WC 2011 Squad announced - Shocked

I am completely shocked with the 15 member squad selected, but I think the subset of 11 is now obvious. Lets look at the squad first.

1. MS Dhoni
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Sachin Tendulkar
4. Gautam Gambhir
5. Virat Kohli
6. Suresh Raina
7. Yuvraj Singh
8. Yusuf Pathan
9. Harbhajan Singh
10. R Ashwin
11. Zaheer Khan
12. Ashish Nehra
13. Munaf Patel
14. Praveen Kumar
15. Piyush Chawla.

Well, first of all, I did select a team in October and I was seriously looking at Rahul Dravid and Irfan Pathan to be in the squad, but Irfan is still nursing an injury and Rahul, well, is history, as far as the ODI is concerned, sad but true. His experience, especially playing the world cup at home, would have been invaluable.

[Check http://regitpg.blogspot.com/2010/10/my-2011-world-cup-indian-team.html]

So, w.r.t to this squad, I got 4 wrong. But over the last two months, with the kind of form he is in, I expected Sreesanth to be in the team, but he missed out due to injury. I would have certainly gone for an extra keeper. My squad would have been,

1. MS Dhoni
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Sachin Tendulkar
4. Gautam Gambhir
5. Virat Kohli
6. Suresh Raina
7. Yuvraj Singh
8. Yusuf Pathan
9. Harbhajan Singh
10. R Ashwin
11. Zaheer Khan
12. Ashish Nehra [Sreesanth]
13. Munaf Patel
14. Praveen Kumar
15. Piyush Chawla [Parthiv Patel]

I dont understand the need for three spinners. We already have Yuvraj, Pathan, Sehwag and even Sachin, who can bowl 10-12 overs, collectively, every game. Plus, a reserve keeper is very important with Dhoni's back problem. Ashish Nehra is not in greatest of his forms.

Now that we have the 15 announced, the playing 11, in most of the games, would be, in batting order, the following.

1. Virender Sehwag
2. Sachin Tendulkar
3. Gautam Gambhir
4. Virat Kohli
5. Yuvraj Singh
6. MS Dhoni
7. Yusuf Pathan
8. Harbhajan Singh
9. Zaheer Khan
10. Praveen Kumar
11. Munaf Patel

Barring injuries or the unpredictable weather conditions (did I forget to mention the toss), INDIA is still the clear favourite to win. All the Best Team India. Make us proud.

The All time ODI XI selected by the jury

Sachin Tendulkar

Virender Sehwag

Brian Lara

Viv Richards

Ricky Ponting

Kapil Dev

Adam Gilchrist

Muttiah Muralidaran

Wasim Akram

Glenn McGrath

Allan Donald.

I got the players in red wrong. check http://regitpg.blogspot.com/2010/12/all-time-icc-odi-xi-my-selection.html

All Time ICC ODI XI - My Selection

World Cup 2011 - My Predictions

World cup 2011 is fast approaching, and the two groups look formidable.

Group A: Australia / New Zealand / Pakistan / SriLanka / Zimbabwe / Canada / Kenya
Group B: India / South Africa / England / West Indies / Bangladesh / Ireland / Netherlands

The top teams should and will go through to the next round. So, my quarter-final line up will be as follows.

1. SriLanka v West Indies at Mirpur: West Indies will spring a surprise.
2. Australia v England at Ahmedabad: Australia, all the way. England stand no chance.
3. India v New Zealand at Mirpur: India will crush the kiwis.
4. SA v Pakistan at Colombo: On a turning track, a close contest, SA will reign supreme.

The semis will be two big contests.

1. SA v WI @ Colombo.
2. India v Australia @ Mohali.

Both the games, the toss will be crucial, and I expect India and SA to prevail.

Final: India v SA, again the toss will play a major part, the team batting first will win. India are the favourites, but DO NOT count off the Kangaroos.

May the best win.

God bless.

All-time World XI.

ESPNCricinfo is out with the All-time World XI.

1. Jack Hobbs
2. Len Hutton
3. Don Bradman
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Viv Richards
6. Garry Sobers
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Malcolm Marshall
9. Shane Warne
10. Wasim Akram
11. Dennis Lillee

Now comparing it with my selection (http://regitpg.blogspot.com/2010/09/all-time-test-xi.html), I got three wrong. I selected Virender Sehwag, Muttiah Muralitharan and Glenn McGrath instead of Len Hutton, Malcom Marshall and Dennis Lillee respectively.

I still feel, Viru and Murali will be and should be part of any team, irrespective of the opponents and conditions. Anyway, a great XI. Unbeatable.

Now, if you consider the average scores, then this team will score at least 473 every time they go out to bat. And, if you consider that the best bowler takes 3 wickets, 2 each by the next three and 1 by the all-rounder, then they can get the opposition our for less than 244.

My 2011 World Cup Indian Team

My team will comprise of
3 openers
5 middle order batsmen
1 keeper
1 all rounder (preferably a fast bowler who can bat)
2 spinners
3 pacers

Here it goes.

1. Sachin 'Champion' Tendulkar
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Gautam Gambhir

4. Rahul Dravid (Reserve Keeper)
5. Virat Kohli
6. Yuvraj Singh
7. Suresh Raina
8. Yousuf Pathan

9. M.S. Dhoni (Captain)

10. Irfan Pathan (All Rounder)

11. Harbhajan Singh
12. Pragyan Ohja

13. Zaheer Khan
14. Ishant Sharma
15. Ashish Nehra

Endhiran

Saw it yesterday, one word will best describe it. Avoid, AVOID.
Rajinikanth, though, was fun to watch, very versatile.
Mr. Shankar, FAIL.