Cricket: India can have fantastic young squad for West Indies and ICC World Cup

By Sudhansu R Das
If we observe the performance of the young players in the last IPL matches, we could find many talented youngsters who can be picked for the West Indies tour and for the ICC World Cup. The youth should get a chance in their 20s and not in their 30s; some of the players in their 30s should not play just because of their shining past records. In the last IPL matches, some young players have been identified with great potential. They can be included in the West Indies tour where their ability will be tested. The Indian squad should be a mixture of youth and experience.
The opening slot should go to Ruturaj Gaekward and Shubman Gill. Both are technically sound and they can stay in the wicket. Both are attacking players with good defense. Both should receive tips from the former masters like Sunil Gavaskar, Shehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar so that they could overcome their unseen flaws in their batting. It is very essential for the opening pair to seek advice from the seniors.
The one down should go to Yashasvi Jaiswal and the next slot should go to Sai Sudharshan; both are disciplined, technically good and they have a wide range of strokes. Virat Kohli can be placed in between depending on his consistency in the game. Rahane and Kohli are the main batsmen who can lay the foundation of the innings. We can pick up Ishan Kishan as the wicket keeper batsman. Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja should always be in the all rounder list. Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Harshdeep Singh, Bhubaneswar Kumar and Mohammed Shami will manage the pace attack well; all have bites, movement and bounce. Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel are the perfect choice for the spin attack.
The good news is that Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Muhammad Shami, Bhubaneswar Kumar and Bumrah can contribute in batting; they can play the role of pinch hitter also. A few Indian top order batsmen should develop the ability to bowl so that they could be used as surprise weapons in the ICC World Cup; before that they should be tested in the West Indies tour.
So the fantastic squad for the West Indies and the ICC World Cup should be Ruturaj Gaekward, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, K Sudarshan, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Surya Kumar Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Harshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel.
Rohit Sharma, Ravichandra Aswini, Cheteswar Pujara and Umesh Yadav should make room for the youngsters who can instill life into the team. Some of the selectors and officials in the team management should own the responsibility of India’s embarrassing defeat in the 2023 ICC World Test Championship Final against Australia. They should also make room for a new band of selectors and officials before the ICC World Cup. Owning responsibility is an act of bravery. The interest of the nation is above any individual.

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog