India in Pakistan

[Dhoni]

What a hat-trick by Pathan! I love those three deliveries he got wickets on. Beautiful stuff!!!! I don't see India getting close to Pakistani total. This pitch is supporting the blowers. Still I have faith on Dhoni and Pathan. I don't see Dada and Yuvi getting runs. So, all the best India!

 

[siddharth2002]

Are you in any relation with the team management? How do you know Dravid sacrificed his wicket in opening slot? DO you mean to say Ganguly refused to open? No body expect the team knows what discussion those two had in the middle (unless you're a mouth reader).

I heard Steve Waugh was asked to retire by the board. Again it was just "HEARD". Was Ganguly offered such a chance? How do you expect him to bite the bullet?

I don't like digging corpses but I never favoured selecting Ganguly for this tour. But now if he is here than has to be played as well. Now Dravid knows making Ganguly open would simply mis-lead it as trying to finish him off against new ball. So he had to open which worked on flat pitches but if u have read my earlier posts, I still disagreed on his opening cause his early wicket would've costd India dearly. And my statement is proved in tird test which just happens to be the decider.
Dravid may have scored a 300 in the first two games but still batted at the wrong postion which I believed and as proved in current match and he knows that too.
And I don't have to be in Indian Team Mamnagement for that. Mature people undertsand things quickly esp. if they know about their country and thier people inside out.
And about Steve Waugh, nobody wanted him out unlike ACB who are ruthless and sensible administrators. he might have played another year but still he retired at the right time.
Age is not a factor for retirement, form is. Ganguly hasn't done a dam thing in recent months or years for that matter. And after all that happened supporting him only tells me one thing that Indian public is indeed lost and haven't got any memory whatsoever.
Remember truth will always hurt and I m not gonna post any flowers or buffets here. What if Ganguly had retired, not even a thread would've been started here.

 

[ZexyZahid]

What a day. I really didn't expect this. Groundsmen were under pressure to deliver a less batting pitch, but I think they tried their best a bit too much. I was disappointed that Inzamam couldn't make it into the final eleven, but there must be something really wrong with his injury that he couldn't play. His replacement didn't do much.

About Dravid's position. I think at his previous position he plays at his best. But this wouldn't make much difference on this pitch, since this bowling pitch was really troubling most of the players.

And Ganguly has been left from the ODI series. : He didn't get much time to prove himself.

 

[Crazyman]

what have I done wrong lovely guys!

 

[siddharth2002]

what have I done wrong lovely guys!

hehe mate, nothing serious so far but swearing is not allowed here and rightfully too. Just stick to your opinions with a bit more clean words.
Cheers!!

 

[Wahindiawah]

How the hell was Dhoni's knock similar to that of Akmal?Dhoni hit a century when his team's score was 300+ while Akmal did it when his team was under tremendous pressure after losing 6 wickets for 39.I highly doubt that Dhoni is capable of hitting a ton in the conditions like those on 5th day of Mohali & now on the 1st day of Karachi test,after your team has made a ridiculous start.

Mr Shoaib Ahmad, instaed of comparing Akmal with Dhoni, it will be better if for once you admit what a great bowler Irfan Pathan is.Since last six months you have been rubbishing off India's great bowler and have been labelling him as a "fake copy". Irfan proved today that he is a world class bowler and Pakistani batsmen are certainly frightened of facing him on sporting turf (thats why they were preparing dead track).


Hope India win this match and Pathan takes 10 wkts and man of the match.


BTW, i think India should be looking for a lead of atleast 150.That will result in India chasing 100-125 runs in the last innings and i think they will do that without great trouble.

Considering that Dhoni and IKP are in great form, India might get a big total

 

[kodos]

This match really does remind me of the 1st test in the Ashes. England dominated with the ball early on and at the end on day 1 they were actually on the back foot. India atm isn't in a totally bad position but are in quite a similar position to England. I expect Ganguly or Dhoni to make big or at least significant contributions to the total. A lead by India is not out of the equation atm.

 

[SaiSrini]

I don't like digging corpses but I never favoured selecting Ganguly for this tour. But now if he is here than has to be played as well. Now Dravid knows making Ganguly open would simply mis-lead it as trying to finish him off against new ball. So he had to open which worked on flat pitches but if u have read my earlier posts, I still disagreed on his opening cause his early wicket would've costd India dearly. And my statement is proved in tird test which just happens to be the decider.
Dravid may have scored a 300 in the first two games but still batted at the wrong postion which I believed and as proved in current match and he knows that too.
And I don't have to be in Indian Team Mamnagement for that. Mature people undertsand things quickly esp. if they know about their country and thier people inside out.
And about Steve Waugh, nobody wanted him out unlike ACB who are ruthless and sensible administrators. he might have played another year but still he retired at the right time.
Age is not a factor for retirement, form is. Ganguly hasn't done a dam thing in recent months or years for that matter. And after all that happened supporting him only tells me one thing that Indian public is indeed lost and haven't got any memory whatsoever.
Remember truth will always hurt and I m not gonna post any flowers or buffets here. What if Ganguly had retired, not even a thread would've been started here.

Do you understand that you were blaming Ganguly for Dravid's sacrificing his wicket opening the innings? What does Ganguly have to do with Dravid opening?

Indian public havent lost their damn memory! If they indeed had, they would not be supporting Ganguly so much at the first place! They still remember what he has done for Indian cricket! I dont mean to say that makes him an automatic choice in the XI. But he has proved it in the recent months that he definitely deserves more chances. And when he was given a chance, he didnt do anything wrong.

I dont agree on the Dravid opening. Dravid has the right technique to succeed as an opener! He is one of the most technically perfect batsmen in world cricket today! And his dismissal yesterday is not related to where he batted! It was just a very good ball by Mohammed Asif!

P.s: It would have been a big issue also had Ganguly retired! People would have been blaming Chappell, Dravid, More, etc for finishing off his career! It wouldnt die down that easily!

What a day. I really didn't expect this. Groundsmen were under pressure to deliver a less batting pitch, but I think they tried their best a bit too much. I was disappointed that Inzamam couldn't make it into the final eleven, but there must be something really wrong with his injury that he couldn't play. His replacement didn't do much.

About Dravid's position. I think at his previous position he plays at his best. But this wouldn't make much difference on this pitch, since this bowling pitch was really troubling most of the players.

And Ganguly has been left from the ODI series. : He didn't get much time to prove himself.

Still an outside chance that he might be retained for the ODI's if he scores a big one here at Karachi! There have been many instances of such happening before (the one that comes to mind was when Matthew Hayden was retained for the India ODI's in 2001 when he was in such terrorising form in the test matches against India when all others were buried by the Turbanator!)

This match really does remind me of the 1st test in the Ashes. England dominated with the ball early on and at the end on day 1 they were actually on the back foot. India atm isn't in a totally bad position but are in quite a similar position to England. I expect Ganguly or Dhoni to make big or at least significant contributions to the total. A lead by India is not out of the equation atm.

I hope it doesnt replicate that first test match!

 

[kodos]

I agree sai, Dravid is the moste technically correct batsman in the world. Dravid can bat anywhere in the order and will suceed anywhere in the order but I feel he should drop back down to 3 or 4. Your no.3 or 4 batsman is usually reserved for your best batsman and Dravid with Tendulkar are their best batsmans I also hope India will win this one but only time will tell and today is going to be a vital day for both teams.

 

[cricket_lover]

Dravid is technically sound to open the innings. It is just that he has been wonderfully consistent at No.3, just like Tendulkar. Ganguly's case has nothing to do with Dravid opening.
If Dravid/Laxman opened the innings, i did not see a reason why Sehwag was sent 1 down. Tendulkar or may be even Pathan would have been a good option.

 

[Shoaib87]

Mr Shoaib Ahmad, instaed of comparing Akmal with Dhoni, it will be better if for once you admit what a great bowler Irfan Pathan is.Since last six months you have been rubbishing off India's great bowler and have been labelling him as a "fake copy". Irfan proved today that he is a world class bowler and Pakistani batsmen are certainly frightened of facing him on sporting turf (thats why they were preparing dead track).

A hat-trick doesn't make any bowler "great" or "best" in the world.Even ordinary bowlers have taken hat-tricks e.g Jalaluddin & Mohammad Sami & we all know very well that what place they have amongst the fast bowlers.In the first half an hour or so,the conditions were extremly supportive to fast/medium pace bowling with overcast conditions & any medium pacer could've easily taken 2 or 3 wickets in such conditions.I'm not taking away any credit from him,all I want to say is that conditions helped him more than his own efforts.Irfan Pathan is definitely improving but I don't think he is worthy of being called a "world class" bowler yet.

 

[siddharth2002]

@Sai, I've got a solid answer but no point so I refrain from answering it as it will start a quotation war besides being off-topic.
And laddies I will be in the chatroom after Lunch session in the current match. Come on in, we'll have fun.

 

[Ahad]

maybe,not a world class bowler.but outstanding bowling by pathan.he bowled very very well.

 

[prarara]

When does the match start?

 

[cricket_lover]

A hat-trick doesn't make any bowler "great" or "best" in the world.Even ordinary bowlers have done hat-tricks e.g Jalaluddin & Mohammad Sami & we all know very well that what place they have amongst the fast bowlers.In the fast half an hour or so,the conditions were extremly supportive to fast/medium pace bowling with overcast conditions & any medium pacer would've easily taken 2 or 3 wickets in such conditions.I'm nat taking away any credit from him,all I want to say is that conditions helped him more than his own efforts.Irfan Pathan is definitely improving but I don't think he is worthy of being called a "world class" bowler yet.

Aha...Sami factor comes in now...
Doesn't matter how nice the conditions, it takes skill and accuracy to get three batsmen, two top quality batsmen (in form) in such a wonderful fashion. He is an upcoming bowler, and with reason was the ICC 2004 upcoming player of the year. Now that is history. He has to survive on conditions that are not favourable to him. The first two matches cannot justify his performances, due to the nature of a very placid pitch.

Conditions don't fetch you wickets, my friend! The bowler does. His skill does and it should be appreciated.