Indian Cricket Team

STOP EXPERIMENTING

My first and the foremost advice to the Indian cricket team would be STOP EXPERIMENTING. If I had posted this review a year ago, my advice would have been, ’’GO AHEAD AND EXPERIMENT’’. But now the world cup is only three months away, and I don’t see any reason for the Indian team to start doing some crazy experiments. For example, including Yadav, Laxikant(if I spelled correct), sending Ajit Agarkar at number 3, sending Harbhajan at number 5.

Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh...... Its just killing me. I don’t want India to go to South Africa for the World cup and change their batting order in every game they play. It really disturbs the balance of the team. When World cup is so near the best any team can do is go in with the best eleven players they have, and give their hundred percent in every game. In World Cup 1996, India had three openers: Jadeja, Sidhu, and Prabhakar. In 1999, India again screwed around with the opening combination.

The present Indian cricket team is one of the best in the world and it has the ability to win the world cup. I would play the following 11 players(listed in batting order) in every single game of the world cup if it was up to me::

1. Sourav Ganguly

   
   




2. Virendra Sehwag

   
   

The responsiblity of the openers would be to give India a good start and they should make sure that they score at 6 runs an over even if they have to take some chances or play lofted shots. With Sachin, Laxman, Dravid, Yuvraj, and Kaif to follow they can easily afford to do that.

1. VVS Laxman

   
   




2. Sachin Tendulkar

   
   

If the Indian openers go on to bat the first ten-fifteen overs or so at a healthy run rate, then there won’t be a better option than Sachin Tendulkar. But if one of our openers is dismissed early then VVS Laxman should be sent ahead of Sachin.

1. Rahul Dravid (wicket Keeper)

I always doubted Rahul at this critical position but lately he has done a wonderful job for the team coming in at number 5. He has really started rotating the strike well, he has the ability to stay till the end and handles the pressure really well.

1. Yuvraj Singh

A very promising youngster, a great hitter of the ball who can really smack the bowlers to all parts of the ground.

1. Mohammad Kaif

I need not comment on him. He lead India to an Under 19 World cup victory. Very disciplined batsman who can adjust to any kind of situation.

1. Ajit Agarkar (Could be expensive, but he bowls really well at the death, and is a better bat than Nehra. He would be useful as a first change bowler instead of opening the bowling)

Very inconsistent, but he should be told one thing, ’’Score freely without any fear’’.

1. Harbhajan Singh (Can be replaced with Kumble if loses form)

Has no technique whatsoever, but has got the power and is not scared of anyone. He was the won who sealed India’s victory against Australia in a test match with a boundary. Can chip in with some useful runs in the end.

1. Zaheer Khan

Can close a game with a couple of sixes. He once hit four sixes in an over against Zimbabwe.

1. Javagal Srinath

Has got to be in the playing eleven in spite of his age because he still is the best fast bowler in the side. Not a bad hitter.

I feel extremly sorry for Anil Kumble as he couldn’t make it to the eleven. But I really feel that India has got to have at least three seamers in the side in South African conditions. Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Virendra Sehwag, and Yuvraj Singh can sent down the rest of the ten overs.

Bowling should be opened by Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan. Ajit Agarkar and Ganguly should be the first change bowlers and Harbhajan should be brought after 20 overs. The last ten overs should be completed by Srinath, Agarkar, and Zaheer.

Its a bitter truth that India doesn’t have a great bowling department. But if they give their hundred percent in every single game, and are backed well by the Indian fielders, they can turn the game around.