Should India go back to the 7 batsmen and 4 bowlers combination?

[Ab Fan]

Let's be honest. This 6 batsmen+ 4 bowlers+ 1 bits and piece all-rounder strategy is not working for India.

The all-rounders, Pandya, Ashwin and Jadeja can't score runs with the bat. Yes, Jadeja is getting some runs in this test but I dont think he will do much with the bat in future. The wicket-keeper India has is not good enough with the bat either.

This leaves us with only 5 batsmen. The batting has become a massive woe for India now. I think they should go back to the old strategy of 7 batsmen + 4 bowlers. Bowling, no doubt, has improved a lot and India is having the best bowling attack ever. So, better play a specialist batsmen at 6 rather than playing the bits and pieces cricketers who would do nothing with bat or bowl except once in a blue moon.

Get in Shubman Gill at 6 in test arena. Among all the young Indian batters, he is the only one who seems to be mentally tough nut to crack.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

You are wrong. Ashwin and Jadeja are not specialist all rounders like Pandya. So the one who is hurting this team the most is Pandya because 90% of the time he is useless. Ashwin, Jadeja, Bhuvi and even Shami can also score these 15-20 runs which Pandya scores and they are 10 times the bowler than Pandya is.

This team now needs guys like Nair who can stay on the wicket. Saha should be back because Pant won't survive for long in this format. I am also impressed with Vihari here. Nair and Vihari should get atleast the same number of chances which the golden boy got in test cricket.

Rahul should be kicked out of this team.

 

[Ab Fan]

You are wrong. Ashwin and Jadeja are not specialist all rounders like Pandya. So the one who is hurting this team the most is Pandya because 90% of the time he is useless. Ashwin, Jadeja, Bhuvi and even Shami can also score these 15-20 runs which Pandya scores and they are 10 times the bowler than Pandya is.

This team now needs guys like Nair who can stay on the wicket. Saha should be back because Pant won't survive for long in this format. I am also impressed with Vihari here. Nair and Vihari should get atleast the same number of chances which the golden boy got in test cricket.

Rahul should be kicked out of this team.

Whatever! Ashwin is not doing the job with bowl either. Get him back in Asia.

My point is three fast bowler +1 spinner should be a way to go for India as the previous options aren't working. Get in a specialist batsmen at 6 and Pant or Saha at 7. They shouldn't bat as higher as 6.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Whatever! Ashwin is not doing the job with bowl either. Get him back in Asia.

My point is three fast bowler +1 spinner should be a way to go for India as the previous options aren't working. Get in a specialist batsmen at 6 and Pant or Saha at 7. They shouldn't bat as higher as 6.

Current match :

Dhawan
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Vihari
Pant
Jadeja
Shami
Ishant
Bumrah

3 Fast Bowlers + 1 spinner + keeper + 6 bats

Vihari is a proper batsman. We were wasting that spot for someone like Pandya here.

 

[saeed5646]

"An extra bowler sometimes gives you enough rest - Jasprit Bumrah.

India do need allrounder for overseas test to provide much needed rest to other 3 frontline bowler.if they had that yesterday don.t see england would have score from 197 /7to 332

 

[Ab Fan]

Current match :

Dhawan
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Vihari
Pant
Jadeja
Shami
Ishant
Bumrah

3 Fast Bowlers + 1 spinner + keeper + 6 bats

Vihari is a proper batsman. We were wasting that spot for someone like Pandya here.

Yes, 7 batsmen+ 4 bowlers. That's my point. Vihari needs to prove his mettle with the bat on a consistent basis. But a good start really. He averages 59 in FC.So, hope for the best.

 

[lehen]

If your top 5 can't score in a placid track then what the no 6 and 7 can do? It's foolish,India has the worst "selected" batting line up in the world

 

[Mamoon]

The current combination has helped India become the number one ranked Test team in the world and take 20 wickets at home with consistency, so it is a formula that is working.

The reason why India have failed to win in South Africa and England in spite of competing well is because their top-order batsmen batting Kohli have not scored enough runs.

Playing an extra batsman will not make any difference when your 1,2,3,5 and 6 are not pulling their weight.

India needs to stick to their current strategy, but they have to ensure that the top-order fires. Perhaps it is time to introduce the likes of Shaw and Gill if the likes of Vijay, Dhawan and Rahane continue to struggle.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Through out 2000s when India had one of the strongest batting lineups we played 7 batsman and 4 bowlers. SRT,Ganguly,Sehwag will pitch in with 3-4 overs each to give the bowlers rest.

Problem with this team is that none of the top 6 can roll their arm over. Except the debutant Hanuma vihari. Thats why India has to play an AR.

Its a v tricky situation.

 

[Maverick84]

Strategy is fine but maybe you need to introduce fresh batting talent. Pujara hasn’t consistently produced goods overseas and Rahane’s growth has become stagnant.

 

[Ab Fan]

The current combination has helped India become the number one ranked Test team in the world and take 20 wickets at home with consistency, so it is a formula that is working.

The reason why India have failed to win in South Africa and England in spite of competing well is because their top-order batsmen batting Kohli have not scored enough runs.

Playing an extra batsman will not make any difference when your 1,2,3,5 and 6 are not pulling their weight.

India needs to stick to their current strategy, but they have to ensure that the top-order fires. Perhaps it is time to introduce the likes of Shaw and Gill if the likes of Vijay, Dhawan and Rahane continue to struggle.

The benchmark is not to be ranked no.1 test team in the world. The benchmark is to win series overseas against teams that matter- Aus, SA, NZ or England. India was ranked no.1 test team even before they played home series vs New Zealand, England and Australia.

It is not necessary that if top order is not scoring then a no 6 won't perform as well. We saw with England how Buttler, Woakes and Curran have turned games for England with the bat while their top order, Root or Bairstow continue to fail. Today itself, Vihari got a 50 on his debut. If pitch eases out or there is no cloud cover and becomes good for batting, surely a no.6 can support Kohli or one of top order batsmen. The stuffs which VVS did for India at 6 is still missing in this team. Pandya is not a reliable man with either bat or bowl while Ashwin seems to have regressed with the bat as well.

Kohli looks hopeless and a lone warrior as there is no support for him in the batting department. The only valid issue will be that there is no one who could be a decent 5th bowling option. Back then India had Tendulkar, Sehwag and Ganguly.

 

[lahoriyah1234]

India has played exceptionally well in this tour. They have fought v well in the whole series and if they can win the final match it should be considered a good tour. I think they lack good left arm fast bowler to have a different combination. Kuldeep and Amit sharma the leggie should have played the series. Dropping pandya doesn’t make sense he is decent bowler and good bat. Kohli at times have made choices of selection based on performance instead sticking with 1 combinations and that would have given good results.

 

[the_outsider]

The benchmark is not to be ranked no.1 test team in the world. The benchmark is to win series overseas against teams that matter- Aus, SA, NZ or England. India was ranked no.1 test team even before they played home series vs New Zealand, England and Australia.

It is not necessary that if top order is not scoring then a no 6 won't perform as well. We saw with England how Buttler, Woakes and Curran have turned games for England with the bat while their top order, Root or Bairstow continue to fail. Today itself, Vihari got a 50 on his debut. If pitch eases out or there is no cloud cover and becomes good for batting, surely a no.6 can support Kohli or one of top order batsmen. The stuffs which VVS did for India at 6 is still missing in this team. Pandya is not a reliable man with either bat or bowl while Ashwin seems to have regressed with the bat as well.

Kohli looks hopeless and a lone warrior as there is no support for him in the batting department. The only valid issue will be that there is no one who could be a decent 5th bowling option. Back then India had Tendulkar, Sehwag and Ganguly.

Yes but why has England been able to afford a specialist batsman in Butler at number 7?

It's because England's all-arounders (Stokes & Mooen) have performed for their team while their counterparts in the opposite camp (Pandya & Ashwin) haven't. Jadeja replacing Ashwin has performed with both bat and ball and India's lower order is already looking stronger than it ever has on this tour.

If and when Pandya starts putting in performances like Stokes in tests, India can play with 5 batsmen without any problems.

 

[gazza619]

Nope. It won't work. You need five bowlers or at least have a decent part time 5th bowler

 

[Hasan123]

I don't mind either as long as when you play 4 bowlers they make the team on bowling merit. 5 bowlers has been a good option for India and helped them to number 1.

In this series there batting is what has cost them. I don't see them making radical changes in terms of personal so I would make some changes in the batting order.

I would open with Pujara as he is good at seeing off the new ball and his game is suited to opening. Rahane should bat at 3 as he is good against the new ball and much better against pace than he is against spin. I wouldn't even be against Kohli batting at 3. He can handle the moving ball and is capable of batting at the pace required for a number 3 in tests.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Through out 2000s when India had one of the strongest batting lineups we played 7 batsman and 4 bowlers. SRT,Ganguly,Sehwag will pitch in with 3-4 overs each to give the bowlers rest.

Problem with this team is that none of the top 6 can roll their arm over. Except the debutant Hanuma vihari. Thats why India has to play an AR.

Its a v tricky situation.

This basically. We need guys capable of bowling around 15 overs of part time stuff from amongst the top 6. We can then even play 4 fast bowlers in SEna countries if need be. But the fact is our specialist bats are not even good enough as bats and we needed the all-rounder.

 

[Ab Fan]

India's XI for Australia series first test will be:-

Dhawan(he will get runs vs WI and get a ticket for Australia)
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Vihari
Pant(wkt)
Jadeja
Ishant
Bumrah
Yadav

 

[The_Odd_One]

You can only play with 4 specialist bowlers if you have at least two decent part timers.

 

[gazza619]

You are wrong. Ashwin and Jadeja are not specialist all rounders like Pandya. So the one who is hurting this team the most is Pandya because 90% of the time he is useless. Ashwin, Jadeja, Bhuvi and even Shami can also score these 15-20 runs which Pandya scores and they are 10 times the bowler than Pandya is.

This team now needs guys like Nair who can stay on the wicket. Saha should be back because Pant won't survive for long in this format. I am also impressed with Vihari here. Nair and Vihari should get atleast the same number of chances which the golden boy got in test cricket.

Rahul should be kicked out of this team.

Couldnt agree more. Saha is the best choice. Though I think the team should ask Pandya to work harder on his batting . Also bat Pandya at 5 which will automatically make him think as a batsman who can bowl.

 

[the_outsider]

[MENTION=134981]Bhaag Viru Bhaag[/MENTION] I know you have absolutely no faith in Pandya but think about it. If Pandya can become a regular no 6 batsman then we don't need part timers. We can have 15 good overs from a 5th bowler every innings.

I think that's why Kohli and co. have been so bullish on Pandya and giving him so much time. Because if he comes good he will end all issues of team balance once and for all, especially overseas.

 

[Ab Fan]

I think Pandya will do a good fifth bowling job in Australia. Main pacers will have it hard in Australia if we go with only 4 bowlers. However, in places like NZ or SA or England, I feel India needs one extra batsmen but yes, an extra part-time option is important there as well.

 

[Justcrazy]

Earlier sachin , ganguly , Shewag were decent part timers . India could have played 4 bowlers.

Now the top 5 none can be good part timers . India need a fifth bowler. Specially in Australia.

 

[the_outsider]

Earlier sachin , ganguly , Shewag were decent part timers . India could have played 4 bowlers.

Now the top 5 none can be good part timers . India need a fifth bowler. Specially in Australia.

Indian team is really missing someone like Ganguly in England. A top order batsmen averaging 65 and who could also be a tricky bowler with his dibbly dobblies in swinging conditions.

 

[ads101]

Eventually perhaps but not now. Pandya isn't really worse than the other middle order batsmen and India's batting line up needs be sorted out first. At least Pandya provided with the ball. The only settled positions atm in the top 7 are Kohli and Pujara. So can't afford to try out 5 new guys at once.

 

[Justcrazy]

Indian team is really missing someone like Ganguly in England. A top order batsmen averaging 65 and who could also be a tricky bowler with his dibbly dobblies in swinging conditions.

Ganguly did not average 65.