Karun Nair or Hardik Pandya - Who will play the 1st test?

[Malcolm Merlyn]

So who will play the 1st test vs England and Rajkot?

 

@sourab10forever can we have a bet on this?

[tweaker]

Most probably Hardik Pandya

[SLICKR392]

Nair is an opener, right?

[Bleed-Blue]

13 minutes ago, SLICKR392 said:

Nair is an opener, right?

Na middle order batsmen

[G_B_]

It depends on the pitch to be honest.

 

We might play both....Ash and Sir bowl so many overs Shami and Pandya will be enough.

[beetle]

I want it to be Nair...but most probably it will be Pandya.

[Laaloo]

How good is Karun Nair?

[Unleashed]

Honestly people hoping for Nair are tad stupid or short sighted. We have loads of similar skill set players like Nair available in domestic cricket. People like Pandya who are excellent in field, can bat decently and can bowl 140k is a rare, rare skillset in Indian Cricket. We've been searching for this player for the last 2 decades or so. Talents like these need to be groomed and that's why Kumble and Virat has taken a chance on them.

If it works, then it can lend spectacular balance to the Indian team in the future. If it doesn't, then nothing is lost.  

[coffee_rules]

Pandya hitting 140s couple of times, they are making him feel as a pitch ripper.  He is a good ODI/T20 bowler. I don't know why Kohli opted for me in the Test team. We can do with 4 bowlers in India. Nair can bowl a bit in case 5th bowler is needed.. 

[express bowling]

10 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

Pandya hitting 140s couple of times, 

Not really...Pandya bowled atleast 40% of his deliveries between 140 k and 146 k in the first  2 ODIs.

[rkt.india]

41 minutes ago, coffee_rules said:

Pandya hitting 140s couple of times, they are making him feel as a pitch ripper.  He is a good ODI/T20 bowler. I don't know why Kohli opted for me in the Test team. We can do with 4 bowlers in India. Nair can bowl a bit in case 5th bowler is needed.. 

It is not about hitting 140s, but the package he brings in as a pacer who can bat well and brings depth to our batting while playing 3 spinners. We do not need 2 specialist seamers on Indian pitches most of the times but still you need a cushion of second seamer in case there is revese swing on offer. 

[SLICKR392]

19 hours ago, laaloo said:

How good is Karun Nair?

Looks solid, that's about it, I guess. Doesn't seem like an impact player.

[cowboysfan]

you guys are obsessed with speed,pandya is a JAG..let him show he can atleast do well in odis,cant believe he is selected for this important test series.

[mishra]

Preserve Pandya for overseas series or debut him against some non white team. Will not be easy for him physically and his morale against English who are accustomed to better pace and more bounce/swing.

 

Nair for Me

[tweaker]

[SUMO]

pandya should be averaging 30-35 at no 6 at least , able to face second new ball to be considered an all rounder (at least ashwin level)
his bowling looks to have necessary ingredients for a good extra seamer (pace bouncer and swing with new ball ) but batting is hopeless at the moment with first class avg of 27...no century

[Mosher]

4 minutes ago, SUMO said:

pandya should be averaging 30-35 at no 6 at least , able to face second new ball to be considered an all rounder (at least ashwin level)
his bowling looks to have necessary ingredients for a good extra seamer (pace bouncer and swing with new ball ) but batting is hopeless at the moment with first class avg of 27...no century

Welcome to ICF.

[SUMO]

10 minutes ago, Mosher said:

Welcome to ICF.

thank you 

[tweaker]

Nair selection will be a safe bet wheras Pandya 's selection will be a very bold move.

I back Kumble & Kohli to select Pandya as he will not be under lot of pressure as he will be helped by Kohli ,Pujara ,Rahane in batting & Ashwin ,Jadeja & Shami in bowling.

[maniac]

England has been our bogey team....on top of that one of the strongest test sides in the world.....can't take any risk...play a specialist batsman or 5 bowlers if need be....Pandya is still a work in progress.

 

I have nothing against Pandya but we can't take the risk right now...play him in a dead rubber or when the series is won.