Indian empire

[undyingking]

Interesting to see no fewer than seven cricketers of Indian descent playing in the England-West Indies one-day games (Bopara, Shah and Mascarenhas¹ for England; Sarwan, Chanderpaul, Ramdin and Rampaul for WI).

I'm not sure any of them other than Chanderpaul would get into the current Indian team, though. And even he only would if Dravid was in a bad patch.

---

1 I think his family are from what is now Sri Lanka, but it was India back in the old days.

Comments

[rotwang.livejournal.com]

And I think that neatly sums up the relative rankings of the three teams in the world and their respective chances in the World Twenty20.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Mm, and all the Indians having just played the IPL can only reinforce their advantage. And this week, when the English counties are actually doing some T20 so could give some experience, our players are in ODIs instead.

Alastair Cook got 80 from 56 balls for Essex yesterday: maybe he'll get a late call-up...

[rotwang.livejournal.com]

We've already got one Essex man in Napier who has been selected on the strength of a single innings...

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Ah, he's got another one of those in him any day now, you wait and see.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

I take your point, but I think you (or India's selectors) have underrated Chanderpaul. He should make their (or anyone's) test team, and is currently the second-ranked ODI batsman in the world and cricketer of the year. Presumably if Dravid is playing he opens, which means Chanderpaul is still picked over Gambhir and Raina.

He's had a rubbish tour, though, and India are probably pretty happy with their one-day side at the moment. So granted they wouldn't take him right this minute, were he unexpectedly ruled eligible through a grandparent.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

cricketer of the year

I tell a lie, that was last year.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Mm, I was a bit harsh there. Although it wouldn't surprise me if this current bad patch turns out to be protracted, and maybe even permanent -- he just gives the impression of being fed up with the whole West Indies thing. (And who could blame him.)

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

A spell with India could be just the thing he needs in his last few years...