Aussie Selection

Australia declared their team for World Cup. Being reigning champions, Its important to have a look that Aussie armory. Their selection panel is already under attack due to heavy losses in Ashes and I think attacks will continue after looking at the selection;

Australia squad Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Cameron White, Tim Paine (wk), Steven Smith, John Hastings, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger

Its really surprising that Aussies are bringing just one specialist spinner to play in subcontinent. Anyways, Hauritz is surely better bet than Dohorty or Beer whom they have selected in Ashes campaign. Another part-timer they would be using in almost all the matches is Smith but he is an average bowler; his googly is pretty easy to pick up for most of the sub-continental players.

Aussie Bowling looks very weak on paper. Brett Lee is a wicket taker but he leaks lot of runs and same is the case with Mitchell Johnson.Doug Bollinger is one bowler they rely a lot on in subcontinent.

Their batting is looks decent on paper though, Ponting and Clarke are completely out of form but one must not forget that they can easily rise to occasion and make merry of subcontinent conditions, at least Clarke can surely use these conditions where ball is not rising above his chest-height.

I think Aussie experience in IPL will come very handy and if they play to their full potential I do see them in semifinals.

My Aussie Playing 11:

1) Shane Watson,

2) Brad Haddin (wk),

3) Ricky Ponting (capt),

4) Michael Clarke,

5) Michael Hussey

6) Steven Smith

7) Mitchell Johnson,

8) Nathan Hauritz,

9) Brett Lee

10) Doug Bollinger

11) David Hussey

My 15

Its been long time since we have played two spinners. In this world cup, I think we need to think abt such ploy. Ojha is a wonderful spinner, I strongly feel that he shud be in the playing eleven with Bhajji. But looking at current team playing in SA, opportunity to Ojha looks very difficult and we might opt for three pacers in the playing eleven and that would be Munaf for sure, just due to his strength in keeping it simple and not trying too much.

So the 5 Bowlers who would figure in this list are

1)       Zaheer

2)       Praveen Kumar

3)       Bhajji

4)       Munaf

5)       Ojha

Openers;

6)       Tendulkar

7)       Sehwag

Followed By

8)       Gambhir

Looking at the current form though I don’t like but Kohli would easily make into the team at Position 4

9)       Kohli

Position 7 should be Dhoni.

10)   Dhoni

So it leaves us with two of the most important positions of the line up which are gonna be the deciding factors. Position 5 and 6; My first choice would be Yuvi and Raina (again I don’t like this guy but cant help it).

11)   Raina

12)   Yuvi

And these are the two position for which there are another two contenders; Yusuf and Rohit; I think here we need to go for a better bowler which tilts the selection in favor of Yusuf in place of Yuvi but just a presence of Yuvi can keep opposition on their toes even if he is not in the form.

Comparing Raina and Rohit will not result in anything. Both of them are decent players on Indian pitches with more or less similar batting/bowling and fielding capabilities. I guess whosoever plays the initial rounds will remain in the team as a lucky mascot as Dinesh Mongia played in 2003

13)   Rohit

14)   Yusuf

And that leaves us with the last 15^th player who could make it to team and it’s a tough call between extra batsman or extra bowler. Extra batsman under consideration could be Vijay whereas extra bowler under consideration could be Nehra. I think Nehra would make a cut here based on a sheer data that he is the only one who has consistently played ODIs in last 2 years with decent bowling performance.

15)   Nehra

And That’s my 15 for the cup