nz tour: on test team selection...

shared by straight point on Friday, February 13, 2009

so the wait is finally over if ever you were having sleepless nights over it…

these days team india in all forms of game is well settled unit and there are only one or two places for grab…rest select themselves…

keeping this thing in mind i think the selectors were not left with much to do anyway...but still they have to do the job and this time too they have not disappointed…on paper selection seems balanced…

in tests while balaji and/or kulkarni are preferred over the likes of sree santh which is not purely on cricketing grounds only…after the 'slap gate' team seem to have developed some kinda insulation against him and he needs some stellar numbers behind him to break that barrier which was clearly not the case…

merely being good is not gonna serve him…am afraid…

the selectors are already looking for future and even if kulkarni might not find a place in final xi the conditions over there will suit his kinda bowling…he will get valuable experience under the watchfull eye of prasad and kirsten and guidence of seniors like zaheer in helpful conditions over there...he will also provide good net practice to our team coz historically bcci is not good at arranging good enough net bowlers… (i mean every word of it and not written this as an attempt to joke…while at the same time intention is not to demean new kid kulkarni...)

they have also respected kaarthik's performance in domestic games and his performances in tough conditions in south africa and england might have tilted the balance in his favor…to me he is ready made replacement if one of the guy in middle order fails coz he has exposure as well as experience behind him...besides that in away tours having an option as another wicket keeper doesn’t hurt team cause at all…

same i guess goes for m.vijay…who held his nerve to the emergency call against oz very well last time...and deserve another go as third opener in the team...in case of an emergency…

selectors have shown faith in munaf patel or should i say his fitness this time also…now its upto him to show that he is really charged up to the task for this longish tour coz he would himself realise that time and patience is running thin with him…one more act of lethargy or his trademark 'injury'...and he will find himself out of favor for longer period this time...

all in all my vote goes to selectors for doing the ‘job’ in nice balanced way…

11 comments:

Homer said...

SP,

The problem with the Kulkarni selection is two fold

1. There are no tests after the NZ tour till SL visits in November.. Odds are that Kulkarni will not be selected for that.
2. Am pretty sure RP or Srresanth will be first choices over Kulkarni when we go to South Africa.

Given that, selecting and dropping him will kill whatever confidence he has from his first Ranji season.

I would have much rather him not selected than selected as a net bowler only to be dropped down the line.

Cheers,

Soulberry said...

The ultimate selection will rest with the captain. Thus far he has shown hismelf capable of accommodating new, unknown, learning, returning...all kinds of players.

Dhaval Kulkarni will have his opportunities if he has managed to make it to the orbit....Dhoni doesn't condemn without at least one trial.

It is upto Kulkarni, if he gets a chance here, to make his next chance in that distant test match series later. The question is if he gets a chance.

What did Sreesanth do this year SP? Other than battle his neighbours?

I'd much rather take a hot prospect rather than a cold restarter. Let him fix value to his cap and position. India, till now, are not in the position WI is in....they have to put up with Darren Powell because TINA. Sree wasn't doing very well before he was out of the loop, injury or otherwise.

Homer said...

SB,

I would have had Dhawal play in the "A" team before being thrown in the deep end.

Playing him in New Zealand is a high risk strategy that could backfire spectacularly.

And we will be left to regret another career nipped in the bud.

Cheers,

Anonymous said...

Nice post. I agree with most of the post but for the Kulkarni issue. I think they took too much risk. Fell free to check my review at http://cric4all.wordpress.com/2009/02/13/indian-team-for-nz/ . Cheers !

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen Kulkarni bowl yet but 40 wickets and Ranji trophy title in probably his 1st first class season if I am not mistaken is a good achievement and deserves a chance at the big level, Sresaanth and RP have got enough chances and their performances have been inconsistent, its not a bad idea to try out Kulkarni and fit again Bala against a weaker team.

straight point said...

homer

i don't think so...

if i were kulkarni i would relish the opportunity of bowling to full fledged test line up like ours than practicing at net here...

i would also look fwd to the valuable time spent with likes of zaheer, prasad, kirsten which otherwise wont be possible...

one has to be reasonable in expectations as well so i will be going there knowing fully well that i may or may not be selected again...coz that is not in my hand...i would like to make most of this opportunity...

thats the way i see it...

straight point said...

i agree with you on putting value on cap bit...but sree is kinda bowler who can not be judged by numbers alone...like an attacking batsman say sehwag...

he is one of the few left who are all out attack bowlers...

lets put it this way...if i were to gamble on one bowler i would gamble on him...anyday...

straight point said...

welcome cric4all...hope you will keep dropping by...

thanks for the link...i have commented there... :)

straight point said...

you have said it wasim...against weaker team...

i still dont know why we are rating nz so highly...

here are my views on new zealand tour

http://www.boredcricketcrazyindians.com/2009/02/nz-tour-are-we-really-ready.html

Kinka said...

SP, we have many choices for bowlers. still if kulkarni is selected it will defintiely boost his moral..but selecting in first 11, chances are very few...don't you think pujara should be given a chance.....

straight point said...

yes Kinka, kulkarni will get some valuable experience bowling to and with elite test lineup...

regarding pujara...his time will come this season...

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