Pakistan vs India, Feb-March 2005, Preseries Build Up Thread

[Zainub]

Please use this thread to discuss anything related to the upcoming India-Pakistan series. Pakistan are to play three Tests and five one-day games in India on their first tour in six years starting Feb 25.

To kick off the thread, the big news is that Shoaib Akhtar has been asked to play a match in the ongoing domestic four day tournament the Patron's Trophy to prove his fitness as the saga over diciplanary action around him continues as well. Mohammad Khalil, the left arm pace men who injuried his left shoulder while playing in the 1st VB series final has also been asked to prove his fitness. Meanwhile Mohammad Sami who left Australia in January after suffering from an ankle injury has been declared fit by a panel of doctors. These and other selection issues will be dealt with by the selectors on Feb 18 at Lahore when they meat up to finalise the squad for India. Full story here. Who will you select?

In other news, former Pakistani great Imran Khan has said it will be pace not spin that will be key in the upcoming tour to India. "Pakistan must depend on pace, because it's pace which can earn Pakistan a win in India, not spin. The world's best spinner Shane Warne of Australia has been a failure in India," Imran said. "I would like to see Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Sami firing all cylinders." On the Shoaib Akhtar controversey Imran said, "Disciplinary action is taken on the tour and not after a tour. When you take action after a tour it tantamount to self defeating and means you are trying to find a scapegoat for the defeat". He continued,"This inquiry against Akhtar is wrong, an action should have been taken on the tour and its the duty of the captain to take the best out of a player and you can't leave a key player out by saying he is hard to handle." Read the full story here. Do you agree or disagree with Imran?

Lastly, slight changes in the itinerary of the Pakistan cricket team's tour to India are expected and the first Test will be now be played at Mohali from March 3 instead of March 4. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar M Khan told journalists on Friday that the dates of some other matches would also be changed. The team was intially scheduled to visit India from Feb 25 to play three Tests and five One-day international. But the itinerary could not be finalised as yet because the PCB had expressed security concerns over playing a Test at Ahmedabad. The chairman dispelled the impression that now the tour would get a green signal when Indian foreign minister Natwar Singh discussed the issue during his two-day visit to Islamabad scheduled from Tuesday. What do you think? Should Pakistan play or not play in Ahmedabad? Remember that India refused to play test matches in Peshawar and Karachi in their last tour on grounds of security. The PCB had then obliged to India's request and only sceduled one-day matches at these venues. Read full story here.

[workkey]

As salam o alaikum brother ,

thanks for starting the post on the indian tour..
well my playing eleven for the test matches will be.

salman
taufiq
younis
youhana
inzi
asim kamal or shoaib malik if he can bowl
akmal
sami
shoaib
arshad khan
kaneria..

imran is right to say about pace but spinners will be very vital also as india may play 3 spinners in kartik,harbhajan and kumble..

[Zainub]

Originally Posted by workkey

As salam o alaikum brother

Walikum Assalam (for the benefit of others that is Arabic for May Allah's peace be upon you], but that should be sister, not brother,

That is not a bad team you have selected, although I am intrigued by your selection of Arshad Khan.

I don't think India will play 3 spinners unless it is Mumbai type 2 and half day crumbler, which hopefully for cricket's sake there wont be any.

[Zainub]

Former greats have all given their predictions on the tour. The most irritating one I have read so far have come from former Pakistani pacemen Sarfaraz Nawaz. Monday's headlines at Dawn read "India will spin roll Pakistan on their turning tracks: Sarfraz says"

Sarfaraz "I'm unemployed and having nothing better to do then give the national team stick" Nawaz told AFP "India will spin roll Pakistan on their turning tracks because they play with three regular spinners, with Virendar Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar as two added tweakers and have the habit of finishing a Test in three days. Pakistan's kitty is empty with just one spinner in Danish Kaneria, the other two spinners they have were reported for illegal action and if they go without Shoaib Akhtar it would be a 3-0 win for India. Pakistan is under pressure after their 3-0 defeat in Australia but it's surprising there seems no planning, no vision and no preparation for the India tour.If Akhtar and (Mohammad) Sami are fit then we must select them and two more swing bowlers and only they can turn the tables on India because we have not produced quality spinners, no one had bothered to in the recent past.Tendulkar would not be missed if he doesn't play because their real star is Rahul Dravid and other batsmen are capable enough to guide India to big totals. "

He also criticised coach Bob Woolmer, who is having knee surgery in South Africa, and the Pakistan trainers for going on holiday ahead of the tour, and ridiculed skipper Inzamanul Haq for appearing in an Indian advertisement. "How would foreigners be interested in Pakistan's progress, they would muster the wealth and go away. "Our captain doesn't act on the field and is acting in Indian advertisement which is a mockery of the preparation and no one is bothered what they are doing."

I think these statements are so, so, so very highly blatantly wrong and emotionaly driven (not to forget annoying ) that I wouldn't even bother proving just how wrong Mr. Nawaz is. I hope we do that our selves once the cricket gets underway.

[fc_troll]

Sarfaraz Nawaz has always had a big mouth with not much going on upstairs, and actually I am surprised his brainfarts didn't come earlier, maybe they did but since the cricket news cycle is slow someone printed them now...in any event no one should care a tiny bit about what he says. In my opinion Pakistan cricket team had a decent Australian tour. As i recall, Australia were in trouble in at least two of the test matches and they had to fight bitterly to hold on and regain control. Same goes for the VB series, very hard fought and Pakistan acquitted themselves well even though the lost.

As for team selection, the only really thorny question in my mind is whether Shahid Afridi deserves a place in the test team or not. He has been in good batting form and his bowling comes in handy and he's entertaining to watch, but his unique problem is that he can't get the concept through his head that every ball should not disappear into the crowd. I would have him see a psychiatrist and then play him in the test team!

[Maranello]

Intelligent observations there fc_troll. Welcome to the board!

I have never given much credence to Sarfraz's views on others. In a way he is like Bishen Singh Bedi. Two very astute cricket observers, but also people who are trenchant in their views, never admit a mistake and are often controversial simply for the sake of it. Their 'thoughts' can be interesting, due to the cantankerous and curmudgeonly nature of the proponents, but are seldom friendly or diplomatic. And when they get it wrong, they really do get it wrong..and never accept it!

[workkey]

As salam o alaikum zainub and hello to everyone ....
Although i have selected shoaib in my team but i have been really dissapointed by his behaviour on and of the field during the last tour...giving statements like that he is only one who win matches and forgetting that the last win in a test match was without him last year...and once he came back we have seen the change in out team spirit with pakistan bouncing back in the vb series..still i feel what happens if he colaspes during the match as we have seen the results with pakistan losing to india last year in rawalpindi...
Arshad has been a very good spinner lately and performing very good in the patrons trophy these days so he has m vote but it can be 3 seamers and afridi playing at number 6....

[Shaka]

Good first post by the troll. Hope you'll be sticking around mate, what we lack for in numbers we make up for with quality on this site...or so we like to think!

More thoughts on the series later...

[Zainub]

I'm so looking forward to seeing that advertisement featuring Inzi and Ganguly in warrior outfits. I'm a big fan of imaginitive advertising.

I'm glad everyone has the same opinion of Sarfaraz Nawaz's views as mine, I have just dropped a message at Bob Woolmer's website telling how how he shouldn't be bothered one bit about such allegations of unfaithfulness. As I can see from the views of sensible Pakistan fans on this forum, we are all behind the team, and such ramblings from ex cricketers are hardly taken notice of.

You are right about Arshad Khan being in good form, he has been all season, I thought it was an enterprising idea that you opted to play a couple of genuine spinners in your team, might as well be a good idea, its just that I'm just not sure personally if our Pakistani selectors are thinking on the same lines. I suspect they will go with a 4 man bowling attack consisting of 3 quicks and 1 spinning option in Kaneria.

Its been quite frustrating following up with the speculation surrounding who is fit and who is not, as for my understanding now from various places, Sami, Khalil and Ahmed are all available fitness wise, and the only question that remains is surrounding Shoaib. Reports have also confirmed that the squad will now be announced on the 19th and not on the 18th. I hope we can pick our first choice players. And that they all perform. I hope nothing distratcs us.

[Paoli]

Arshad Khan??

I reckon Afridi should get the nod to be truthful. Possibly Yasir who didnt play an ODI may play in the tests. But...India vs. Pakistan is cricket at its best. Ashes x50