Players to watch out this IPL

Players to watch out for this IPL from Indian perspective. 

1. Ishant Sharma  for the 3rd seamer in the ODIs. He leaks out runs and isnt very wicket taking bowler, yet he is better than Munaf and Freesanth, for he has a nack to get the bounce and carry. And he has got the pace to ruffle the batsmen.

2. Irfan Pathan for that # 7 spot in the ODIs. Compete with his brother. He is far better player than Yusuf Pathan and what he is billed for now. If he gets that swing back and is back to fitness, look no further than Irfan. A man who has had 90s and has batted at # 3 in both Tests and ODIs should be a lucrative prospect back in the team when fit and on the top of the game. 

3. Manish Pandey : Can he now stake a claim in the ODI team if he has a successful IPL? If the likes of Vijay and Dhawan can get their chances owing to small success they had in IPL, then this lad who'z got some tremendous knocks in IPL and Ranji should get a look ahead in the lesser significant ODI series. 

4.  Cheteshwar Pujara: The things for that # 6 spot in the Tests would hot up once again when team travels to West Indies now that Yuvraj and Raina are back in the form.  Tests are a bit too far for now, but if he proves his mettle for RCB, then he might also come in the reckoning as a backup player in the ODI setup as well. 

There are not many open spots in the world champion team at the moment except # 7 spot. Sachin Tendulkar might not play ODIs any more, so the opening shall be going back to the Gauti - Viru combo followed by Kohli and Yuvraj. And then Raina and Dhoni. 

So if there are couple of lads like Irfan or Saurabh Tiwary can get some success this IPL they can edge through the likes of tested and failed Jadeja and Fuddi Pathan. 

Ravinder Jadeja today batted like he always does in the IPL, but he fails for India.  One of those players who hit iron hot form in IPL, but flounder in the national colors.  Freesanth, Rohit Sharma, IPL Ojha, Amit Mishra, Jadeja, Fuddi Pathan are the proud members of this lot.

Raina under pressure

Suresh Raina has now failed for 4 consecutive games in Tests and he has seemed to given away his advantage of having a cracking start to his Test career in Sangaland. 

He must remember that few more failures and he would be out of the reckoning soon. There are too many contenders for the # 6 spot in the Test side with Yuvraj, Pujara and the awesome Kohli.

Even though he has a big fan in MSD still he would need to deliver in the upcoming Durban Test, else this SA tour would be a replica of 2006 tour when he failed and he was out of the World Cup squad and went to a hibernation of 1 year untill CB Series of 2008.

He better perform!!!

Wrong selection again

The return of Rohit Sharma in the team on the back of a triple century in Ranji game depicts how short sighted the  5 wise men of the Indian cricket are. There is a man who has churned out triple centuries like sixes from Viru Sehwag, yet he finds himself on the fringes of the selection.  Then there is a man who is the only Indian to score a hundred in IPL and has imposed himself well in the game, there is another man who has evolved in the ODIs off late.

Despite the stuff this 3 are ignored and Rohit Sharma from Thackerayland is in the team as a cover for VVS. The 3 men I talked above are:

1. C Pujara
2. M Pandey
3. V Kohli

Instead we have Dabri and Rohit Sharma in the team to play Tests. Whats the credibility of Sharma ahead of Kohli ? Kohli has hit 2 hundreds and 3/4 50s in crunch situations helping India win the games. Sharma on the other hand has done nothing of that sort off late.

So why is Sharmaji in and Kohli out ?

Its a dangerous proposition to go in a crucial Test series without Dravid and possibly Laxman and even more dangerous to go in with substitutes like Dabri and Sharma, proven failures in international cricket.  There are likes of Pujara who make runs yet do not get a chance, then there are dudes like Kohli who had attitude problems but when thrown in the middle of the fire come out with even golden streak. Now if this players do not get chance who else would ?

Youngsters to look for next season and Badrinath 's failure

The flavor of the season ahead in India should be :

1) Manoj Tiwary -- the 1st real youngster post 2007 age to make the mark but injuries got him and barring the yorker game in Gabba in CB series 2008, this lad didnt get much chances to prove his talent. This season he should be back in contention given the injury of Raina and ahem ahem uselessness of Rohit Sharma

2) CP : Much said about him on Indian blogs in 2008. before injury got him ahead of IPL, he was in terrific form and he should get chance to prove his worth in ODIs and as a fringe player in Tests.

And those who support Badrinath to be in contention for the place in ODIs or Tests should go look for his score cards in Emerging player tournaments. He is the boss there and doesnt have to deal with the wicked presence of MS up there. Scoreline of 4, 3, 13 in 3 games as skipper obviously wont help his cause and then vocal cords or noise or support of Kris wont help him get even 3 or 4 voices in his favor.

Cmon Dabri, prove it you have got the substance and the mettle. As of now I m grinning cos I know you are useless. Your performances down under are going to turn off ur remaining supporters too.

Ways Pujara can get into reckoning!

May be Pujara now should switch Ranji side and play from Tamil Nadu or Mumbai. Perhaps only then he would be considered for selection, let go of being selected. And may be dance in a reality show. Play a T20 and have an affair with a Bollywood starlet. Only thing he should not do is score 3 consecutive triple hundreds and then 3 consecutive failures. Bloody fuck, just nobody bothers to see him score runs...Cos he is a Pujara and not Pujhara. And not a "kar" or a Kulkarni in his last name...Or may be he doesnt have anythin to get the Jokers notice him!!

Quota system back ?

Kris Srikanth is chief selector....
.
Balaji comes in the team for Munaf.

If Vengsarkar was chief selector even now, Dhaval Kulkarni wud have been into the team. The same lame duck bowler in IPL who bowls max 126 kmph fastest and is amazingly highest wicket taker in the Ranjis.

Thats why the likes of Jaffer got the chance when they were ordinary or for that matter Badrinath continues to be in Grade B when he hasnt even played a single decent knock at highest level. How come he is in the central contracts list and no PUJARA ?

Rajput is shamelessly backing Dhaval Kulkarni on a show on Neo Cricket. Mumbai mumbai bhai bhai.

Inconsistent selections

The team is predictable to the Lankan series. But one question arises and an answer beckons for that. Ravinder Jadeja is in the team on basis of the domestic performance. Now the question arises :

1. What was the parameter for the selection ? ODIs or Ranji games ? The ODIs are yet to begin (Deodhar trophy).
2. And if Ranji games was a criterion for selection for ODI games, then what was fault of C. Pujara ? An average of 82.96 and 900 runs in the season isnt enough ? If thats not enuf then whats enuf ?
3. Why was Virat Kohli dropped out of the team without even a single game after the Sep SL series ? Too many delhi players ? What is Rohit Sharma doing in the ODI team ? He hit 2 100s in the Ranji final, but then has he played a considerable innings in a ODI since CB series ?

Answers beckon to this couple of inconsistent selections...

Pujara not in, Badrinath not out YET!!!

Inclusion of Badrinath over Pujara is a headless chickened stuff and outright example of bias, favoritism, quota system and chauvinsm!! Chief Selector and Badrinath happen to be from same state. And bigger question is what has Badrinath done to be in the squad and what has Chets Pujara not done to be in the squad ? Hitting 3 triple tons in a season half way mark is not enuf for him to be in the team ?

If not then whats sufficient ? Giving away the chances, making 0s, 2s or single digit scores ? Or hailing from the same state from the chief selector ? This is outrageous. Similar to Jaffer when he got aplenty of chances when DBV was chief selector.

Thats narrow minded with no heads applied to the decision. A lot like PCB's Ijaz Butt.....BEsides that the squad is on the expected lines.

Give Pujara a look in ahead of Yuvraj

If young is the new mantra in the indian cricket, then look at the guys who are performing at the domestic level consistently. Not the likes of Sharma and Rainas who have been given uumpteen chances and they bloody fail every time. The ones who grind their way to the top through hard work, good attitude and moreover understand importance of INDIA cap. Not the ones who get T20 riches and are millionares in attitude and prize money but poor men in run making ....Not the ones who get a vote-in in the XI for their "sheer talent load" that never "delivers"......

Get in Cheteshwar Pujara in the Test team. Groom him....I think he rivals Yuvraj Singh and on basis of his current domestic form should edge past ODI king Yuvraj for Ganguly slot. 3 domestic 100s and big ones at that isnt a mean task. And that too against one time power house of Ranji -- Mumbai is enough good to prove that this dude is worth the gamble......12 years ago Ganguly sparkled against England and now who knows we might get a new TEST star against same opposition :)

But will MSD and Kris edge past lazy duo of Raina and R Sharma ?