Monday, February 12, 2007

Cricket World Cup ..

I am back after a real long gap and this time with views on one of my interest areas - Cricket. The world cup is starting in a month's time and I personally feel this will be one of the most exciting editions simply because almost all the test playing nations have very good teams and it is practically impossible to put your money on any one team. It will surely be one heck of a tournament and I can't wait for it to get started ..

Now I would just use this space to list down my playing eleven for India and also the strategy that the Indian team should adopt. My eleven (in the batting order) would be -

1. Robin Uthappa
2. Saurav Ganguly
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Yuvraj Singh
6. Virender Sehwag
7. Mahindra Singh Dhoni
8. Irfan Pathan
9. Ajit Agarkar
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Anil Kumble

Coming to the strategy, here are a few points -

  • Knowing the Carrebean pitches, I would have Tendulkar, Sehwag & Yuvraj bowl at least 15 overs between them, thus eliminating the need for a specialist 5th bowler in the playing eleven.
  • Unless Kumble gets injured or really loses his touch, I would always play him ahead of Bhajji. And I will never play them both in a game.
  • I would open my bowling attack with Irfan & Zaheer since it is tough to swing the white ball after 10 overs or so. It may not be a bad idea to have Agarkar open as well instead of Zaheer. Now Zaheer is my No. 1 bowler but he can deliver even if he doesn't oepn teh attack.
  • Munaf & Sreesanth are very good too and can be brought in if others flop.
  • In case Uthappa fails in more than one game, have Sehwag open the innings and play an additional bowler in this case.
  • Have Agarkar, Zaheer & Tendulkar bowl in the slog overs (avoid Pathan & Sreesanth at any cost).

Now coming to predictions, I feel WI, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India will make it to the semis and either India or Pakistan will lift the Cup !!

Thats it for now .. signing off ..

:PM