India A Series ....

[jaydeep]

Excellent batting by Cheteshwar Pujara in demanding condition ... Also creditable knock by No. 10 Shami Ahmed.

[cricketics]

If Australian tour squad is to be retained, I would have Pujara for Dravid.

That batting line up is pretty good and will do us good for next few series as we don't play outside asia for long time.

Also in starting line up I will put Kohli and Pujara and not Rohit Sharma. Rohit Sharma has class, but not as good as Kohli and Pujara. Atleast for now.

[prasen9]

Let's just see what happens in the whole tour. I would tend to agree with you but, we need to give these guys a chance to improve and show us what they are capable of. This A-tour is an excellent idea at the most opportune time. The only drawback is fatigue and injury risks before the next season.

[prasen9]

Another low-scoring match in the West Indies. West Indies made 217 in the first innings and India responded with 202. WI 6-0 in the second innings. Pujara again shone with a half century and everyone else did not do anything of note with the bat. Shami Ahmed took four wickets and Dinda chipped in too. Unfortunately, Kumar was dropped.

[gbelday]

West Indies A level series
http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/we ... 120612.htm

I am not really a Shikar Dhawan fan. He may have scored in the domestic circuit (mostly IPL) but I don't see him as someone suitable for longer version of the game (especially overseas against geniune fast bowling). Why wasn't Rayudu chosen for this tour? C'mon, he atleast deserves to be in the A squad...

[indiansportsfan]

What is especially galling is to see a Windies spinner take 9 crucial wickets of an Indian side, supposedly the best players of spin; while on the other hand, the Indian spinner fails to make an impression. I think IPL has screwed us badly, making superstars of mediocre players. Also agree that Shikhar Dhawan is a waste, 1 more IPL hype.

[prasen9]

I am not really a Shikar Dhawan fan. He may have scored in the domestic circuit (mostly IPL) but I don't see him as someone suitable for longer version of the game (especially overseas against geniune fast bowling). Why wasn't Rayudu chosen for this tour? C'mon, he atleast deserves to be in the A squad...

If Shikhar Dhawan has mostly scored in the IPL, Rayudu has not scored at all. Dhawan averages better in first class cricket, List A cricket, and Twenty20 cricket than Rayudu. Mediocre players like Rayudu should not be rewarded. I am not arguing that Dhawan can cut it or not. But, I hope that we have people who can bat to replace Dhawan and not settle for mediocrity.

The choice of Rahul Sharma as the spinner is idiotic. We must be having better spinners. What about Chawla? Or Iqbal Abdullah? Or someone else. Darekar bowled well. Rahul is nothing but a limited over spinner as of now. He must only be used in ODIs and T20Is.

Only Pujara has batted well in this series. Rohit has been good in one innings. Shami Ahmed, Darekar, and B. Kumar have bowled well. Dinda has done decently too. I hope Awana gets a match in the next match and Rahul is finally dropped and Darekar retained if they go with one spinner.

[PKBasu]

India A dismissed for 230 in the first innings of the 3rd "Test" against Windies A. Only Jalaj Saxena (an all rounder who has no business being on this tour) got past 50, and there 30-plus knocks from Rahane, Pujara and Manoj Tiwary. Dinda (the best bowler in India's domestic season last year by a long way) has been dropped, so we have two inexperienced pacers in Awana and Shami Ahmed. Windies A 34 without loss in response.

[prasen9]

Rahul Sharma got dropped too. Deservedly. Dinda has not bowled too well in this series but has not bowled too badly either. I think they have tried to give everyone one game. That is why Bist got a game.

[prasen9]

Young Bhuvaneshwar Kumar got only one match, bowled well and got dropped. Weird. Rahul Sharma's spot in the second test should have gone to him. By playing Jalaj Saxena they are going in with only three bowlers plus the part-timers Jalaj and Rohit. The bowling attack is too weak. I think they don't care about winning the game but are trying to just play everyone.

[PKBasu]

This is the attitude that messes up India's professional preparations. The best of the next lot should play every match -- as they are on trial for the full India side. There is no reason to give a trial to those who are on the fringes of India A. The India A XI is, by definition, on the fringe of India selection!

Anyway, Windies A are 320/8 -- a substantial lead, with Jalaj Saxena doing best with the ball. A man with a first-class bowling average of 40+..!

[prasen9]

In some sense, we cannot complain about Jalaj, but, dropping Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and giving a go to Awana seems to have been the wrong move. If they wanted a second spinner the choice was between Rahul Sharma who averages an even more craptacular 44+ with the ball. So, Jalaj is okay, I guess. The Atithee theory of choosing the best batsman among crappy bowlers is justifiable. But Awana on the basis of his IPL in place of Kumar or Dinda seems to be the wrong move. There is still time for Awana to justify his selection with a spectacular second innings performance.

[prasen9]

Tiwary and Saha added 85 to result in India-A go to around 111-4 after Rahane, Rohit and Pujara failed. Rohit started well and then faded in this series. Overall, Rahane and Rohit have failed. Pujara should be in line for Dravid's test slot. After this inning, I would keep Manoj in line in the ODI lineup. Rohit first still and then Manoj unless Rohit tanks and Manoj succeeds in the List-A matches. I hope India-A can bat very well and save this test. They have a long batting lineup with Bist and then Jalaj coming next.

Awana took three wickets. Not bad.

[PKBasu]

India A set to be humiliated again, leading by just 75 runs with just 3 wickets in hand. The three Bengal boys -- Tiwary (62), Saha (48*) and Shami Ahmed (16*) -- top-scored in India A's second innings of 181/7, apart from Mukund's 20 (his highest score in the series, I think!). Pathetic state of affairs.

[prasen9]

Bist is injured.