Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) Dec-Jan 2011/12

[Sedition]

Have to admit I don't remember ever hearing the phrase Freo Dr. until just now. I might've thought they were referring to the Mardi Gras League team the Dockers or something, but had no idea it was about the breeze.

 

[Hooper]

I've lived near beaches in a few Australian cities, and I'd have to say the Doctor is pretty strong. But to claim that the afternoon sea breeze is blowing at midday is just stupid. Did these guys not pay attention during primary school geography?

Oh, right.

Yeah the afternoon sea breeze doesn't come in till late, late in the day. Yet Bill and the boys from ball 1:

"Ohhhh.... I tell ya what Griegy, the Fremantle Doctor is going to play a big part this morning for the bowlers.. Will add a lot of assistance" blah blah blah..

Its annoying. Its not that windy and not that bouncy here in Perth!

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Have to admit I don't remember ever hearing the phrase Freo Dr. until just now. I might've thought they were referring to the Mardi Gras League team the Dockers or something, but had no idea it was about the breeze.

I swear every game be it One-Dayer or Test it gets brought up!

 

[Sedition]

Lol I guess I must've heard it then, but just had no clue what they were talking about.. or if Grieg? Greig? Grig was in the box, I probably had it muted.

 

[Aditya]

We played badly, we lost badly, as simple as that. We deserve to lose because our bowling attack is clearly not good enough to take 20 wickets of a team in a test match. We need to realize that our strength is spin bowling and IF Ashwin isn't performing with the ball than he needs some support from the other end, Ojha can do that well in India but giving him a chance overseas wont be a bad idea. I don't see any good fast bowler in the squad to replace either Umesh or Ishant and so I'd rather see a spinner into the side or a extra batsman and now this is where a all rounder is important, which Irfan is.

Suppose if we had Irfan in the squad. We could have dropped Kohli for the next test and even Umesh or Ishant. Now, in place of Kohli, select a all rounder in Irfan who makes our batting stronger and makes our bowling stronger too. In place of a fast bowler, considering how the pitch is, select a spinner or a pacer. Even Jadeja could be given a chance in future at the test level because our line up does need a good all rounder.

As far as Laxman is concerned, it's not time for him to be dropped from the side or for him to retire. He smashed 70 the other day itself. We don't want to get beaten more badly, if the senior players are performing let them stay in the team. Kohli isn't performing, give Rohit a chance but making Kohli feel as if he is someone special and giving him another chance even though he is clearly not performing and it isn't like he is getting out on very good balls. Dropping someone as senior as Laxman for some youngster who is yet to make a name for himself at the test level doesn't sound right to me.

 

[formula1man]

the easterly's are stronger then the sea breeze.

 

[icyman]

Anyone read Gavakar's comments? Damn funny- Indians are not here to sight-see. From the looks of it, they are. Why carry a 17 member squad of which the rest 5 will never set foot on the ground ?

Also, we need some drastic changes starting with MSD, but the problem is we do not have a credible name to lead us now.

yes,where is Pujara???He got injured for the england series and was never looked upon by the selectors since then.I think he was the perfect guy to fill gangully's spot in the middle order.He played well against the aussies back home in last series.The selectors need to make some sensible decisions now.

Cheteshwar Pujara is in re-hab after the injury. Should be back for the series against Pakistan/ Asia Cup whichever comes first. A much much better bat than the likes of Virat and Raina put together and also looks quite comfy against the short ball as well.

Laxman sublime? So scoring a 50 on a surface that 3 Australian's chalked up effortless and chanceless 100s is sublime. I would hope that at least one of the big three in the Indian lineup could have reached a century in a game where Australia racked up 650/4?

Cruising to a 50 when the opposition are attacking and you're already 400 runs behind should not save a career.

By that logic the entire team would 'suck'. Clearly the target for India was 329 after the Aussies declared seeing as that was the figure they had not reached in the last 11 months.

Dravid and Laxman have to start the retirement process immediately. Sachin will obviously be favored because he is in very good form and also his presence gives the team a big psychological feeling that they have a stalwart in their side. Pujara and Rohit Sharma should be given a permanent run of atleast 10 matches in the XI before decision is taken about their future. I would not want Dravid/Laxman to stay beyond 2012. This is their final year IMO!

Why favor Tendulkar ? I mean, its not fair on the other two is it ? Dravid was our best bat in England, and back at that time I do not remember anyone saying that Tendulkar needs to go.

Agreed, I do not agree with the demi-God status being levied on him,but if he is incapable of scoring when it really matters, he need not play further. The phaisng out will have to be done, but no need to favor anyone in particular and I do believe that Sachin must go from the ODI's now.

 

[sami ullah khan]

Fact of the matter is Indian Middle order is too old to handle the heat of bouncy surfaces and quick bowlers making good use of those strips as is the case now. I have said it before India need to let go of their legends now. Sachin, Dravid and Laxman are delaying the blooding of younger talent and this will hurt India even more in the long run. Indian bowling attack is good and will do a better job if their batting can come around. In present situation I don't see any other result but another 4-0 drubbing for India.

 

[swacker]

Sometimes young players rush onto the scene with a huge impact and then weaken away as video footage is considered endlessly and batsmen learn how to deal with them. Same with a new batsman who hasn?t had his infirmities analyse yet. *cough PHIL HUGHES cough*

I would not play Lyon in Perth. He's not a world class but I like the way he goes about his business. Not defensive, heaps of drift. He always seemed to do better, lovely bowler but always seemed to be bowking great, luckless spells. It's just been obvious that the Indian aren't phased by the spin, especially the off-spin which of course they see tons of.

Obviously in a lot of cases they are good enough to deal with this and learn as they go along. You could say Anderson had a similar sort of debut. Looked brilliant when he came from nowhere, then leveled out a bit as he was still learning the game. He's now come through that and is a quality bowler in most conditions.

As far as India, very irresponsible batting in the first innings, also, some hopeless bowling. This India bowling line up really is toothless isn't it. Remove Khan and wow there is better bowling line ups in county cricket.

 

[ArcherMcKinley]

I think India have a decent bowling line-up. We saw that in Melbourne.

I also think that the batsmen failing to put the runs on the board is directly affecting the mindset of the bowlers. It will be interesting to see what happens at Perth.

 

[icyman]

It-Indian bowling is definitely not world-class, not Test level too. Its like a tier 2 bowling line-up ,the likes of Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh. It is spineless and toothless given that they could not break through for 622 runs in the last Test match.

Additionally you can blame the captain for setting stupid fields to which his bowlers cannot really bowl the way they want to. I shall go on to blame MSD even more, despite many members here vouching for him.

The main difference between Jumbo[Anil Kumble's] captaincy and MSD's is that MSd tends togo by his own rules- its a gamble agreed, but it does not always work. Many a times, whenever a bowlers is in rhythm, MSD tends to pull him out of the attack. I havent seen any fast bowler bowl more than 5 overs on the trot during his tenure. Even for spinners in ODI's he tends to do the same. This despite the bowler having picked up a few wickets in that particular spell.

Revert back to the infamous Sydney Test of 2008. Ishant was going great guns and was asking Ponting all sorts of difficult questions. Jumbo did persist with him for ,I believe, it was 10 overs at the end of which Ishant did pick up the wicket.

MS, on the other hand would not have done so. So,even if the bowler wants to try out something, it seems he does not have the power to overrule the captain.

 

[Ahmad94]

Great game. Great result for me
PlanetCricket Forums - View vBookie Event

 

[swacker]

Enjoyable read.

Michael Clarke knows if you want to get ahead as a batsman, get a hat | Barney Ronay | Sport | The Guardian

 

[Aalay]

Dravid and Laxman have been coming here for a decade and still dont have a clue so what mamkes you think the youngsters will?

Well you need to give them a chance first to see if they are capable enough or not. You can't judge them without even trying them on the field.

And what you mean Dravid and Laxman have no clue? Dravid and Laxman were highest run scorer after Ponting in 2003-04 series. In 2007-08, Laxman was 4th Highest run scorer. So I don't think "they don't have a clue" applies to them.

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I havent seen any fast bowler bowl more than 5 overs on the trot during his tenure.

I saw Praveen Kumar and Sreesnath bowling 8 over spells in England

 

[puddleduck]

Praveen pretty much bowled all day from one end in England as he was about the only person who seemed like he wanted to be there.

 

[icyman]

Praveen and Sree bowled pretty much all day cause the stupid team just didnt have any bowlers then,as Zak had broken down.If I recollect correctly, MSD also bowled himself.