India tour of South Africa

[Fenil]

Echoing other posts, it was ridiculous to leave out Rahane and Bhuvi. I'm a supporter of Parthiv but his keeping has not been up to the mark for the most part of his career.

Good point made by TV commentators that if it was the case of speed, Bhuvi has worked to increase his bowling speed in the past few years. That said, is it me or Pandya's speed has decreased from when he first gained fame with MI in IPL? He rarely hits 140kmph now and I've seen him click 145 in the past. Am hoping he's not ignoring his bowling and instead working on his batting only. We can't afford another talender allrounder to end up like Irfan Pathan.

Ashwin is certainly the better batsman than Jadeja to pick in the team but I believe with nothing happening off the pitch, the pin point accuracy of Jadeja might have helped? Ideally I'd have wanted to have Kuldeep in, even over Ashwin. The unorthodox spinner turning it both ways can be handy.

Tbh, Rahul too has been inconsistent, particualy ever since he has changed his batting style to gain some success in the shorter formats. If Kohli is so hell bent of making a career of Rohit, why not throw him the challeng of facing the new ball with Murali? That would be a good test for him, it would give a run for their place to all, Rohit, Shikhar and Rahul AND we can also accomodate Rahane with that move.

 

[aditya123]

I am. This is not an India side. It's a Kohli and friends XI.

I'm supporting SA as well. The hope is that a thrashing here will expose the blunders and might do us some good ahead of the England tour. On another note, I don't see us picking more than 2 wickets today. It's going to be a 550+ first innings from here on. Innings defeat on the cards.

 

[Fenil]

Watching on the broadcaster's delayed official streaming so the 20th over just ended for me. Heard Kohli screaming to Ashwin that the ball should be in the batsmen's eyeline. Isn't a spinner's greatest weapon is to get the ball to flight and get it ABOVE the eyeline of a batsman so that the batsman isn't really sure where the ball is going to pitch?

 

[Gaurav_7]

Wow what a waste of a review and again one man dictates terms. Kohli just didn't have a talk with anyone and even Parthiv wasn't that excited!

 

[AliB]

I was excited for the SA series for the only reason - FAST bowling. But this one is a crap surface with absolutely nothing for the bowlers. I watched the first test completely, switched off within 30 minutes for this one.

I agree with Fenil if Rohit is to be in the team make him open or out.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

I was excited for the SA series for the only reason - FAST bowling. But this one is a crap surface with absolutely nothing for the bowlers. I watched the first test completely, switched off within 30 minutes for this one.

I agree with Fenil if Rohit is to be in the team make him open or out.

Never judge a track till two teams bat on it.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Shami is a bit like Dhawan. He can perform when the wicket is dry and flat..

 

[AliB]

Shami is a bit like Dhawan. He can perform when the wicket is dry and flat..

Lol, but that is better for the team...

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Didn't even the watch single ball after the team was announced. Bhuvi in expense of Ishant ? DAFAQ ... oh well that Shastri - Kohli combo for us. Until they are in charged we will continue to mystify everyone with such selections and talking non sense at pre match conferences

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Credit where it's due- Ashwin has bowled absolutely beautifully so far!

 

[aditya123]

Bumrah looks clueless in test cricket, to be honest. So much back of length bowling on such a track is`nt going to get you wickets. I wonder what wrong Umesh Yadav did to get relegated to No.5 on the fast bowling pecking order in tests. This is one of the disadvantages of playing too much ODI cricket. The 'form' of guys like Bumrah and Nohit in pointless ODIs tempts this moronic team management into picking them. We need to look beyond numbers sometimes. Rahane had a poor series against SL but most of those occassions were India being 300/3 trying to setup a declaration. On the contrary, the one instance India were in some sort of trouble in SL (100/3 in the second test in SL), he scored a hundred and stitched that partnership with Pujara. Can you value a dead situation hundred by someone like over those fifties by Pujara, Rahane and Rahul on that treacherous track at Bangalore against Starc/Hazelwood/Lyon? Man, I cannot get over these gaffes. This is two mad-men at the helm and we should`ve known from the way Kumble was booted out and how the coach appointment committee got insulted after they announced Dravid and Zak as support staff. I hope we do not lose genuine test players like Rahane, Bhuvi or Yadav as a result of all this.

 

[aditya123]

The stage is set for a rapidfire AB hundred here. This reminds me of the 2010 India-SA test at Centurion. I can see them getting to 550-odd and declaring just before tea tomorrow. If we do not get them 4 down for less than 200, we will see some carnage in the final session.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

The stage is set for a rapidfire AB hundred here. This reminds me of the 2010 India-SA test at Centurion. I can see them getting to 550-odd and declaring just before tea tomorrow. If we do not get them 4 down for less than 200, we will see some carnage in the final session.

Do you really have to jinx it?

 

[LiveLoveABD]

I am just overjoyed with how Ashwin has bowled. Glad to be proven wrong thus far.

 

[bumrahguy]

Bumrah looks clueless in test cricket, to be honest. So much back of length bowling on such a track is`nt going to get you wickets. I wonder what wrong Umesh Yadav did to get relegated to No.5 on the fast bowling pecking order in tests. This is one of the disadvantages of playing too much ODI cricket. The 'form' of guys like Bumrah and Nohit in pointless ODIs tempts this moronic team management into picking them. We need to look beyond numbers sometimes. Rahane had a poor series against SL but most of those occassions were India being 300/3 trying to setup a declaration. On the contrary, the one instance India were in some sort of trouble in SL (100/3 in the second test in SL), he scored a hundred and stitched that partnership with Pujara. Can you value a dead situation hundred by someone like over those fifties by Pujara, Rahane and Rahul on that treacherous track at Bangalore against Starc/Hazelwood/Lyon? Man, I cannot get over these gaffes. This is two mad-men at the helm and we should`ve known from the way Kumble was booted out and how the coach appointment committee got insulted after they announced Dravid and Zak as support staff. I hope we do not lose genuine test players like Rahane, Bhuvi or Yadav as a result of all this.

Bumrah's figures should automatically give him a place in starting XI.