Do you think Bhajji should have been selected for the Australian tour?

@ram_cv (16513)
India
November 27, 2011 4:29am CST
Bhajji is one of the surprising misses of the Australian Tour. Ashwin and Ojha have been selected ahead of him. Of course, both boys had a great sereis against Windies and made the choice very difficult for the selectors. But Bhajji has always played extremely well against the Aussies. What are your views on this decision by our selectors? Cheers! Ram
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8 responses
@banta78 (4326)
• India
27 Nov 11
I think selectors have done a decent job in picking Indian Test Team to tour Australia next month. Though I like fighting qualities of Bhajji and he has good track record against Aussies, but am afraid going by current form, there really was no place for him in selected Indian team. Ashwin and Ojha have done a great job against WI and grabbed the spinners slots in the team. Bhajji can always work hard at his game, perform and try to make a comeback later which can only help raise the bar of Indian bowling.
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
27 Nov 11
I think the problem for Bhajji is that he cannot be a lead spinner. He likes to play off the other bowlers. Because he likes to attack the batsmen, he is more effective if at the other end there is a bowler stifling the opposition. That is why he was so successful with Kumble and struggled after he retired. Cheers! Ram
• India
27 Nov 11
In contrast Ashwin can lead the pack and so can Ojha, does that answer your question?
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
27 Nov 11
That is something we need to see. Before this series, Ojha did not show enough to indicate this. This is Ashwin's first series against a weak Windies side. The real test is against Australia. Cheers! Ram
@venkit (2955)
• India
29 Nov 11
I think its a good decision from selectors. Bhajji is also not performing well in Ranji. so he should make the come back by delivering some good performance in domestic cricket. Surely Bhajji is a fear factor for Australians,But its not good to pick him if he is not performing well, then what will be the answers given to the youngsters like ojha and Ashwin?? so its a good decision from selectors........
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
29 Nov 11
I think now that Praveen has broken down, the selectors have a choice to send Bhajji to Australia. It would be interesting to see if they actually do that. Cheers! Ram
@ram_cv (16513)
• India
2 Dec 11
Sreesanth in Australia :) That is a recipe for disaster. He might just end up getting banned for a few games. Cheers! Ram
@venkit (2955)
• India
29 Nov 11
I think In australian pitches, two spinners is more than enough. the pitches support fast bowling, so we need good fast bowler to replace Praveen. And praveen may become fit to play in Australia, And what about sreeshanth?? Does the selectors remember him?
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@aman1981 (793)
• India
27 Nov 11
my point view no, as ashwain and ohja performance in test as well as one day is good, so when they performing such a great manner so why we need bajji, no doubt bajji is great bowler but no a time his performance is not upto the mark, so while indian has a good bowling combination until anybody is injured and not play than selector thinking about bajji.
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
27 Nov 11
Yes, the performances of Ashwin and Ojha did not make it easy for selectors to drop them. But remember Australia is a completely different challenge compared to West Indies. So in that sense some experience would have helped. But it was always going to be very very difficult. Cheers! Ram
@sajujohn (1004)
• India
28 Nov 11
In the present context I think selectors have done the right thing by not choosing Harbhajan Singh for Australian tour. Presently Aswin and Ojha are bowling well and in aplce were Australia were spinners don't get much from the pitch I agree with the selectors decision to proceed to the series with only two spinners. I hope that both the apinners can do better in Australian tour also and of course Aswin with his bat too.
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
28 Nov 11
On current form, yes Ashwin and Ojha definitely deserved their places. The only question was whether India went to Australia with three spinners instead of two. But I think it was a brave decision by the selectors. Cheers! Ram
@ASHUDEEP (1774)
• India
27 Nov 11
i am not surprise because i knew it .ashwin and ojha has to given chance great decision by selectors .Australian tour is very important and india wants to take all players in form so according to that this is good decision to take ashwin and ojha rather then harbhajan.
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
27 Nov 11
But do you not think his experience would have been very useful for India? Also given the young team that Australia would be putting through, they would be facing Bhajji for the first time. Anyhow it is great chance for the youngsters Ashwin and Ojha to cement their positions. Cheers! Ram
@banta78 (4326)
• India
27 Nov 11
Ram no doubt selectors have taken a huge gamble by going with youth over experience. But I think it is worth it. Ashwin & Ojha in particular look eager and hungry for success need a chance to prove their worth in alien conditions once they have done such a commendable job in India. Moreover, Bhajji form has dipped for quite some time and there was no guarantee he would not again go for runs there, even Murali such a class act has struggled down under. So, let's hope for the best, Cheers!
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
27 Nov 11
Yes, Bhajji has gone off the spin a bit. But I think that is more due to the excessive cricket he has played. The rest during the Windies series would definitely help him. Cheers! Ram
@ravisivan (14082)
• India
27 Nov 11
Ram -- today morning when I read Times of India --I also thought so. Bhajji could have been accommodated. Of course Ashwin has to be given a chance. good day.
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
27 Nov 11
Yes, probably Bhajji could have been accommodated in place of a seamer. But the selectors have made a brave choice as far as I am concerned. Let's see if it pays off. Cheers! Ram
@msdivkar (23356)
• India
27 Nov 11
Going by the performances in the recent series against West Indies, selectors could have never dropped either Ojha or Ashwinand if Harbhajn was to be selected it had to be in place of Ashvin as it is not possible to travel to Australia with 2 off spinners. Again the performances of both Ojha and Ashwin are so great that They are the main architects of series win against West Indies. Harbhajan has also not played enough local cricket to prove that he is back in form for the lack of which he had been dropped from this series.
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
27 Nov 11
Yes, with their performances Ojha and Ashwin did not give a chance to the selectors. But I still thought they might pick three spinners and one pacer less. But the selectors did the brave move of not changing their preferred combination. Cheers! Ram
• India
27 Nov 11
I am very happy at the selectors decisions dropping the out-of- form Harbhajan. He is really struggling to take wickets even in domestic circuits with only two scalps in 3 matches. Sometime, I feel he was taking things for granted after Kumble's retirment. This jolt would definitely rings bell for Harbhajan. Soon to see a new Harbhajan with a new oomph factor.
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@ram_cv (16513)
• India
27 Nov 11
Of course, after Kumble he took over the mantle of the key spinner and that was making him a bit cozy. It is good to see youngsters challenging him for his position. But I thought the drop during the Windies series was enough to jolt him. Cheers! Ram