Cricket_Team

The Test series is almost getting over and Indian Selectors must be getting ready to name the squad for the One Dayers against Australia.

Personally, in the entire series against, England and Pakistan, I observed, Wasim Jaffer scored most of his runs when the bowlers were aiming for his stumps. He is a good on side player and rely heavily on the fact that, Bowlers in order to get him out, will be aiming for the stumps. however, Australians were prepared and very methodical to get him out. They didnt gave him any opportunity to score runs on the on side and he had to force the issue by playing the ball tentatively outside the off stump.

After Watching the Yuvraj bat in the first test match, I think, Indian Think tank missed the chance of resting him and going for an extra bowler. Ideally,

Sehwag, Dravid, Laxman (key # 3), tendulkar, ganguly, dhoni, pathan, kumble, bhajji, rp and ishant would have contructed the best possible XI within the squad given.

I wonder, down the years, that is after 5 years when India would be touring the Australia..India would be without, Jaffer,Tendulkar, Laxman, dravid and Ganguly, perhaps without Sehwag as well. India would go in with allmost the new batting line up...Likes of Badrinath or Raina or Rohit Sharma and of course, Yuvraj Singh. It would be great, if Indian Selectors send this youngstars to go to Australia with India A team to get more and more experience of playing in Australia. One Day Series would be a good start.

However, there is no point in looking back, Time is now for the selectors not to make the mistakes for the one-dayers. Although, Dravid has gained lot of confidence and it would be mistake to drop the capable player like him out, however, in order to look @ the future, it is very necessary that, Team India go for the youth in the middle order.

It is almost certain that, Tendulkar and Ganguly would be opening the inning unless and until any one of them is injured. Down the years, I would probably guess, Sehwag and Gambhir would take over from them. It is also certain that, Yuvraj and Dhoni would be our number 4 and number 5 batsman. This leaves, key number 3 position open. Ideally...Gambhir would fit in but I sincerely feel, Rohit Sharma should be given a chance to take that position. This is a time to develop the youngstars and India do not get much opportunity to play in Australia. I feel, we should keep, Gambhir and Sehwag in the reserve and gave them games by resting Tendulkar or Ganguly in every other games.

So, Tendulkar, Ganguly, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni (would be top 5) with Gambhir and Sehwag in the Reserve.

Before discussing 6,7 and 8. Lets Finalize 9 10 and 11. Number 9 would be certainly for the spinner in the team. Most Likely it will be Harbhajan Singh. But we should also give Piyush Chawla few games. This will keep Bhajji on the toes and on the tracks, like Sydney or Hobart where it is more spinner friendly tracks, should give Chawla a go. As far as number 10 and 11 is concerned, RP Singh is a must and most likely will be there since Zaheer Khan is injured. To give him the Company, Front Runner would be Sreesanth. As far as thinking of the reserved fast bowler is concerned, India should persist with Ishant Sharma.

Talking about number 6, 7 and 8; One man is confirmed that is Irfan Pathan. now who could be at number 6 and 8 depends upon lot of factors. Pitch Conditions, Captains Choice, Opposition's Game Plan, Coach's Idea and Selectors Pressure. There is no harm in giving the reserve a chance. For Example: if the pitch is assisting the pace bowlers, go in with Ishant Sharma. If Pitch is offering a bit of turn, Go in with two spinners. If the Pitch is ideal for batting, Go in with Sehwag @ number 6. But With Pathan to be sure @ number 7, Either India may go with Sehwag @ number 6 or Spinner/Bowler @ number 8 but not both. This would give a chance or opening for another youngstar a chance. Praveen Kumar is performing nicely in the domestic cricket as an All Rounder and might be a good fit in number 8 position. Perhaps, Robin Uthapa deserve another chance to establish himself at number 6.

In a nutshell, my squad would be: (with playing XI as first XI)

Tendulkar, Ganguly, Sharma, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Sehwag, Pathan, P.Kumar, Harbhajan, Sreesanth and R P Singh.

Reserves: Gambhir, Piyush Chawla, Ishant Sharma, S.Badrinath.

*********************************************************************

This was my e mail to the ICC to solve the Elite Umpire Problems.

There was a discussion going on about the 8 Elite Umpires and lot of cricket. I have a solution where ICC has to make couple of rule change.

1. Keep the Local Umpires (both of them from the home side) on the field with Elite Umpire sitting as the Third Umpire. Third Umpire will hold the key and will be the final decision maker of all the decisions. Instead of On Field Umpires contacting him, He will have the Power to Contact the On Field Umpires whenever they make the mistakes.

Advantage of this method.

1. It will not tire the small panel of Elite Umpires. This will make their work load by half.
2. It will give lot of exposure to the Home Side Umpires and over the years more and more Umpire will be developed who can be drafted into the Elite Panel.
3. Although, It may appear that it will be advantage to the Home Team, since, they have their own umpires but giving the key and all the Power to the Third Umpire, there are more likely to be less umpiring mistakes.

4. This Umpire will be more active.
5. Current Problem of ICC, that they do not have good enough Umpires to put into Elite League would start to go away over the years to come.

Movies_2007

When the last month of year 2007 came, I thought I must have saw about 20 movies in theater. I normally plan to watch couple of movies in theater a month which makes it 24. However, to my surprise, when I counted this year, I saw only 12 movies in the Theater.

Movies That I saw in Theater:

Om Shanti Om *****
Chak De India ****
Partner ***
Guru ****
Heyy Babyy ****
Bhool Bhulaiyaa *****
Tara Rum Pum **
Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal *
Namastey London **
Dhamaal **
Salaam-e-Ishq ***
Naqaab **

Movies that I saw in DVD/TV/Laptop:

Life in a Metro
Aap ka Surroor
Jab We Met
Jhoom Barabar Jhoom
Saawariya
Eklavya – the Royal Guard
Cheeni Kum
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag
Cash
Apne
Dhol
Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd
Traffic Signal
Bheja Fry
Aawarapan
The Namesake
Dus Kahaniyan
Nishabd
Johnny Gaddar
Just Married
Dil Dosti Etc
The Train
Risk
Kaafila
Go
Manorama Six Feet Under
Good Boy Bad Boy



Yet To See This Movies:

Taare Zameen Par
Welcome
Shoot Out @ Lokhandwala
Aaja Nachle
Fool n Final
Black Friday
Ram Gopal Verma ki Aag
Gandhi My Father
Khoya Khoya Chand
Darling
Ek Chalis ki Last Local
Dhokha
50 Lakh

Rated Movies (Based on what I saw): (TZP and Welcome cant be the part of list as I have not yet watched them)

Om Shanti Om
Bhool Bhulaiyaa
Guru
Chak De India
Heyy Babyy
Salam e Ishq
Cheeni Kum
Life in a Metro
Jab We Met
The Namesake
Partner
Manorama Six Feet Under
Johnny Gaddar
Namastey London
Dhol
Dhamaal
Eklavya- The Royal Guard
Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd
Dil Dosti Etc
Naqaab
Risk

Apne
Just Married
Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal
Dus Kahaniyan
Ta Ra Rum Pum
Zhoom Barabar Jhoom
Aawarapan
Laaga Chunari Mein Daag
Cash
The Train
Saawariya
Good Boy Bad Boy
The Train
Nishabd
Go
Kaafila (Worst Movie of the Year)