South Africa in India

[SciD]

How abt we get these

Virat Kohli - VVS
Chopra - Jaffer
Gambhir - Ganguly
Chawla - Kumble

RP Singh to be given 5 match ban along with Kumble.

 

[Leggie]

Those are great sid, IMO I can really see Dravids technique getting rusty now, I know it was a ripsnorter from Steyn TBH whenever I see him bat now, he always looks like he is gonna edge it.

 

[angryangy]

Its not the first time the pitch curators have done the mistake.They did it against NZ in 1999,against Aus in 2004 and now.
I personally would have liked to see a spinner friendly track.I believe that home advantage should be there.

Hope thing s are better in Kanpur.

I remember the media wailed and gnashed their teeth about preparing a green top in Nagpur to throw the series to Australia and yet it was the brownest green top I've ever seen, Australia scored about 400 in the first innings. Indeed they won the series, but India could scarcely blame what was a fair wicket.

Similarly, in this game, the ball seamed around for a session, but obviously settled down, a conventional circumstance around the world. It happens often at Sydney and Brisbane, both grounds at which few teams hesitate to bat first. To blame the pitch is to ignore the real issue. India were not beaten for sheer skill, they were beaten in strategy. If they had a plan, it was weakly followed, while South Africa did what any number of teams would have done given the situation.

 

[manee]

But he's only played 5 test matches. He's not a proven test bowler yet. I'd say that Dale Steyn is only just a proven test match bowler and he's played 21 test matches. Sharma's not done enough or played enough to be considered a proven TM bowler.

In my opinion, by succeeding at a fast bowler (rather than a trundler) in Indian domestic cricket and against Pakistan, he has proved himself to me as somebody who can bowl when the conditions do not suit him. As shown against Australia, he is a brilliant bowler when the conditions do suit him (even bowling at 150kph on a few occasions) and has performed against the best in the world. Sharma also had very good stamina too, so his cardiac fitness is not likely to be an issue either. His figures are deceptive, but the figures will come with consistency which comes with experience and as he becomes a more established member of the side, the captain will be more willing to set attacking fields for him.

He is not the complete Test bowler - far from it, but I believe that he has the potential to be a competant Test bowler, without more improvement than age will give him. To be a world beater though, he will need to have more control to his straightening delivery (seems like it just happens rather than him controlling it) and work on having a more accurate bouncer.

 

[SciD]

Those are great sid, IMO I can really see Dravids technique getting rusty now, I know it was a ripsnorter from Steyn TBH whenever I see him bat now, he always looks like he is gonna edge it.

Yeah also Badrinath - Dravid. He is only one who bats like Dravid in India right now.

 

[manee]

I have had with Dhoni in Test matches. He should be dropped untill he is made Captain. Dumb idiot does not know how to play Test matches when in ODIS he neer played rash shot in Australia.

I will bring Parthiv. He is leftie and scores heavily than both in domestic cricket. He can also open like KKD.

Drop Jumbo. I think he should take responsibility and retire after this game. They are playing him like medium pacer.

Maybe you should calm down! It was one bad match. Dhoni shouldn't be dropped, he is going through a bad patch with the bat. Parthiv is an awful keeper - but I guess it is all about batting ability now - I bet you won't have that attitude when he drops sitter after sitter.

Kumble should not be dropped, he is suffering from an injury and didn't even bowl badly!

Those are great sid, IMO I can really see Dravids technique getting rusty now, I know it was a ripsnorter from Steyn TBH whenever I see him bat now, he always looks like he is gonna edge it.

He is, like Dhoni, going through a bad patch, but being the great batsman he is, he is working through it by spending time at the crease.

How abt we get these

Virat Kohli - VVS
Chopra - Jaffer
Gambhir - Ganguly
Chawla - Kumble

RP Singh to be given 5 match ban along with Kumble.

:

Yeah also Badrinath - Dravid. He is only one who bats like Dravid in India right now.

But he is in absolutely wretched form and has been since the middle of the domestic season.

Similarly, in this game, the ball seamed around for a session, but obviously settled down, a conventional circumstance around the world. It happens often at Sydney and Brisbane, both grounds at which few teams hesitate to bat first. To blame the pitch is to ignore the real issue. India were not beaten for sheer skill, they were beaten in strategy. If they had a plan, it was weakly followed, while South Africa did what any number of teams would have done given the situation.

True. Lack of strategy combined with a freak collapse happens to most teams - it is nothing to sulk about.

 

[SciD]

Parthiv was bad keeper. He has improved and Superstar Dhoni has done nothing in Test matches. He has played enough cricket to have played sensible cricket.

Dravid poor form has been for 1 year now. If Ganguly can be dropped what has Dravid done to be permanentally be there. Of late he bats like he is using 10 kg bat.

Even Ganguly is poor in last 5 matches. He never was a test match player and all the high he had after making comeback has fussed. Its time he goes respectfully.

Laxman knows he only plays Test matches so plays in that manner. He will be ideal number 3 for India considering Dravids poor show. He has rescued India a lot in last year so he can stay even though he is hardly fit enough to be on field.

Had Yuvraj been there we could have had chances cos all his knocks in Test cricket have come when Indian top order has failed like in this game.

 

[Dare]

excellent innings by Kallis and de Villiers, Kallis took his time while AB played his shots and got the 1st SAF double hundred against India. maybe a few more runs and they will declare and we will see what India can do in their 2nd innings.

i seem to recall allot of you India fans ripping Harbhajan in the Pakistan series and that he shouldn't be in the side but he has improved allot and has been far better than Kumble since Kumble got the captaincy.

 

[Finduilas]

I'll be interested to see what changes India make for the next test. Only one I can pretty much say with conviction is RP out, Sharma (hopefully) in. I'm a South African supporter but I like seeing good cricket from anyone. Is Tendulkar out for the next test too?

 

[manee]

Is Tendulkar out for the next test too?

It is a 50/50. He is not incapacitated with an injury, he is resting one to prevent it from becoming chronic.

 

[vaibhav mehta]

With all these Indian team discussion.I think lots of Credit to Ab Devillers.
when He made his debut back in to 2004,I thought He becomes another Dashing ODI batsman like Dhoni who can't move his fits again Swing.
But I must say He is the best improviser I have seen.He learns lots.He has been calm and well organize during his innings.Its never easy for Batsman like him to play so.
We should not forget that It is his first tour of India.And he is playing spinner so well.

 

[.Mob]

Maybe you should calm down! It was one bad match. Dhoni shouldn't be dropped, he is going through a bad patch with the bat. Parthiv is an awful keeper - but I guess it is all about batting ability now - I bet you won't have that attitude when he drops sitter after sitter.

Only one solution to it all, Dinesh Karthik, better than Parthiv with the gloves and better than Dhoni in unlimited over cricket with the bat, simple.

Badrinath isn't the only one like Dravid, Virat Kohli looks a LOT like Dravid when he bats. I'd say Cheteshwar Pujara is ahead at this moment of time of Kohli though.

 

[vaibhav mehta]

I'll be interested to see what changes India make for the next test. Only one I can pretty much say with conviction is RP out, Sharma (hopefully) in. I'm a South African supporter but I like seeing good cricket from anyone. Is Tendulkar out for the next test too?

Well I hope in any case Ishant should return to the team.
Piyush should get his chance.Lots depend on Second inning though.how India will bat?
@Sachin,I think He will play surely If India want to draw the Series then he must be in Playing 11..
Its not 20-20.Its Test Cricket.

 

[karnog]

I can't help but say i told you so: "don't count the chickens before they hatch"- SA have a very good side that have the issue of chocking when it counts. As for replacing players be a bit more mature about it: i can guarantee you the youth that won the CB series won't last in test as they've had very little experience in the domestic arena.

As for RP he is coming back from injury so i wouldn't get the axe out yet: maybe for the selectors or whoever looked after RP.

 

[sohum]

India outplayed so far. Credit to South Africa. From all accounts I've read online (I haven't watched this match due to being busy), it looks like it has been poor captaincy on Kumble's part rather than the pitch that has been India's downfall.