team. It’s meant to be a spinner’s wicket and I can already see Yuvraj in the nets, bowling his left-arm slows. Mukul Kesavan

[Rajan]

If Yuvi scores couple of good knocks on the spinner friendly Sydney pitch, we will forget about Yuvi's technique and FTB reputation. he will play in perth again and may fail but will be picked for Adelaide. Dinesh karthik or Sehwag or not in the best of form and dont inspire any confidence.

[msb1991]

Neither of them are in good form - but an out of form Test opener is more valuable to India than an in form ODI middle order batsman.

[Yuvraj4Captaincy]

This mukul guy said the same thing..Then yuvraj shut his fukin mouth with a 169 and hes back again and now he will be shut out again in sydney test...He love eating humble pies...

[talksport]

The one thing that is still baffling me is Yuvraj fielding like a geriatric in MCG Is he carrying an injury

[Guest Hiten.]

There are wayyyyyyy too many comments on UV's test career, both good and bad ones. Leave the man alone for god's sakes. I say give him good 10 matches to show his worth, if he performs then persist with him and if not send him to play more ranji games to get used with longer version of the game.

[Desi Cartman]

There are wayyyyyyy too many comments on UV's test career' date=' both good and bad ones. Leave the man alone for god's sakes. I say give him good 10 matches to show his worth, if he performs then persist with him and if not send him to play more ranji games to get used with longer version of the game.[/quote'] You just cant wait for him fail in 10 test matches. Should he be allowed to play in the next 3 games and then vs SAF and then for the next series even if he fails just to see if he is any good? Why doesnt that rule apply for Gambhir or Sehwag or Pathan ?

[Chandan]

There are wayyyyyyy too many comments on UV's test career' date=' both good and bad ones. Leave the man alone for god's sakes. I say give him good 10 matches to show his worth, if he performs then persist with him and if not send him to play more ranji games to get used with longer version of the game.[/quote'] He was played in 10 consecutive matches earlier--in fact more. But result was not inspiring.

[kablooee87]

Even though I almost always cheer against India, I still feel it would be a crying shame if Yuvraj didn't end up having a long, prosperous career as a Test batsman. The man in class. Right now, the Indian middle order a crowded so maybe he should wait his turn, but his turn will come, so long as the Indian selectors don't buy into the "Yuvraj isn't Test class" bs.

[beetle]

Yuvraj has an attitude problem and unfortunately it is genetic .....so there is no hope of improvement there......

[talksport]

Even though I almost always cheer against India' date=' I still feel it would be a crying shame if Yuvraj didn't end up having a long, prosperous career as a Test batsman. The man in class. Right now, the Indian middle order a crowded so maybe he should wait his turn, but his turn will come, so long as the Indian selectors don't buy into the "Yuvraj isn't Test class" bs.[/quote'] Afridi : Tests 26 Average 37 Yuvraj: Tests 21 Average 32 Potential and Talent means diddly squat when not converted..... I would take an Afridi over Yuvraj ...with Afridi offering more in Bowling department

[kabira]

He will be automatic choice ones place in MO opens up...Right now he has to sit out or open the innings..

[Yuvraj4Captaincy]

Yuvraj has an attitude problem and unfortunately it is genetic .....so there is no hope of improvement there......

The report was false..everyones denying it..Aus media is playing mind games so u can cut ur crap now... Maybe lets talk abt dravid and his form now?lol

[Yuvraj4Captaincy]

Afridi : Tests 26 Average 37 Yuvraj: Tests 21 Average 32 Potential and Talent means diddly squat when not converted..... I would take an Afridi over Yuvraj ...with Afridi offering more in Bowling department

after 20 tests, yuvrajs average was 37...so one more good test and the average could well be 38-40

[kablooee87]

Afridi : Tests 26 Average 37 Yuvraj: Tests 21 Average 32 Potential and Talent means diddly squat when not converted..... I would take an Afridi over Yuvraj ...with Afridi offering more in Bowling department

That's a discussion for another day and another thread. Frankly, I don't like the idea of Yuvraj having to bowl to prove his place. IMO, he's good enough as a batsman to get a place in the squad (although maybe not a squad which also has Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, and Laxman). Where I think India are going wrong is that they aren't willing to make the tough decision. Neither Yuvraj nor Dravid should be opening. That means you have 5 middle order batsman and only 4 slots. Someone HAS to be dropped. IMO, dropping either Yuvraj or Dravid wouldn't be too outrageous (although you can guess which decision would generate more heat). But what you can't do is artificially make positions for all 5 batsman. There's a decision to be made, go ahead and make it. Don't tip toe around the issue and hope a solution presents itself.

[kumble_rocks]

Yuvraj has an attitude problem and unfortunately it is genetic .....so there is no hope of improvement there......

:hysterical: Good one .. both his mum and dad are pretty generous when it comes to mouthing off .. Heck , his pop wanted him to be captain over Dhoni after all .

[Yuvraj4Captaincy]

Yuvraj is a top class batsmen...watch out for sydney test....

[Willow_on_fire]

:hysterical: Good one .. both his mum and dad are pretty generous when it comes to mouthing off .. Heck ' date=' his pop wanted him to be captain over Dhoni after all .[/quote'] It is very cowardly to talk crap about someone's parents...just talk about the cricketer in question.....jees...u guys sound like school girls....:haha:

[aussiefan]

The report was false..everyones denying it..Aus media is playing mind games so u can cut ur crap now...

john buchanan on singh "Yuvraj Singh has yet to demonstrate to the Australian team that when a situation requires "mental toughness", he will not be found wanting -very good strokemaker when the situation is to his liking."