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It’s the minnows that India has to especially guard against.

prasen9 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2019 8:37 pm Sounds like what they will do. Although they may play Karthik. I do not mind rotating people if we are playing minnows at the beginning.

They intend to have Shankar bat at 4, as per MSK.

Shankar is a top order bat who bowls a bit IIRC , problem was comparing him or hoping he was a replacement for Hardik..

I think given that selectors did such a poor job in investing in talent 1-2 year before the WC and wasted too much time on likes of Rayudu and Rahane I think this is the best team they could have selected ..

Play Shankar at #4 or if Kohli does not mind batting at #4 then have Rahul bat #3 but I am sure they will start with Shankar and hope he along with kedar & Hardik gives them 10-15’ decent overs ..

Kuldeep has been awful in the IPL. Hope he regains form.

Yes, the selectors did a very poor job in trying out Rahane, Rayudu and giving a few to Pandey, Rahul, Iyer, Gill, Pant while never giving them a full run. Bizarre. So now we go on hope and a prayer that someone among Karthik, Shankar, or Rahul fires. Heck, even Karthik was not given a decent run. What was the point in giving Dhoni so many games? Why not give Karthik and Pant say 20 matches each (consecutively) and then judge?

Blame the selectors and Kohli/Dhoni all trying to hang on to power.


The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday named four fast bowlers to assist Team India in their preparation for World Cup 2019. The list released by the cricket board on their official website includes Navdeep Saini, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed and Deepak Chahar.

Good to take them to England. Given we only have 3 quicks, any injuries and we will need Saini ready and firing. Chahar could do well in England as well.

Avesh Khan has been horrendous in domestic List-As. Chahar has been the most wicket-taking bowler but also more expensive. Then, comes Khaleel. Saini is the most economical but worse average than the other two. Depends upon who breaks down. If Bhuvi breaks down, then we can get the more containing Saini. If any of the others, we can try to get Chahar and his striking ability. If we want variety, Khaleel. He should not be that bad in England where trundlers and swing bowlers have succeeded in the past.

Does Saini play for RCB? If yes, I saw him play the other day. He is terrrible!

I think the biggest gainer is Rahul and that was at cost of Rayudu/Pant. They tried to spin it as a direct comparison between Rayudu and Shankar for one spot but it could have been 2 spots between Rahul, Shankar and Rayudu. One off direct comparison was between DK and Pant. If the logic is Rahul is a backup opener, the only case for Rohit-Dhawan to be replaced is if they are injured (if there are niggles team can alter the order) and in that case, a replacement can be brought from India right? If the logic is Rahul is a backup wicketkeeper which DK already is, then Pant also could have been taken in. I am not really sure how much value Shankar will bring in terms of direct, like to like replacement at #4, sure he can bowl, but so can Kedar Jadhav.

Omkara wrote: ↑Wed Apr 17, 2019 5:52 am Does Saini play for RCB? If yes, I saw him play the other day. He is terrrible!

He is an excellent bowler and him and Deepak Chahar have been the find of the IPL as far as Indian bowlers go.





Fast and in control, this is very good company to be in.

Problem is does not get wickets. So, others will get hit. We cannot afford both him and Bhuvi. Maybe one of them is fine with the wicket-takers. Having said that, I don't think Shami or Bhuvi can systematically put the ball where they want to in the end overs. Bumrah is a master. If he can do that, then he will be invaluable even if he does not take wickets. We need an end-over bowler to go with Bumrah.

I think he is going for less than 8 in the death overs.

I see him as part of our rotation post-WC and let's give him a fair chance at the international arena.

He is going just less than 8 overall. So I am sure he must be going much more than 8 in the death overs.
But his record is strange. He has bowled 110 dots but of the other 100 he has gone for 269 runs. This must be highest rate at which runs are leaked of the balls scored off. I don't think this can be good death over bowling and strangely without taking wickets!!

If these last 10-11 matches are any indication, then yes, Chahar has resurfaced.

Leaders (Qual 7 wks): Bhaji 13.4/6.1, K.K. Ahmed 15.9/6.9, R. Chahar 19.1/6.6, D. Chahar 20.9/7, Gopal 21.1/7, Bumrah 22.5/6.4, Chahal 22.9/7.8.

Three leggies. One off-spinner. Three pacer/seamers.

On the batting side,

Qual( runs): Dhoni 105/137, Rahul 55/130, Pandya 40/190, Dhawan 40/137, Pant 37/163, Rana 37/151, Kohli 36/135, Rahane 35/141.

Pandya has the best SR. Pant is at #2. A cut below is Rana. Then comes the slow pack. Interestingly, Rahane leads that though followed by Dhoni, Dhawan, Kohli and the slowest is Rahul.

Actually, 141 is not terrible. It translates to about 8.46 and 170 runs off 20 overs. That is slightly fast but more bread and butter batting. 137 takes you to 165 runs. 135 to 162. And, 130 takes you to 156.

Saini gave up 8 runs in the 15th over, and 3 in the 19th over in a high scoring game today. I think those stats I read about his economy in the death overs is probably correct. He is seemingly as economical at the start as he is at the end.

Quickest and the best economy amongst pacers on action today including Southee, Shami and Umesh.