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[keep-it-cool]

Mithun and Saha in India squad
Cricinfo staff

January 28, 2010

Text size: A | A Karnataka fast bowler Abhimanyu Mithun and Bengal wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha have been included for the first Test against South Africa next week.

Full report to follow

Squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, S Badrinath, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, M Vijay, Sudeep Tyagi, Abhimanyu Mithun, Wriddhiman Saha.

[flashpan]

Great to see Mithun in the Test squad . I would actually go in for a 3 pace  option rather then go in for a 2 spin option considering the way Bhajji , Ojha and Mishra have bowled so far .

[keep-it-cool]

It is tempting to play three pacers ...it is much easier when you have Yuvi, who can provide some support to the lone spinner.

Having said that, if we played two spinners v/s SL, I dont see us playing just one v/s SA. Bhajji has a very good record against SA at home but Ojha was the more impressive of the two in BD. I think both will end up playing.

[ramshorns]

At last Badri gets a Test.  He will debut. 

Mithun's inclusion will be a shot in the arm for the youngster.

None of the short game players Kohli, Raina and Rohit get in.

Saha's inclusion is an indication that he surely is on the radar.

It is good to see VVS recover in time with RD out.   VVS and SRT should give the right mix of experience in the MO versus a savvy SA side.

[keep-it-cool]

Will VVS bat at No. 3 or will Vijay fill in there? Will be interesting.

[ramshorns]

Will VVS bat at No. 3 or will Vijay fill in there? Will be interesting.

Since that spot is RD's when he comes back they should let Badri/Vijay bat at 3 and have VVS bat at 5.  That also ensures good balance to the batting order ruling out two relative newbies at 5 and 6.

GG/VS/Badri/SRT/VVS/MV/MSD is not a bad order under the circumstance.

[keep-it-cool]

This is how I would have it

MV (is an opener - pays to keep him where he is most comfortable)
GG (could have been VS too ..picked GG to keep the left hand right hand combo going)
VS (can do what he's been doing at the opener's slot from no.3 as well)
SRT
VVS
SB (if he takes anyone's slot, its gonna be Yuvi's - so makes sense to test him there)
MSD

[flashpan]

Does not the Nagpur wicket have more pace and bounce when compared to other wickets . That makes it more logical for Mithun to play ahead of Mishra/Ojha.

[dhruvdeepak]

At last Badri gets a Test.  He will debut. 

Mithun's inclusion will be a shot in the arm for the youngster.

None of the short game players Kohli, Raina and Rohit get in.

Saha's inclusion is an indication that he surely is on the radar.

It is good to see VVS recover in time with RD out.   VVS and SRT should give the right mix of experience in the MO versus a savvy SA side.

bye bye KKD

[pzd]

Umesh Yadav from Vidharaba seems to be another promising guy.. he is in the BP X1

http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/376116.html

[pzd]

Kaif not even in board presidents xi...

Abhinav Mukund, Parthiv Patel (wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma (capt), Manish Pandey, Cheteshwar Pujara, Abhishek Nayar, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Manpreet Gony.

[keep-it-cool]

Does not the Nagpur wicket have more pace and bounce when compared to other wickets . That makes it more logical for Mithun to play ahead of Mishra/Ojha.

i dont think so ...isn't this the same wicket we played the fourth test against australia? jason krezja got a bucketful of wickets and, in general, pace bowlers struggled

[keep-it-cool]

Kaif not even in board presidents xi...

Abhinav Mukund, Parthiv Patel (wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma (capt), Manish Pandey, Cheteshwar Pujara, Abhishek Nayar, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Manpreet Gony.

How crazy is it to not include Kohli here?

[vincent]

Yes, Kohli would have been a better choice than that Abicrotch Nayar.

[keep-it-cool]

well, nayar is not strictly comparable because he bowls as well ..but he could have easily come in for any of the other batsmen

[keep-it-cool]

It is a bit surprising that there is absolutely no cover for the batsmen. Just 6 selected ..so if someone pulls up injured on the morning of the test match, Saha will have to come in and Dhoni play as a pure batsman.

[dhruvdeepak]

Yes, Kohli would have been a better choice than that Abicrotch Nayar.

hahah abhicrotch has scored 250....

[ramshorns]

Kaif not even in board presidents xi...

Abhinav Mukund, Parthiv Patel (wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma (capt), Manish Pandey, Cheteshwar Pujara, Abhishek Nayar, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Manpreet Gony.

How crazy is it to not include Kohli here?

Since Kohli is a certainty in the ODI's they included everyone that are fringe players who did well in the domestic cricket and the U-19 levels and made RS the captain.   

[pzd]

Suresh Raina too has not been considered...

[ramshorns]

Suresh Raina too has not been considered...

Not considered for what?  He is not fit for Test cricket yet and as I explained above just like Kohli he will be there for ODI's and hence other fringe players got a look in for the 2 day game which is no big deal.

[keep-it-cool]

I would have preferred to play Kohli in the BP XI. We haven't seen him in action against good bowling in a test match format ...so, would have been a good test.

[RicePlateReddy]

Munaf Patel should have been in the squad.

[flute]

A huge mistake in not considering kaif...total newbies blooded at home and we all know how these fellows will struggle abroad. kaif is atleast known for his fighting and lets not forget he got a century outside India when everyone else failed in his last test and then was dropped.

[dhruvdeepak]

A huge mistake in not considering kaif...total newbies blooded at home and we all know how these fellows will struggle abroad. kaif is atleast known for his fighting and lets not forget he got a century outside India when everyone else failed in his last test and then was dropped.

yeah right. he got 148*, his only test 100, in an inning where we scored something like 600-5 declared. he then proceeded to score three blobs in a row before sachin came back into the team

[Cover Point]

Suresh Raina too has not been considered...

Not considered for what?  He is not fit for Test cricket yet and as I explained above just like Kohli he will be there for ODI's and hence other fringe players got a look in for the 2 day game which is no big deal.

dont say that. I have my life savings ($100) riding on him having a 35 average after 10 tests. Dlee1 is going to pay. That is my retirement plan

[flute]

A huge mistake in not considering kaif...total newbies blooded at home and we all know how these fellows will struggle abroad. kaif is atleast known for his fighting and lets not forget he got a century outside India when everyone else failed in his last test and then was dropped.

yeah right. he got 148*, his only test 100, in an inning where we scored something like 600-5 declared. he then proceeded to score three blobs in a row before sachin came back into the team

really? I thought that WI innings was his last in tests? no?

[12th_Man]

I don't see much need in tampering the opening. IF MV is comfortable at opening what abt VS and GG ?
Would prefer to keep VS and GG as openers and stay away from too much changes in line up. My preferred lineup would be:
VS,GG,MV,SRT,VVS,SB,MSD,HS,AM/PO,ZK,IS
Also, Against SA in first match will surely play two spinners.
 

This is how I would have it

MV (is an opener - pays to keep him where he is most comfortable)
GG (could have been VS too ..picked GG to keep the left hand right hand combo going)
VS (can do what he's been doing at the opener's slot from no.3 as well)
SRT
VVS
SB (if he takes anyone's slot, its gonna be Yuvi's - so makes sense to test him there)
MSD

[ramshorns]

A huge mistake in not considering kaif...total newbies blooded at home and we all know how these fellows will struggle abroad. kaif is atleast known for his fighting and lets not forget he got a century outside India when everyone else failed in his last test and then was dropped.

Come on now.  All these fighting qualities and all are fine but it also helps for all to know during the past Ranji season he was not even in the top 50 scorer's in the entire nation a list in which Pathiv Patel is one of the top 5 run getters.  I do not think based on cricketing merits alone he does warrant a call up despite his recent runs in Duleep trophy.   He needs to keep going and show he is better than his competition and if all things being equal he surely can merit a recall.  Until then he needs to keep fighting and prove that he is one of the best in the country.

[keep-it-cool]

A huge mistake in not considering kaif...total newbies blooded at home and we all know how these fellows will struggle abroad. kaif is atleast known for his fighting and lets not forget he got a century outside India when everyone else failed in his last test and then was dropped.

yeah right. he got 148*, his only test 100, in an inning where we scored something like 600-5 declared. he then proceeded to score three blobs in a row before sachin came back into the team

really? I thought that WI innings was his last in tests? no?

no. he scored a century but was hardly the only one who scored ..and that was not the last test in WI ...didnt do much in the remaining tests. after that he played in a test against england (i think) at home and didnt do too much.

in any case, he may have got a raw deal at that point ...but he has fallen off since and not done much in domestic cricket.. no reason to bring him back now over some of the other guys who have been piling it on in the domestic circuit.

[pzd]

Umesh Yadav from Vidharaba seems to be another promising guy.. he is in the BP X1

http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/376116.html

Umesh Yadav should be constantly monitored.. he seems a good bowler.

[ramshorns]

Umesh Yadav from Vidharaba seems to be another promising guy.. he is in the BP X1

http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/player/376116.html

Umesh Yadav should be constantly monitored.. he seems a good bowler.

Yes he should.  He seems to have the build and pace both.  Better than the useless Pee K. 

Good Work there Pzd by recognising him.