India in Australia

[SciD]

I don't think either opener is one of their best or most ideal and as anyone will tell you, a strong top order has a massive positive effect on the middle order. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have a positive player; when you pair off two stodgers you just get 10 runs in ten overs.

The selectors need to make the big call and drop a great player in the name of a better team.

Lack of batting practice cost India today. Tendulkar was in full flow and batted like GOD he is. Billy Bowden had a day to forget and giving batsmen out - not out left right and center.
Dravid needs to get out of mental block he has got himself into. Laxman should have played pull shot and just went to defend a waist high delivery. Come on man practice some short stuff using plastic balls .
India was never expected to win opening match so no tears here.

 

[Adarsh]

India will have to do incredibly well from here to prevent losing the game. The lead is 170 odd....it's absolutely essential that we get Australia all out for a lead of about 350 maximum, and only then have India got a chance. There's no possibility of a draw here unless weather intervenes.

 

[Cricket_60]

Who, Dravid? If anyone should be dropped, it should be Yuvraj in favour of an opener, whether it be Sehwag or Karthik.

The Indian selectors have to consider who has the biggest scope for making runs in Australian conditions. I would say that the second innings will determine if they go for Dravid and hope he finds some of his prime form that always seems to appear in Australia or Yuvraj if they choose to make any changes to the lineup.

 

[SciD]

India will have to do incredibly well from here to prevent losing the game. The lead is 170 odd....it's absolutely essential that we get Australia all out for a lead of about 350 maximum, and only then have India got a chance. There's no possibility of a draw here unless weather intervenes.

This match is gone. Even if by any miracle Australia go all out for 150 (highly unlikely) we still wont make more than 250 with Dravid looking horrible. Dravid has been backbone of maximum Indian scores oversees.

 

[icyman]

Then they go out and make less than 200 and when we give it back in a very, very minor way you say WAIT TILL WE HAVE A GOOD DAY YOU'LL COP IT BACK BLAH BLAH BLAH.

There are still 3 more Tests.

Somebody please explain to me why Rahul Dravid?

This is what i get..You guys want to have superstar Yuvraj in the team so you whack Rahul at Opener when you have Sachin and Sourav who are both established openers. Albeit in the One Day Game but it still means they have the ability to open so why Rahul at opener?

Rahul Dravid is the scape goat for Team India.
He bats at whatever postition team wants him to.I bet he'll even consider No.11 if the team says so.
He has also kept wickets.He has also bowled.

I state with confidence and not arrogance that we`ll do better than what England did last year.
Our batting order will come back big time, mark my words.
We do have a habit of messing it up with the bat in the first Test of an overseas tour. It should be alright at Sydney.
If I were the captain, I`ll go to Yuvraj and say -- "Listen mate, it is you who are trying to break into the side. Either take the opening slot that is vacant or wait for your turn."
Even Laxman at the opening slot would be a better option on current form as he looked in better touch.
Dravid is too good a player to be sacrificed in such a manner. Would they do it with Sachin or Ganguly ?

Well said !
Add to that,India have never won a game on Boxing Day.

26th Dec 2002- Lost to NZ in an ODI.
26th Dec 2003-Lost Test to Aus
26th Dec 2004-Lost to Bangladesh in ODI.

If India play a third seamer, it should be Munaf Patel (who has been called by the BCCI, to arrive in Australia - possibly before the second Test, certainly by the third) who has the attribute of being a right arm bowler with experience at Test level and the ability to crank it up to 140kph. I think he will thrive on Australian pitches which even at their worst, help the pace bowlers extract lateral movement and bounce.

No thank you.
He looked no where near a fast bowler during Pakistan Series.
I'd rather pick Ajit Agarkar.Infact,the BCCI have asked Ajit and Sree to be on standby for Perth.

 

[sohum]

Why is everyone blaming Dravid? MS Dhoni, Wasim Jaffer......they all are to blame. Ganguly, Sachin, Kumble...they at least tried
But the others just came to the crease and went back within one second.

Most people are blaming the team selection. How come Yuvraj isn't in your list above of people to blame. Helped us out with a very handy duck off 11 balls.

IMO, Jaffer played a lazy shot - just wafting outside the offstump. Dravid put himself under too much pressure by not taking singles. Dhoni and Yuvraj - were done by goos balls. Kumble - at least tried...

Yuvraj was fishing outside off stump to a ball he should have left alone.

Plus, it doesn't hurt to have a positive player; when you pair off two stodgers you just get 10 runs in ten overs.

Or, as in India's case, 6 runs off 10 overs.

 

[evertonfan]

Sohum, it turns out that spider did bring home some action. I was in for a rude awakening this morning!

I don't think India have any realistic chances of winning this first test now. SHame.

 

[avirax]

Dravid opening? Which idiot came up with that idea?

 

[AKP_007]

India on the backfoot

India are on the backfoot and now chasing the game. You only get a chance to take advantage and rarely do the Australian's let you back into the game.

Apart from Tendulkar, Ganguly and Kumble who looked postive, evreyone else looked like sitting ducks.

Dravid is not suitable for opening, he is our trump card on this tour. Dravid playing well is very vital to India's chance's of winning this series. India should stick with Dravid at number 3 and drop Yuvraj in favour of Sehwag, he has the ability to put on quick runs and unsettle bowlers, on his day he can take the game away, a good start by our openers is very essential for India.

The match is not over yet, but it looks like India are in for a very long field day. Australia will proberly bat out 5 sessions, ending India with a total around 500 to chase in 5 sessions, then it's up to India to at least draw the game, but you never know, cricket's a funny game.

 

[shravi]

I can't believe how some people are writing off India's chances in this series already; only 2 days of cricket have been played. It would be acceptable to say Australia are the clear favorites to go on and win this match.

Well, poor performance by the batsmen really. We needed Sachin to hang in there. If he had done so, it could have spurred Ganguly on which would have led to a good partnership being built. Both bowlers and batsmen alike now have to play out of their skins to salvage some pride or to orchestrate a massive turn-around.

 

[aditya123]

Sohum, it turns out that spider did bring home some action. I was in for a rude awakening this morning!

I don't think India have any realistic chances of winning this first test now. SHame.

Evo, it always takes such an abysmal batting effort to really wake the sleeping giants up on away tours.
The Batting Galacticos of the Indian side have hopefully woken up by now and will put up a better show in the future innings.

And don`t rule out those miraclous turnarounds when India play Australia. I know that it is asking for too much but I have`nt lost hope yet.
I still believe it is some tactical change that can work wonders for India, maybe promoting someone else to open instead of Rahul in the second innings and eventually getting Sehwag in for Sydney.

There are still 3 more Tests.

And half the first test still left.
I want our side to signal some intent , even if we lose the first test. That would help a lot in slaying the demons in the minds of the Indian players.

I repeat, I haven`t seen anything extra-ordinary from the Aussie bowlers. Lee was`nt looking that threatening when Tendulkar and Ganguly were putting up that mini-recovery. Hogg was whacked around by Tendulkar and Ganguly as well.
Jhonson hardly made the batsmen play but Clark was at his miserly best.

Dravid opening? Which idiot came up with that idea?

Having said that , we are only a good innings away from saying that Dravid as an opener is working wonders !

Iam hoping/almost praying for Rahul to come good in the second innings.

 

[Adarsh]

Sohum, you're way too harsh on Yuvraj. He's is absolute class, in my opinion and has to play - but that's subjective. This match, you can't blame him. He was given out when he didn't hit the ball.

 

[Stephen Bailey]

He was given out when he didn't hit the ball.

Snicko suggested otherwise, plus he was given not out when he definitely hit it just a few balls before.

 

[manee]

The Indian selectors have to consider who has the biggest scope for making runs in Australian conditions. I would say that the second innings will determine if they go for Dravid and hope he finds some of his prime form that always seems to appear in Australia or Yuvraj if they choose to make any changes to the lineup.

I am conflicted. I almost don't want for Dravid to make runs (obviously, I do want someone to make runs for the team), because it will mean that he would be kept in the opening position, where he is, at best, an average batsman.

I don't think India have any realistic chances of winning this first test now. SHame.

That is what they said in Kolkata

 

[Adarsh]

Snicko suggested otherwise, plus he was given not out when he definitely hit it just a few balls before.

They didn't post that on Youtube .