Muppets
That same old charade is upon us again: Indian team selection for overseas tours. A squad of 24 "probables" is announced, and then later whittled down. Is the idea to let players know that they are on watch, and that they better perform or else? Didn't all the members of this squad already know that? But I suppose all sorts of folks had to be kept happy and so this maintenance of appearances must continue. And somehow in that list of 24, they didn't manage to find a spot for Virender Sehwag. Poor chap, he must be wishing he hadn't played all those one-day internationals, poor form in which led to folks thinking he wasn't suited for test cricket any more. And I cringe at the thought that Ishant Sharma and Ranadeb Bose might go to Australia. But perhaps they'll have to, given all the injuries that are cropping up left, right and center (and ensuring that barrackers in Australia won't be able to have any fun with Sreesanth, which is a huge, huge pity).
For what its worth this is the sixteen I would take to Australia for the tests (from the 24): Anil Kumble, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly, RP Singh, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Aakash Chopra, Harbhajan Singh, VRV Singh, Murali Kartik,
I have to admit, I'm confused by what to do with Chawla; I like legspinners a lot and would dearly like to see him in there. Yet, I think Harbhajan and Kartik will both do better than him for now. And I prefer Gambhir in the one-days.
For what its worth this is the sixteen I would take to Australia for the tests (from the 24): Anil Kumble, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly, RP Singh, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Aakash Chopra, Harbhajan Singh, VRV Singh, Murali Kartik,
I have to admit, I'm confused by what to do with Chawla; I like legspinners a lot and would dearly like to see him in there. Yet, I think Harbhajan and Kartik will both do better than him for now. And I prefer Gambhir in the one-days.
posted by Samir Chopra at 5:19 PM
4 Comments:
It does seem an odd process, it reminds me of Australia's contracted players.
We contract 30 players for the season to come, then we just pick the most inform players anyway.
So the list is some sort of prediction of future form that never happens anyway.
Samir,
Agarkar has made a comback as a probable.
My nerves are already jangling. It is going to be a close shave.
I always did suspect there was more to Agarkar than a quiet fade-out. He has a golden ride into the sunset destined for him! Well...he had a double-decker ride...
Sad about Sehwag...distraught...suspect the idea to play him only in odis as against tests during a slump in form was motivated to show him up. Always was a danger he'd regain it in test matches. But now he hasn't done anything to help is cause and I'd prefer Chopra in Oz to anyone else.
The second rungers could just be inspired and land a nice line and length.
Sehwag gets in! Now what gives? He wasn't good enough for the probables...he wasn't good enough for BD and England or Pakistan...what gives?
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