1. Dhoni: While he has won all the important tournaments and has been widely acknowledged as the best Indian captain, it is time Dhoni sets his eyes further. He should focus on building a career that puts him as one of the best captains in cricket (if not the best captain in cricket)
2. Raina: Though his semi-final and quarter-final performance made him an integral part of ODI set-up, good performances in this ipl season(with both bat & ball) would not do him any harm to his ODI career.
3. Vijay: Vijay has been having a largely forgettable ODI career. This season provides him with an opportunity to remind the selectors. (The crucial position in top three would become available once Sachin retires)
4. Albie: In the world cup quarterfinals, South Africa paid the price for not picking Albie Morkel - a proven low middle order batsman. Time to further rub salt on the wounds of South African selectors and make a case for his inclusion in South African ODI squad.
5. Ashwin: It is time - Ashwin set his eyes on becoming No:1 Indian spinner in ODIs and T20Is.
6. Badri: Remind the selectors about him and make a case for his inclusion in Indian Test Squad. The next 2 or 3 seasons might be his final opportunity to do so.
7. Doug Bollinger: That he is fit and still has got his mojo.
2 comments:
You've made some interesting points Robin.
On Albie, I think he needs to be moved up the order. We used him like Mumbai did with Pollard last year (it might have cost them the trophy!) and threw him in at the death of the game hoping he would pull out a miracle. He needs more time to get himself into the game and I think that will see him back to his destructive best. Dhoni and Badri can always be moved up the order in front of him if we lose early wickets.
Still on Albie, Dhoni and the Super Kings showed faith in him by retaining him and saying in the media that South Africa had made a mistake. Hopefully that show of faith isn't lost on him and he comes out firing against the Knight Riders.
I'll also add some players to your list
8. Hussey: His choice to play for the Super Kings and taking over from Hayden might have been the difference in the champions league final, but he still hasn't repaid the Super Kings yet for 4 years (and counting) of big money contracts. It's time for him to force his way into the team and repay the team by playing well through the rest of the season when he comes back from Bangladesh.
9. Jakati: He is a very key player to our side but he's had some very good moments and some not so good moments in the bright yellow. Time for him to continue his good form and find consistency for IPL 4.
@Mike,
Thanks for pointing about Hussey & Jakati. I should have also written about them.
Agree that Albie generally hits better when he has spent some time on the pitch. Unluckily, Dhoni also falls in the same genre. And the team always understands that it is his presence in the lower middle order that makes CSK batting that 'extra' special.
Regarding Hussey, he has never got the opportunity to play an entire IPL Season because of Australian commitments. So you might see him contributing a lot more with the bat this season. But except for the match against Kings XI Punjab in the IPL - Season 1, Hussey has contributed like other foreign players (Hayden, Bollinger, Albie, Murali, etc. )
Regarding Jakati, this is the first season when CSK team would start the campaign counting on his performance.
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