South Africa in India

[SaiSrini]

If that tour game is anything to go by then we are in for one cracker of a series.
Botha seems to replace Boje perfectly as he can bat fairly well it seems. And if off spinners seem to be working in India currently.

Hyderabad XI is a mostly unknown team in the Indian domestic arena. So cant look much into the result there!

 

[ZexyZahid]

That's why South Africa won very simple. India is facing Number 2 of the ODI scene again.

 

[aussie1st]

Hyderabad XI is a mostly unknown team in the Indian domestic arena. So cant look much into the result there!

Definitely I wouldn't read much into it. But the SA bowlers did very well and batsmen looked comfortable in Indian conditions.

 

[SaiSrini]

Finally the Indians are back on their toes as they face tougher opposition this time!

Cant wait for the series to start! 27.5 hrs to go from now for the first ODI! Lets hope the whole series is a cracker and the audience get their money and time's worth!

I have my doubts over the Chennai day/nighter.. The rains this year in Chennai has been the worst ever in the past 10+ years! Even Mumbai has been badly hit by the rains and floods this year. Lets hope that no matches are washed out!

This series is going to be played at the major venues of India like Chennai, Kolkatta, Bangalore and Mumbai! So the crowds are going to be superb!

Definitely I wouldn't read much into it. But the SA bowlers did very well and batsmen looked comfortable in Indian conditions.

This time, its not going to be the Indian conditions, but the players themselves! Facing Harbhajan and Kartik is going to be an entirely different proposition and thats when the Proteas will have the real test with the conditions in favor of the Indian spinners!

I predict batting paradises again for the major part of the series. And with the Powerplays being used, the bowlers are in for some definite hammering! I pity them!

 

[aditya123]

That is some depth India have there. They are looking a lot stronger than usual.
They will be a big threat come the World cup. But are they a threat in test matches as I haven't seen India play one for awhile. With all this depth in ODI, surely some of the guys will carry over to the test arena.

First tour match for SA

SA have won comfortable after bowling Hyderabad XI for 127. Botha taking 3 and Nel 3/14 off 8 overs.
Smith 44 and de Villiers 55 get SA over the total with 8 wickets to spare.

Aussie1st , in fact while India was languishing at No.7 in the ODI table, they were playing some good test match cricket and are at No.3 in tests .
WE may have been aweful in ODI cricket(quite ironically) but were quite superb or at least decent in test cricket !The main reason for that being Sehwag consistently firing in test matches , VVS too is good in tests, also Rahul and Sachin make for a great middle order !

 

[aussie1st]

Aussie1st , in fact while India was languishing at No.7 in the ODI table, they were playing some good test match cricket and are at No.3 in tests .
WE may have been aweful in ODI cricket(quite ironically) but were quite superb or at least decent in test cricket !The main reason for that being Sehwag consistently firing in test matches , VVS too is good in tests, also Rahul and Sachin make for a great middle order !

All is looking good for India then. That middle order looks real good with Laxman there. You can probably add R.S Singh to that bowling lineup too.

 

[jkartik]

There will be a good competition between the two sides as both have won a series and are looking in good knick. should sreesanth be given a chance as he hasnt made a mark against SL. and is zaheer khan included in the squad ??

 

[aussie1st]

Khan isn't in the ODI squad for the first 3 games. He may come back in after the 3rd game.

 

[SaiSrini]

There will be a good competition between the two sides as both have won a series and are looking in good knick. should sreesanth be given a chance as he hasnt made a mark against SL. and is zaheer khan included in the squad ??

Sreesanth can be given one more chance. He has importantly shown promise as a fast bowler. He is generating great speed and has even surprised Ranatunga that he is not the fastest in India! Which speaks a lot of him. It was his first series and he shows promise though he went for runs. I am sure he can settle down soon and can become a good bowler for India in future!

Zaheer looks set for a comeback for the fourth game at Kolkatta. If he still doesnt comeback, then to hell with the selectors! He is in prime form now, probably the most devastating form of his career. Another ignoring by the selectors will shatter him no end! He is still a very good bowler who was bogged down by attitude problems and controversies!

I would say give Ganguly a chance to quit in grace! I hope the selectors give him one more chance. If he fails, its not going to make all that difference since we have players who can win us matches from almost any situation (Dhoni and Raina's partnership at Pune is an example!). So one more chance for Ganguly wont do any harm to Indian cricket! I am sure that Ganguly is aware that if he fails, he is finished! So he will definitely make an 100% effort! I hope Chappell isnt having that row in mind when he sits down with the selectors after the third game in Chennai.

 

[siddharth2002]

I just don't want Ganguly in Indian team now. He isn't what he was before so he should gracefully say good-bye. He should have retired from ODI's after the world cup.
As "Danny Morrison" perfectly put down when asked about India's chances in world cup-03 final. "It all depends on Sachin and Sehwag's batting", "Ganguly simply can't bat". Believe me that's what Kiwi commentators think of him and its an honest opinion.
Remember Ganguly's form was and has been in complete shambles since the world cup inclusive.

 

[aussie1st]

This time, its not going to be the Indian conditions, but the players themselves! Facing Harbhajan and Kartik is going to be an entirely different proposition and thats when the Proteas will have the real test with the conditions in favor of the Indian spinners!

I predict batting paradises again for the major part of the series. And with the Powerplays being used, the bowlers are in for some definite hammering! I pity them!

Good point, facing Harbhajan and Kartik will be a tough proposition. These 2 caused havoc for Sri Lanka and they are meant to be good at spin. If SA can get around the spin twins then we hopefully will be in for some high scoring.
Of course India's fast bowlers were doing very well in the last few games against SL, so they too will be a threat.

I can see India continuing on with their great batting form so its all up to SA to produce the big totals or chase them down. Hopefully Kemp stays in form as he is one exciting batsmen.

 

[Indiangod]

This series will be a cracker!, both sides are on top form. I agree sai Zaheer should be called back as he picked 8 wkts in the duleep thropy final, and too on top form. India's bowling line up looks strong, and so too the batting line up, the fielding has improved by miles, lets hope for a great series.

 

[Cricketman]

I think he wants Raina in place of Kartik in the XI if the team plans to bat first and Kartik for Raina if the team plans to bowl first!

For god's sake, its not 'Karthik' but 'Kartik' ! Karthik goes with Dinesh Karthik and Kartik goes with Murali Kartik!

Does it really matter?? Karthik Kartik you understand what im talking about right!!

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Not really. I want Karthik in the ODI team too, so it sounds like you are saying that.
But then, you want him to bowl :confused:...

You can probably add R.S Singh to that bowling lineup too.

Why? RS Singh is 45!!! We are going for youth, remember?

However, RP Singh won't be all that bad...maybe in a couple of years...

 

[m_vaughan]

I just don't want Ganguly in Indian team now. He isn't what he was before so he should gracefully say good-bye. He should have retired from ODI's after the world cup.
As "Danny Morrison" perfectly put down when asked about India's chances in world cup-03 final. "It all depends on Sachin and Sehwag's batting", "Ganguly simply can't bat". Believe me that's what Kiwi commentators think of him and its an honest opinion.
Remember Ganguly's form was and has been in complete shambles since the world cup inclusive.

I disagree with you and Danny Morrison. What does he know about batting?

Yes, Ganguly no longer is good enough for a place in the Indian side, but you cannot ignore what he has achieved down the years. He, according to me, was one the best players in ODI cricket, and simply flawless on the offside. All those runs he scored plus his exceptional average clearly indicates that he was a class batsman.

He was also a superb captain, who transformed an ordinary Indian side that relied heavily on Tendulkar, to a well knit team. But then he didnt realise that his end had come, and it would be wise to hang his boots when the days were still good.