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

[VC the slogger]

What Gambhir and I want is for our board to make such turners every game. Thats what we are arguing for. If that happens, we could possibly win all matches in the series. Gambhir was actually pointing it out to the Indian groundsmen and the BCCI to have them make proper turners instead of these flat decks which give opposition enough leeway. Turning wickets are as sportive as wickets with grass that aid pace and bounce (and movement). Raging turners are not bad wickets. And I was responding to mrtwisties sarcastic comment about me wanting raging turners in India.

You also talk as if India have not played well outside subcontinent at all. India have improved their record outside the subcontinent drastically in the last decade. Its only after the take over of Dhoni as captain (and more so after the exit of Gary Kirsten) that we are doing badly. Under Kirsten, we drew the series in SA 1-1. We have won series in England, NZ in the last 3-4 years and have looked more then pushovers in overseas games in the last 10 years or so. Something has pushed us back in the last 6-8 months and we have to quickly sort it out to get our overseas goal back on track.

Some guys of the glorious decade from 2000-2010 have to go.India needs to give the youngsters a chance and somebody's gotta do what Sourav Ganguly did when he was first appointed captain in 2000.These seniors should be made to fight for their place in the team rather than relax and be retained every match because of past performances.Also Dhoni should be removed from Test captaincy also removed from the Test team because he is an underperformer overseas and doesn't take Tests seriously as we can see about his aim to retire from it in 2013 and the over-rate incidents.These selectors also should be sacked because they don't pick the right players.Look at the Australian selectors,they're bold and know how to select a team and so is Clarke the captain.The Indian selectors rely more on past performances than current.Can they ever pick players like the Aussies picked Cowan,Pattinson and Warner for Tests?Total rehab needs to be done now and there should be a review similar to the Argus review after Australia was losing.They can't just go to sleep every moment and make excuses about overseas conditions.True champions should never bother about conditions and should be able to play everywhere......

 

[Sedition]

Some useless numbers for the series so far:

Australia has scored 1936 runs for the loss of 37 wickets, average of 52
India has scored 1374 runs for the loss of 60 wickets, average of 23
Marsh has scored 17 runs for the loss of 5 wickets, average of 3.4

 

[Addy]

Punter is up for a double ton+ you heard it here first!

Repeating my words again. Unfotunately the fate went in Pup's favour last time around.

 

[sifter132]

Clarke running after the ball hit his bat sums up part of why people don't like him.

Ponting must be close to inking his name in for those 2013 Ashes, which is great news as an England fan.

I think Clarke ran as a bit of a getback because Ashwin was being a smart arse and appealling for obstructing the field (I knew that rule change would be trouble...). I'm not sure I like Clarke running either, but I can see why he did.

Oh and surely you'd prefer Phil Hughes instead of Ponting wouldn't you?? The Kiwis were practically begging for him to play They mentioned yesterday that this latest Ponting 100 was the first time he's scored 2 hundreds in a series since...the 06/07 Ashes. Maybe he's back


And I know it was warm yesterday but I was a bit surprised Zaheer could only manage 18 overs. There were 2 new balls and an old ball to use. 18 overs is not massively underbowled I guess, I just thought he could have had one more spell in the afternoon sometime when the game was really starting to drift. We saw Ishant come on and he had the ball reversing in nicely.

Predicting a bit of Brad Haddin fireworks today. He's got a great record at Adelaide and this would be a great pitch and attack to get his form back against. That's if he even gets a bat...

 

[mrtwisties]

Ponting's two flaws of late have been failing to go on from 50 to 100, and failing to start again in the morning after batting well the previous day. We've seen him overcoming that first hoodoo in this series, but not yet the second. I'll be nervous for him this morning.

 

[teamindia]

I am starting to lose all hope on this team. I am hearbroken Hopefully we can atleast beat Sri Lanka.

 

[aussie1st]

On the Clarke thing Clarke sorry for etiquette breach - Sports News First

 

[Sedition]

Thanks for making me look like a goose Clarke. ***hole

 

[aussie1st]

Well played Pup 150, the big scores are starting to come thick and fast.

 

[midgetwars]

Clarke's average this series is insane.

 

[Sedition]

After the 150 in South Africa, I thought Clarke's only chance for a double might come against NZ while he's in great form. So far so good this morning

Also, no one should ever suggest moving Clarke from 5 again. He can pretty much retire that number when he goes, like in US sports.

 

[midgetwars]

Warner... He should only play on grass covered pitches. Somehow, it bats better on moving pitches than on flats

 

[aussie1st]

Warner... He should only play on grass covered pitches. Somehow, it bats better on moving pitches than on flats

Green track bully

 

[Sedition]

Closing in on the 300 run partnership that they narrowly missed in Sydney as Ponting nails his bread and butter shot to the boundary

 

[angryangy]

There's something incredibly inane about Ponting whipping the ball between two short midwickets