Blogs Adelaide Test: Would India Change The Winning Combination?
January 21st, 2008 by prashantWe have heard a few commentators and some of the bloggers talk about change(s) India might/should do their team configuration going into Adelaide. One most talked about scenario/change is to drop Jafar and bring in Bhajji. Dravid would then be asked again to open, but this time with Sehwag. This will give India a 5 specialist bowlers attack. Should that be done?
One benefit because of this change (in addition to having 5 bowlers) would be that Laxman would move up to #3. Everyone has been saying that he belongs there, especially in Australia. One negative would be that Dravid would be “forced” to open. As we know Dravid played a very important knock of 93 (which was the highest individual score in Perth) at a very crucial time and added 140ish for the third wicket with Sachin. Asking him to open again might negate the momentum and confidence he might have gained because of that innings.
So, instead of changing the winning combination, should India go with the same team and hope that law of averages finally catches up with Jafar and he comes up with a big score. The 5th bowler spot can then be filled with a combination of Ganguly, Sehwag and Sachin.
Makes sense?
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:11 am
It absolutely makes sense! I have said the same in a comment to another blog:
http://cricdigs.com/component/option,com_jd-wp/Itemid,19/p,681/#comment-1439
I do not think India should change the team… not because one should always keep the winning combination, but because this is the best balanced side that we can conjure, and it showed in the 3rd test. Trying to fit in Harbhajan by removing the opener and asking Dravid or Irfan to open will be more detrimental than useful. So I do not think there should be any change in the team for the 4th test.
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Yes, I think India should go in with the same team that played at Perth, unless Adelaide turns out to be a dust bowl like jatanr said in the other blog!
Like you said Prashant, Jaffer has only two gears! He has been operating in the lower gears so far but maybe he will come good at Adelaide and go into top gear. If they persisted with Sehwag for so long, I think they can certainly give Jaffer one more chance.