••• Young Guns Of Indian Cricket •••

[Sourav]

[tscii:f9351a6dd2]Indian Test Batting Middle Order Replacement Race...
Discuss.. :)
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2008%2F11%2F16&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=18&EntityId=Ar01800&AppName=1

THE RACE BEGINS
Sourav Ganguly’s exit has created a vacancy in the Indian middle order. The next Test might still be a few weeks away, but the fight has already begun among the many contenders. Yuvraj Singh has made a strong statement in the first One-dayer itself. TOI looks at the looming battle
K Shriniwas Rao I TNN


Let us assume that it will be a waste of time for India to wait for another afternoon at Lord’s, when a batsman brushing aside rumours of his being a political selection, will thump a glorious hundred. We’ll also take into account that perhaps no cricketer will manage to rile the Aussies and English in such a manner that they’ll end up dedicating chapters on him. Let us even say this: maybe there won’t be another time ever when a captain, the most successful one at that, will some day get sacked, and will return to make the comeback of a lifetime. All of this was a script meant for Sourav Ganguly and let’s not bother finding who wrote it.
Instead, we’ll focus on the present. Now that Ganguly’s gone and the batting order vacant with a spot so luminously held, it is time for a replacement.
And, as mentioned above, as filling Ganguly’s shoes, per se, wouldn’t be possible, let’s just take a look at the fiercely competing younger lot and try and find a few names who can take guard.
Consider the One-day line-up first. Ganguly at the top of the order, after he first opened in 1996, became a force to reckon with. At an average of 73.59, 19 of his 22 centuries and 58 of his 72 half-centuries came as No. 1 or 2 — a total of 9,146 runs from 236 innings. India may now have Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag manning those positions, and with Sachin Tendulkar around, there could be little to worry. But as much as we ought not to worry, it’s pretty much exciting to look around.
Virat Kohli, the Delhi opener and India’s Under-19 captain, comes to mind and so does Tanmay Shrivastav, who opens for Uttar Pradesh. There’s Tamil Nadu opener M Vijay too, whose recent exploits including a double in the Ranji opener, saw him win the Test cap. Among other names, Mumbai’s Ajinkya Rahane and Hyderabad’s Ravi Teja too stand out.
“Let’s not compare somebody starting now with Ganguly. It will be unfair to the youngster and unfair to Ganguly. He’s one of India’s all-time greats,’’ says former batsman and selector Gundappa Viswanath, who picked the left-hander again in 1996 when he was 24 years old.
Fine, it’s blasphemous to compare Ganguly. But it is fair enough if we’re looking at the batting order to settle, considering that in the Test scheme of things, a replacement is being sought too. Among the many names that come to mind immediately, a couple of them have already won their India caps and are doing fine — Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina easily being the front-runners.
When Raina batted the way he did in the Asia Cup recently held at Karachi’s National Stadium, it was Zaheer Abbas who urgently took note of his style and temperament. The hundred against Hong Kong may have been swept aside as an innings against an opposition of particularly weak quality but Abbas remembers it for particular reasons.
“The confidence with which he stepped out of the crease and lofted the ball over longon and mid-wicket reminded me of Ganguly in full-flow. The opposition might have been weak but still, it was a One-day International. In fact, that innings helped
him gain a lot moreconfidence for
the rest of the series,’’ says Abbas. Raina ended as the second highest scorer of the
tournament after
Sanath Jayasuriya.
Raina’s showing in Pakistan came post an impressive Ranji season, when after being dropped from India’s One-day squad, the 22-year-old managed to finish as the fifthhighest run-getter at an average of 49. “When he’s in form, he gives a lot of confidence to the batting order,’’ says his Uttar Pradesh skipper Mohammad Kaif.
Right behind Raina, maybe richer in style quotient, is Mumbai youngster Sharma. The less said the better about this right-hander who, from Vengsarkar to Srikkanth and all those who’ve been in that chief selector’s chair, has drawn constant praise. “He’s in a different league,’’ says Kiran More, the man first responsible for dropping Ganguly.
Lastly, there’s Cheteshwar Pujara, the 20-year-old, who is threatening to make his way in with three triple-hundreds in a span of 24 days. Says Srikkanth, “Pujara’s shown his ability to stay at the wicket for long and that’s the most important ingredient to a Test prospect.’’ More, who has seen the young boy at various stages of his budding career, feels it’s the right time to give him a go.
These names stand tall for a Test opportunity too, perhaps in the near future too. But before them there are the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Subramanium Badrinath who have been in the queue for a longer time. Ganguly’s Test figures (he played 100 matches, captained in 49, won 21) are mammoth, even if you don’t look at his 7,712 runs. So it’s important to remind ourselves again that they’ll never beeasy shoes to fill. However, to simply underline what we’ve said, it’s tough to ignore that there’s talent in abundance too.
YUVRAJ SINGH
Off the radar for the past six months, Friday’s blast in Rajkot that pulverised England no end, brought back to mind the kind of talent he possesses. Yuvraj lost his ODI vice-captaincy to Virender Sehwag recently and is still hungry for a Test berth. Just a little more consistency in his contributions could settle it all for him. THE CONTENDERS
By the look of it, there are as many as eight batsmen who can fill into Sourav Ganguly’s big shoes in the middle-order. All of them are in great form, and possess oustanding talent. The ‘battle for a berth’ has just begun...

M VIJAY
The Tamil Nadu opener impressed one and all with his fine performances in the Challengers,
where he scored 164
runs in three games,
at an average of
54.66. He followed
that up with a double hundred against Maharashtra in Nashik that led to his Test debut in Nagpur. With Virender Sehwag, he gave solid starts in both the innings, scoring 33 and 41. What has impressed the experts is his attitude. His fielding too is very good.


SURESH RAINA
The talented Uttar Pradesh lefthander was a favourite of former India coach Greg Chappell. His
strong performances
against England in
the 5-1 ODI series
triumph at home in
2006 even made the English media compare him with Aussie ODI great Michael Bevan. His terrific fielding adds to his utility. A knee injury and lack of form then sent him into oblivion, before the IPL, where he scored 421 runs at a strike-rate of 142.71 for Chennai, got him back into the team.


VIRAT KOHLI
Was surprisingly picked up by then chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar for the ODIs in Sri Lanka, and the Delhi
lad did nothing to
ridicule that decision,
opening the innings
in place of Virender
Sehwag and scoring 159 runs in five games as India won the series 3-2. A 197 in the Nissar Trophy and 105 in the tour game against the Aussies means he’s in great touch. Add to it the other feather in his cap — he captained the side that won the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year.


S BADRINATH
Thanks to the new selection committee, the Tamil Nadu batsman, who was being ignored as
consistently as he
was scoring, finally
found himself in the
Test squad. By sheer
logic, he should be the first to fill Ganguly’s berth, but such is the competition that Badrinath would have to again come up with big scores to push his case. In the last three Ranji seasons, he’s been one of the most consistent scorers.


CHETESHWAR PUJARA
The Saurashtra batsman has turned into somewhat of a run machine this year, having rustled up three triple-hundreds within a span of a month. Two of them came in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy for his state Under-22 team (308 against Mumbai and 386 against Maharashtra), and the last one (302 not out) came against Orissa in Ranji Trophy. Was highest run-getter of the 2007-08 Ranji season, with 807 runs from eight matches.


ROBIN UTHAPPA
Rose to stardom after the T20 World Cup, but Uthappa has managed to do little since. Mahendra Singh
Dhoni persisted with
him for a long while,
till it became evident
that Uthappa had lost
his touch and gained too much weight. This season, it seems Uthappa is looking for redemption. He was the Man of the Tournament in Challengers (216 runs at an average of 72 in three games), and slammed 131 in the first Ranji game this season.


ROHIT SHARMA
Rose to stardom at the Under-19 level, three years ago, and has steadily progressed ever since.
During the tri-series in
Australia earlier this
year, Sharma played
many crucial knocks
and his stock further rose with the stint at Deccan Chargers in IPL. Though his team flopped big time, Sharma’s knocks stood out. Began with a ton in the Ranji this season. Considering his talent and hearing what selectors usually say, he’s definitely India’s next big bet. [/tscii:f9351a6dd2]

[Sourav]

CHETESHWAR PUJARA
The Saurashtra batsman has turned into somewhat of a run machine this year, having rustled up three triple-hundreds within a span of a month. Two of them came in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy for his state Under-22 team (308 against Mumbai and 386 against Maharashtra), and the last one (302 not out) came against Orissa in Ranji Trophy. Was highest run-getter of the 2007-08 Ranji season, with 807 runs from eight matches. :shock: :clap: :clap: :clap:

[ajithfederer]

Of what I have seen Rohit Sharma is technically the Best. No two thinkings about it. If he proves his consistency like Gambhir he will be the best replacement for Ganguly.

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Of what I have seen Rohit Sharma is technically the Best. No two thinkings about it. If he proves his consistency like Gambhir he will be the best replacement for Ganguly.

Yeah, but he is bit lethargic.

[Vivasaayi]

suresh raina would be the right choice.he has been consistent in all forms of game he has been played till now and most importantly he is commited to whatever he does which is very important in test cricket.

[Sourav]

I think dravid is going to be rested (? :huh:) for the eng test series.... Dravid is playing ranji matches...he was out for 39 against A.P.. His captain Utthappa scored a ton 133...

If dravid is not going play then two of the above players wil get chance in the team.... :)

[Sourav]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2008%2F11%2F19&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=22&EntityId=Ar02201&AppName=1

Pujara is scoring heavily in every match...Selectors should consider him... :)

[Sourav]

[tscii:c2e4c7d977]
டெஸ்ட் அணியில் கங்குலி இடத்தில் யுவராஜ்சிங்


ஸ்ரீகாந்த் சூசக தகவல்


இந்திய டெஸ்ட் அணியில் கங்குலி இடத்திற்கு யுவராஜ்சிங் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவார் என்று தேர்வு குழு தலைவர் ஸ்ரீகாந்த் மறைமுகமாக தெரிவித்தார்.
கங்குலி ஓய்வு
இந்திய கிரிக்கெட் அணியின் முன்னாள் கேப்டன் சவுரவ் கங்குலி ஆஸ்திரேலியாவுக்கு எதிரான டெஸ்ட் தொடருடன் சமீபத்தில் ஓய்வு பெற்றார். இதையடுத்து அவரது இடத்தை பிடிக்க பல வீரர்கள் மத்தியில் போட்டா போட்டி காணப்படுகிறது. யுவராஜ்சிங், சுரேஷ் ரெய்னா, ரோகித் ஷர்மா, பத்ரிநாத் என ஒரு பட்டியல் நீண்டு கொண்டே போகிறது. அவருக்கு பதிலாக யார் தேர்வு செய்யப்படுவார் என்ற எதிர்பார்ப்பு நிலவி வந்த நிலையில் இந்திய அணியின் தேர்வு குழு தலைவர் ஸ்ரீகாந்த் முற்றுப்புள்ளி வைத்து விட்டார். யுவராஜ்சிங் அந்த இடத்திற்கு பொருத்தமானவர் என்பதை சூசகமாக குறிப்பிட்டு உள்ளார்.
டெஸ்டில் நிலையான இடத்தை பிடிக்க போராடி வரும் அதிரடி மன்னன் யுவராஜ்சிங் இங்கிலாந்துக்கு எதிரான முதல் 2 ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகளில் முறையே 138 மற்றும் 118 ரன்கள் குவித்து தேர்வு குழுவினரின் கவனத்தை தன்பக்கம் திருப்பி இருக்கிறார். இங்கிலாந்துக்கு எதிரான 2 டெஸ்ட் கொண்ட தொடரில் விளையாடும் இந்திய அணி விரைவில் தேர்வு செய்யப்பட உள்ள நிலையில் தேர்வு குழு தலைவர் ஸ்ரீகாந்த் கொல்கத்தா பத்திரிகை ஒன்றுக்கு அளித்த பேட்டியில் கூறியிருப்பதாவது:&
யுவராஜ் Ôமேட்ச் வின்னர்Õ
ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகளில் இந்தியாவை வெற்றிக்கு அழைத்து செல்லும் Ôமேட்ச் வின்னராகÕ யுவராஜ்சிங் விளங்கி வருகிறார். அதே போல் டெஸ்ட் போட்டியிலும் அவர் மேட்ச் வின்னராக ஜொலிக்க முடியும் என்று நான் எப்போதிலிருந்தே நம்பி வருகிறேன். அதற்குரிய திறமை அவரிடம் இருக்கிறது.
கங்குலி இடத்துக்கு நிறைய பேர் போட்டியிட்டாலும், அதில் யுவராஜ்சிங் தான் முன்னணியில் இருக்கிறார் என்பதை நிச்சயமாக சொல்ல முடியும்.
யுவராஜ்சிங் திறமை வாய்ந்த வீரர். இங்கிலாந்துடன் முதல் ஆட்டத்தில் சதம் அடித்த ராஜ்கோட் மைதானம் பேட்டிங்குக்கு சாதகமானது. ஆனால் இந்தூர் பிட்ச் அப்படியில்லை. அது மெதுவாக காணப்பட்டது. அப்படிப்பட்ட மைதானத்திலும் அவர் நிலைத்து நின்று ஆடி ரன்கள் குவித்தார். இதன் மூலம் எந்த சூழலிலும் தன்னால் அணியை வெற்றிக்கு அழைத்து செல்ல முடியும் என்பதை நிரூபித்து இருக்கிறார்.
வெங்சர்க்கார் கருத்து பற்றி...
யுவராஜ்சிங் சிறந்த வீரர் தான். ஆனால் அவரால் டெஸ்டில் தொடர்ந்து பிரகாசிக்க முடியவில்லை என்று முந்தைய தேர்வு குழு தலைவர் வெங்சர்க்கார் கூறியது பற்றி கேட்கிறீர்கள். ஆனால் நான் அப்படி நினைக்கவில்லை. யுவராஜ்சிங் போன்ற வீரர்கள் ஏதாவது இரண்டொரு இன்னிங்சில் சிறப்பாக ஆடிவிட்டால் அதன் பிறகு டெஸ்டில் ரன் குவிக்க தொடங்கி விடுவார்கள்.
இவ்வாறு ஸ்ரீகாந்த் கூறியுள்ளார்.
26 வயதான யுவராஜ்சிங் இதுவரை 23 டெஸ்ட் போட்டிகளில் விளையாடி 3 சதம் உள்பட 1050 ரன்களும் (சராசரி 32.81), 219 ஒரு நாள் போட்டிகளில் 6397 ரன்களும் (சராசரி 37.19) சேர்த்து இருக்கிறார். [/tscii:c2e4c7d977]

[Sourav]

Pujara scored a big hundred again... 176..
He is in supreme form...
He deserves a place in Indian test team...

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2008%2F11%2F25&ViewMode=GIF&GZ=T&PageLabel=21&EntityId=Ar02102&AppName=1

[Sourav]

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/DM/DINAMALAR/2008/11/25/Article//009/25_11_2008_009_009.jpg

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Most probably Yuvraj would be the replacement for Sourav. In that case this would be the best chance for Yuvraj to seal a place permanently in the squad. Except Monty no one is threatening unless ECB introduces a shocker like Mendis. If he fails again the so called Pujara or Rohit or Raina will easily grab this opportunity.

[hamid]

I think Yuvraj is the best choice followed by Rohit Sharma..
If Yuvi combines little caution along with is aggression he will click and it is an immense bonus for India.

Also as per what I have seen M.Vijay, he looks solid and good.. He is a top oreder player anyway and it will be difficult for him to find a place there.

[Sourav]

[tscii:8718802737]It may be Pujara vs Badri
No Surprises Expected At Selection Committee Meeting Today
Dwaipayan Datta | TNN

Chennai: The last India selection meeting in Kanpur a fortnight back wasn’t a happy affair with alleged quitting threats by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Going by the indications on the eve of the team selection for the two Tests against England starting on December 11, it may not be that stormy an affair when the five wise men meet on Thursday in Chennai.
Yuvraj Singh has closed all scope for speculation with back-to-back centuries in the ODIs against England, thus ensuring for him retired Sourav Ganguly’s berth in the Tests. In fact, the XI for the Tests looks all but settled, with Gautam Gambhir set to make a comeback in place of M Vijay, who played the last Test against Australia in Nagpur.
Vijay, though, on the back of two impressive knocks in his debut, is likely to retained in the 15. The third seamer in the squad will be Munaf Patel, while mediumpacer RP Singh may just hold on to his place as the fourth seamer.
Though the selectors feel that there’s hardly any scope of playing more than two seamers on the Mohali and the Chepauk wickets, RP’s closest competitor left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha has picked up a shoulder injury. If at all the selectors have to go for a third spinner, Piyush Chawla’s name can come into the fray.
Meanwhile, the Hyderabad team management had also spoken about VVS Laxman’s heel injury which would force him out of action for two weeks, but the player himself confirmed on Wednesday he was fit for the Tests to start in a week’s time. “We don’t have any information about his injury. If we get to know he is injured, he won’t be picked,” BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan said.
There can however be a debate about the 15th slot. While S Badrinath was there in the squad for the Australia series but didn’t get his chance, Cheteshwar Pujara has scored heavily in the domestic circuit and is knocking the doors of selection.
But to Badri’s advantage, he, too, has scored two back-to-back centuries in the Ranji Trophy.
Probable squad: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel, M Vijay, RP Singh (Piyush Chawla), S. Badrinath (Cheteshwar Pujara).
I have no injury problems: Laxman
Hyderabad: VVS Laxman’s unavailability for Hyderabad’s ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai due to personal reasons has snowballed into a minor controversy, following reports in the media that it was due to an injury. "I was surprised to see reports about the injury keeping me out of this match. This is far from true. I am perfectly alright,” said Laxman.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/12/04&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01602&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T[/tscii:8718802737]

[Nerd]

Yuvi wins the race. Is Panesar not coming?? :lol2:

Btw, Dravid machakkAran!

[Sourav]

[tscii:5c5c89b51b]‘I want to play alongside Dravid, not replace him’
Cheteshwar Pujara Enhances Chance To Get A National Call After His Match-Winning Ton
Gaurav Gupta | TNN

Mumbai: MS Dhoni’s fans want to build a temple in his honour in Ranchi. The way Cheteshwar Pujara has begun his cricket career, don’t be surprised if his fans engage themselves in a similar pursuit in Rajkot a few years down the line.
The 20-year-old added another chapter to his growing legend on Monday, cracking an unbeaten 112 that carried Saurashtra to a fivewicket triumph over a stunned Karnataka in the Ranji. It wasn’t surprising when he later termed it as the best knock of his career.
When he talks about his best, there is a fair bit to choose from, even for his age. Last season, he hit 807 runs in eight Ranji games, at 73.36, with three hundreds. Before this season began, Pujara slammed two triple hundreds in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy. The ‘Mr Consistent’ of domestic cricket then followed that up with an unbeaten 302 against Orissa. So far, he has 867 runs in eight games, with four hundreds against his name already.
So why does this knock stand out? Firstly, it came right in front of Rahul Dravid, one of his childhood heroes. The presence of the former Indian captain Dravid in the audience that must have thrilled the youngster somewhere. A pat on the back and a gentle ‘well played’ that came from ‘The Wall’ just after the win a poignant sight indeed, would be the biggest-prize Pujara would have hoped for in this game, though the master class that he was hoping for from the Indian captain never came. Or is the master already satisfied with what he saw? A peep into the future it was, for sure.
“I had to stick at one end, as well as keep scoring. It wasn’t entirely according to the way I play naturally. I had to adapt to the situation. I was forced to play strokes quite a few times,” he reasoned. The way Pujara soaked the pressure, despite walking in at 13-3, was admirable, to say the least. “I never think of pressure.
“The question what if I fail, never crosses my mind,” he said. “My 168-run stand with Sitanshu Kotak for the fourth wicket swung it around for us,” he said. Why this knock could be special to him could be the spotlight it would bring on him, more so with India not playing any international cricket currently.
“I feel this performance must have been noticed,” he said.
A match-winning effort in an epic fourth-innings chase is hardly the stuff that would escape the eyes of those who matter in Indian cricket. However, any talk of expecting a national call is met with a gentle reply.
“I just want to focus on my game. If I keep scoring, the selection will happen in due time,” he says. His calm exterior reflects no signs of frustration. Perhaps, his daily regimen of meditating for half an hour is playing an important role.
The steady head can also be attributed to father Arvind Pujara, a former Ranji wicket-keeper bat for Saurashtra who has been Pujara’s coach, mentor, practically everything. After the second day’s play,
when Pujara fell for just one, national selector Yashpal Sharma advised the youngster to keep his head in line of off-stump. Pujara keenly listened to Yashpal, and looked a better player in the second innings.
What turned Pujara into a Runmachine this season? “I decided to play more positively this time. That seems to be paying off. Our bowlers are also getting more time to bowl the other sides out,” he explains.
In the semis, Mumbai have a chance to avenge their plight last season. But they better devise a plan for Pujara fast. They could be next in the line of ‘Mr Reliable’. What if he replaces Dravid in future? “I wouldn’t like to replace him. I’d prefer to play alongside him,” Pujara says. No arrogance, and a hunger to learn and play well, while remaining focused. Pujara resembles a young Dravid in more ways than one.

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOI&BaseHref=TOICH/2008/12/30&PageLabel=16&EntityId=Ar01601&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T[/tscii:5c5c89b51b]

[Sourav]

Pujara deserves a chance.
naanum pala varushama sollittu irukken...(check prev. page) yaaru kekkuraa.. :cry:
played exceedingly well in this eng tour too... technically very strong b'man... class player.

[Plum]

We are so obsessed with good looking(stylish play) batsmen. Our current middle order succeeded because of the mix of characteristics they have. There can ofcourse be no like for like replacement for Sachin. But pujara - if given half as many chances as savraj - can be a good replacement for Dravid, Rohit for Laxman, Raina for Ganguly. But chances are pujara will be given one or two tests here and there and branded a failure if he fails there. When will we stop selectimg test squad based on odi stylists?

[Sourav]

Yuvi wins the race. Is Panesar not coming?? :lol2:
:lol: athu oru kaalam.. :P :wink:

[Rajaruud]

Yuvi :thumbsup:

[VinodKumar's]

BAdrinath :shock:

[Plum]

I also tend to think one of the middle order slots will be taken by Dhoni at some point. Even a tough man like MSD surely can't keep wickets in 3 formats plus IPL for years together? The back is bound to give in at some point. Wonder if anyone in indian board has thought about this.

[Nerd]

Yuvi wins the race. Is Panesar not coming?? :lol2:
:lol: athu oru kaalam.. :P :wink:
aamaam avan spin aada maattaan (sariyaa).. again test matches-la avan oru veththu.. pOdhum vidungappaa :oops:

indha maadhiri palaya thread ellaam thOndi edukkuravingala ban pananum.

[VinodKumar's]

Yuvi wins the race. Is Panesar not coming?? :lol2:

Btw, Dravid machakkAran!

Enna artham :roll:

[Nerd]

therileeng, marandhuruchu..:oops:

chumma palaya thread ellaam thOndi eduthuttu :twisted:

[Plum]

Imo, dravid will be very tough to replace - that dedication, team spirit, commitment, determination and all this with his level of talent _ in today' s glamour world that indian cricket is, very difficult to find someone lioke him . That is why pujara should be taken and persisted even if he fails for 7-8 tests. Afterall, atapattu's first 6 inns added up to one run, didn't they? He did well enough later. Pujara is one such gem. I hope he doesn't fail when selected and if he does, is not dropped immediately. We really need that dravid replacement and no one else is suited to that role. Pujara has to be given every opportunity to grow into that role.

[Sourav]

Cheteshwar Arvind Pujara, arguably the most promising young batsman in India today, has been knocking at the doors of Test cricket for quite some time now.

Hailed by many a discerning critic as another Rahul Dravid [ Images ], the unassuming Saurashtra player had a very fruitful tour of England [ Images ] and Scotland recently, not only as a batsman but also captain of the India 'A' team.

He scored a double century (208 not out) against the West Indies [ Images ] 'A' team in a 'Test', two hundreds in seven one-dayers on the tour and yet another three-figure knock in the tri-series.

He dominated the tri-series, involving the India 'A', West Indies 'A' and England Lions teams, scoring 332 runs at an average of 83.00, with a strike-rate of 95.40, including one century and two fifties.

Though he never captained a senior team before, he led from the front and did not allow the extra responsibility to affect his batting. If anything, India 'A' came agonisingly close to winning the tri-series. A generous Fleet Street was forced to take note of the youngster's compact batting and consistency in England and Scotland.

Interview. (http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2010/jul/15/interview-with-rising-indian-cricket-star-cheteshwar-pujara.htm)

[Sourav]

pujara vanthuttanya... :D

[Plum]

Since I like him, let me tell this.
Pujara is a waste of space he is surely going to fail.

[19thmay]

pujara vanthuttanya... :D

Yedhukku innum summa irukka? avanayum avatar-a pOtru... :lol2:

[Sourav]

iru... mothalla team-la serthu yethachum adikkattum... :lol2:
orey avatar vacchiruntha bore adikkum... :swinghead:

[Vivasaayi]

pujara vanthuttanya... :D

Yedhukku innum summa irukka? avanayum avatar-a pOtru... :lol2:

:lol:

[Riyazz]

voted RAINA

[Puliyan_Biryani]

Voted for Rohit Sharma.

[ajithfederer]

Good one sridar :rotfl:.


pujara vanthuttanya... :D

Yedhukku innum summa irukka? avanayum avatar-a pOtru... :lol2:

[Puliyan_Biryani]

pujara vanthuttanya... :D

Yedhukku innum summa irukka? avanayum avatar-a pOtru... :lol2:
:rotfl3:

[Sourav]

:evil: avan avatar-i ellorum vaikkura kaalam vegu thooram illai... 8-)

[hamid]

pujara vanthuttanya... :D

Yedhukku innum summa irukka? avanayum avatar-a pOtru... :lol2:

:rotfl2:

[sathya_1979]

my top 7 without the big 3:
Vijay
Gambhir
Viru
Pujara - depending on ferfaarmans, else savaraaj
Raina
Dinesh karthik - to reduce the burden on Dhoni, also, he is a decent batsman
Dhoni

[Plum]

ennnaga, cheeka-kum mEla TN pAsamA irukkInga.

Try this:
Vijay
Abhinav Mukund
Gambhir
Sehwag
Dinesh Karthik
Badri
Dhoni
Ashwin
Zaheer
Sreesanth
Aushik Srinivas

:-)

[sathya_1979]

allov, 2 pErdhaane!

[Sourav]

Cheteshwar Pujara: Consistency personified

Biswajit Jha

At a time when most Indian cricketers hog limelight by playing Twenty20 cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara’s story is of a completely different kind. He is one of those rare breeds in Indian cricket, who is being seen as a serious Test prospect. And it is apt that the Indian selectors named him in the Test team to take on mighty Australia in October.

The run-machine from Saurashtra played 45 Ranji matches and scored 3416 runs, including 12 hundreds, with a healthy average of 56.00. Moreover, his overall first class average is an astounding 60.38 from 49 matches.

Ever since he started playing cricket, Pujara has become one of the most talked about young cricketers. Such is the consistency and perseverance of this young man, he is already being touted as the ‘Wall in Waiting’-waiting to replace the real ‘Wall’ of Indian cricket, the great Rahul Dravid, who is in the twilight zone of his dazzling career.

The young man from Rajkot, who has made a habit of scoring triple centuries in domestic cricket, has all the qualities required for carrying forward the legacy of Dravid- he is technically precise and has the patience to play marathon innings in the longer format of the game.

In his first-class career so far, he has already scored three triple tons which speaks volumes about the man who, when in touch, seems to know no stopping.

Pujara, however, doesn’t want to complicate his approach to the game. A solid batsman with a sound technique and tremendous temperament, however, puts his ability to scoring big innings down to the simple fact of ‘not getting out’.

Despite having scored heavily in first-class cricket, he was not at all anxious about getting a national call. "After performing in every season, I was confident that one day I would get chance to play for the country," the youngster said.

Looking at his career so far, one gets the feeling that Pujara is rightly being called the run-machine. Ever since he learnt the art of willow wielding, it’s scoring runs that ultimately goads him on.

History of Test cricket shows us that great players don’t like to throw away their wicket when they are well-set. Steve Waugh described cricket as a one-ball game. However, it’s the ability to concentrate hours after hours that sets greats apart from their ordinary counterparts. Ask Gavaskar, Sobers, Lara, Sachin, Dravid, or for that matter, any of the greats, and they will tell you that they hated getting out when they had successfully weathered away the initial jitters at the crease.

A player from a lesser known Saurashtra Ranji team, Pujara showed this immense talent from the very early years. He started hitting triple tons at the age of 13, hammering an unbeaten 306 against Baroda at an under-14 tournament. Then at Under-19 World Cup in 2006, he fetched man of the series award by amassing 349 in the tournament.

In 2007-08 Ranji season, he scored more than 800 runs, which earned him `Most Promising Youngster of the Year` award. But it was in the 2008-09 season that he set domestic cricket on fire by scoring three triple tons and more than 900 Ranji runs. In fact, his emergence as a superb batsman played a huge role in Saurashtra’s recent success story in the domestic circuit, without the best of facilities at their disposal.

Pujara, however, does not like comparisons with Rahul Dravid. "It is silly that a man, who has been playing for the country for more than a decade and scored over 10,000 runs in both forms of the game, is being compared with someone who is yet to play a match for India," said Pujara.

For a player, who learnt the nuances of cricket from his Ranji playing father Arvind, whose ambition of playing for the nation never got fulfilled, and who lost his mother early in his life, Pujara knows enough that life, as it turns out to be, is not always rosy.

When most of the boys of his age-group like to enjoy life outside the strict routine, Pujara, having already known the flip side of the life, just wants to concentrate on the task at hand. His approach to life is a testimony to the fact that his batting has not been corrupted in spite of the T20 revolution. So, when people call him as the ‘Next Big Thing of Indian cricket’, he remains calm and composed. “I am pleased that my performances are being talked about, but I am not getting ahead of myself,” says the seemingly mature lad.

It seems that he knows the cases of Vinod Kambli, Amol Muzumdar, Ajay Sharma, Brijesh Patel and Vikram Rathore, who despite having shown promise early, somehow could not carry their domestic heroics to the international level.

http://cricket.zeenews.com/fullstory.aspx?nid=32337
[tscii:98d73bd8b9] [/tscii:98d73bd8b9]

[Plum]

Suresh Menon on M Vijay

Vijay does not have Dravid's technique, but seems to have his temperament which might pay more. There is a tendency to commit to the front foot which might see him in trouble on quicker tracks or when the ball is swinging. There is an unfortunate preference to playing across the line even in defence - probably a legacy of limited-overs cricket.

I think Vijay was lucky to be in the Bangalore pitch on Day 2 and 3 and he cashed in. Ofcourse, cashing in on easy conditions is not something any TN player has done before(barring S Ramesh to an extent) but I dont think Vijay is above Raina, Pujara, Rohit or Kohli in the contention for the next middle order slot. Maybe, for now he can be the reserve opener, that's all. I dont see him succeeding as a #3 batsman.

[MADDY]

After sachin, dravid, lax retire- our lineup should look something like this

sehwag
gambhir
vijay
Pujara
Kohli
Raina
Dhoni

Raina and sehwag should be considered as spinners and 4 pace bowlers after Dhoni.....indha bajji, sojji businesse venaam

[Sourav]

After sachin, dravid, lax retire- our lineup should look something like this

sehwag
gambhir
vijay
Pujara
Kohli
Raina
Dhoni

Raina and sehwag should be considered as spinners and 4 pace bowlers after Dhoni.....indha bajji, sojji businesse venaam sehwag likes to play in middle order in tests after sachin/laxman retires.... he even said he will sacrifice his opening position for vijay if needed...dunno is that ODI or test.

[Riyazz]

Pujara :clap: is best replacer for dravid

[directhit]

After sachin, dravid, lax retire- our lineup should look something like this

sehwag
gambhir
vijay
Pujara
Kohli
Raina
Dhoni

Raina and sehwag should be considered as spinners and 4 pace bowlers after Dhoni.....indha bajji, sojji businesse venaam Rohit and Rayudu as well...

[MADDY]

Pujara :clap: is best replacer for dravid

Dravid's days are numbered IMO - vijay and pujara sketch pottutaanga :lol: ........why not Kohli for tests , he is a pretty decent player....

[Thirumaran]

Pujara :clap: is best replacer for dravid

Dravid's days are numbered IMO - vijay and pujara sketch pottutaanga :lol: ........why not Kohli for tests , he is a pretty decent player....

it is better he announce his retirement before getting dropped or management forces him to retire :sigh2:

[Sourav]

Heard our badrinath (captain) selected anirudha ahead of rayudu for india green team in challenger trophy... :roll:

[MADDY]

Heard our badrinath (captain) selected anirudha ahead of rayudu for india green team in challenger trophy... :roll:

srikanth oru veral kaamichhu, choose pannu-nnu solliruppaaru :P

[Plum]

Heard our badrinath (captain) selected anirudha ahead of rayudu for india green team in challenger trophy... :roll:

srikanth oru veral kaamichhu, choose pannu-nnu solliruppaaru :P:lol:

Actually, Srikkanth was the first one to acknowledge Rayudu way back. He was the manager of the youth team that toured England when Rayudu made a big splash. So, I am sure he knows Rayudu's potential. It is all the more unpardonable if he favoured his son over Rayudu :evil:

Rayudu is a better bet than Tiwary and definitely he can be a better version of Kohli if he is nurtured properly. But the guy has temparament issues and may end up screwing himseelf if he is not given the right nurture now. This was one reason I was happy to see him in MI because SRT was nurturing him very well. Dont know if MI will buy him again. Hope Deccan or Bangalore or even Chennai buy him - so that he gets the benevolent influence of Anil, Rahul or MSD or even Gilly.

[Plum]

Ok, so I have officially ended the career of Rayudu...:oops:

[Sourav]

rohit sharma's last 5 scores in odis. 41, 4, 0, 11, 5.... intha series-um aadalaina ooooo than...same to jadu as well.

[Plum]

Rohit will do well. But he is wasting his talent by being casual. Criminal waste of talent - he has everything - talent, shots, temparement, style, stamina, cool mind under pressure - but he chooses not to use it mostly. Very casual approach. Sadly.

Overall, there is a good bunch waiting there but do they have the discipline of Rahul, Sachin, VVS or even Gautam? That's the question.

[raajarasigan]

Rohit will do well. But he is wasting his talent by being casual. Criminal waste of talent - he has everything - talent, shots, temparement, style, stamina, cool mind under pressure - but he chooses not to use it mostly. Very casual approach. Sadly.

Overall, there is a good bunch waiting there but do they have the discipline of Rahul, Sachin, VVS or even Gautam? That's the question.ok.. Rohit kadhaiyum mudinjuthu... :lol:

[Puliyan_Biryani]

Rohit will do well. But he is wasting his talent by being casual. Criminal waste of talent - he has everything - talent, shots, temparement, style, stamina, cool mind under pressure - but he chooses not to use it mostly. Very casual approach. Sadly.
pazhikku pazhiyaa :twisted:

[Sourav]

wat abt that guy rahane.... :? avanaiyum neraya per recommend panrange... his first class avg also outstanding... should try pujara in ODIs if rohit fails again.

[vanchi]

After sachin, dravid, lax retire- our lineup should look something like this

sehwag
gambhir
vijay
Pujara
Kohli
Raina
Dhoni

Raina and sehwag should be considered as spinners and 4 pace bowlers after Dhoni.....indha bajji, sojji businesse venaam Rohit and Rayudu as well...

rohit looked technically competent. what happend to him. i thought raina/rohit will fight for place, now, raina has assured himself of a place.

[Sourav]

Kohli, Rohit in rat race for WC berth
Aby Jose | TNN

Kochi: Indian skipper MS Dhoni has uncorked the can of worthy in-house competition by declaring here that several spots are up for grabs in the national ODI side in the lead-up to the World Cup early next year. With quite a few seniors unavailable for the ongoing series against Australia, the test of bench strength is truly on and big performances from any of the fringe players in all probability would be rewarded with a berth in the home World Cup squad.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would find themselves in the same boat, not cent percent certainties for the February 19-April 2 tournament. The righthanded duo has so many facts in common and at a first glance, there is little to differentiate between the two. Both are in their early twenties, both hail from domestic powerhouses, both made their international debut within a gap of just over an year, both are yet to graduate into Test level and most importantly, have failed to do justice to their unquestionable potential in terms of consistency.
The battle between Rohit and Kohli is the one to become the floater in an otherwise strong, established batting lineup or a confident reserve face in the squad of 15. All depends on several crucial factors, for example the form of Yuvraj Singh in the lead up to the tourney, or as Dhoni rightly pointed out, an unexpected injury to a key player.
Suresh Raina, with a string of moraleboosting shows including in the longer format, has reasons to believe that he is now a notch above Rohit and Kohli visà-vis a berth in the side. As of now, there is only a slim possibility that the Mumbaikar and Delhiite together make the squad. Understandably, even more remote is the chance of the two featuring in a same World Cup match. Rohit and Kohli give a thrust to wrist-based stroke play and love the on-side region. But the short ball has troubled Rohit quite often, while shuffling across the wicket has plotted Kohli’s downfall a number of times.
[tscii:c7efb66f72][/tscii:c7efb66f72]

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2010/10/18&PageLabel=20&EntityId=Ar02004&ViewMode=HTML&GZ=T

[Sourav]

changed the thread title from 'Indian Test Batting Middle Order Replacement Race' to 'Young Guns of Indian Cricket'.

[Sourav]

S Tiwary & Dhawan gonna debut in 2nd match on wednesday....
All the best guys! :2thumbsup:

[sathya_1979]

Many young guns are like Appu's, no matter how many chances they get, they tend to shoot themselves.

[Sourav]

dhoni hinted that S Tiwary will make his debut...and for openers vj and dhawan...no other choice.... so its obvious that they will make in to the playing XI,,, yuvi will also play as most of the seniors not playing. So, jadu/kohli/rohit will be excluded as per my guess...

playing XI would be,

vj
dhawan
yuvraj
dhoni
raina
s tiwary
kohli/rohit/jadu
ashwin
praveen
nehra
munaf

[sathya_1979]

Nehra, Munaf, outfield la pOtta, kandippa esstra 40-50 runs!

[Sourav]

Slots still open for the World Cup: Dhoni


"There are quite a few slots that are open. A fast bowling slot, one or two depending on injuries, one batsman's slot (are available). We don't have a world-class all-rounder which means that place is also up for grabs. Besides, one more big-hitting batsman who can fit down the order (can be accommodated). The top five-six batsmen and in total eight to nine players are almost sure to be there if injuries don't bother them," said Dhoni.
[tscii:4baf2f74b2][/tscii:4baf2f74b2]

[Plum]

oru proper spinner slot kUda dhAn openA irukku....but for that, a spinner should emerge with top wickets in a tournament/series PLUS a couple of fifties at high strike rate - idhu illAma dhAn Durby-kku kuLir vittu pOchu.
innum ethanai varusham Durby attoozhiyathai thAngi koLLa vENdumO?

[sathya_1979]

Plum, dharmaththin vaazhvu thanai soodhu kavvum, dharmamum sila samayam maNNai kavvum!

[Plum]

sila samayam engE? pala varushamA kavvikittirukkE...ippO kUda "I am satisfied with my performance in Aus series"-nu pEtti kodukkarAn.

idhukku reply nAn type paNNinA, Feeyaar delete paNniduvar!

[sathya_1979]

appo enakku PM paNNunga!

[sathya_1979]

Bhajji = Kanitkar V 3.0
Kanitkar - 1 boundary, 3 years in team.
Bhajji - 1 series, > 9 years in team

[Sourav]

3 varushama irunthana? :shock: kodumai... just now checked his profile... just 1 50 in his 34 matches...

[Sourav]

Plum can we start a new thread 'funny things happening in cricket'...?? Rombha naal munna ketteengale.... It will move well i guess.

[Plum]

Arambinga Sourav...

[Sourav]

watched 30th-36th overs and last 5 overs...

Disappointing match for debutant dhawan...
S Tiwary rounded by 7,8 fielders denying him to take singles... seems struggled abit to hit over infield...didnt middle at all...
Hope they comeback well in next match!

[Sourav]

Kohli.... His top 7 scores r in chasing... we won in all those matches.... :clap:

[hamid]

watched 30th-36th overs and last 5 overs...

Disappointing match for debutant dhawan...
S Tiwary rounded by 7,8 fielders denying him to take singles... seems struggled abit to hit over infield...didnt middle at all...
Hope they comeback well in next match!

saw the later part of Indian innings.. the short stay in the crease for Tiwary would have done a world of good for him.. yes he did struggle.. but he would have known what is called as pressure now and it wil help him in future...

[Sourav]

sachin, sehwag, gambhir, dhoni, zaheer, bhajji etc not gonna play in Nz series. Another chance for youngsters to prove their talent.... This series performance might ensure few of them a place in WC squad!

[Dhakshan]

So Raina will be leading the team na? Raina, Vijay, Kohli, Yuvi, Dhawan, Tiwary, Ashwin, V Kumar, P Kumar, Y Pathan, R Jadeja :lol2: and who else will be in the squad :roll:

[sathya_1979]

Deserved break for Dhoni! Avar mEla load testing nadatharaanga! Killing the thanga muttai vaaththu (oru analogy ku sonnadhu, no literal meaning)

[Sourav]

ennathu yusuf.a...

if yuvi is there he will be the captain, not raina!

u missed DK.

[Dhakshan]

Yuvi Captain-a :roll:
And Y Pathan chance koduka idha vitta vaera series-a illiyae.. D K form le thaan irukaara...

[Plum]

Yuvi has already confessed that youngsters dont listen to him. He shouldnt be made captain.
Raina has already surged ahead as the leader of the young pack.
Without Dhoni, the ODI team will struggle. Keeper yAru?

[Puliyan_Biryani]

So Raina will be leading the team na? Raina, Vijay, Kohli, Yuvi, Dhawan, Tiwary, Ashwin, V Kumar, P Kumar, Y Pathan, R Jadeja :lol2: and who else will be in the squad :roll:
:x :evil:

Parthiv Patel might get the Keeper's spot. Uthappam kooda try panni paakkalaam.

[Riyazz]

Dk is better than partiv n uthappa

[Sourav]

Dk is better than partiv n uthappa
DK's recent domestic form is not great... he failed in many matches, scored well in 2... but, parthiv played well in challenger and irani cups. utthpps ellam perusa onnum adikkala recenta.... so no chance. epdi paathalum 1st preference DK than.

[directhit]

Killing the thanga muttai vaaththu (oru analogy ku sonnadhu, no literal meaning) :lol:

[directhit]

Badrinath in the poll :?

[Sourav]

Deserved break for Dhoni! Avar mEla load testing nadatharaanga! Killing the thanga muttai vaaththu (oru analogy ku sonnadhu, no literal meaning)
Its not exactly break/rest.... seniors incl. dhoni will go to SA earlier and will play practice matches...

[sathya_1979]

Killing the thanga muttai vaaththu (oru analogy ku sonnadhu, no literal meaning) :lol:
andha bracketla uLLa sentence pOdalainna, naNbar Maddyku badhil solla vEndiyirukkum.

[sathya_1979]

Deserved break for Dhoni! Avar mEla load testing nadatharaanga! Killing the thanga muttai vaaththu (oru analogy ku sonnadhu, no literal meaning)
Its not exactly break/rest.... seniors incl. dhoni will go to SA earlier and will play practice matches...
that's not as demanding as real match

[directhit]

Killing the thanga muttai vaaththu (oru analogy ku sonnadhu, no literal meaning) :lol:
andha bracketla uLLa sentence pOdalainna, naNbar Maddyku badhil solla vEndiyirukkum. unga post was a good one, funny :D

[sathya_1979]

Killing the thanga muttai vaaththu (oru analogy ku sonnadhu, no literal meaning) :lol:
andha bracketla uLLa sentence pOdalainna, naNbar Maddyku badhil solla vEndiyirukkum. unga post was a good one, funny :D
evLo mukkiyamaana matter solliyirkkEn, comedy piece aakkiteengaLe :evil:

[Sourav]

this thread was 'Indian Test Batting Middle Order Replacement Race' b4... poll is related to that...

[Sourav]

Deserved break for Dhoni! Avar mEla load testing nadatharaanga! Killing the thanga muttai vaaththu (oru analogy ku sonnadhu, no literal meaning)
Its not exactly break/rest.... seniors incl. dhoni will go to SA earlier and will play practice matches...
that's not as demanding as real match yes... :)

[Sourav]

Squad selection today for Nz Series, As per reports Mukund might get a place as backup opener for viru-vijay.

Someone start a thread for Nz series pls.

[Riyazz]

Sourav i start thread for nz series

[Sourav]

startunga riyazz! :D

[Sourav]

Wanted: A world class all-rounder

Margao, Oct. 25: Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and coach Gary Kirsten would be burning the midnight oil more than ever now. With just four months to go for the World Cup, the two have the tough task of getting their team balance just right.

The Indian team is blessed with top batsmen and sufficient bench strength in the bowling department, but it’s the search for one all-rounder that is proving to be elusive.

The No. 7 spot holds a very important role in one-day cricket. He is the one who usually gives his skipper the luxury to beef up his batting or bowling order at time of crises.

It would do the Indians a world of good if they can find a bowling all-rounder. India had Kapil Dev in 1983, Imran Khan played that role to perfection in Pakistan’s triumph in 1992 and Tom Moody was a key to Australia’s successes in 1999 and 2003.

Not long ago, Ravindra Jadeja seemed to have filled the slot but the Saurashtra all-rounder’s rough patch with the bat had raised question marks over his place in the team. Now Jadeja does not even find a place in the second XI with off-spinner R. Ashwin emerging as a new contender.

However, Jadeja hasn’t done too badly either. In the last one year, his left-arm spin was the almost economical (4.78) among Indian bowlers in taking 29 wickets from 29 matches.

But at the moment, it looks like Ashwin will get a few opportunities to show if he can repeat his Twenty20 form. And unfortunately for India these are the only two options that they have to contend, with the Pathan brothers —- Irfan and Yusuf — also having an outside chance. Dhoni is clearly a worried man.

“There are quite a few slots that are open (for the World Cup). We don’t have a world-class all-rounder, which means that a place is also up for grabs. It is also about what criteria the team wants to go with, whether they want an all-rounder or stick with a batsman who can bowl a few overs,” said Dhoni.

The team management is also looking at an option of squeezing some overs from part-timers Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh. Raina has been the man for all seasons for Dhoni and the Uttar Pradesh lad’s cool head with the ball in the T20 formats has impressed his skipper.

“Raina can bowl a bit and brings a lot into the side. At one time we had 3-4 part-timers who could bowl in international games but in this side right now we just have Sehwag, Yuvraj and Raina. If we are playing four bowlers, Raina’s role becomes very important,” Dhoni reckoned.

But Dhoni will know that the tactic is a gamble, even if the World Cup is happening at home.

Sanath Jayauriya and Aravinda de Silva did it successfully in the 1996 World Cup win for Sri Lanka, but it can backfire big time on the flat decks in the sub-continent.[tscii:19ce369f69][/tscii:19ce369f69]

[Plum]

It is better to get 4 good bowlers and manage with Raina/Yuvi/Viru.

What problem are we trying to address?
In the last match, the part-timer Yuvraj bowled 10 overs for 48 runs. It is the main seamers who let us down. Instead of addressing that problem, we are trying to see if an all-rounder can arrive. That means, we are taking it for granted that a front-line bowler - who is selected for his bowling alone - will definitely go for huge runs :lol:

Put your bowlers on notice. Raina/Yuvi/Viru can manage 10 overs for 50 runs on an average and will go for 90-100 in worst case scenario.

If we dont have 4 decent front line bowlers, we dont deserve to win the cup anyway. Just give up.

[Sourav]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFIV0T6lycQ :P

[Sourav]

http://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/125500/125559.jpg Saha! 8-)
Gauti is really back on track! Very happy! :D
Kohli is in great form!
Delhi boys rock!

[Dinesh84]

http://p.imgci.com/db/PICTURES/CMS/125500/125559.jpg Saha! 8-)
Great work from the photographer! :clap:

[littlemaster1982]

Bumpski!!!

[Sourav]

Thanks master,

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH%2F2011%2F04%2F19&ViewMode=GIF&PageLabel=17&EntityId=Ar01700&AppName=1

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Archive&Source=Page&Skin=TOINEW&BaseHref=TOICH/2011/04/19&PageLabel=17&ForceGif=true&EntityId=Ar01705&ViewMode=HTML

[Sourav]

Pujara confident of regaining berth in Indian squad
http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/item/175843-pujara-confident-of-regaining-berth-in-indian-squad

[jinju]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/523403.html

a very good interview there.

[Sourav]

Ashok Menaria interview.

http://zeenews.india.com/cricket/fullstory.aspx?nid=39710

[Sourav]

Emerging Players Tournament
http://www.espncricinfo.com/emerging-players-tournament-2011/engine/series/516034.html?view=pointstable
Our team won against Aus & NZ, Lost to SA. Still 4 matches are remaining for us.

[VinodKumar's]

20 - 20 ah :( ... cha one day nu nenachu tournament results lam paaka ponaen :banghead:

[Plum]

iLayavEngai anirudha performance epdi?

[Sourav]

20 - 20 ah :( ... cha one day nu nenachu tournament results lam paaka ponaen :banghead:
enna T20-a?-nu rombha salichukkura... IPL-a alarm vachu paakuravan nee, unakku yen intha vetti sceneu...

plum, 30 vs Nz, 45 vs SA, 6 vs Aus

[satissh_r]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/emerging-players-tournament-2011/engine/current/match/516199.html

Match Drawn, centuries by S Dhawan and A Rahane..

[SoftSword]

indha Saurabh Tiwary ellaam nallaa varuvanu nenachutu irundhaen oru kaalatthula...
oosless pellow.

[Sourav]

Difficult to find place in star-studded Test team: Rohit
http://sports.ndtv.com/ind-eng-2011/news/item/176442-difficult-to-find-place-in-star-studded-test-team-rohit

[satissh_r]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/emerging-players-tournament-2011/engine/current/match/516202.html

AIS 205 all out, V Aaron gets 4 wickets and Unadkat gets 3. India 191/1 with Rahane on 71 and A Menaria on 94