India in the West Indies

[sohum]

Ajit Agarkar's exclusion may be justified. There are a few players who are made for a certain form of the game, only. Matthew Hoggard for test cricket, Ian Bradshaw for ODI cricket. They are exceedingly successful in one form, and cannot replicate the magic in another form.

What greatness have you seen in the West Indies line-up that you feel that we will not be able to win? Most of the Windies wins have come from strangling the Indian batting--something that will not be as effective in Test cricket, because runs don't come at as much of a premium. Ian Bradshaw has never been tested with the old ball, which suggests that he does not know how to use it. I would be surprised if Bradshaw was selected for the test matches.

Our batting is strengthened with Laxman and Jaffer. Our bowling is strengthened by Kumble. West Indies do not have their opening position solid, either, something that is very, very important in Test cricket. Indeed, they have only Gayle, and no one else to really provide him support. They will be looking at either a rookie or a makeshift opener.

I think this wave of pessimism is just an emotional outburst.

 

[cricket_lover]

The match's tomorrow, i hope INdia finish it in a winning note.

The Indian squad is not that bad. It is still among the best. But the dissappointing thing is that our batting and bowling line-up is not consistent. I don't think Dravid was effective as a captain in this series.

Now, its the first series we're playing outside the sub-continent, after a long long time. Dravid might need more time to get used to captaincy. Its a huge burden he's carrying, as an opener as well.

I have a feeling India will do much better in tests but even that depends on the composition.

I don't understand why we need 5 bowlers to win a test match. Why dont we groom Yuvi and Sehwag and even tendulkar as the fifth bowler. All teams except England play four bowlers.

 

[gaurav_indian]

Ajit Agarkar's exclusion may be justified. There are a few players who are made for a certain form of the game, only. Matthew Hoggard for test cricket, Ian Bradshaw for ODI cricket. They are exceedingly successful in one form, and cannot replicate the magic in another form.

What greatness have you seen in the West Indies line-up that you feel that we will not be able to win? Most of the Windies wins have come from strangling the Indian batting--something that will not be as effective in Test cricket, because runs don't come at as much of a premium. Ian Bradshaw has never been tested with the old ball, which suggests that he does not know how to use it. I would be surprised if Bradshaw was selected for the test matches.

Our batting is strengthened with Laxman and Jaffer. Our bowling is strengthened by Kumble. West Indies do not have their opening position solid, either, something that is very, very important in Test cricket. Indeed, they have only Gayle, and no one else to really provide him support. They will be looking at either a rookie or a makeshift opener.

I think this wave of pessimism is just an emotional outburst.

How many Indian tour of West Indies have u seen?I have seen in 1997,2002 and now this is 2006 just wait and you will see its not easy to beat the West Indies team in the carribean.Last time also we were 1-0 ahead in the test series but lost the next two test matches and series.Mate its not easy to beat West Indies in WI and for India it will be too difficult to win even a single test after the way they have been beaten by the WI in ODI series.

 

[puddleduck]

I think England would disagree with you Gaurav that it is not difficult to beat the Windies in the Caribean

 

[gaurav_indian]

I think England would disagree with you Gaurav that it is not difficult to beat the Windies in the Caribean

Hey I am talking about India I know England can beat them easily bcoz they have got quality bowlers.

 

[sohum]

How many Indian tour of West Indies have u seen?I have seen in 1997,2002 and now this is 2006 just wait and you will see its not easy to beat the West Indies team in the carribean.

I guess you don't have any advantage on me, then, do you? Who said it is easy to beat West Indies in West Indies? But we are certainly not as ill-fated as you make it seem.

Last time also we were 1-0 ahead in the test series but lost the next two test matches and series.Mate its not easy to beat West Indies in WI and for India it will be too difficult to win even a single test after the way they have been beaten by the WI in ODI series.

For all your pride of watching cricket so many times, surely you will understand the difference between ODI and Test cricket? Surely you will appreciate the arrival of three key test players to the Indian squad? Surely you will escape your shroud of negativity at some point to embrace some optimism? West Indies did, if my memory (and yours to) serves me correctly, win the ICC Champions Trophy last time around? Was that a fluke?

Anyhow, if India expect the test series to be a cakewalk, that's their fault. The only major weakness I can cite in India's performance is the absence of Sachin Tendulkar.

 

[gaurav_indian]

That's why I have said wait and watch you will know the difference.

 

[sohum]

Fair enough. Beats the point of a discussion forum if everyone sits and waits for the grass to grow before discussing its color.

 

[ZexyZahid]

A big news maybe.

'Rahul Dravid also hinted that Virender Sehwag could be demoted down the order.'

Playing for pride
http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wivind/content/current/story/248608.html

 

[gaurav_indian]

Fair enough. Beats the point of a discussion forum if everyone sits and waits for the grass to grow before discussing its color.

But if you don't wait for them to grow then how would u rate it.So wait.Bcoz the only chance for India to win in the WI is to win the ODI series.And I am a bigger fan than u of Indian Cricket so don't think that I am just talking nonsense.

 

[sohum]

But if you don't wait for them to grow then how would u rate it.So wait.Bcoz the only chance for India to win in the WI is to win the ODI series.

And you think all the West Indies cricketers are top notch? Our batting line-up matches theirs, and their bowling line-up could just as well have had a lucky spring, as ours had an unlucky one.

And I am a bigger fan than u of Indian Cricket so don't think that I am just talking nonsense.

Quality, over quantity, mate. You can be the biggest fan of Indian cricket and go burn effigies of Ganguly and Chappell, but you can definitely be spouting crap at the same time.

 

[gaurav_indian]

And you think all the West Indies cricketers are top notch? Our batting line-up matches theirs, and their bowling line-up could just as well have had a lucky spring, as ours had an unlucky one.

Quality, over quantity, mate. You can be the biggest fan of Indian cricket and go burn effigies of Ganguly and Chappell, but you can definitely be spouting crap at the same time.

Whats crap in my posts tell me?I am just giving my views.See teams are not built up of good players they are good when they play as a unit their planning is good and don't underestimate the WI team like the Indian team they underestimated them and see what WI have done to them.Kenya went to the WC2003 semifinals bcoz of the team work and unity.It seems as you have forgot that phrase "Never ever underestimate anyone in your life" if you forgot then just store it in memory its very useful.And talking about your batting and bowling comparisons I think u said that they were lucky and my god they were lucky in all the four matches what a luck.You don't want to confess that they played better than us rather we were unlucky. :

 

[cricket4life]

I swear I will beat the hell out of Dravid if he doesn't send Dhoni one down tomorrow. If India can score 350+ runs tomorrow then it'll be just like India won the series. We need Viru and Dhoni show and everybody will foreget what that India lost the series. And then India should look to win the Test series. Everything will get normal.

 

[cricket_lover]

You can't afford to send Dhoni at no.3 always. That move is supposed to surprise the opposite team.
Ofcourse, when the team is struggling like the last match, and they are 30/2 in 10 overs, you can send Pathan or Dhoni.

I still prefer Dhoni at no.6 or no.7 because he can hit the ball hard. Pathan is more like a driver, he prefer's the new ball and times it, and he's aggressive as well. So sending him at no.3 is better most times.

It'll be poor captaincy if he still persists with Raina at no.3.

?We did not come to grips with the pace of the wickets. We were tied down by some good bowling and struggled to get the runs we needed,?? Chappell said.

He defended promoting Suresh Raina at No. 3 in the crucial fourth match. ??Making Raina come at three was intended to give him experience of batting in that position. It?s about developing a cricketer.??

how stupid is that. When the team is losing, and in dire straits...you want to give someone experience?

The Indian team has hired the services of Dr Rudi Webster whose work on the mental aspect of the game is respected all over the world

A team cannot cope up with a loss?

Anyway, i hope tomorrow will be a spirited performance.

 

[s2sschan]

Anyone can call me stupid if I am as critical of you abt Indian cricket! No need to become a Micheal Holding or a Malcolm Marshall. All we need are bowlers who can consistently pick up wickets and place India in the best position to win matches!

I am angry and critical because this wasn't suppossed to happen. We were suppossed to beat this West Indies Side hands down. I can understand losing 3-1 to South Africa or England, but this loss is totally shocking.

I love the Indian team like anything. But loving sometimes involves telling it as it is. Lot of guys here are trying to put a positive spin on this by saying this is part of the learning process. Learning process - that's been going on for the last 20 years. High time the Indian fans saw a win outside the sub-continent.

We do need two quality speedsters if we are ever going to achieve true Number One ranking in both Tests and ODIs.

It's healthy to have radical points of view in a discussion. We can't agree on everything all the time. Nothing I say is directed at anyone personally.

P.S.
Having second thoughts about Ganguly and Laxman???

I don't understand why we need 5 bowlers to win a test match. Why dont we groom Yuvi and Sehwag and even tendulkar as the fifth bowler. All teams except England play four bowlers.

We need 5 bowlers because it's very hard for 4 guys to take 20 wickets consistently. Think about it, how many bowlers average 5 wickets in Tests.

South Africa plays 5 or 6 if Kallis and Hall both play.