India tour of South Africa - 2013/14

[playkid12]

Whats up with Ishant Sharma ?? 4 wickets and economy of 4

Another pounding for the rest of the lot ..

According to MSD: First match - bowling failure. Second match - batting failure.
Last match - both ?

Fielding, clearly.

Maybe Zaheer will do well in the Tests, and be recalled to the ODIs

 

[SaiSrini]

Whoaa..... Ishant Sharma 4/40 in 10 overs! Fantastic!! So my judgement about him was right, that the guy needs some decently helpful conditions to look good with the ball. I am also very impressed with Shami. He has picked 3 wickets consistently in all these 3 games.

India might bat well today, considering that Steyn and Morkel are not playing. But it could also act as a spur for India to get into some decent batting form, and it could cost South Africa come the tests. If you give form to the opposition in these conditions, they could hurt you.

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I get the feeling that Ishant will play the first test based on this performance. And Shami considering his performances in the recent WI tests and in this ODI series, is a sureshot selection. So the third slot is the one that's for grabs. And based on the fact that its test matches and Zaheer is the most experienced, I think it will be Zaheer, Ishant and Shami, which means Yadav will probably miss out in the tests. If that happens, it will be sad but no other go. The bowling slots are up for grabs, and its still healthy signs only.

 

[puneet28]

Whoaa..... Ishant Sharma 4/40 in 10 overs! Fantastic!! So my judgement about him was right, that the guy needs some decently helpful conditions to look good with the ball. I am also very impressed with Shami. He has picked 3 wickets consistently in all these 3 games.

India might bat well today, considering that Steyn and Morkel are not playing. But it could also act as a spur for India to get into some decent batting form, and it could cost South Africa come the tests. If you give form to the opposition in these conditions, they could hurt you.

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I get the feeling that Ishant will play the first test based on this performance. And Shami considering his performances in the recent WI tests and in this ODI series, is a sureshot selection. So the third slot is the one that's for grabs. And based on the fact that its test matches and Zaheer is the most experienced, I think it will be Zaheer, Ishant and Shami, which means Yadav will probably miss out in the tests. If that happens, it will be sad but no other go. The bowling slots are up for grabs, and its still healthy signs only.

He has awful seam position. He has lost his inswing completely. Don't what bowling coaches are doing there, If they can't correct basics of a bowler. He was out of team for more than around 1.5 months and couldn't correct atleast his seam position. Even Kohli and Dhoni have better seam position than him.

 

[used2bcool]

Agreed, I think Ishant will play based on today's performance. They've brought Zaheer along specially for the Tests, so I don't think he misses out. The other spot probably goes to Shami, he's nippy and can reverse it, and has been the only consistent bowler through the ODIs. Plus he doesn't have to worry about death bowling in the tests, which is where he has leaked most of the runs.

I'm not that disappointed for Yadav; he's been spraying it around for some time. We can't wait forever as he searches for that elusive game where "everything comes together," while he gives away runs at the rate of knots meanwhile. I AM disappointed for Bhuvneshwar, who seems to have completely fallen by the wayside in the course of two matches, but I guess that comes with the territory. If your only trick is early swing, you better be picking up wickets with it left and right. He didn't, and is rightfully tossed.

 

[SaiSrini]

The only game where I was optimistic that India would get decent batting practice against SA without the threat of Steyn and Morkel, its being spoiled by rain.

Hope they atleast get a 20 over game in here.

 

[abhi_jacko]

From what I read, it looks like the practice game before the first test is under rain threat too

We might end up going into the Test series with hardly any match practice

 

[War]

Expecting S Africa to play 5 quicks in the 1st test too. India might not see Tahir bowl this series..

 

[used2bcool]

Expecting S Africa to play 5 quicks in the 1st test too. India might not see Tahir bowl this series..

Well, if it's the same Jo'burg pitch that was there for the first ODI, they'd be fools not to play 5 quicks.

In any case, I don't think Tahir is international quality. South Africa don't need to have him purely for the sake of balance. If they desperately need spin for some reason (they REALLY shouldn't), Smith and Duminy can do a job.

 

[aditya123]

I would`nt write off this Indian side as yet. SA is a tough place to tour anyway and for most of these guys their first major overseas tour. The Indian board did`nt do our side any favor either by shortening this tour to 3 ODIs and 2 tests with hardly any warmup games. You don`t land up in Jo`burg straight from Kanpur and expect to do well. The last time we toured SA, the test specialists were out there practicing half a month early and we all know the results in that series where India had the upper hand overall. As far as the ODIs are concerned, the results of this series hardly matter just like the ODI series that recently concluded in India. The Indian team management is lucky that the lineup will predominantly remain the same in tests and hence the ODIs were essentially international warmups before the tests which although not the ideal scenario, is still better than playing tests straight up. India won the only ODI event that mattered this year, that was the ICC CT 2013 and should`nt allow the results of this series to affect them.

Irrespective of the results in the tests, I would look forward to it and believe that the side can grow stronger if a few of the following were to be achieved:

• Dhawan, Pujara, Sharma or Kohli fighting it out against extreme pace in helpful conditions
• Zaheer back to full fitness and good rhythm ahead of some test cricket in very helpful conditions in NZ/ENG/AUS
• Shami or Yadav making use of the conditions

I believe this Indian bowling lineup can be pretty useful if they turn up. It will be an interesting series if our batsmen can hang in there.

My lineup for Jo`burg would be

Dhawan
Vijay
Pujara
Sharma
Kohli
Rahane
Dhoni
Ashwin
Zaheer
Yadav/Kumar
Shami

Despite of the 4 wickets in the final ODI, I would`nt pick Sharma simply because he does`nt get enough wickets in test cricket.

 

[War]

I would`nt write off this Indian side as yet. SA is a tough place to tour anyway and for most of these guys their first major overseas tour. The Indian board did`nt do our side any favor either by shortening this tour to 3 ODIs and 2 tests with hardly any warmup games. You don`t land up in Jo`burg straight from Kanpur and expect to do well. The last time we toured SA, the test specialists were out there practicing half a month early and we all know the results in that series where India had the upper hand overall.

Yes crazy BCCI bullying has certainly left India way short of match practice going into this series, compared to the last S Afrca test tour.

But i'm not sure its accurate to say on the last tour in 2010/11 "India had the upper hand overall". They won the 2nd test & fought in the 3rd test - but one major difference this time around is strength of S Africa pace/bowling options.

Last tour after Steyn/Morkel, India had to negotiate timid options of Tstosobe & Paul Harris. This was poor selection by S Africa especially when they had McLaren & Fridel De Wet to call on.

This time Steyn/Morkel will be backed up by Philander & Tahir has emerged (although he might not play). And although they have strangely picked Klienvelt in the test squad, they still have De Lange/Abbot two bowlers who took 7 wicket hauls on their test debut, McClaren, Morris, Hardus Viljeon to call on if needed.

 

[Lebanna]

I have to admit I'm really looking forward to seeing Shami bowl. He was really good against WI in (normally) unhelpful conditions to the pacemen. But WI really didn't show up so it will be interesting to see how he goes against some significantly stronger batting. Also with Zaheer back, he can gain a lot of experience from him which I think will help him enormously.

Also Dhawan, Kohli, Pujara v Steyn, Philander, Morkel is going to be great. A real test for the young batsman and I hope that they are able to show some grit and fight.

Going to be an exciting test series. Being English I'm really frustrated with that test series so looking forward to being more neutral here(although I'm married to a South African so feel obliged to support them at least a little).

 

[aditya123]

Yes crazy BCCI bullying has certainly left India way short of match practice going into this series, compared to the last S Afrca test tour.

But i'm not sure its accurate to say on the last tour in 2010/11 "India had the upper hand overall". They won the 2nd test & fought in the 3rd test - but one major difference this time around is strength of S Africa pace/bowling options.

Last tour after Steyn/Morkel, India had to negotiate timid options of Tstosobe & Paul Harris. This was poor selection by S Africa especially when they had McLaren & Fridel De Wet to call on.

This time Steyn/Morkel will be backed up by Philander & Tahir has emerged (although he might not play). And although they have strangely picked Klienvelt in the test squad, they still have De Lange/Abbot two bowlers who took 7 wicket hauls on their test debut, McClaren, Morris, Hardus Viljeon to call on if needed.

India were without Zaheer in the first test in 2010 and we all know the difference he used to make in India`s overseas tours during the 2006-2011 period. The Indian bowling attack was`nt half as incisive without Zak. I say India had the upper hand in the test series in 2010 due to the fact that starting from the 2nd innings at Centurion where the Indian batting started standing up, thanks to some superb batting by Tendy, India mostly were on top at Durban and Cape Town. The third test at Cape Town would count as a lost opportunity for me. SA were reeling at effectively 100-odd for 6 while setting a target with an injured Kallis and a woefully out of form Boucher in there. How we managed to let it slip after that is pretty inexplicable. India bowled out SA quite cheaply and got a big lead in that test and were clearly on top except for that Kallis-Boucher partnership. That reminds me we let slip a chance at Cape Town in 2007 as well.

Unfortunately we do not have the side that we had in 2007 and 2010 but maybe the new guys will show some spine in the tests. Our bowling attack is arguably better than the ones we had in those two series but the batting lacks the pedigree of Tendy and VVS who were instrumental in India being competitive in 2010.

 

[Aalay]

That is the ideal preparation India could have had, good job BCCI. Now I am expecting Murli Vijay to score a century in the first test.

South African Invitation XI v Indians, Benoni : Weather ruins India's only practice game | Cricket News | South Africa v India | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[SaiSrini]

That is the ideal preparation India could have had, good job BCCI. Now I am expecting Murli Vijay to score a century in the first test.

South African Invitation XI v Indians, Benoni : Weather ruins India's only practice game | Cricket News | South Africa v India | ESPN Cricinfo

More than the wickets themselves, its the conditions that generally pose the biggest challenge for the players to get used to. And our test specialists have been in SA ever since the ODI team landed here. So I think our test specialists should be good to go.

I like adi's lineup expect for the fact that I am leaning towards Ishant Sharma to play. For me, form and confidence is a big turn on and Ishant has had it in his very recent game in this tour. And for pace, we do have Shami who has also been very impressive in the ODI's this tour. Zaheer, Ishant and Shami it is for me.

 

[War]

India were without Zaheer in the first test in 2010 and we all know the difference he used to make in India`s overseas tours during the 2006-2011 period. The Indian bowling attack was`nt half as incisive without Zak. I say India had the upper hand in the test series in 2010 due to the fact that starting from the 2nd innings at Centurion where the Indian batting started standing up, thanks to some superb batting by Tendy, India mostly were on top at Durban and Cape Town. The third test at Cape Town would count as a lost opportunity for me. SA were reeling at effectively 100-odd for 6 while setting a target with an injured Kallis and a woefully out of form Boucher in there. How we managed to let it slip after that is pretty inexplicable. India bowled out SA quite cheaply and got a big lead in that test and were clearly on top except for that Kallis-Boucher partnership. That reminds me we let slip a chance at Cape Town in 2007 as well.

Unfortunately we do not have the side that we had in 2007 and 2010 but maybe the new guys will show some spine in the tests. Our bowling attack is arguably better than the ones we had in those two series but the batting lacks the pedigree of Tendy and VVS who were instrumental in India being competitive in 2010.

If IND didn't go on to get whitewashed later in 2011 & lose to ENG @ home when Zaheer played - i might be willing to agree that if he played in 1st test of the last S Africa it may have made a difference.

I just view that 2011 S Africa series as one where S Africa did not select as strong enough bowling attack to support Steyn/Morkel & IND got out of jail a bit, especially after the 1st test drubbing.

Fact is in that 2011 series Tendy/Dravid/Laxman may have been old - but they were not jokers - they after all was some of few IND batsmen in history that were good enough home & away that didn't have vulnerabilities like your common indian/asian batsmen to pace.

If the proteas had very strong all-round pace attack like ENG & AUS did later than same year - IND would have likely had 3 overseas whitewashes in 2011