South Africa in India

[vaibhav mehta]

ha ha.Only hope for India Sanjay Bhai.
But It looks very difficult to me.South Africa just need three or Four Sessions to get India out.
I still believe If India want to take this to the last day Either Sehwag+Dravid or Dravid+laxman need to play one whole day,which unlikely to happen.

 

[manee]

I could go on a rant, but best just bullet point what I think India need to do for the next Test:

• RP Singh out for Praveen Kumar
• Pathan out for Tendulkar
• Jaffer out for Gambhir
• Sreesanth out for Ishant Sharma
• Kumble (if unfit) out for Chawla with VVS Laxman taking over as captain

And so, I'd like to see this XI:

1. Virender Sehwag
2. Gautam Gambhir
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Sourav Ganguly
6. VVS Laxman
7. MS Dhoni
8. Praveen Kumar
9. Anil Kumble/Piyush Chawla
10. Harbhajan Singh
11. Ishant Sharma

 

[King Pietersen]

Sreesanth's been the only useful quicky for India in this innings. I'd drop RP Singh for Sharma and keep Sreesanth. I agree with the other moves though, apart from making Laxman captain, I'd give Dhoni the captaincy, he looks a top captain in ODi's and deserves to make the step-up I think. India need to make changes though, they've been awful in this game, firstly the batting in the 1st innings, and then the 2 left armers have been awful, bowling way too wide and not bowling with any particular pace. India need to pray for 3 days of solid torrential rain.

 

[manee]

Sreesanth's been the only useful quicky for India in this innings. I'd drop RP Singh for Sharma and keep Sreesanth.

The move on Sreesanth is not a fair one, strictly speaking. I cannot see Sreesanth bowling better than he has in the first and second Tests and the lack of reward which he has achieved (combined with his poor FC record) paints a picture of an unpenetrative bowler on slow tracks in conditions not conducive to swing.

I agree with the other moves though, apart from making Laxman captain, I'd give Dhoni the captaincy, he looks a top captain in ODi's and deserves to make the step-up I think.

Anil Kumble was chosen as captain because Dhoni is not ready for Test captaincy. He is no longer a certainty in the side after his poor batting form - 160 runs at 20.00 in 2008 and his keeping has dropped off a bit too in this series. Of course, I am not even considering dropping him, but feel that captaincy should only be given to someone who is an undoubted mainstay in the team. Moreover, Dhoni is an inexperienced captain and is still feeling his way into the ODI and T20 role - an experienced captain like VVS Laxman (having captained Hyderabad, South Zone and India A) will provide a stable presence with little risk of the captain 'going nuts' for lack of a better term.

India need to make changes though, they've been awful in this game, firstly the batting in the 1st innings, and then the 2 left armers have been awful, bowling way too wide and not bowling with any particular pace. India need to pray for 3 days of solid torrential rain.

I am sure that the first innings collapse should be the final straw for Wasim Jaffer. His runs at home have been keeping him in the side after his torrid performance in Australia (and torrid performances every time he steps out of India) and I feel that the selectors finally have another excuse to drop him - if they wish to.

As for the left armers - I feel that RP Singh is not fit. However, RP Singh's problem seems to lie in him simply not running in fast enough; his action is suffering from a lack of momentum which means that there is no forward force directing the ball toward the batsman except the arm. Consequently, a lack of rhythm for RP Singh can cause the awful inaccuracy which we have seen whereas it would only be slight inaccuracy if he was running in at his normal pace - which, was only ever a brisk jog. I also have a theory that less momentum in the crease causes an absence of late swing - but that is merely a theory of mine (I'll elabourate if you wish).

Irfan Pathan's action needs a tune up too. His work in the MRF Foundation showed that he is willing to change - but rather than a drastic change, he simply needs to 'loosen up' in the action - as well as using the front arm more to aim at the target. He is far too robotic in the action (Liam Plunkett, anyone?).

 

[.Mob]

I'm losing patience with Dhoni's batting in Tests now, what the hell was he doing? Soon, I will be ranting for KKD to replace him behind the stumps, or replace Jaffer.

I'm proud of Sree, he toiled away and did well for us.

 

[manee]

I'm proud of Sree, he toiled away and did well for us.

I was proud of him, but think he still lacks the consistency and patience to be a good Test bowler on anything but a quick, bouncy pitch.

I'm losing patience with Dhoni's batting in Tests now, what the hell was he doing? Soon, I will be ranting for KKD to replace him behind the stumps.

If KKD does well in the IPL, he may earn an ODI recall which may be his best route to the Test team.

 

[.Mob]

I was proud of him, but think he still lacks the consistency and patience to be a good Test bowler on anything but a quick, bouncy pitch.

I agree with that actually, he's got too many things going on inside his head, always worrying. Has a long way to go.

I can't see KKD getting into the ODI team currently, to me, he has more chance for the Test team right now, Dhoni is only 3 failures away from questions being placed about his place, basically he and Jaffer need to fire in the rest of this series to me.

 

[icyman]

I could go on a rant, but best just bullet point what I think India need to do for the next Test:

• RP Singh out for Praveen Kumar
• Pathan out for Tendulkar
• Jaffer out for Gambhir
• Sreesanth out for Ishant Sharma
• Kumble (if unfit) out for Chawla with VVS Laxman taking over as captain

• 
  
  I couldnt agree with you more.
  VVS as captain could be a good move considering if Kumble is injured.In fact, VVS came very close to being the captain of the Test team.

 

[Brady]

Looks like south africa are back as a major force.

india are never going to be the world's best team.

i couldn't imagine australia in the prime being outed for 72,could you?

 

[manee]

I can't see KKD getting into the ODI team currently, to me, he has more chance for the Test team right now,

You'd think so, but the selectors were adamant in giving him infinate ODI chances and he just had three Test failures before he was out of the team.

 

[icyman]

Looks like south africa are back as a major force.

india are never going to be the world's best team.

i couldn't imagine australia in the prime being outed for 72,could you?

Dude,we still have 8 more days of Test cricket in this series.

 

[manee]

i couldn't imagine australia in the prime being outed for 72,could you?

Not 72, 93 maybe.

 

[Brady]

Dude,we still have 8 more days of Test cricket in this series.

Of course,i'm just sayin that to be bowled out for 72 in 20 overs on your own picth is pretty shocking.

even england would last longer than that.

i just think india's bowling is very overrated,maybe it's time to drop kumble and bring some young kids in.

whatever happened to chawla??..he looked ok when he came to england for the odi series

Not 72, 93 maybe.

Haha...still better than 72,plus,australia were away,india were demolished on there own turf.

 

[icyman]

Of course,i'm just sayin that to be bowled out for 72 in 20 overs on your own picth is pretty shocking.

even england would last longer than that.

i just think india's bowling is very overrated,maybe it's time to drop kumble and bring some young kids in.

whatever happened to chawla??..he looked ok when he came to england for the odi series

Well,truth be told,our players have been busy promoting their IPL teams and have hardly got the time to practise.To add to that,they havent been properly rested ever since the England tour last year. I'm not surprised that this has happened. It is time our Board learns from mistakes.

Indian bowling-it somehow doesnt deliver at home[pacers].The spinners do a very good job.Kumble,as you can see,is not well.Yes,they should have brought in Piyush Chawla for this match.

 

[manee]

i just think india's bowling is very overrated,maybe it's time to drop kumble and bring some young kids in.

Lol, no! Kumble has played with an injury, hence the unpenatrative bowling.
India's bowling is overrated? Yes and no. Yes, the Indian fast bowlers are often hapless at home - but Ishant Sharma (Australia), Zaheer Khan and RP Singh (England) and Sreesanth (South Africa) have all shown a lot of talent when in their favoured conditions. The adaptability is what the Indian fast bowlers lack.

I feel that if adaptability does not become apparent in the next few years, India may resort, at home, to the 'Pacer + Three Spinners' tactic as they had throughout the 1970s to just a few years back. To be honest, it may not be a totally bad thing, as spin bowling is still India's forte and I am sure that it should not be difficult to prepare spinning pitches in India.