[NomadSK]

Somehow this was coming, since India couldn’t reach WTC finals. IMO this would have been in the best interest of test cricket, when it was discussed in 2016. Two groups of 5 teams, last one gets relegated to lower group and the leader of the lower group moves to the top group. India opposed it earlier, but I guess now BCCI also wants to have a look at it.

Two-tier Test system to be implemented? ICC to collaborate with BCCI, ECB and CA to explore feasibility - Reports

The International Cricket Council (ICC) is collaborating with cricket boards from India, England, and Australia to evaluate the feasibility of a two-tier Test cricket system.

Discussions on this proposal are set to take place later this month, with ICC Chairman Jay Shah expected to meet Cricket Australia Chair Mike Baird and England's Richard Thompson.

If implemented, the system could mark a significant shift in Test cricket, aiming to facilitate more matches between top teams while addressing challenges faced by smaller nations.

The two-tier Test system is designed to divide Test-playing nations into two groups based on rankings. This approach aims to increase the frequency of high-stakes matches between top teams.

Link

[how_you_doing]

India should stick to playing 2 to 3 test matches per series to avoid embarrassment till they improve their batting. It is stupid to play 5 test series when you don't have enough fast bowlers and the star batsmen are not bothered and are busy in PR.

1. Rohit should retire from Tests immediately.
2. Virat can play in England but he is a walking wicket. Maybe take him but play in 2 test matches out of 5.
3. Gill is overhyped, he needs to be dropped. Let him work on his temperament and skillset.
4. Gambhir will probably resign after the England series as I don't see how this team is winning that 5 test series. BCCI should start talking to other coaches to find his replacement.
5. BCCI needs to be more professional in handling these star cricketers. These players are not bigger than the nation and the game. Right now, they all have PR companies handling their brand and I think their PR is influencing selectors decisions.

[ike]

Originally Posted by Mumbaiker

He did not get good support now and wont get in the future.

Our selection was poor. Two spinners picked to bat rather than bowl meant the fast bowlers had a heavy workload. Bumrah supported by Shami & Siraj, one spinner and one all rounder(like Reddy) is the ideal combination when playing abroad. Unfortunately Shami wasn't fit and the other bowlers didn't perform. Obviously this kind of workload is not sustainable however instead of getting the balance right we shouldn't be sending our best bowler away.

Australia also had a similar problem when Marsh was not bowling as much as he should. This meant higher workload on the mainstream pace bowlers and we saw that Starc was cooked in Melbourne due to the workload. They addressed it by replacing Marsh with Webster who did a good job.

In future batsmen need to be selected based on form rather than reputation and bowlers should be selected based on bowling skills and effectiveness in the given conditions rather than based on their batting abilities.

Sydney has traditionally been a relatively spinner friendly track in Australia but we got our combination wrong. Considering it was a green wicket they probably should have picked only one spinner, not two. They were not bowling brilliantly to begin with in this tour, dropping either of them wouldn't have been that difficult. Should have played a proper batsman in their place.

[antz.bin]

Originally Posted by ike

Our selection was poor. Two spinners picked to bat rather than bowl meant the fast bowlers had a heavy workload.

Totally Agreed.

Originally Posted by ike

Bumrah supported by Shami & Siraj, one spinner and one all rounder(like Reddy) is the ideal combination.

Washington didn't bowl. So he was the batsman, right? Then replace Shami with Prasidh Krishna. That was the exactly the bowling attack! You yourself just mentioned that this was poor selection and now you say this is also ideal?

The problem was not Washington being a batsman. Because he did score more than many batters.
I would say, they missed a 4th specialist seamer.

The problem was that the 3 main quicks were over-bowled in Melbourne which led to the fatigue and eventual failure in Sydney.

The problem was that NKR was the designated seam bowling allrounder, the 4th seamer, but even though I did watch about 35% of the Melbourne game, I hardly remember him bowling. Because he was treated as a batting all rounder. Batting all rounders bat in the top 5. Not at #8.

When given the opportunity, he did deliver the goods in the Sydney 1st innings. It was as if all through the series, Rohit didn't want him in the team at all so refused to bowl him but since he couldn't have been refused batting and the guy kept top-scoring, he couldn't drop him as well!

By contrast, a Shardul Thakur would have been more apt bowling allrounder who would have gladly been left to bat at #8. He would have seen more overs as well given his higher skill level compared to NKR.

Selectors need to get over their vengeance over Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer. Those 2 are experienced campaigners and Shreyas would have been more of an asset to this team compared to a Sarfaraz who was reduced to water boy throughout this tour. The less said about Abhimanyu Easwaran the better, so it's not as if playing domestic gets someone in the team either. If anything, Shreyas was a better bat than Jurel whose name kept coming up on this thread to be played as a specialist bat.

[ike]

Originally Posted by antz.bin

Totally Agreed.



Washington didn't bowl. So he was the batsman, right? Then replace Shami with Prasidh Krishna. That was the exactly the bowling attack! You yourself just mentioned that this was poor selection and now you say this is also ideal?

You misunderstood. Washington(and Jadeja as well) was neither a bowler nor a batsman and that was the problem. There were Sarfaraz/Jurel/Padikkal/Easwaran who all are specialist batsmen who could have played instead of Washington or Jadeja. If you need to strengthen batting, play batsmen, not bowlers who can bat a bit.

[AtheK]

Whole of the world seeing through these superstars PR teams now, what a shame indian cricket is becoming specially because of these few rotten eggs. Deserving players sit and wait for chances while these guys spend crores of rupees playing with sentiments of cricket fans.

[AtheK]

India T20I team for England series.

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (vc), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).

Shami returns to competitive Cricket, hopefully he can get back to his old rhythm soon.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Shami returns to competitive Cricket, hopefully he can get back to his old rhythm soon.

Shami I believe isn't a part of the scheme of things for the WT20 in 2026 so why is he selected for this series?! If you wanted to test his fitness there is the ODI series immediately after this.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by PPS

Shami I believe isn't a part of the scheme of things for the WT20 in 2026 so why is he selected for this series?! If you wanted to test his fitness there is the ODI series immediately after this.

I think it probably makes sense to start checking his fitness with a 4 over game and then gradually increase to 10 over game.

[Asish_VK]

Originally Posted by AtheK

India T20I team for England series.



Shami returns to competitive Cricket, hopefully he can get back to his old rhythm soon.

What can be the reason for Axar Patel being appointed as VC ? where proven IPL captains like Sanju & Hardik are available ?

By the way, Sharmaji have not learned any lesson and wants to humiliate himself more before being thrown out ! (Link)

[NomadSK]

Originally Posted by PPS

If you wanted to test his fitness there is the ODI series immediately after this.

Originally Posted by AtheK

I think it probably makes sense to start checking his fitness with a 4 over game and then gradually increase to 10 over game.

Is that the correct approach to test the fitness of a player in a sports match. IMO, medicos/physios and nets are for that, not any match. How fair it is for others who are playing as a "team" and giving their 100%, while one is trying to prove his fitness.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

What can be the reason for Axar Patel being appointed as VC ? where proven IPL captains like Sanju & Hardik are available ?

By the way, Sharmaji have not learned any lesson and wants to humiliate himself more before being thrown out ! (Link)

Hardik probably lost out on favor because of his attitude and fitness, otherwise captaincy was his for taking. Samson could have been a good choice, but until last series he was still trying to prove his consistency. Last series has really made his stocks go higher, few more knocks like that and he might well be considered. Though I agree Axar is a funny choice.

Rohit Sharma talks like he is the selector and he decides for himself, about time Selectors showed some spine and kicked these so called superstars out.

Originally Posted by NomadSK

Is that the correct approach to test the fitness of a player in a sports match. IMO, medicos/physios and nets are for that, not any match. How fair it is for others who are playing as a "team" and giving their 100%, while one is trying to prove his fitness.

I think logic could be easy to get 4 overs in from allrounders rather then 10 overs in ODI in case of a break down, also on his defence he did play Domestic. I think it is fine as he is still an asset and this might be a chance for him to put his name up for T20I world cup selection next year.

[AtheK]

Seems Rohit Sharma PR Team is in full flow to divert attention to Kohli as all the heat is currently being faced by Captain Sahib and Kohli is kind of escaping as all ire is directed to captain, who himself keeps making stupid statements.

Robin Uthappa Interview seems to be well timed

Also if this was not enough time to go behind his restaurant with sensational headlines

This is first time such mud slunging is rampant by one camp on another, what sad times for Indian Cricket.

Originally Posted by It's Magic

My exact thoughts!

Robin Uthappa's statement was not really necessary. I am not sure what he was trying to achieve with that disclosure. Maybe he just wanted people to remember him for a bit longer?

Definitely paid well anyway he got nothing to loose anymore.

[It's Magic]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Robin Uthappa Interview seems to be well timed

what sad times for Indian Cricket.

My exact thoughts!

Robin Uthappa's statement was not really necessary. I am not sure what he was trying to achieve with that disclosure. Maybe he just wanted people to remember him for a bit longer?

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Asish_VK

What can be the reason for Axar Patel being appointed as VC ? where proven IPL captains like Sanju & Hardik are available ?

There is no real method to the madness! I think they just randomly decided that Hardik should not be Vice-Captain. Forget about Vice-Captaincy, Indian T20 team has had 10 Captains in the last 5yrs!

Originally Posted by AtheK

Robin Uthappa Interview seems to be well timed

Once you say anything related to Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma you are guaranteed to get eyeballs since they both have the strongest armies/PR/fanclubs!