From: pvr@rice.edu (PVR Narasimha Rao)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket
Subject: Re: Indian team for 1st Test -- Discussion
Keywords: indian team selection
Date: 27 Jan 93 03:10:19 GMT
Reply-To: pvr@rice.edu (PVR Narasimha Rao)
Organization: Rice University
Originator: pvr@argo.rice.edu


In article <C1HI0n.5pJ@syd.dms.CSIRO.AU>, mohan@theta.mel.dms.CSIRO.AU (Mohan Krishnamoorthy) writes:

|> All of the above are not really true.  Lets consider the following
|> permutation which, for some reason, has not been considered.
|> 
|> Kambli
|> Raman
|> Amre
|> Azhar
|> Tendulkar
|> Kapil
|> Prabhakar
|> More
|> Kumble
|> Chauhan
|> Srinath


Nice option! Solves a lot of problems!

I might've ridiculed the idea of having Kambli as a test opener sometime
back. But, after watching his century at Jaipur (in an ODI), I'm strongly
convinced that he has a good enough *temperament* to open. He is a
wonderfully talented player, has great strokes and has the patience to
take it cool and wait when the going gets tough. He has matured a lot in
the last 1-2 years. With experience, he can mature into an able opener.

However, there's more to opening than just temperament. I'm not sure how
comfortable Kambli will be facing the new ball. We might end up messing
with a very promising career. However, I think this is worth trying out.

The choice between Raman and Sidhu, as always, is a tough one though.
When one of them looks settled in the team, the other one does well in
tour matches/selection matches and challenges him.

Switching the batting positions of Azza and SRT may be a good idea. SRT
demonstrated the ability to build big innings several times in his short
career. He has matured a lot in the last 14 months - he is no longer the
flashy, immature, mega-aggressive young brat that he was 2 years back
(unless the situation demands that). His Crowe-sque style of runmaking
suits #4 the best, atleast in tests. Having 4 test centuries before being
20 is no mean achievement (of those 4 centuries, 3 came at #4).

While Azza, a good rotator of strike in not-so-distant past, has developed
into an aggressive bat (for good or bad), SRT has learnt the art of
rotating the strike and restraining his strokes. His bad show in SA
(despite the century, his performance wasn't good, just like that of
other Indian batsmen) notwithstanding, I think #4 is the best for him.


|> Kambli is good enough to open.  In fact, I think he will make a good


Agree with it whole-heartedly. If you saw VK a couple of years back and
see him now, you can't believe your eyes - he's changed soooooo mmmmuch!


|> test opener.  This team (a very probable) one, would have 5 good and


|> long time now.  I am not in favour of such an option as I believe it is
|> necessary for a strong team to have real openers and not pretenders. 
|> Still, for the record, this team would be:
|> 
|> Raman
|> Prabhakar
|> Kambli
|> Azhar
|> Tendulkar
|> Amre
|> Kapil
|> More
|> Kumble
|> Chauhan
|> Srinath


This team will make the best use of Prabhakar's ability (P'kar's batting
ability is being underused at #7 or 8), but it's a very bad way to use
Amre's ability.

Allotting bastting positions to Kambli, SRT, Amre and Azza is a big
problem. IMHO, the best batting position for SRT and Kambli is 4. Even 5
is fine. They can play at #3 too. At #6, their talent wuill be very
underutilized. For Azza, #5 is the best, 4 is fine too. Again, at 6, he
will be underutilized. Amre suits #3 the best. 4 is fine too. 5 is also
ok. But, at 6, he is terribly wasted.

Now, think of allotting positions. Who should be at #6 - Amre, SRT, VK or
Azhar? *Of these*, I think Azhar suits it the best. (i.e., Raman, P'kar,
Amre, VK, SRT, Azza, ... would have a better `overall utilization of team
talent' than the above lineup, where a man with the temperament of #3/4
is at #6). But, playing Azza at #6 sucks.

Achrekar's wards are causing serious problems to the selectors. They all
have similar temperaments and styles and have to be accommodated in #3-6
(with Azza also to be accommodated). Imagine how the situation will be if
Manjrekar returns!

Achrekar should've moulded one of his wards into an opener - that would've
solved the problem.

BTW, Raju may not be too bad. According what I heard, Chauhan is not that
great anyway. Though Raju's performance in Aus wasn't great, it wasn't too
bad. Barring Kapil, everyone had similar averages. Moreover, Raju was let
down by the fielding (and field-placement) on a few occasions.

Unfortunately, it became fashionable to flame Raju (I've been guilty of
this too). If he gets confifence and gives more flight to the ball, he
can do well. He just lacks confidence (and luck). Unless the pitch is
expected to help Chauhan, I feel Raju should be preferred to him.

Kumlbe, by taking the highest number of wickets among Indians (not much
below Donald's # of victims) has proved himself to be test-class material.
Howevre, he needs another good series to establish himself in the team as
the main spinner. He will not get enough bounce from the placid Indian
pitches and it will be hard for him. Mark my words for it: his best
performances will come in SA and Aus (on this forum, I argued for his
selection for the Aus tour. He was in a very good form then (his stats for
the 1990-91 season were posted by Sadiq someytime back). If they had
selected him then, it would've done a lot of good to him and to India.
Sigh.) After supporting him on RSC several times, I'm glad to see him
doing well in tests and impressing the critics.

To conclude, I am for the following team/lineup:

VK, Raman/Sidhu, Amre, SRT, Azza, Kapil, P'kar, More, Kumble, Raju,
Srinath. This IMHO is the best way to utilize the overall potential of the
team.

Wish you all a nice match.

BTW, good luck to `SBT' (`Shraddhashram Batting Trio' -- in case you don't
know, Shraddhashram is the school SRT, VK and PA all hail from) in general
and SRT in particular.

PVR        ////  #1 fan of `SBT' on RSC :-)  \\\\