India in the West Indies, July-August 2023

[PKBasu]

India will tour the West Indies for a month, starting 13th July 2023, to play 2 test matches, 5 T20Is (two of them in Florida), and 3 ODIs. This will, hopefully, finally give India a chance to begin the transition to a new generation of test players -- particularly batsmen. I would suggest resting Rohit Sharma, and picking Yashasvi Jaiswal to open with Shubman Gill. Pujara would be the ideal test captain. Sarfaraz Khan will hopefully get a place in the test squad, although whether or not he makes it to the XI will depend on how his Mumbai team-mate Ajinkya Rahane performs in the WTC final.

That India's test batting line-up comprises Rohit Sharma (36 in two days time), Pujara (35), Kohli (34) and Rahane (who will turn 35 during the WTC final) is rather alarming. Gill adds an element of youth, but the bowlers are ageing too: Ashwin (37 on 17th Sept this year), Jadeja (34, a month younger than Kohli) and Umesh Yadav (turning 36 on 25th October). The 'younger' ones from the WTC squad are Shardul Thakur (32), KL Rahul (31), Jaydev Unadkat (31), Axar Patel (29), KS Bharat (29) and of course Shubman Gill (23).

[Atithee]

Sadly, our hero worship culture and corporate sponsorship pressures won’t allow what is a sensible process you propose, PKB. BCCI takes things for granted and doesn’t care about the quality of product and end results. I wish some external event(s) will shake them out of the misplaced invincibility.

[Rajkumar Sharma]

New generation players are interested to play IPL and achieve permanent membership of NCA. Haven't seen any full series where Washy Sundar & Deepak Chahar featured in all games.Still these two gets picked

[prasen9]

They are getting picked because they are better than the others. There is no harm in playing players when they are fit. When our best players are fit, they play. When they are not, you choose the substitute. There is no reason to play a fit player who averages 35 say/innings to a player who is sometimes fit and scores at 55 runs/innings. I'd take the 55-er when she is available and the 35-er at other times. That is going to result in more wins.

The problem is when they somehow get fit certificates when they are unfit and have not played domestic matches. Then, they break down in a match and then we play with one player less. This is what should be cracked down upon.

[Rajkumar Sharma]

They are getting picked because they are better than the others.

Yes once in a blue moon in that tough chase against Sri Lanka in odi and Sundar in BGT 2020 Aus tour, rest all has been headlined by injury

[prasen9]

Washington Sundar has not performed in test cricket with the ball (avg. 50), but with the bat he has (avg. 66). This is over 4 tests. If we look at FC cricket, he averages 29.64 with the ball and 33.53 with the bat. Decent allround performance. He should not be before Jadeja and Axar but he is only 23 and should be in the reckoning.

In ODIs with the ball, averaging 27.15@5.05. That is very good. Certainly above average. Over 16 matches. Not too small a sample. Batted 29.12 at a SR of 86. So, good all-round performance.

In T20Is, 28.22@7.22 and averaged around 10 with the bat. So, failed with the bat and not very wicket-taking but keeps it tight.

I would consider him highly for the ODIs and he should be in the reckoning for the other two formats but maybe not before the Axar and Jadeja's of the world. Not before Ashwin in tests either. Good to have a backup option like him when the front-liners are injured.

[Raju Bhai]

In bowling, Yudhvir Charak, Vidwath Kaverappa, Umran Malik, K Tayagi should be picked in T20Is. In test, Rohan Kunnummal, Sakibul Ghani, Y Dhull should be picked. Arjun Tendulkar as allrounder.

[Kumar]

U left out Samit Dravid, Aaryavir Sehwag and Angay Dravid.

[Raju Bhai]

U left out Samit Dravid, Aaryavir Sehwag and Angay Dravid.

Just answer me one question before taking it as a joke . How many ICC titles does this team of superstar, domestic performers, experienced, have won after 2013? And How many more ICC events will they continue to get selected being super stars, experienced, despite loosing every knock outs after 2013?

ICC T20 World Cup 2014
ICC 50 Over World Cup 2015
ICC T20 World Cup 2016
ICC Champions Trophy 2017
ICC 50 Over World Cup 2019
ICC World Test Championship 2021
ICC T20 World Cup 2021
ICC T20 World Cup 2022

Dont' you feel livid backing these proven failure experienced guys again & again with each ICC event loss ?

[Kumar]

If not winning the big event is failure, then why do even teams play sport? At the end of event, except for one team, every team will be a failure.


These are players that have played just one season and in some cases like Gani (one season of plate league matches).

What are your stats to back up this player?

[prasen9]

U left out Samit Dravid, Aaryavir Sehwag and Angay Dravid.

And Babu Ram Singh and me.

[prasen9]

Just answer me one question before taking it as a joke . How many ICC titles does this team of superstar, domestic performers, experienced, have won after 2013? And How many more ICC events will they continue to get selected being super stars, experienced, despite loosing every knock outs after 2013?

ICC T20 World Cup 2014
ICC 50 Over World Cup 2015
ICC T20 World Cup 2016
ICC Champions Trophy 2017
ICC 50 Over World Cup 2019
ICC World Test Championship 2021
ICC T20 World Cup 2021
ICC T20 World Cup 2022

Dont' you feel livid backing these proven failure experienced guys again & again with each ICC event loss ?

Which of these winners had proven domestic failures winning the cups?

1. Domestic failures have never won anything in the history of cricket leave aside 10 years.
2. Most winning teams had proven failure experienced guys who again and again failed to win cups and then finally made a breakthrough (see India, ODI WC 2011 for example).

Why should something that has never happened happen suddenly now? If it was the 2007 T20WC, I would unerstand. Nobody really had anyone who was that experienced in T20 cricket. So, you can expect a bit less important for people who have performed and honed their game over time for that cup.

So, unless we are starting a new WC in a new format, say T10, experience still matters.

[Raju Bhai]

Just answer me one question before taking it as a joke . How many ICC titles does this team of superstar, domestic performers, experienced, have won after 2013? And How many more ICC events will they continue to get selected being super stars, experienced, despite loosing every knock outs after 2013?

ICC T20 World Cup 2014
ICC 50 Over World Cup 2015
ICC T20 World Cup 2016
ICC Champions Trophy 2017
ICC 50 Over World Cup 2019
ICC World Test Championship 2021
ICC T20 World Cup 2021
ICC T20 World Cup 2022

Dont' you feel livid backing these proven failure experienced guys again & again with each ICC event loss ?

Which of these winners had proven domestic failures winning the cups?

1. Domestic failures have never won anything in the history of cricket leave aside 10 years.
2. Most winning teams had proven failure experienced guys who again and again failed to win cups and then finally made a breakthrough (see India, ODI WC 2011 for example).

Why should something that has never happened happen suddenly now? If it was the 2007 T20WC, I would unerstand. Nobody really had anyone who was that experienced in T20 cricket. So, you can expect a bit less important for people who have performed and honed their game over time for that cup.

So, unless we are starting a new WC in a new format, say T10, experience still matters.

What a terrific solution. Since new players haven't won anything in history, we got to continue with this experienced failed stars infinite number of ICC events, until 2011 happens To win an ICC event, you need a brave captain making decision just like MSD. Sending unknown Yousuf Pathan as opener in pressure game final against Pak or sending himself ahead of red hot form Yuvraj in 2011 WC final requires lots of courage. Rohit / Kohli works with planned set up doesn't think out of the boxes thats hurting the team badly in knockouts.

[Atithee]

I’m fully with “out with the old and in with the new plan.” A couple of supporting thoughts:

1. Just because history doesn’t support such a move—for other nations—doesn’t mean it won’t work for India.

2. No one can predict the future; past is irrefutable. We have not won anything for the past almost 10 years with largely this core group. Thus, futility is more likely than a random chance of winning with the unconventional. Again, this is specific to India.

There’s no comparison of the obscene stardom and accompanying riches even the fading Indian cricketers enjoy and their worldwide peers. It’s comparing apples and oranges in trying to draw parallels in what works and what doesn’t between India and other successful nations.

[prasen9]

What a terrific solution. Since new players haven't won anything in history, we got to continue with this experienced failed stars infinite number of ICC events, until 2011 happens To win an ICC event, you need a brave captain making decision just like MSD. Sending unknown Yousuf Pathan as opener in pressure game final against Pak or sending himself ahead of red hot form Yuvraj in 2011 WC final requires lots of courage. Rohit / Kohli works with planned set up doesn't think out of the boxes thats hurting the team badly in knockouts.

That is your solution. I did not say that we need to continue with this experienced failed stars. I said that we need to go with our best combination of old and new players. I have argued that we need to bring in Gaikwad, Gill, Yashasvi, NTTV pronto to our T20I team. That is four out of 5-6 batting slots. In the bowling, we have "experienced" domestic failures and we should not give them a promotion. That is my pet peeve. They should not fail up. Having said that if there is nobody who is successful in the bowling sides, I am all for giving the top-three junior pace-bowlers the run in West Indies. I would like to get the guy Wahdah or whatever who plays for Mumbai and got the 5 wickets in the semis. He also bowled not to shabbily in the 7-8 matches he got. Then, two more pacers.

We absolutely need an astute captain. Dhoni is a once-in-50 years mind although towards the last two years he became stale. He has actually thought about that and does not try to take singles and keep the runchase until the last over and then sometimes fail. His SR has gone up a lot and he is not that defensive. Anyway, bring in Hardik as a captain. Or someone else. I do not mind. If they are astute captains and Hardik seems to have some qualities and a good brain, bring him in. Try out-of-the-box solutions if it makes sense. Or if you are inspired.

All of this you suggest is good. My only requirement is to have a quality and production requirement for whoever is coming in. You are saying no international failures. I am extending your principle. No international and domestic failures should be considered.