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I did say a resolution for this year was to blog on every working day — with the codicil that it applied to only those days where I was at my desk. Today, I am not, for the better part of the day — so blog in limbo; consider this an open thread for the WC teams as they are being picked, and for the game later today when we, hopefully, will bring into the team players like Yusuf Pathan and Piyush Chawla, both of whom have been picked for the WC — if they don’t get to play a few games ahead of the Cup, it is hard to see how the team can assess their current form and factor it into their strategies. Back here tomorrow with thoughts on the game, and other matters, people — be well, meantime.

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10 comments

    1. There is a 50/50 chance that the following could have happened if Sreesanth was picked:

      India picks Sreesanth. Sreesanth gets banned for a couple of important games for bad behavior. India has one less option to choose from. Team all the bad publicity. Affects team spirit. Selectors get blamed for picking Sreesanth.

      The selectors obviously don’t want any of that.

      1. Err! By the same logic, there is every chance that Ashish Nehra may get fatigued after his labored run up to the crease and fall down injured. And what if our Bhajji gets into some “maa-ki” business? My point is one cannot pick teams on extraneous factors. Of course, it is another matter that I don’t really believe Sreesanth is a good ODI bowler so, am quite happy with him being left out as with Ishant. But, the inclusion of Chawla is astounding as he has hardly scored any runs at world level or taken too many scalps.

      2. Bad behaviour can be curbed for sometime by yet another “Final warning”. We have done that in that past! He is in good bowling form in SA and that momentum could have been carried into the WC.

        Anyway if such reasons were used then it is a sad way of selecting teams for the WC.

        1. I dont think Sreesanth is upto there in limited overs cricket. His natural wicket-taking length doesn’t work in pitches with low bounce. Thats why.

          1. @JazzyB: That makes sense, thanks.

            Piyush Chawla? What might have been the logic there? Pragyan Ojha seemed a better choice if they wanted to bolster the spin department.

    2. Discipline issues aside, Sreesanth is a less competent bowler in ODI. The numbers speak for themselves vs. his main competitors:
      Average Economy

      Sree 32.04 6.01
      Munaf 29.8 4.7
      Nehra 31.3 5.2

      I will not include Zaheer because he is a class apart. Clearly, Munaf is better than other 3, and Nehra has marginally better economy. Bottomline is despite his occassional brilliance which comes handy in test matches for sure (e.g., Kallis wicket), in ODI *consistency* is more important.

      I give credit to Shrikanth and gang for doing a v good job – let’s radiate some positive energy as requested by the chairman himself 🙂

      cheers,

  3. One thing I noticed watching this match- despite India’s brilliant catching and pretty decent ground fielding, they have not hit the stumps even once, all day today!

  4. As it’s an open blog I’d like to ask why there’s a lack of pantomime villains in cricket at the moment. Who in the WC squads would you say is a complete scoundrel on a par with Haydo, Donald, Uncle Geoffrey B etc? Just wondering….

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