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India may play Sehwag, discard 5-bowler theory

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Agencies

Posted online: Monday , February 18, 2008 at 12:05:09
Updated: Monday , February 18, 2008 at 12:24:03


Adelaide, February 18: With their campaign for a berth in the cricket tri-series final thrown into jeopardy, India may discard their five-bowler theory and recall Virender Sehwag when they take on Sri Lanka in a crucial game in Adelaide on Tuesday.

Stung by Sunday's debacle when the young batsmen failed to chase down a meagre target of 204 runs against Australia, India is likely to revert to its seven-batsmen format as they seek to put is across the islanders to revive their hopes of making it to the final.

It brightens up the chance of Sehwag returning to the line-up as the dashing opener, more than his fitness, was removed for tactical reason in the game against Australia on Sunday.

With hosts Australia virtually assuring a place in the final having bagged 17 points from five matches, much will depend on India's performance against the Sri Lankans in the day-night encounter. The Indians were in the second position on the points table with 8 points from five games while Sri Lanka had six points from four matches.

Sehwag has a bruise near his right shoulder but that alone was not the reason to keep him out of the playing eleven.

Faced with a choice of dropping a batsman, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni showed trust on out-of-form Yuvraj Singh and Robin Uthappa but the plan came unstuck as the duo failed.

India are likely to once again seek deliverance from the senior pros and it puts Sehwag firmly in the picture. Sehwag has not been in the best of nick in this one-day series but his association with Sachin Tendulkar is key to India's plans.

All the three teams have struggled to come to terms with the new white ball and bowlers of all the teams have had a field day.

India needs its batsmen to fire big on Tuesday if it has to hold back the charge of the Lankans.

The Lankans have won only one game but the equation is slightly in their favour going into Tuesday's match.

Both sides need at least two wins under their belt but whereas India has just three games left of their lined up games, Sri Lanka has four matches to go for their desired wins.

India is likely to add an extra batsman to the squad as the Adelaide Oval pitch is likely to get slower because of the persistent heat.

The bounce, evident in Sunday's game, may not be as pronounced on Tuesday on the worn-out pitch.

India is banking on Sri Lanka's batting to once again misfire on Tuesday as it has done all through the summer.

But for Kumar Sangakkara, who has 132 runs from four games at average of 44, none of the other Lankan batsmen have scored even 100 runs from the competition so far.

Skipper Mahela Jayawardene has 63 runs from four games while Sanath Jayasuriya has 43 from equal number of matches.

Sri Lanka's bowling, though economical, hasn't been as destructive as well.

Lead bowlers Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas have only six wickets between them and their averages of 58.66 and 60.00 also does not make it a pretty reading.

Lasith Malinga, with seven wickets at 29 apiece, has been their stand-out bowler though against the Indians he went for 56 and 45 runs from 10 and six overs.

The conditions at the Adelaide Oval are expected to be blistering in terms of heat. The scorching sun of the last few days is unlikely to yield on Sunday.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni sure would be looking to win the toss and post a big total to keep themselves in hunt for a place in the final.

Teams (likely):

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardena (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Fervez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Chaminda Vaas.

Match starts at 8.45 am (IST).

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Team India by Mishka on 19 Feb 2008

It will be unwise to blame Dhoni for everything. One of our weak link in balling is Harbhajan who is too predictable and not taking wickets. Balling flat and feilding crap. Why don't Dhoni drop him if he needs Spiner than Yovraj, Sehwag, and Tendulkar can do the job. Just pick 4 fast ballers. I am sure India can beat Shri Lanka. They have been luky to get away with 6 points because of the rain. They have only 2 batsmen Sagakara

It may be too late! by Joy on 19 Feb 2008

India had their best chances against Australia with their weaker bowling line and surprising batting collapse. India could not capitalize on that. However, against SriLanka it would be different. Sri Lankans traditionally do not fear the Indians and the young Indian guns would be no match for the experienced, wily Sri Lankans. Even Sachin and Sehwag never really fired against them in the recent past. One hopes India has a share of Luck tomorrow.

It is too late! by Sajit on 19 Feb 2008

You are right Joy, Sri Lanka doesn't fear India, In fact nobody in cricket fears India the way they are currently playing. I think the best thing is for a Sri Lanka- Australia final. This way the selectors are forced to change their rediculous choice in captaincy. India should pray for a washout.

sehwag axed on tactical reason! by amlan k roy on 18 Feb 2008

OK, after Ganguly and Dravid, it is Sehwag's term to be axed. Dhoni simply can not accept anybody senior who is a threat to his captaincy at all. NAKED GOLD TRUTH. Tendulkar survives, just simply he is Tendulkar. But one or two bad innings, and he will be shown the door. I have never seen any Captain made so much comments after the match, even after winning, as much as Dhoni does after losing! He blames Rohit Sharma blatantly. And I have never seen as well any captain immediately and clearly blaming on players. Is he nuts? And he is the BRAND indian captain???? It is simply a disgrace to see him adorn the skipper position after Kumble, Ganguly and so many decent Indians.

CRICKET by A CRICKET FAN on 18 Feb 2008

DHONI IS BLINDLY FOLLOWING GREG CHAPPEL---FIVE BOWLER THEORY AND IRFAN PATHAN AT NO 3.SEHWAG STARTED HIS CAREER AS ABOWLER AND HE IS CAPABLE OF BOWLING 10 OVERS---HE IS NOT A PART TIME BOWLER---in fact he is more penetrative than harbhajan

Questionable decission by BCCI by Sanjay on 19 Feb 2008

Sehwag is one of our best bowlers, It is questionable to leave him out. One should could question the integerty, and competence of Dhoni. Second Sehwag is in excellent form unlike the Dhoni, Yuvraj, etc. I really wonder what is the intent of BCCI by leaving him out.Result we all know.

Sehwag has more to offer by Dileep on 18 Feb 2008

I agree. Shewag is a better all rounder than Yuvi or anyone else (except perhaps Pathan).

manipulating the team by Sridhar on 18 Feb 2008

Drop Uthappa and retain Sewag and that will make six bowlers. Using brain cells for selection. We have multiplicity of talents.

That is a good suggestion by Jolly on 18 Feb 2008

Uthappa has much less to offer and I wonder how is he better than even Sourav or Laxman (who were axed). I think Sehwag is a better bet for one-dayers given his bowling also. Some times he is more effective than Harbajan.

Sehwag dropped for tactical reasons by venkathk@gmail.com on 18 Feb 2008

Dhoni's plans for blooding youth is good, but the way it is being done is simply insane. You ought to combine experience with youth. The youth of today will be on the wrong side of twenties for the next world cup would that mean we will go with a rookie team again. What we need is a rotation of two of the oldies in each match ( Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman) and pepper them with a rotation of 2 youngsters (Rohit,Uthappa,Dinesh Karthik,Raina,Manoj Tiwary) and two fixed match winners ( Sehwag and Yuvraj... ofcourse changed if they continously fail). Dhoni as keeper and rotate your bowlers ( RP, Sreesanth, Ishant, Pathan, praveen, Munaf("), Piyush Chawla and Bhajji playing 3 seamers and 1 spinner in all matches).. This way you have a mix of 20 people who will emerge as match winners. Youngsters get to see a habit of winning instead of continously collapsing even when bowling is outstanding. This way you have mature batting in the middle order, youth can blast and bowlers continue to deliver.... The current model is designed to fail.... Can someone please advise Dhoni

Good one!!! by Shiva gopalakrishnan on 19 Feb 2008

A very good plan, if you notice this is exactly what Rahul

It is the Australian way by Jolly on 18 Feb 2008

What you are suggesting is being successfully practised by Australia during the last decade. Then again, Indians are not as smart as the Aussies when it comes to planning or execution.

Dhoni is born gambler by Mahrup on 18 Feb 2008

Whatever you have written, any sensible captain will do like that. But not this chutia Raj-Chut called Dhoni, who go by instinct (read gambling) rather than sensible cricketing strategy. The result everybody can see.

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