Sri Lanka tour of India - November/December 2017

[SaiSrini]

We both have had enough cricketing chats to not throw around terms like 'did you read my post?' The discussion was about Shami playing a test inspite of his child being hospitalised.

Secondly, 'the India cap' is not a fantasy. There are cricketers that would not do away with that cap for anything else in life. I don't deny that there's money being milked in the background and so what? The discussion is about the players not the board.

I am not sure where I am making a mistake in communicating my thoughts. I completely agree that players who play for India value the India cap immensely. But but but..... this process of valuing the India cap more than anything else in life has been inculcated into their minds and culture because of the system which has been built of the fantasy that 'playing for BCCI XI means playing for your country and representing your country'. This fantasy has been built across generations (this applies across sports) but somehow in India (or more so subcontinent), when a player chooses to give importance to personal life (e.g. close ones not doing well; birth of a child; death in the family) over playing for India, it is not looked upon in positive light by fans. That is why you see a Dhoni staying back in Australia though his first child was born back home in India. And a Tendulkar returns very quickly to England for the 1999 WC a few days after his father's last rites were performed. When these things are done, fans hail these players and say "wah, what a sacrifice". But if Dhoni and Tendulkar did not do what they did, fans would've said "they let India down". Really? Playing for BCCI XI is not equal to playing for India. And second, there is only entertainment and fantasy factor in play here and its not a if these guys are fighting a war for us. The motive of all this is to earn money and have a career path happening.

In short, there needs to be no emotional connect for this and if there is one, it's entirely misplaced.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-sr...ked-ravi-shastri-if-he-should-declare-1778144

 

[asprin]

https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-sr...ked-ravi-shastri-if-he-should-declare-1778144

IMO, asking for declaration advice when you're on 97 doesn't really make sense. I don't blame Shastri here because it was just a matter of one ball from there on out (to get to his hundred) and nobody would mind that. Kohli should have asked that when the lead was 200. It almost looks as if Kohli did that on purpose after realizing that he probably missed out a trick by not declaring early and wanted a way out of the situation.

 

[zwarrior]

Playing for BCCI XI is not equal to playing for India. And second, there is only entertainment and fantasy factor in play here and its not a if these guys are fighting a war for us. The motive of all this is to earn money and have a career path happening.

I am not understanding you. Are you telling that the guys who are playing for India are not patriotic enough and they just want to make career and money from it ?

If you are saying that, I 100% disagree and I am surprised to see someone actually telling that. Guys like kohli, rohit, dhawan or anyone else for a matter of fact have made enough money where they can skip playing matches for India permanently and still live like a King. But they won't do that as playing for country comes first. Didn't Siraj cry during National Anthem on his debut ? It's his patriotism and not because he can earn money from that. Why did legends like Sachin, Dravid, Dada cry when they retired ? Because they can't make money from playing matches for India? No. It's because they can't represent their country anymore. I can go on and on about this. For those players, representing country comes first. Everything else is next to that. It's not fantasy.

If I misunderstood your point, then ignore the above stuffs.

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Virat Kohli slams BCCI, says bad planning from board lowering team's performance.
http://www.timesnownews.com/amp/spo...says-bad-planning-lowering-performance/131385

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Virat Kohli slams BCCI, says bad planning from board lowering team's performance.
http://www.timesnownews.com/amp/spo...says-bad-planning-lowering-performance/131385

Excuses much already?

He has a point though pertaining to the amount of cricket.

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Excuses much already?

He has a point though pertaining to the amount of cricket.

To be honest I don't see that as an excuse at all if we are to have chance of winning any overseas series in the coming year or so the teams needs to prepare well. Setup up a 10 - 15 days camp ,go to tour 15 - 20 days prior, play atleast 2 proper 4 day warmup games to get used to the conditions - these are things a team usually does when they travel abroad for a big tour. Look at the English side which are playing the Ashes now arrived at Australia 20 days before the actual tour they adopted a similar approach whenever they are to play a away series even Australia earlier this year had a good 10 days camp at Dubai before the India series remember how you, me and many others gave Australia no chance and predicted a 4 - 0 drubbing but they came well prepared and put on a tough contest for the hosts to shut down all the critics.

Now you look at our setup we are supposed to play last t20 vs SL at 24th December and team will go to SA at 26th and will only play a 2 day warmup game before the tour kicks off on the 5th Jan 2018 for the 1st of the 3 test matches that are to be played. I hope this slamming from Kohli means something and the majority of the players gets a rest from the limited overs SL series and prepare for the SA challenge coming up rather than piling on averages and scoring big runs against a toothless SL attack.

 

[zwarrior]

No Shami as he is injured and Ishant comes in for him and we are going with 4 bowlers. Team must have some confidence on Ishant that they went from 5 bowling options to 4 for this match.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Excellent decision to go from 5 to 4 bowlers. The inspired selection of R Sharma tells me he will bat 6 in SA.

 

[Yash.]

I think Ishant would be in the team for the SA tests too, with the team playing 4 pacers and only 1 spinner.

 

[AliB]

I am a big fan of Rohit Sharma, but don't think he fits in the Test XI, but yeah he deserves a couple of games as he was in a good touch before he got injured last year. Let's see can he make the chances count.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Jadeja is like a machine. Proper machine.

 

[SaiSrini]

Two massive first innings failures for Rahul. He redeemed himself in the 2nd innings at Kolkata with a 79, but that was in Day 3/4 when conditions improved drastically for batting. I have a strong feeling he is going to be in for a very hard time overseas if he does not pick himself up. I am really hoping Vijay has a good time in the middle here, as we need atleast one stable guy at the top if we need to have a chance overseas.

 

[Gaurav_7]

I trust Vijay regardless if he scores here or not. Problem is his partner. KL Rahul is immensely talented but somehow manages to throw it away more often than not. A bit like Rohit Sharma in Tests, I feel. But we do not have much options. Also I feel if they want to accomodate Rohit in the XI, maybe Rahane can be tried as an opener. I think we all know he is capable enough to do that.

 

[Yash.]

Mukund could be tried again. Made 81 in the last match against SL. I think, he can play really well