Whom will the Selectors pick for Nagpur Test against England ??

Do you remember the tall Australian Jason Gillespie and his exploits………….

photo courtesy : www.cricinfo.com

What an innings it was ~ there were traces of the elegance of VVS Laxman, the Eden Gardens Specialist, whom India felt unwanted recently……………..  he is tall and slim, stands upright and did deliver in great style too…………..  it was over no. 82 – the fag end of the day, under a different kind of pressure – with the rabbit Ojha in company,  the third ball was pulled fiercely and Finn would  have wondered the way his pace was treated; the next ball game came a correct defensive plod of the backfoot.

That is Ravichandran Ashwin ~ 83 not out – sharing a 42 wicket partnership with the last man Pragyan Ojha and Ojha contributed a mere 3 to this.  A great innings in deed

But on the same pitch where the not so great line-up of England made 523, India did start well but the famed batting line up of  Sehwag, Gambhir, Pujara, Tendulkar, Kohli, Yuvraj, Dhoni fell like cycles pushed in the stand.  was it the pace of  Steven Finn, art of Anderson, cleverness of Monty Panesar or the turn of Swann ~ Indians seemed to get out to every other bowler.  Gambhir had a hand in the dismissal of Sehwag’s dismissal in the 1st and now he went for a risky single causing Pujara walking back.  The way Sachin Tendulkar got out, sure had played his last Test innings at Eden Gardens, if the selectors were to continue to pick him for the next too on the basis of that pathetic 76 where he surrendered his pride.

One cannot be happy stating that Ashwin played a great knock when all others failed and India has a slender lead now.  It did not appear that way until the 22nd over when Sehwag got out to Swann after making 49 off 57 balls.  His out followed by the run out of Pujara turned the total colour.  The score card reads : Gambhir 40; Sehwag 49, PUjara 8, Sachin 5, Kohli 20, Yuvraj 11, Dhoni 0, Zaheer 0, Ishant 10 and India 239/9

The 4th and final Test begins at Nagpur on Dec 13th  ~ one wants rattling changes in the Team, including the change at the helm.  Most of the players do not deserve their places in the line up, none of the bowlers, perhaps with little exception of Pragyan Ojha needs to be retained and a total haul up of the batting line up should be made. 

On a pitch where all English bowlers ~ be it spinners or pacers shone, Zaheer was so appalling finishing at 1/94 off 31; Ishant Sharma had a single scalp, Ashwin bowled 52.3 gave away 183 and took 3; Ojha 52-10-142-4. That tells you the story…………..

Jason Neil Gillespie, played for Australia in  Tests and Onedayers.  Jason Gillespie, has the unique distinction of the  first nightwatchman to score a double-century.  That was the second test against Bangladesh in April 2006  – Gillespie came in a night watchman and remained not out at 201 when declaration was made by Ponting at 581/4.  He had 26 fours and 2 sixers in that innings.  In the first innings of that test,  he had dream figures of 5-2-11-3.  Gillespie's second-highest score was 54 not out, against New Zealand at Brisbane in 2004-05, giving him a difference of 147 between his top and next-highest scores.  that was also a record.

Gillespie played 71 tests and 93 onedayers – but that match at Chittagong where scored his double was the last time, he played for Australia.

with regards – S. Sampathkumar.