How can we field a more balanced team for test matches?

[ShebbySB]

Playing with only 5 batsmen will be a risk in long term in my views as at no. 6 Saha is too fragile.U can't expect Ashwin to bat in top 6 everytime. Even if he does he needs to fulfill his primary role that is to pick up wickets. If he does both still too much burden on him so I think he should bat at no. 7.

Playing with 5 bowlers is a damn good strategy that's why it is imp to have the right balance,enough firepower in the bowling to pick 20 wickets and having

a fair depth in the batting.This is my side based on the current form.

Dhawan

Vijay

Pujara

Kohli(c)

Rahane

Rahul(wk)

Ashwin

Mishra/Jadeja(both can bat)

Shami

Ishant

Umesh

Reserves:- Rohit,Saha,Aaron,BK.

Changes can be made in the squad but we really need someone who can bat well and keep.Playing Ashwin at 6 makes the batting

look fragile.I also want Aaron in the test squad.

Edited July 23, 2016 by ShebbySB

[gakgupta]

5 minutes ago, ShebbySB said:

Playing with only 5 batsmen will be a risk in long term in my views as at no. 6 Saha is too fragile.U can't expect Ashwin to bat in top 6 everytime. Even if he does he needs to fulfill his primary role that is to pick up wickets. If he does both still too much burden on him so I think he should bat at no. 7.

Playing with 5 bowlers is a damn good strategy that's why it is imp to have the right balance,enough firepower in the bowling to pick 20 wickets and having

a fair depth in the batting.This is my side based on the current form.

Dhawan

Vijay

Pujara

Kohli(c)

Rahane

Rahul(wk)

Ashwin

Mishra/Jadeja(both can bat)

Shami

Ishant

Umesh

Reserves:- Rohit,Saha,Aaron,BK.

Changes can be made in the squad but we really need someone who can bat well and keep.Playing Ashwin at 6 makes the batting

look fragile.I also want Aaron in the test squad.

 

Rahul?? Seriously??

 

He is piss poor wicket keeper....there is no point playing 5 bowlers when wicket keeper is piss poor....I would rather go with 4 bowlers with proper wicket-keeper...

 

As an other thought, we can go with Rishab pant even-though he is not ready.....

[ShebbySB]

Maybe Rahul is not the solution but u really need a better bat than Saha in this 5 bowler policy of Kohli.

[express bowling]

Rishab Pant needs to be groomed ASAP.  

 

He is a proper wicket-keeper and a proper batsman.

 

Edited July 23, 2016 by express bowling

[beetle]

A bad (or not so good)wicket keeper is more harmful than just the dropped catches and stumpings. He severely limits the bowlers  in terms of confidence,planning and ability to bowl to full ability.

[beetle]

The wicket  keeping skill of the WK should be the first criteria.His ability to bat is a bonus.

A brilliant keeper who bats at 11 is better than an average keeper who bats at 6.

Better let the batsmen practice bowling a bit  and bowlers practice batting a bit to make up for the 6th batsman.

[FischerTal]

india needs a wicket taking fast bowler. screw everything else

[Ankit_sharma03]

KL rahul n any part time keeper will hurt us more only specially on rank turner we are going to prepare at home. 

1. Ojha has to come really good at this point he looks as a best option. Pant, samson and any other player making a debut in test still looks a far away thing.

2. We have to groom an all rounder. Players like Pandya bros, Hooda, Axar, shankar or anyone else has to imrpove their batting by a long distance and should also be able to bowl 10-15 decent overs a day. A time when u miss someone like irfan or yuvraj 

3. Rahane has to become consistent, he is damn gud player but just not consistent enough. While playing 5 batsman one of ur top batsman cant be inconsistent.

4. Get rid of rohit and get in Karun nair who atleast bowl more than few overs for his ranji side and would do better than him with bat any day.

Dhawan should nothing be more than a backup. Again we cant have 5 batsman among which 2 are walking wickets.

5. Till time we have to do with binnny n jadeja and they themselves should work on their batting. 

 

[SLICKR392]

We are yet to find a stable squad, let alone a playing XI. 

[ShebbySB]

1 hour ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

KL rahul n any part time keeper will hurt us more only specially on rank turner we are going to prepare at home. 

1. Ojha has to come really good at this point he looks as a best option. Pant, samson and any other player making a debut in test still looks a far away thing.

2. We have to groom an all rounder. Players like Pandya bros, Hooda, Axar, shankar or anyone else has to imrpove their batting by a long distance and should also be able to bowl 10-15 decent overs a day. A time when u miss someone like irfan or yuvraj 

3. Rahane has to become consistent, he is damn gud player but just not consistent enough. While playing 5 batsman one of ur top batsman cant be inconsistent.

4. Get rid of rohit and get in Karun nair who atleast bowl more than few overs for his ranji side and would do better than him with bat any day.

Dhawan should nothing be more than a backup. Again we cant have 5 batsman among which 2 are walking wickets.

5. Till time we have to do with binnny n jadeja and they themselves should work on their batting. 

 

While playing at home or inside the SC it's not a problem.We'll play 3 spinners and 2 seamers.3 spinners will be Ash,Jaddu and Mishra,all of them can bat and make up for that 6th batsman.But when we play outside the SC we need more cushion in batting.If Virat plays 5 bowlers outside the SC we need a better batsman than Saha at 6.Ashwin at 7 is ideal.Be it Ojha,Pant or anyone else need to replace Saha.

[velu]

in aus , eng and sa , this 5 bowler theory wont work .. 

[Adi_91]

KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper is a bad idea.

 

I don't want to lose a proper batsman and make him do something he is not good at. And this 5 bowler theory is anyway not fixed, as Kohli has played 4 bowlers and 6 proper batsmen in the past.

[Laaloo]

4 hours ago, radhika said:

A bad (or not so good)wicket keeper is more harmful than just the dropped catches and stumpings. He severely limits the bowlers  in terms of confidence,planning and ability to bowl to full ability.

Yup I remember Dravid in the 2003 world cup. we didnt have a specialist wicket keeper. His pathetic display hurt us big time.

[New guy]

Kohli clearly believes in the 5 bowler thing and is not going to change that anytime soon

[velu]

5 minutes ago, New guy said:

Kohli clearly believes in the 5 bowler thing and is not going to change that anytime soon

stubborn mule 

 

 

 

 

 

[Texan]

In WI, we might just get by with Ashwin batting at 6. But in other countries, unless Ashwin becomes more solid as a batsman, we will struggle with this combination. I think we should still play 5 bowlers, but at least 3 of those bowlers must be able to bat. 

 

So, for away tests, I'd pick Ashwin and Mishra as the two spinners and make them bat in the nets for long periods. 

 

To back those guys up, we need somebody like Bhuvneshwar. Really can't tell why we don't pick him. 

 

That leaves room for two pure bowlers. Depending on form, those could be Shami and Yadav as first preference or any other that are in form or the conditions suit their bowling. 

 

Also, having a keeper who can bat decently cannot be stressed enough. Just being a good keeper is not enough to play Test cricket in 2016. Sure, that would have been good in 1970, but not today. So, all those saying we need keeper only to keep are not in tune with the reality of today. 

 

[express bowling]

In countries like Australia, England, NZ and South Africa....2 spinners are not usually needed and in such conditions , we can think about replacing Mishra with someone like a Vijay Shankar or someone similar  , who is a proper batsman and can give the captain a few overs a day with his seamers.  

 

In the sub-continent and WI , 5 batsmen and Ashwin may suffice as a temporary measure.

Edited July 23, 2016 by express bowling

[zen]

It would depend up on the conditions. In bowler friendly conditions, Ind could go with 4 bowlers (3 pacers + 1 spinner). In batting friendly conditions and on most pitches in subcon, Ind could go with 3 pacers + 2 spinners 

 

I believe in specialists and playing players for their key skills first. All-rounder if selected should be a genuine one. A bits and pieces players looks good on paper but may not deliver like a specialist 

 

If Ind is able to select 5 in form batsmen, the batting takes care of itself. Other 6 can combine to perform like 2-3 batsmen. Then play 5 in-form bowlers so even if the batting fails at times, the bowler can make up for it 

 

 

[Ankit_sharma03]

11 hours ago, ShebbySB said:

While playing at home or inside the SC it's not a problem.We'll play 3 spinners and 2 seamers.3 spinners will be Ash,Jaddu and Mishra,all of them can bat and make up for that 6th batsman.But when we play outside the SC we need more cushion in batting.If Virat plays 5 bowlers outside the SC we need a better batsman than Saha at 6.Ashwin at 7 is ideal.Be it Ojha,Pant or anyone else need to replace Saha.

I agree with u & we have 19-20 test to figure out but these things need to be soughted. As far Pant goes i dnt see him making the cut as our selectors cant fats track a fast bowler like nathu or an all rounder like pandya forget it with Pant

[cowboysfan]

In theory going with 5 bowlers is a good strategy but our openers are not good, against good teams we could looking at 20/2 in no time and that puts way too pressure on the next 3 batsmen.we have got to groom the next generation openers.