India in South Africa

[surendar]

There were some comments on TV(CNN-ibn) just now by Srikanth,

1) There are no excuses for Sachin, that too being a senior player, to bat very slowly becos of early two wickets! Also being one of the best batsmen in the world, i wonder how he failed to pick the bouncers!


2) Innings played by Dinesh Mongia was useless... Anyone can get to that score by playing at that rate!

3) Sachin scored 4 runs from 40 balls! This is completely unfair!

4) Dhoni was the only man who looked strong in attitude with avg of around 36 in this series! ( Also they showed the wagon wheel for Dhoni in the entire series and it showed that Dhoni did exceptionally well by scoring runs in all sides) If Dhoni can play with this attitude, then y cant the senior membrs do?

5) Give rest to Pathan and let hime go back and learn the basics and come! His main ability is to move the ball for right handers! now he has lost it! If a bowler bowls with a short line like this with such a poor pace then he is sure to be hammered!

( Also they showd stats, Pathan averaged 18 with 4 econmy befre Windies tour for around 20 matches and after Windies tour, he averages around 40 with 6 economy )

6) Shaun Pollock bowled superbly like a computer and that too performing in this age is tough, he deserves a lot!

 

[Cricketman]

I think Kris Srikanth is balogna. all he does is critisize players based on how they bat compared to him. He only likes the likes of Sehwag and Dhoni because he played like them, aggressive and didn't care about the score.

 

[cricket_lover]

Sachin's innings reminded me of his earlier match against Pakistan, in the Bangalore test.

He's taking too much pressure, unnecessarily. If you remember, in the first game, he started of aggressively, and when quick wickets fell, he got bogged down. Its the same thing, pressure talks. Not that he has never faced pressure, but its a different scenario here, he's been in indifferent form, plagued with injuries.

I'm waiting to see him perform in the tests. I feel he's going to come very good soon.
Laxman was unlucky, facing a good ball first up. But his presence will boost the team, no doubt.

The only plus from the series was the comeback of Zaheer and Kumble. Lets hope they can perform in the same vein in the tests.

 

[borncricketer]

well dissapointing display by india once again....the only bastman that looked good was Dhoni...Sachin playing too slow i guess it would be because he is taking all the pressure on his shoulders, as already stated. I hope a 10 days break and the inclusion of Ganguly will get the indian team confidence up.
My team for test 1, without Dravid
Jaffer
Sehwag
Laxman (C)
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Dhoni (keeper )
Pathan
Kumble
Zaheer
Sreesanth
Munaf if hez fit or else may be Bajji

If dravid is fit i guess Pathan would be dropped

 

[sohum]

I would go back to the classic line-up, at some point in the tour:

Virender Sehwag
Wasim Jaffer
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
Sourav Ganguly
VVS Laxman
MS Dhoni
Anil Kumble
Harbhajan Singh
Zaheer Khan
Munaf Patel

In my opinion, Pathan's had enough chance. His entrance to cricket may have been a one-off thing and he simply cannot continue to hurt India by being a bowler who leaks runs all day. Our pacers haven't shown that much spirit so I would go ahead and pick 2 spinners. Our batsmen have been crap, so I would go ahead and select 7 batsmen (including Dhoni). However, I feel that given the way the last few months have gone, as soon as someone recovers from injury, someone else will go out.

 

[surendar]

Our pacers haven't shown that much spirit

also no pace for pacers especially Pathan! Kumble if he tries to some more extent can get Pathan's speed! Pathan's pace with no movement was like a lolly pop for the batsman

Indian bowling with pace has been a big question mark in recent times! Munaf was very impressive in bowling wicket to wicket and was able to get some movement too that decieved batsmen! Apart from Munaf, none of the pace bowlers impressed! ( i didnt see how Zaheer bowled but i observed and heard from friends that he bowled well )

Bouncers are the one which SA bowlers bowled today especially Pollock! In comaparison to Indian bowlers, African pacers are in sky height! Its going to be a real testing test matches for India especially in fast bowling which has not been a success in recent times! ( Since its a test match, i guess there are more dependency on Spin twins!)

Also the thing to be remembered is, In last tour of SA, Indian fast bowlers struggled a lots ( almost 0% success ) in test matches! Infact Zaheer was in peak form that time!

Hope India do atleast the basics of cricket right and try to stay competetive atleast in this test series!

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Zaheer and Munaf are our only decent seamers. Sreesanth has just gone mad, he is so desperate for a wicket he'd do anything. Has no more control,is just overdoing it.
Pathan, should have been dropped ages ago.
Like Sohum said, two spinners. Although I'd keep Karthik, as he seems more comfortable against the seamers than Dhoni, and keeps better. I'd also drop Viru if he dares play the uppercut shot into the keeper's hand even once before scoring atleast 70 runs.

 

[surendar]

I'd also drop Viru if he dares play the uppercut shot into the keeper's hand even once before scoring atleast 70 runs.

:laugh :rtfl

Dont worry Zorax, Hope Viru gets alright in Test matches! He has shown the similar cases before.. i.e failure in ODIs followed by firing in Tests! So lets hope Sehwag gets on to quick start with patient Jaffer in other end!

 

[aussie1st]

Wow what a thrashing by SA showing it's not that hard to bat 2nd on these wickets. Looks like they were trying to get another 400 Amazing batting by Smith and De Villers took the Indian pacemen all around the park.

 

[Cricketman]

Even if Dravid comes back, that too in the 2nd test, i would drop Sehwag and have him open, keep laxman at 3.
That "classic" line up is pretty good, but its not fair not to include KKD in there somewhere.

 

[sohum]

Even if Dravid comes back, that too in the 2nd test, i would drop Sehwag and have him open, keep laxman at 3.
That "classic" line up is pretty good, but its not fair not to include KKD in there somewhere.

Hehe, it's only called classic because that's where those players would have batted had they been in the team when we were at the peak of our form (beat Australia in India and drew the series in Australia). Perhaps I've got my facts wrong, but I've always thought Dravid as #3, Sachin as #4 and Ganguly as #5 (if these biguns play) and then Laxman ideally falls in after them, where he can rescue us from a follow-on.

 

[irottev]

I watched the Indian batting effort and it was poor.

Karthik looks to be eally out of place. The middle order batting is very weak. Injury doesn't help it however.

Pollock was too good. Thats got to be the difference between the two sides. India doesn't have an accurate opening bowler who does a Pollock, McGrath, Mills, Vaas type job.

 

[prarara]

Pathan was it for a while. Munaf could've been the complement, and I think Zaheer could've been as well. The batting just committed Hara Kiri too often.

 

[SaiSrini]

I don't think Sreesanth fits in the Test team. Pathan should play, whether he is in form or not.

And somebody lives here in Kolkata? If so, can he post the pictures of the burnings that probably will happen tomorrow. You can imagine now all the 'analysts' in television programs in India talking about this.

Sreesanth doesnt have the fear of going for runs in test matches. Of course, the SA team are aggressive with their batting, but in tests, you can bowl around for quite sometime without going for too much runs. So Sreesanth can attack for longer periods which he is good doing.

Burnings in Kolkata tomorrow? for what? for india losing the series 4-0? they have had enugh with the burning and all that stuff! i am sure now the whole of kolkata is waiting for december 15th (the start of the first test). if they dont see a certain mr. ganguly in the first test eleven, then the burnings would get harder!

I think Kris Srikanth is balogna. all he does is critisize players based on how they bat compared to him. He only likes the likes of Sehwag and Dhoni because he played like them, aggressive and didn't care about the score.

Kris Srikkanth is too biased towards South Indian players. I agree, the South Indian players dont get as much due as they deserve to, but this guy is just too biased!

My team for test 1, without Dravid
Jaffer
Sehwag
Laxman (C)
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Dhoni (keeper )
Pathan
Kumble
Zaheer
Sreesanth
Munaf if hez fit or else may be Bajji

If dravid is fit i guess Pathan would be dropped

I think India will go in with just 4 bowlers + Ganguly! Our batting has failed miserably this tour. So the batting department needs 6 people apart from Dhoni to shore it up!

 

[aussie1st]

Well if Pathan is in there he does give you that extra batting but his bowling just hasn't looked good enough to keep his spot on bowling alone.