Although there are some who may feel unmotivated by an India-Bangladesh series, these matches have assumed some importance for Team India and the Team India fan. In a way, to have a not-so-hard series at the start of a re-building phase can be a good thing. It is, however, a series that India must win — and win handsomely. It will serve to partially erase the demons of a totally dissatisfying World Cup 2007 for Team India.
The team has been selected. A few injuries have hit home (Tiwary is heading back home). The conditioning camp is over. Team India is in Bangladesh. It is time for the buglers to kick the games off.
Bangladesh are not going to be push-overs. They will have new found energy and spring in their step. Their spinners will find more purchase on spin-friendly pitches.
I suggest the following team for the ODIs (in batting order):
* Robin Uthappa
* Dinesh Mongia
* Rahul Dravid
* V Sehwag
* Yuvraj Singh
* Dinesh Karthik
* M. S. Dhoni
* Romesh Powar
* Zaheer Khan
* Munaf Patel
* RP Singh
Gautam Gambhir may play instead of Robin Uthappa, but I doubt it (atleast for the first match).
Sreesanth may get a bowl ahead of R. P. Singh, but I doubt it. Given the accuracy, pace and movement Singh has been getting in the nets, I feel RP is a shoe-in for a starting spot. After all, cracking the nose of your captain in the nets comes with some privileges when it comes to putting pen on team-sheet!
Finally, I think Piyush Chawla will be overlooked in favour of Romesh Powar.
In the end analysis, Dravid’s men have to pull all stops and give off their best. Nothing short of a terrific performance will help their credibility. They may not accept it. They may not admit to it. But this is a redemption tour…
– Mohan
3 responses so far ↓
sanjaysub // 10 May 2007 at 4:24 am
I like Sehwag batting down the order but it will not happen. If anything Mongia will not open. Karthik may open the batting. I think the excess publicity given by Greg Chappell is going to hurt Karthik in some way. One of the first things being that he will be asked to open and prove himself.
gnbmdr // 10 May 2007 at 7:23 am
Yes, I agree. Now, Dinesh Kaarthik has to succeed big, with all the publicity given by some of the greats of the game - Greg Chappell , Mihael Holding…. Holding felt Dinesh Kaarthik was future captaincy material.
But, the Indian team factional politiking will make sure he is “taught a lesson”
He may not get the same leniency in terms of continuous failures as Robin Uthappa.
Sobers once told - “Give me Venkat, I can win the rest of the world”. We all know what happened to Venkat’s career.
blogesh // 10 May 2007 at 9:01 am
Except for the batting order, not much different than the team I’ve proposed (http://i3j3cricket.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/team-for-1st-odi-against-bangladesh/). I know Mongia had some success as an opener a few years ago, but my preference of opening batsmen would be Dhoni and Uthappa.
BTW - Sidharth Monga in Cricinfo says that Sreesanth may (or is it will?) play ahead of RP Singh (http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/bdeshvind/content/current/story/293646.html)
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