India the Test Future?

[HarryPotter]

Surely there is a balance. India have 6 batting spots in their team. If Dravid and Sachin remain 2 of the best then they should play them until they drop. After all thats still 4 places to blood youngsters. They problem is that India have keep most seniors over the years so that succession is not now gradual.

[sussexpob]

People kept saying that even Kohli should be dropped though in every innings he was showing promise and today he played arguably the best knock played by a Indian batsman in the entire series.

Drop a player who scored 40% of India match runs in this test

Said it before, Ill say it again..... Kohli is the man to build the next generation around. I think he oozes a certain air of class. Ok he struggled to initially deal with the bounce, but he has a good temprament and solid techinque!

[IndusCreed]

Mr. Adi,

Our infatuation with the so-called "Big Three" should have ended a while ago! The gradual change you mentioned... well, it's too late for it already. Each of these players that you named in your post, are high quality Cricketers and would score/perform decently once in a while given enough chances. It does not mean they continue to enjoy their spot in the team without question.

The place one earns to be in team should be based on performance and that balanced planned strategy you speak of. As much as big a fan I am of Dravid, VVS and SRT, I think it is time we move on. SRT might have another year or two of good Cricket left in him but that's pretty much it! I would rather watch him score freely and enjoy whatever time he's got rather than that sickening "ton of tons" and all the charade around it.

Time to let go!

[ddb]

Mr. Adi,

Our infatuation with the so-called "Big Three" should have ended a while ago! The gradual change you mentioned... well, it's too late for it already. Each of these players that you named in your post, are high quality Cricketers and would score/perform decently once in a while given enough chances. It does not mean they continue to enjoy their spot in the team without question.

The place one earns to be in team should be based on performance and that balanced planned strategy you speak of. As much as big a fan I am of Dravid, VVS and SRT, I think it is time we move on. SRT might have another year or two of good Cricket left in him but that's pretty much it! I would rather watch him score freely and enjoy whatever time he's got rather than that sickening "ton of tons" and all the charade around it.

Time to let go!

[sussexpob]

Mr. Adi,

Our infatuation with the so-called "Big Three" should have ended a while ago! The gradual change you mentioned... well, it's too late for it already. Each of these players that you named in your post, are high quality Cricketers and would score/perform decently once in a while given enough chances. It does not mean they continue to enjoy their spot in the team without question.

The place one earns to be in team should be based on performance and that balanced planned strategy you speak of. As much as big a fan I am of Dravid, VVS and SRT, I think it is time we move on. SRT might have another year or two of good Cricket left in him but that's pretty much it! I would rather watch him score freely and enjoy whatever time he's got rather than that sickening "ton of tons" and all the charade around it.

Time to let go!

How many Indian fans would have agreed to this post before the Australia tour? Hindsight is a good thing, but Indian fans have argued not to drop theseplayers for a long time, and without Dravid and Laxmans runs in England, what the hell would of happened!

[greyblazer]

How many did VVS get in England? If you leave out the series in England how many times has Dravid done well outside the subcontinent in the last 3 or so years? The legends of Indian cricket have to retire someday and younger players have to play. It should have been done before but if they don't do it now they will never drop these legends.

[greyblazer]

The problem as I said is they have to take major decisions on legends when the team is losing every match. The selectors should have started to plan for the future after the drawn series in SA but they didn't.

[shankycricket]

People kept saying that even Kohli should be dropped though in every innings he was showing promise and today he played arguably the best knock played by a Indian batsman in the entire series.

Drop a player who scored 40% of India match runs in this test

Said it before, Ill say it again..... Kohli is the man to build the next generation around. I think he oozes a certain air of class. Ok he struggled to initially deal with the bounce, but he has a good temprament and solid techinque!

Said so myself so many times

[sussexpob]

How many did VVS get in England? If you leave out the series in England how many times has Dravid done well outside the subcontinent in the last 3 or so years? The legends of Indian cricket have to retire someday and younger players have to play. It should have been done before but if they don't do it now they will never drop these legends.

I dont disagree with this statement, I am merely pointing out that both had decent enough series last time out, and before that you asked any Indian fan and they would all stoutly defend their right to have earnt setting their own retirement dates.

Its interesting to see that the transition in opinion

[greyblazer]

How many did VVS get in England? If you leave out the series in England how many times has Dravid done well outside the subcontinent in the last 3 or so years? The legends of Indian cricket have to retire someday and younger players have to play. It should have been done before but if they don't do it now they will never drop these legends.

I dont disagree with this statement, I am merely pointing out that both had decent enough series last time out, and before that you asked any Indian fan and they would all stoutly defend their right to have earnt setting their own retirement dates.

Its interesting to see that the transition in opinion

Agreed

[greyblazer]

People kept saying that even Kohli should be dropped though in every innings he was showing promise and today he played arguably the best knock played by a Indian batsman in the entire series.

Drop a player who scored 40% of India match runs in this test

Said it before, Ill say it again..... Kohli is the man to build the next generation around. I think he oozes a certain air of class. Ok he struggled to initially deal with the bounce, but he has a good temprament and solid techinque!

Said so myself so many times

Kohli looks the best bet.Pujara was impressive against OZ in India but he keeps getting injured.

[shankycricket]

The Perth Test should be Lax's last.It pains me to say this as a fan of VVS but as ddb has said before there is no room for sentiment.Dravid should get one last Test at Adelaide as despite being out of form he has still done better than most in this series.But he should go after this series.
Sachin could possibly retire after India's home series against us later this year.Bring in Rohit and Rahane/Pujara and back them to the hilt.Please persevere with Kohli.Dont play Yadav and Ishant in the shorter formats.Appoint a good bowling coach not Eric Simons.If they do these things I am sure Indian Test Cricket will be back on track and neither of these things are impossible.

Thoughts?

[sussexpob]

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2643&p=96370#p96370

Its not really hindsight... I posted this two years ago....

Nowadays India expect to be up there with the best. The 2000's produced 40 wins from 100 tests, and the best win/loss ratio in Indian crickets history(when looked at per decade). I worry for Indian cricket that the desire to continue their forward momentum will damage their future development. The youngsters in the team will be under pressure to score from the word go and when they dont they will be replaced! This kind of selection has never worked for anyone.

So when I see so many India fans already calling for Vijay to be dropped with Badrinth I find it quite shocking. Sometimes you need to take a step back to move forward..... there is talent there and if it takes two years of poor performance to set this team up for the next decade of success then its simply time to "grit and bear it."

Problem is, they are gritting and bearing it now without moving forward or dealing with the problem

[GGAS]

After another awful test series India only have one choice...

Bring back Raina and Sreesanth...

[alfie]

The natural reaction to a heavy series defeat is to call for blood. But just getting shot of all the oldies at once doesn't strike me as a very smart move.

Over the last few years Yuvraj and Raina for two have failed to nail down the number 6 spot...Kohli played well today and may be the answer ... but that is one spot , and people are advocating opening up three more (!) at a time when the openers are looking anything but secure...

Seems rather optimistic to expect several young players to walk in at once and click.

Perhaps they should have made changes earlier , but they didn't , and as you can only start from where you are now , it would make more sense to replace one at a time . as near as can be managed , would it not?

Not very long ago , many of us would have called time on Ponting , Hussey , or both - and if Australia had done so they just might have lost the Melbourne Test at the start of this series , and we would all be having a very different conversation now ...