India tour of New Zealand - March 2009

[King Cricket]

The mere fact remains that we dominated throughout this series except for two T-20's and one test match. And had there been no rain today, we would surely have won. And as the saying goes, it is no use crying over split milk. I agree that MSD should have declared a bit earlier, but what big difference could it possibly have made? What if this entire fifth day got washed by rain? What if the Kiwis provided a bit more resistence? What if their lower order batted on and saved the match for them? In cricket you can't say like this. Anything can happen in any moment. Why don't we just forget this stuff? India have won the series 1-0, and let's just enjoy what we have been able to do. And LOL at people who are saying we struggled to defeat the Kiwis in this tour. Just see our records. Just see the margins by which we thrashed the Black Caps. Today was just one unlucky day, that's it. Leaving apart this test, as if not for the rains we would surely have won it, we have drawn just ONE test here, in this tour. It means NOTHING. Even the Aussies lost an ODI vs Bangladesh and a whole series vs the West Indies when they were at their peak. Did it mean anything? Just because we drew a test vs the Kiwis means that we become poor and like the struggling Aussie team, GREAT! Just great. You guys should see our past records. How can you say this I don't understand
Lat year we have,
Thrashed the Aussies 2-0 at home
Thrashed the Lankys two times in Lanka in ODI's by murdering Mendis, ICC's most promising cricketer of the year 08
We were the runners-up of Asia Cup
We have thrashed England 5-0 and 2-0 at home
Drew a series with SA at home 1-1, with our Veeru scoring the fastest 300 against the world's most lethal bowling line-up
Add the NZ series with this.

 

[King Pietersen]

NZ would not have batted out 2 days to draw this match. Ridiculously defensive captaincy, like Strauss leaving West Indies 500 to win at the ARG. You beat us 1-0 in the Test series as well, not 2-0.

 

[King Cricket]

^Yeah, right- 1-0, sorry. And yeah, I'll agree it was a bit defensive, and not really what I expected from Dhoni. But what's the use saying all this now? What has happened has happened, we cannot change it.

 

[KBC]

So, when should have dhoni declared as per your opinion?

Well, I think you're both demeaning the Indian team. They're very good, at the peak of their powers, and they could and should have done better than they did against this second-rate opponent. I'd say the same thing of most of the opponents they've faced in the last 12 months. One day there'll be a book about this team called "Wasted Potential".

As an aside, what's with this rhetorical device you keep using:
* Someone said X before
* Now someone else is saying Y
* They must be in league, plotting against the Indian team

Just how paranoid are you?

Who is saying what? :S

 

[King Cricket]

^When the lead exceeded 520. There was no need of carrying on till we reach 600.

 

[Harrypotter_fan]

Dhoni should have declared after 500. But then, we won the series! No use giving NZ a chance to draw the series, it would have been ridiculous losing the match trying to win the series 0-2.

 

[KBC]

But anything was possible. India couldn't trust the pitch since it helped them pretty much in their Second Innings and It was thought to be appropriate to declare on the Third day itself when India took the lead over 500 runs. But the pitch still holds the factor. It was good for batting and saying that, Once declared, New Zealand would have had over 2 days to bat. Anything was possible if the Batsmen clicked for NZ. But unfortunately, it wasn't that colorful as they thought it to be. Ryder, Mcintosh, Flynn, McCullum fell for less runs although few good knocks from Franklin, Guptill and a great innings from Taylor kept their hopes of drawing the match stable considering India's declaration came when NZ had about one and half days left to bat through.

There was enough time to get the last 2 wickets of the game and India would have taken this series 2 - 0 if the rain hadn't interrupted the game. That's it. There aren't much points in pushing doubts on Dhoni's defensiveness or captaincy.

But whatever, India won the series and I'm happy.

 

[King Cricket]

But whatever, India won the series and I'm happy.

Completely agree. This is the main thing.

 

[King Pietersen]

No team has ever chased more than 420odd to win a Test match, so why on earth Dhoni thought he'd need 600 is beyond me. It should have been 480-500, with 500 at an absolute maximum. I know India were already 1-0 up so didn't want to give NZ a sniff, but they should have given themselves a better chance to bowl NZ out, and a lead of 480 would have given them easily enough time and runs, this Kiwi side are not good enough to chase 380, let alone 480 in a Test match.

 

[TruSachFan]

I still cant get over the fact that the likes of Sehwag and munaf bowled for more than 15 overs at the end of day 4. You can't aspire to be a championship team if you play like that.

 

[metallics2006]

I suggest all of you shut the hell up for a second. About 58 - FIFTY EIGHT - overs were lost in today's play with NZ having just 2 wickets in hand and Ishant Sharma dropping O'Brien before the rain. The game would'nt have even gone into the 3rd session of day 5 if it was'nt for the damn rain. Dhoni's captaincy? He gave them 5 sessions to bat and two were lost to rain and yet, India took 8 wickets in the Kiwi second innings. So, I have no idea what everyone here is going on about.

 

[KBC]

That's a much effective version of what i was saying. (y).

 

[Chetan0304]

No team has ever chased more than 420odd to win a Test match, so why on earth Dhoni thought he'd need 600 is beyond me. It should have been 480-500, with 500 at an absolute maximum. I know India were already 1-0 up so didn't want to give NZ a sniff, but they should have given themselves a better chance to bowl NZ out, and a lead of 480 would have given them easily enough time and runs, this Kiwi side are not good enough to chase 380, let alone 480 in a Test match.

Because yours and Dhoni's mind differ. he has his own strategy and perception point, we were already 1-0 that matters and the end we won the series, so no need to bring up such awful silly thing. Yeah the declaration came up late, Dhoni decided not to take up the chance, as per his plan all was going fluently when the Nature started crying or else it would have been surely a win

 

[mrtwisties]

I suggest all of you shut the hell up for a second. About 58 - FIFTY EIGHT - overs were lost in today's play with NZ having just 2 wickets in hand and Ishant Sharma dropping O'Brien before the rain. The game would'nt have even gone into the 3rd session of day 5 if it was'nt for the damn rain. Dhoni's captaincy? He gave them 5 sessions to bat and two were lost to rain and yet, India took 8 wickets in the Kiwi second innings. So, I have no idea what everyone here is going on about.

Yep, that's test cricket for you. You've got to plan for these things, especially poor fielding (which India always suffers from) and poor weather (which was hardly unpredictable). This is why you declare as soon as you've got a lead that you're comfortable defending.

As KP pointed out, a declaration any time after establishing a 420 run lead would've required the New Zealanders to mount a world record run chase to win. Hands up everyone who thinks the New Zealand team is capable of doing that? I didn't think so.

It's also worth remembering that NZ were unlucky today, too. McCullum and Southee were both wrongly given out, for example. Who knows what would have happened if they had gotten settled in? India weren't robbed of victory today by bad luck - they were robbed by poor captaincy.

Hopefully it's a learning experience for Dhoni. If not, he'll have to learn the hard way when it costs him a series - like Strauss at the ARG.

 

[metallics2006]

As KP pointed out, a declaration any time after establishing a 420 run lead would've required the New Zealanders to mount a world record run chase to win. Hands up everyone who thinks the New Zealand team is capable of doing that? I didn't think so.

The fastest test 200 was scored by a Kiwi - Nathan Astle. Jesse Ryder looks to be a similar sort of player who can score big runs quick. The pitch was flat and the ground was small. So, we cant be sure that 420 is a sufficient target in this case. Better to be safe than sorry.

It's also worth remembering that NZ were unlucky today, too. McCullum and Southee were both wrongly given out, for example. Who knows what would have happened if they had gotten settled in? India weren't robbed of victory today by bad luck - they were robbed by poor captaincy.

You know what every one said about Indians when they pointed out umpiring decisions in the Sydney test. Everyone mostly agreed it is a part of the game and moved on. I guess the same thing can be said here.

Hopefully it's a learning experience for Dhoni. If not, he'll have to learn the hard way when it costs him a series - like Strauss at the ARG.

Strauss was trailing 1-0 in the series. Dhoni was leading 1-0 in the series. Two completely different scenarios.

Yep, that's test cricket for you. You've got to plan for these things, especially poor fielding (which India always suffers from) and poor weather (which was hardly unpredictable). This is why you declare as soon as you've got a lead that you're comfortable defending.

Dhoni will surely consider tarrot cards next time mate.
Weather forecasts are more often wrong than right. What if it had'nt rained?