my two cents on no.7 bandwagon...

shared by straight point on Saturday, August 14, 2010

with world cup few months away india suddenly seems awake to the no.7 problem...

blame it on our obsession to find a decent allrounder leave alone proper allrounder... despite its being clear that we just don't have any... hence we might pay the price of wasting too much time on making allrounders out of pathans and now jadeja but still there is some time left and we can still find a solution that is workable...

although it sound simplistic but sometimes the solution of most problem are indeed simple and available but if only we don't keep making it more complicated than it is and then feeling frustrated about the whole effort...

the solution, according to me, lies in sharing...

just like when one of the four front line bowler has an off day part timers steps in we should or i dare say must look to share the requirement from no.7 spot from players like bhaji and praveen kumar... with the addition of a specialist... either a bowler or batsman according to the requirement...

bhajji and praveen kumar (and to some extent zaheer) are no mugs with bat... infact bhajji's batting has improved very much of late and he has the skills to make clean strong hits... though one can sight his daft shot in first innings of first test at galle but that was more of brain-fade than anything... the very reason we were so disappointed of him is the acknowledgment of his batting skills...

the challenge is on making them aware of their responsibilities and keep them focused throughout the tournament... this is where team management steps in... they should show faith but at the same time they should be firm in telling them what is expected of them... no mincing of words there...

sehwag, yuvraj, raina, bhajji, praveen and even zaheer can all share their secondary skills to make up for an illusive allrounder...

what we need is a floater as a specialist batsman who has the ability of an impact player... the game breaker... and i think robin uthappa, if fit, can be the real steal... he has it in him to change the course of match with his on your face kind of big hitting and is also a decent bat to let pass some quite overs if the need be...

so my team for the tournament will be...

sachin, sehwag, gambhir, yuvraj, uthappa, raina, dhoni, bhajji, praveen, zaheer, nehra/ojha

with ishant, kohli, sharma being in reserve... and without a single passenger that is...

6 comments:

Mahek said...

I quite like the idea of having Uthappa, although it remains to be seen if he can replicate his IPL form in international cricket. It does add the option of relieving Dhoni of his wicket-keeping duties but there again we have to see how Uthappa performs with the gloves in the leadup to the World Cup.

Harbhajan a decent bat? You've crossed over to the dark side my friend. I believe the word you're looking for is lapeda. I would also not pick him ahead of Ojha in the XI. Zaheer, Nehra and Praveen should be automatic picks.

straight point said...

thanks mahek... i am sure given the license, confidence and hint from the powers that be... he is the package india would dearly want and love...

regarding bhajji i have seen him looking as assured as a batsman when he puts his mind into the job and that is why i said team management, specially sachin, should keep a tab on him... and knowing this would be sachin's last world cup i am more than sure that he would be thinking just the same way... :)

Mahek said...

No one can stop Harbhajan from thinking with his dick, SP. I don't want someone like that at number 7. If he was any good he'd have atleast scored a fifty by now. I'd rather have Uthappa there. Ojha bowls better than Harbhajan so makes it ahead of him. Not that it's gonna happen.

straight point said...

i have placed bhajji at 8... :)

what i tried to say that sehwag, yuvraj, raina, bhajji and praveen can all share their secondary skills to make up for an illusive allrounder...

i think i was bit cryptic about the sharing thing... thanks to you now i have updated the post to make it more elaborate for readers...

Anil Singh said...

My opinion is, if your top five batsmen can't win you matches, no one can. If your bowlers can't get wickets no one can either. So rather than running a circus where some of the bowlers can bat as well; one should look for bowlers who can bowl best and batsmen who can bat best. The entire team should field well.

Specialists win matches; trying to evolve any other arrangement; is akin to preparing for desperate times. And preparing to save matches doesn't make someone winner.

straight point said...

exactly ab... why go after that illusion...?

we can easily share the responsibilities without looking for divine help... the solution is within the team... hence the suggestion... :)

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...

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