brmtaylor.com admin wrote:So the reason I think my solution is the fairest is that it's acknowledging that it should be hard to displace the incumbent. You're not just announcing Chakabva as the Test keeper right here and now on the back of Logan Cup form, you're laying down the challenge to him. If you want that Test spot, you have to keep churning out elite performances - even in a format you've been "found wanting in" in the past. Any less than that is not enough to dislodge Mutumbami.
Sorry, you are not going to convince me here.
You simply can't pick your ODI side for the purpose of potentially ousting the Test keeper. As I said, both should play in the FC matches because Regis deserves a "chance to shine" and Richie needs all the experience he can get (we are not talking about an incumbent with 40-odds Tests behind him) and the chance to equally shine. For all it's worth, both have the potential to make the Test side on their batting alone.
If either of them is to be picked for the ODIs it has to be on form as batsmen -- again, both did well yesterday, but they need to sneak past the struggling incumbents there as well (Waller, Sibanda, maybe Raza).
Well, it is a real pain for the Regis fan and the Richie sympathizer in me to come to some sort of conclusion here, but certainly that plan, brmtaylor.com admin, has this part of Richie sitting and helplessly watching the fate of his test keeping spot decided outside of his control. Not fair.
I'll still stick to my guns. Regis had a woeful List A season compared his own glory filled FC season. So, there is definitely something amiss. It is not fair on Chakabva too, to thrust him into the ODI team and decide his Test fate based on that. Imagine asking Pujara to win his next test cap based on his IPL performance. Not fair. I'll have Richie ahead of him in this format. He fails to impress regularly, he's in trouble.
Regis to hold an edge for selection as keeper-bat for the Test XI as is for me, irrespective of whether he gets a chance to play / impress in the ODIs - based on the domestic form and what appears to be an improved temperament.
But what I would definitely vouch for as the best solution, even today, is to drop Sibanda from tests - he has an average of 17 over 10 digs - enough chances given. Regis must come forward to open the innings and take that spot. I was disappointed he did not stake his claim that way last season and took the easier route of staying at 4 or 5 in the batting order for Eagles. If Richie wants to open, that's fine too. We can sneak Regis in for Tests. My respect for Richie would grow even more.
