1st test AUS V IND

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Nikhil

Yuvraj is a match winner, when the ball is not moving around. India does not need someone who plays away from his body from over no. one. {...} Yuvraj has been found out and has a weaker technique, which is much easier to exploit.

Surely no Test side ANYWHERE has EVER sought a cricketer who has poor technique and routinely plays away from his body... and not in ANY position. I suppose you can get away with such players on good batting surfaces if, like Laxman, they have such sublime touch that their shortcomings can be overcome... but there's a big "if" even in that statement: not even Laxman seems capable of justfying a place in the team on pitches where runs are hard to come by (doesn't seem to cope, period, when he can't middle the ball on a regular basis).

On true wickets the Indian batting line-up is something very, very special.. but for a more interesting pitch I'd trade half of it for a Mark Richardson and a Mike Atherton to head the batting order: Dravid at 3 and Tendulkar at 4 is sensational.. but that leaves Sehwag, Ganguly, Laxman and Yuvraj fighting over 2 remaining places.. and to be honest.. none of the 4 have really convinced me that they are capable of delivering consistently when the going gets tough.

[Nikhil]

Originally Posted by Rachael

Laxman, they have such sublime touch that their shortcomings can be overcome... not even Laxman seems capable of justfying a place in the team on pitches where runs are hard to come by

Yes, Laxman is a touch player. He needs the ball coming on the bat without much movement. He's developing and maturing a bit though. He did quite well againt Pakistan in the third test, when Akhtar was steaming in. Also, if I remember well, he did graft out a century against the Kiwis the last time they toured and saved India from blushes, and that was a slow grafted inning. He needs a lot of improvement though.

Originally Posted by Rachael

Mark Richardson and a Mike Atherton to head the batting order: Dravid at 3 and Tendulkar at 4 is sensational.. but that leaves Sehwag, Ganguly, Laxman and Yuvraj fighting over 2 remaining places.. and to be honest.. none of the 4 have really convinced me that they are capable of delivering consistently when the going gets tough.

Mark Richardson is my favourite opener as well. I think Chopra falls in that category, though with a lesser judgement of leaving the ball and a little lesser patience. That's why I would never remove Chopra from the opening position, and certainly not for Yuvraj Singh.

[fair_&_balance]

Over to Chennai !!!