India in Australia, 2014-2015

[prasen9]

The team was announced.

Good to see KL Rahul and Karn Sharma.

Stupid decision to have Ashwin tour again. How many more tours will this guy ruin before we get a genuine bowler? He averages over 64 runs/wicket abroad. Still he gets into the team

Ditto for Raina. While the likes of Manoj languish. If you want young, I would have invest in a middle-order batsman like Bawne. Or Manish Pandey. These guys have been consistent for several years.

It is time for Dhawan and Vijay to put up or shut up. They need to score heavily for India to be competitive.

Glad to see Dhoni not there in the test team. He cannot bat overseas. But can Saha? Or Ojha? I don't know. I don't mind him in the team but Kohli should be made the captain for the entire test series. Wishful thinking, of course. That will not happen.

The pacers select themselves. I hope they are all fit. I would prefer Bhuvi, Shami, and Umesh. However, Ishant will possibly get in and Umesh will be the unlucky one if everyone is fit.

[PKBasu]

There is zero justification for picking Karn Sharma for tests. His first-class record is pretty dismal, and he is being picked on the basis of a few IPL performances. Maddening!! Piyush Chawla has had a modest season, but is in a different class as a first-class bowler. If a leggie was to be picked, it should have been Amit Mishra, followed by Piyush.

[suresh]

Looks like selections are heavily influenced by performance in the IPL. Karn Sharma is a good bowler but is yet to earn the right to play Test cricket. He has only 2 five wicket hauls in 34 first class matches.

[prasen9]

But, Piyush Chawla is not in form. Karn has a better FC record than PC wrt bowling averages. Amit Mishra has not performed in tests in the chances he got. So, this is a selection based on hope.

Having said that, I am in the anybody-but-Ashwin camp for tests abroad; at home, I'd select him first among the bowlers for test matches. I would welcome choosing Karn over Ashwin. We can also go for a four pace-bowler attack in Brisbane. Or choose Jadeja as the fourth bowler to strengthen the batting. Any thoughts?

[karr]

Prasen, what's wrong with Ashwin as an all rounder - abroad, I would just consider him a batting all rounder. His batting, even on away pitches seems very reasonable and if he can spell the pacers with some good spells, that can help, both with keeping them fresh and having some variety in the attack. If in the bargain, he can improve his away bowling record like Kumble did very gradually over the years, that would be a bonus. Watching him bat on away pitches, I frankly have more confidence in his ability than even a Rohit. I wonder if actual batting averages back-up what my eye sees as we can all clearly be lulled by elegant stroke making ...

[prasen9]

Karr, I am fine with Ashwin being groomed to be a backup batsman who can bowl a bit. He averages 32 abroad with the bat. Not great but not bad. If he comes consistently at the #7 spot, I am fine assuming we have four other good bowlers. He should also be bowled appropriately after the four first-choice bowlers.

[prasen9]

The practice games against Sri Lanka are over. Now, we have the tri-series in Australia and the world cup. So, what did we find out in the SL series?

Medium Pacers: If we go by numbers, averages that is, Binny, Kulkarni, and Unadkat have bowled well in the chances they got, 6, 4, and 7 matches respectively. Of course, somehow, Unadkat is out of the reckoning even though he brings variety in being left-handed. Aaron got 9 matches and has not done that well.

Among the regulars, we have Bhuvi, Shami, Umesh, Ishant. All of them are more or less okay.

If we are taking five pacers, I would choose Binny because he can bat.

Batsmen: By the numbers, it would be Dhawan, Rohit, Rayudu, Kohli, Dhoni, Raina, Jadeja. As backup, I suppose Rahane will get the nod despite performing worse than Manoj.

Spinners: I would choose Axar Patel and Ashwin just for the sake of variety. Mishra spins the ball the same way as Axar and Jadeja.

That would pretty much be the WC team barring injuries. But given that our batsmen cannot play the short ball and our bowlers break down, there are going to be injuries. We'll see.

[Sin Hombre]

We are dependent on Kohli to fire to do well at the WC.

Or for Australia to prepare flat batting decks (bounce or not).

[prasen9]

I would hope the relative unknowns Rayudu and Jadeja figure it out to assist Kohli. You cannot win with one batsman firing. Dhawan, Rohit, and Raina are flat-track bullies. I do not have much hope on them, but, would be glad if they do figure it out.

[PKBasu]

Ashwin can play tests abroad if he becomes a better fielder -- for instance, by becoming the top slip fielder in the side, so that he can field there most of the time. Otherwise he is a slight liability in the field. If he becomes a slip specialist, then he could play as a batting all rounder (fifth bowler) overseas, and bowling all rounder (specialist bowler with batting ability) at home.

[Omkara]

If we are taking five pacers, I would choose Binny because he can bat.

Binny can't bat. Last ODI Axar did what Binny should have done. He is too impatient. And my beloved Manoj will be royally ignored. So will his track record in Australia

[prasen9]

Binny can't be a #7 but he can be a #8. I am talking about Jadeja/Axar, Binny, Bhuvneshwar/Umesh, Ishant, Shami on the faster pitches where two spinners may be a luxury. Remember the #5 pacer will be only used in case of injuries. So, it could be Jadeja/Axar, Ashwin, Binny, Ishant, Shami when Bhuvi is injured or Binny replacing one of the three medium pacers if our stalwart flat-track-bullies fail and we need more batting depth in the tail.

The case of Manoj Tiwari is sad. He should have been given a longer run.

[PKBasu]

Yes, Manoj Tiwary has to always work extra hard to prove (and re-prove) himself in domestic cricket to even be picked in the India squad. And he didn't do that this season, so he was ignored (except as captain of India A). Frankly, since Pujara's domestic form was even worse, Tiwary should at least have been considered seriously for a test berth.
Now that Team India has been selected, Manoj has just made 130 off 101 balls (with 9 sixes) in the Hazare Trophy quarterfinal today!

[PKBasu]

But, Piyush Chawla is not in form. Karn has a better FC record than PC wrt bowling averages. Amit Mishra has not performed in tests in the chances he got. So, this is a selection based on hope.

There hasn't been much first-class cricket this season -- but we should of course be judging form based on performances in the first-class matches that have been held. Piyush Chawla led Central Zone to the Duleep Trophy title, bowling his side to victory by nine runs (along with left-arm spinner Murtaza). Chawla and Murtaza had 3 wickets each, but Chawla got the crucial ones of Uthappa and Aparajith; he also got 2 wickets in the first innings. KL Rahul was picked for Australia based on his century in each innings of the Duleep final, but Chawla is allegedly "not in form" despite leading Central to the Duleep title!!

Karn Sharma was not picked for Central Zone in the Duleep final -- but of course is worthy of being in the India test team!!

[prasen9]

Piyush Chawla has taken six wickets at 45.16 per wicket. So, he is indeed not in form. Note that I did not say that Karn has performed well in FC. Just that Chawla is not in good form, which is true. I believe choosing based on form is bad practice anyway. We should not be just judging based on the first class matches held this season. We should be looking at long-term performance and reward that. Karn has a better FC record. And, note that I had said that this is a "selection based on hope", which means that the selectors are hoping that Karn will succeed, not that he is breaking down doors demanding selection. My comments were more explanation of the rationale of the selectors rather than justification. Basically, the selectors have rightly written off Amit Mishra in tests. I agree with that decision. I would play him only in ODIs. Karn has been hopeless in the ODIs he got. Now, with respect to Piyush, he has not performed that well in tests and ODIs he got. Plus, he is not in form, forcing the selectors to select him. So, they went with Karn.

Having said that, I do not expect Karn to play in any test. They are not going to give us a wicket where it spins. And, if it does, Jadeja is good enough to do the job. I do not expect Karn to be the next Warne or even a Shiva.