India in England/Ireland/Scotland

[ZexyZahid]

Dravid just hit two fours in a row against Panesar. If India manages 500+ runs there is a great chance they won't lose this match, so they will win the series.

 

[manee]

Dinesh Karthik should really be looking for his second test century, the conversion from fifties to hundreds seems to be the only thing he is missing and, well set on a flat pitch, a hundred should just be a matter of concentration.

 

[Leggie]

great cover drive from dravid...

 

[sohum]

If you're implying that they're gonna try to tie the match, I really doubt it. That's not how this Indian team plays. There have been various occassions in the recent past when India's looked to attack rather than tie. I think even Ravi Shastri warned the Indians to not go out to the game for a tie after winning the last game. It's just not a good mindset. You want to go out and try to win every single game.

It's really hard to plan to a tie a match. Which is why there have only ever been 2 in the history of test cricket, I believe. Though India have been involved in one of them!

Well isn't Tendulkar in a terrible run of form at the moment? I haven't been following these matches, but isn't he not playing so well?

He has got 3 90's in international cricket in the last month or so. The only thing he would be disappointed in would be the inability to convert them into centuries. Also don't forget his big 170 in the practice match. I think he's in decent form but of course no where near his best (which he is unlikely to reach again).

 

[ZexyZahid]

Karthik should get a century. A great six of him. Only 15 runs for a century.

 

[manee]

He has got 3 90's in international cricket in the last month or so. The only thing he would be disappointed in would be the inability to convert them into centuries. Also don't forget his big 170 in the practice match. I think he's in decent form but of course no where near his best (which he is unlikely to reach again).

Especially when England put in a deep square leg and fine leg to combat his favourite pull shot.

 

[Sureshot]

This groundsman should be shot. We need a result and he produces a batsmans dream. Where's the classic Oval bounce?

Credit to India they've done well and we've been a bit below par (Anderson needs to be dropped now, he is just too inconsistent at this level). I feel the game and series is over already, despite it being only day 1.

 

[Simbazz]

Putting my non-patriotic cap on, i'd say India dont declare, they bat, and bat and bat until they're all out.

 

[sohum]

Dravid is atleast as big of a threat as Tendulkar in the Indian line-up. He just hasn't scored much this series. But yeah, he wont take it away by tea.

Yup, Dravid is a much bigger threat than Tendulkar, I feel, in test cricket these days. But I do believe he has the record for the second-fastest ODI fifty for an Indian (being beaten only by Ajit Agarkar and tying Sehwag and Kapil Dev).

 

[Sureshot]

I think they'll declare. They've got Kumble and a out of form batting line up to bowl against. Get 550-600 then declare, maybe an hour at us tomorrow night.

 

[manee]

Dravid effectively said at the toss that going for the draw was out of the question, so I doubt they will look to score any more than 550, if indeed, they get that far.

 

[sohum]

Hope to see India continue to grind out runs here. It would really be a shame if we end up winning this series without a single centurion!

 

[rabeta]

This groundsman should be shot. We need a result and he produces a batsmans dream. Where's the classic Oval bounce?

Credit to India they've done well and we've been a bit below par (Anderson needs to be dropped now, he is just too inconsistent at this level). I feel the game and series is over already, despite it being only day 1.

Agree with both those comments. The groundsman should produce a pitch favouring the bowlers, this is where our strength lies. He has created a pitch that depends on the toss.

India have played very well so far, been very impressed with Kartick technically. Anderson didn't bowl well in the last match, and today he has been bowling too far outside off-stump. I thought he had got back to his best, but he still looks hit and miss, and looks like he relies on the conditions favouring him, unlike Hoggard. England will have to do something special to win this match now, very special.

 

[Sureshot]

Yes, Kartik has done excellently. One of the big keys to success to in Test Match cricket is getting a good start, classy player. Only things I've picked up on so far have been: Sometimes he looks a little uncomfortable against a good short ball and sometimes his drives look horrible, most notably when Sidebottom bowls a full length. When he tries to drive through mid off and it can look awkward.

 

[ZexyZahid]

At the moment India isn't scoring much. There isn't a boundary scored for about four overs now.