who will be the lucky one...

shared by straight point on Tuesday, September 09, 2008



i must say that the outgoing selectors have stumped many off guard...

when nation was busy discussing when the phasing out of seniors from team will begin...they were quietly making blue prints for smooth transition of test team...

when we all were busy debating who out of badri, raina, rohit and yuvraj will be promoted to the coveted middle order of team india...they have also stumped many by re-introducing kaif into the scheme of things...

i think that ultimately the race will be narrowed down to either kaif or badri...assuming we have only one spot available...

kaif
when you are discarded as spent force...when nobody talks about you...it takes lots of determination and mind strong as steel to keep on performing and keep believing that your time will come...striking at the right moment to show what you can do...so he did against oz 'a' side...

he is what we can term as...ready made replacement...he is experienced...he is less controversial...team man to core...has seen lots of ups and down to value his place...what he sometimes lacks with technique makes up with his strong will, temperament and commitment...not to forget...he is excellent fielder (though one would not like to see him in close catching positions coz of his unique jumping jack style...)

so all in all a package which is not easy to ignore...


badri

no one deserves a spot more than this guy...he has seen seasons coming with hope and going without trace of acknowledgment of his efforts...he too, like kaif, kept himself going for what he says he loves most...cricket...he kept scoring at whatever platform was provided to him...he saw others with less credential taking the cap...went back...scored...but still waiting for a call which seemed increasingly like distant dream...

that's when IPL happened for him...not for he got the chance to play with best in business...not for he performed there too...

but for one prime reason...michael hussy...

don't get surprised...

i read this story at cricinfo that how he got benefited by the experience of hussy who too was ignored for large part of his prime by cricket australia and how he kept himself going...without loosing focus...without loosing hope... and how he finally made it...

this for me is the beauty of platform like IPL where apart from money and fame...has also given hope and novel experience to many careers...which would not have been possible otherwise...which many still ignore to highlight to...

anyway back to point...

will we see badri getting reduced to being our version of michael hussy...?

while kaif has experience on his side...badri has exuberance of youth...better technique and equally good fielder...

will we see kaif making the cut...or will badri make the rank at the peak of his powers...

so who will be the lucky one...

or there is twist in the tale?

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

If they are looking to replace one of the seniors for the Australian series, I would choose Kaif.

He has more international experience.

straight point said...

hmmm...this is tough one OTT...i cant decide...will be equally happy and sad for whoever makes cut or not...

Anonymous said...

Its got to be Kaif if he is supposed to be picked for oz series. i dont know if badri is good enuf!!

he hasnt shown any grits when given a chance to impress in Lanka.

kaif has got the power to graft and hang on....if no ganguly then he s # 6 for me.

straight point said...

looks like kaif is the dark horse...buzzz :)

Unknown said...

between kaif and badri, i'd pick badri. he didn't get much of a chance in lanka, playing down the order. still he helped in one victory.

straight point said...

for me his innings (and catch) with dhoni in 2nd odi was the turning point of the series...had we lost that game we would have lost the series as well...

and that's enough for credit for any debutant...playing in his first series under tough circumstances...

Gaurav Sethi said...

SP - yr previous comment sums it up. That catch was it, showed something extraordinary about badri, as did that innings - it was a test showcase in an ODI.
However, badri to be considered for the Oz series, realistically, needed to score some big ODI lanka runs. that's the way it works for some guys. no wonder he didn't play the last game.

imo if neither pile on the runs, they'll go with either Rohit or Raina.

i'd still go with A Chopra on top. the middle order will be ok. esp if GG comes there, think he'll grow as a batsman - needs to bat with guys other than Sehwag and learn the virtues of patience, and playing with yr limitations.

straight point said...

he was coming in at about 6 no. where you cant score big...untill unless its total collapse from top order...and its not easy in slow pitches offering seam movement and spin as well to come and straightaway hit boundaries...

he has ample opportunities in front of him to score big as its still time for the selection of test team...

as for chopra coming in as opener and gg batting middle i wont mind it for oz series if we run out of options...and no one from badri, kaif, raina etc stake claim i.e.

Anil Singh said...

You said at one place, that's the beauty of life; by reading the post, with a very sentiment laden heart, I wish to add "that's is the beauty of life; when things look bleak; a ray of hope comes from nowhere";

You expressed the sentiment too beautifully, SP...

Q said...

Kaif should be it definitely! Didn't you point out the return of Kaif about a year or so ago?

straight point said...

thanks AB, sometimes passion do come thru...

straight point said...

you remember it...? so nice of you Q...welcome back...

this time the thing is different and i am torn between badri and kaif...and as i said earlier whosoever get selected i will feel equally happay and sad...

Q said...

Yes I remember it... i need to be enlightened about Badri.. what has he done that hes being talked about in front of Sharma, Raina, Yuvi, Uthappa?

straight point said...

his record in past some seasons speaks for himself...and are better than that of raina, sharma, utthappa and kohli...but they all were preferred over him for reasons best known to our selectors...

may be x factor?

Anonymous said...

hey i dint shed u off the blogroll if that u meant by in the comment, i did the new looks kal and lost some of the blogroll.......

yet to add up all from my old blogroll....no misunderstandings!!

straight point said...

i just panicked buzzz ;-)

Ankit Poddar said...

when it comes to selection, a twist in the tale can not be ruled out...

but i put up kaif's case... i have always wondered why kaifu was given such a short rope, and how did he manage to hang himself with it..

straight point said...

why kaifu was given such a short rope, and how did he manage to hang himself with it..

very well said ankit...

you are also right about twist in tale...that's the way our system works and one cant say with any surety...

Anonymous said...

Kaif is getting the nod... it is like an unconfirmed rule that he is strongly in the radar.

straight point said...

its still some time left lets see...scorpy...

must say kaif is bit ahead at the moment...

about me...

BCC!straight point (sp) is restless... relentless... but a fun loving guy... likes to live life to fullest... trying to discover himself through cricket... welcome to this little world of his...

sp is also a bored member at BCC!

sp tweets

     


    © straight points
    straight points by sp is licensed under a creative commons attribution noncommercial-no derivative works 2.5 india license. based on a work at straightpoints.blogspot.com
    this blog takes no responsibility for statements posted by participants

    this blog is best viewed with Mozilla FireFox at a resolution of 1280 x 800 pixels
    thanks for the visit!!