India in West Indies 2022

[Rajkumar Sharma]

Great to see Sanju getting a go in odis. Gill should be our n.o 3

[prasen9]

Sanju Samson again has a poor List-A record and has a poor ODI record. Sanju and Hooda brought WI back firmly and squarely into the game. Horrible innings from both. Can someone check their bank accounts? (Said in jest btw, not suggesting anything)

[prasen9]

At the end, we won thanks to Dhawan's innings, Gill's, and bits and pieces contributions from other players despite the shambolic batting by Sanju and Hooda. For Hooda, this is just one failure and he redeemed himself with the ball. But, Sanju has been horrible in List-As throughout his career. He should only be tried in T20Is.

For a change, Gill scored in ODIs. He has been terribly inconsistent and has a poor ODI record. Time to rectify that against a weak opposition and earn himself a few more games.

I would still prefer to checkout Gaekwad and Kishan for these ODIs.

For now, Gill averages 28@91 (in 4 matches), Sanju 29@91 (in 2), Hooda 41@92 (in 3). Pretty similar SRs, quite acceptable in ODIs, but the first two need to score more runs.

On the bowling side, we have Siraj 32.44@5.3 (in 6), Krishna 24.5@5.2 (in 11), Thakur 39.18@6.63 (in 20), and Axar 32.26@4.46 (in 39). PK has been the star bowler but has been out of form a bit off late. Thakur has been horrible but very good with the bat. We need another all-rounder type who bowls pace. Axar keeps the runs down but ideally, I'd like to have a strike bowler like Kuldeep assuming he can keep the runs down.

[Rajkumar Sharma]

Finishing the innings is an experience art which is developed by playing the game not a readymade skill. Hooda, Samson, neither Kishan have batted at that slot in domestic odi or for India A. Last 10-15 overs in odi is completely differant situation last few overs in T20Is. Hooda, Samson or V Iyer all are in trial phase as their batting order changes in every series.Dont think Ishan Kishan will get opening or n.o 3 / 4 slot in odis, he too have to play as finisher.Its need time to develop that art of getting quick runs in last 10-15 overs.Want more improvement from Siraj, he is very much capable of doing it.

SKY's last 5 innings in odi 107 runs at an average of 20+.So, far it doesnt looks he is reliable as odi player, today he had plenty of opportunity against weakest bowling line up with 16 overs remaining, but failed again back to back failures raising the matter of consistentcy. 5 more odis are still remaining for him to prove himself. Ruturaj should play as opener. Gill should be developed as n.o 3. Thakur is not even Irfan Pathan lite version, he is in the team because he have the luck of picking important wickets, always goes for plenty. To develop him as Hardik's contemporary he needs more opportunity at the top order in odis that will develop him for test matches.Axar getting smashed for 43 in 7 overs in this track is poor, a week ago WI batting line up was in tatters by Bangladeshi left armers Nasum & Taijul, and here we have Axar who failed to pick a single went for 6@ an over, he just can't be replacement of Jadeja, depends too much on Indian tracks to get wickets.Ashwin has been picked in wrong format, he should return in odi squad, Ashwin Chahal would be excellent combo for upcomming 50 over WC

[prasen9]

If the yardstick is that the person should not fail in five innings, then nobody in the world is reliable. This reliability business is crap imho. Does not matter. What matters is runs by the buckets scored quickly. SAY has hit a bad patch. On the other hand, Gill despite his little cameos averages 31. That is what is unacceptable and needs serious improvement. Having said that that is also on the basis of 4 ODIs or so but Gill has a poor List-A record compared to Gaekwad. We pay no attention to performances. So, we keep someone like PK out to bring in crap like Avesh. The fickleness of selectors is weird. Siraj gets chances because of his test performances - this is the Pant syndrome. I suppose Siraj deserves chances when Shami and Bumrah are resting for he may be in our second XI. Avesh should not be in our second XI either based on List-As. And, if we wanted to take a flyer take it on Arshdeep to bring in some variety.

Averages are pretty good indicators in ODIs as opposed to in T20Is, where I'd use SRs with average minimums (25). Our best batsmen have been: Kohli, Dhawan, Rahul, Rohit and Shreyas among those who played 25 inings. We have SAY 37, Gill 31, and we will see where Samson and Hooda end up. Jadeja 33, Hardik 34, Pant 36.5. In a way, in the recent past, we have seen Pant rise and SAY sink a bit.

So basically, Hardik and Pant come in as the 6-7. Rest are to cover for injuries.

On the batting side, Sikhar Dhawan basically did us in. Can't pull this match out with that Dhawan batting. Time to check his bank balance too

[ssp]

Axar won the match with a brilliant innings.

The 'efforts' of Dhawan, SKY and Shardul with the bat and Chahal, Avesh and Shardul with the ball were all pathetic. Shardul is just living off a couple of good batting performances in test matches over a year ago. His bowling, batting and fielding is awful. Shreyas Iyer and Hooda made things difficult with their inability to accelerate.

[indiansportsfan]

Yes, Axar was brilliant while Dhawan and Avesh were pathetic. Every so often, Dhawan produces a "match-losing" innings, where it is clear he should be chucked out forever from the national setup, and then mysteriously he is selected for the next series, and made the captain no less. I don't really know what we get out of him, Gill is clearly proving to be way better than him. I hope for the last ODI, they replace him with Ruturaj (which is never going to happen).

Siraj played an important role with the ball as well, he kept runs in check; and he played an important role in the 1st ODI as well. I think he is establishing himself as our #3 fast bowler, behind Bumrah and Shami. However unless he makes a marked improvement in his batting, he will likely be relegated to the backup spot. Deepak Chahar remains the best bet to take the #3 seamer's spot once he is fit because of his superior batting skills. Chahal remains an up-and-down bowler, bowling a match-winning spell in 1 game and awful in the next. I wish we had 1 reliable wicket-taking spinner in our lineup.

[Rajiv]

It seems SKY should only focus on T20 cricket and that too for MI only. Very inconsistent otherwise.

[Atithee]

Siraj played an important role with the ball as well, he kept runs in check; and he played an important role in the 1st ODI as well. I think he is establishing himself as our #3 fast bowler, behind Bumrah and Shami. However unless he makes a marked improvement in his batting, he will likely be relegated to the backup spot.

And, he is a terrible fielder. Very ungainly. Another strike against him.

[Rajkumar Sharma]

Innings of 63 & 54 for Shreyas Iyer will certainly give him confidence but at the end of the day its weak WI bowling. After failure in England his real test is still waiting when he face short balls from quality attack. He should skip Zim tour and work on his short ball weakness before Asia Cup, innings against weak opponents will not count much. SKY is getting enough support,struggling with average of 20+ in last 5-6 odis but Hooda with his allround performance has clearly now have an edge over SKY. Might see Tilak Verma or someone like Subham Sharma in odi format for Zim Tour, India didnt have a left handed middle order batter after Yuvraj & Raina, so Verma can be the option.
Avesh Khan isnt a quick learner, in recent T20Is against SA we saw him getting smashed in first T20I, and showing good improvement in next T20I, he should be given some time to prove himself.

[prasen9]

The problem is that there is not much time and there are few slots left. Avesh needs to use the time he gets in List-As where he has largely been a failure imho and then be given time in the big leagues. I would give that time to PK to see if he can cut it.

At this point, because of his bowling I would certainly choose Hooda over SAY and Pant. So, my XI when fit would be: Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Rahul, Shreyas, Hooda, Hardik. Hooda is much slower than SAY and Pant though.

Here's the next gen up until now.

Hooda 38@92, SAY 37@98, Pant 36.5@109, Samson 37@97 who scored some runs followed by Prithvi 31@114 and Gill 31@90.

Clearly, Gill and Hooda are the slowest, with SAY and Samson in the middle, and Pant and Prithvi being the fastest. Maybe that is why Pant is being given the chances to save some balls for the lower order to hit. Not a terrible idea, I'd say. But, if we are doing that, might as well do that at the top of the order with Prithvi instead of Gill.

[Kumar]

It is Pant’s potential that has him firmly ensconced in white ball cricket. All his replacements have ceiling that is probably slightly better than Pant’s floor. U can make a case that Pant has got enough opportunities and he needs to be gone. And that may be true as well. Unfortunately none of his replacements have actually blown that door wide open with superlative performance to take it over.


As Prasen pointed out in another tthread, His inconsistency would not havebeen a issue if our top order were firing. Unfortunately they have also failed miserably.


As to Hooda’s bowling, I hope he really improves and can play as a batting allrounder. Would make a huge difference. Still not convinced fully.

[Rajkumar Sharma]

Sanju Samson T20I debut in Zimbabwe, scored 19 runs, next chance in T20I is in 2019 against Sri Lanka. Selectors totally damaged his four years got dropped just after 1 T20I.Not even got picked as MSD's back up for four years or got chance to play against weaker teams.No one talked like Dravid at that time i,e like not dropping player with just 1/2 game, though V Iyer is also now getting same treatment getting dropped after 2 Odis, 9 T20Is with experts saying no one like Pandya etc etc.but they are not putting forward Pandya's initial days and support, confidence, back up offered by Rohit, MSD & Kohli in building him as an allrounder.

Ishan Kishan, talented player doesn't know which game he will play, which game he will sit, in which series Pant will be part in which series he will be not, total confusion. Wheather he will open, bat at 3 or 6/7. Wheather he will play as opener or wicket keeper batter. And you expect them to perform with such insecurity and challenge Pant ?. Its impossible, as the mind is totally diverted. Only player in the side who is totally devasted to get to know what is his role in the team. Salute to Ishan Kishan who is bearing doll like treatment from Team Management

[prasen9]

I think I will split the baby. In ODIs, Pant is possibly going to be very useful abroad. I'd keep him. In T20Is, he is run of the mill. I'd have Pant in the test XI. Very close to the ODI XI, certainty in the XV. In T20Is, he'd be hit or miss in the XVs for me. That is because I think we can get the likes of Samson, etc. to cover and do a great job in T20Is. They don't have it in them to score the 125 that Pant did. In T20Is, you don't need that long an innings.

In ODIs, after the top 7, my reserves would be Pant and Prithvi. Let's get people who can really hit. Note that Shreyas and Hooda are in my top 7. SAY is unfortunate but he needs to start bowling. Otherwise, I will take Hooda's four somewhat tight overs even though it is trash. The idea is to bring him on for even two overs to keep it tight especially when the risk is less, i.e., the opposition has lost two wickets in close succession and will perhaps not go hammer and tongs. That gives us flexibility to hide the Avesh of the day who is being hit a bit later on and the captain choices. We absolutely need a sixth bowler even though he is crap. Just someone to turn the arm over and bowl wicket to wicket. Ganguly, Yuvraj, SRT, Sehwag were the king of such trundlers although Yuvraj was in a different league with the fielders protecting him and Ganguly was lethal in swinging conditions. Get someone who can turn their arm over. Unfortunately, Hooda does not have any competition now. I'd make Shreyas and SAY bowl so that we can have some more quality in the batting.

Jadeja will have to compete with DLC and Sharadul for the #8 slot based on conditions. He will be a wonderful luxury at #8.

[Atithee]

I don’t count Rohit and Kohli as certainties any more in any format. We can win without them too and it’s time to replace them. No crap like Tendulkar deciding when it’s his time to go.