***Official*** India in South Africa

[social]

As said already, I hate to cry about it, but let's face it, we had been a victim of horrible umpiring in the second test. It was hardly a genuine win for RSA.
QUOTE]

And the predictably inept batting performance had nothing to do with it I suppose?

 

[Turbinator]

^ I agree we didn't bat well, but the umpiring didn't help the cause either.

 

[silentstriker]

^^ Wonderfully said...

So basically you just admitted that we haven't been the better team. We've only been better than our expectations.

 

[Turbinator]

So basically you just admitted that we haven't been the better team. We've only been better than our expectations.

I was talking about the post two posts above. This one...

My point is that there are lessons to be learnt from Australia. I wouldn't say the Australian cricketers are more talented than those of the rest of the world. But they excel in certain areas better than most other cricketers. The key to Australian cricket IMO is not the technical capabilities, but rather the confidence. It's almost an arrogance whereby Australia is capable of rising from almost any difficulty and achieving any task. Look at the Ashes last year. Look at how hard Australia made England fight to win the 2 Tests that they did. Consider that England was well on top of each of those Tests at one point. It's really a major difference between the teams in the present Ashes series. England have not shown the fight Australia did in the 2005 series. That's because Australia have played the game with greater confidence from the start of the series.

But I digress.

India should take a page out of the Australian textbook and adjust to the situation and play with confidence. Not stupid overconfidence, but with the belief that they can win this Test and this series. They shouldn't even be considering the possibility of a drawn result or a loss at this stage. Play naturally, but naturally adapt to the positive mindset that is needed to achieve the goal.

 

[Nishant]

Gosh! Its been a long time since i last wrote a post on cricketweb,,,,,,but anyway, india on top of this one i would say! But, anything can happen....SA are a good enough team to turn it around.

As for our expectations, i thought india would flop in this whole test series...so im certainly happy! But, a lot of cricket is still to be played!

 

[Turbinator]

Gosh! Its been a long time since i last wrote a post on cricketweb,,,,,,but anyway, india on top of this one i would say! But, anything can happen....SA are a good enough team to turn it around.

As for our expectations, i thought india would flop in this whole test series...so im certainly happy! But, a lot of cricket is still to be played!

Lol welcome back man, last time I saw you on CW, I had about as many posts as you... It's been long.

 

[adharcric]

Despite the poor fielding, India are in a good position in the match, are they not? You have to select the better player in his specialist area (ie batting or fielding) always for me.

Definitely. I'm not suggesting that players should be drafted into the side solely on the basis of superior fielding, but rather that value in the field should be taken into account when selecting the team. For example, suppose that Jafer and Gambhir are virtually identical on batting merit or even that Jaffer is slightly ahead; Gambhir should get the nod because he is superb at short leg, cover, point and virtually anywhere in the field, unlike Jaffer. Obviously, you wouldn't include Raina simply because he's a world-class fielder. Including Yuvraj, on the other hand, holds much more merit because he can be on par with Ganguly in terms of production with the bat.

 

[Turbinator]

Once again, I keep stressing this fact, why doesn't Chappell do something about the non-athletic fielders in this Indian team atm. We really are feeling the heat in the field without Yuvraj and Kaif and Raina. But good to see Sehwag improving.

But I don't understand why he doesn't stress the importance of fitness and fielding... When guys like Yuvraj/Kaif aren't around... we look worse than Pakistan in the field.

 

[adharcric]

Looking at the pitch today, I wish Bhaji was playing.

Very easy to say that in hindsight. Would you ever go in with only two seamers in the deciding test of a series in South Africa? No way. Quite frankly, this pitch is a shocker and no one would opt for Bhajji prior to the test. Of course, the Turbanator is confident he would've taken 10 on this pitch.

 

[Turbinator]

Very easy to say that in hindsight. Would you ever go in with only two seamers in the deciding test of a series in South Africa? No way. Quite frankly, this pitch is a shocker and no one would opt for Bhajji prior to the test. Of course, the Turbanator is confident he would've taken 10 on this pitch.

Me? Nah, I am good but not that good.

 

[adharcric]

Disappointing day for South Africa if only because the majority of wickets which fell were gifted to the Indians at precisely all the wrong moments. Smith was set and was playing Kumble as easy as you like, Amla looked fine until that rather ridiculous shot whilst Kallis was the best out of the three and looked a million dollars against the spinners. Considering the starts they had they will know that they should be at least ahead of play by the now with the lower middle order pressing home the advantage tomorrow. However, as it stands India have a lead and a pretty decent one at that. And I really can not see India falling to pieces on this sort of wicket regardless of their batting line up. South Africa on the other hand, definitely, they did it today why not Saturday?

Smith was playing Kumble quite well but Kumble was bowling far too straight to him, which was apparent in the number of on-drives Smith executed. That said, Smith looked quite good out there and his wicket was the huge shift in momentum for India. Amla was merely decent since he didn't have to contend with the rough patch outside leg; his flash at Sreesanth's wide one was absolutely pathetic but credit to Sreesanth for applying the pressure with some tight bowling. Kallis looked really good out there but Tendulkar helped tie him down a bit and Munaf took a good catch at deep midwicket.

 

[adharcric]

The reason I would have Sehwag opening - he is experienced at it, India has a lead and if he hangs around for some time, it can mean lots of runs for India.

Even ifhe gets out fast, India has a cushion of 40 runs and so it doesn't mean we are in a panic situation given the people coming in after wards - Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Ganguly and Karthik.

A good point for putting Karthik first up would be play defensively earlier and accelerate later with the likes of Sehwag (Dhoni isn't there in the team).

I would go with Sehwag opening but I can see some one going for the other option as well. I wouldn't venture out experiment with any one else - Dravid, Laxman etc like some people have suggested as this is not the stage to do it.

Sehwag should be higher on confidence after his cameo in the first innings, but he's been under the hammer against Pollock and co. with the new ball. This isn't exactly a seamer's paradise, but the Proteas seamers will still threaten with the new ball. Sehwag can be very dangerous if he comes in with a platform against the old ball on a slow pitch. He could be devastating in that situation.

 

[adharcric]

I'd go for

• Jaffer
• Karthik
• Dravid
• Tendulkar
• Ganguly
• Laxman
• Sehwag

Agreed. Dravid will still be roaring for runs so leave him at 3 and leave Sehwag at 7 to deliver the final blows if we get into a good position.

 

[adharcric]

My point is that there are lessons to be learnt from Australia. I wouldn't say the Australian cricketers are more talented than those of the rest of the world. But they excel in certain areas better than most other cricketers. The key to Australian cricket IMO is not the technical capabilities, but rather the confidence. It's almost an arrogance whereby Australia is capable of rising from almost any difficulty and achieving any task. Look at the Ashes last year. Look at how hard Australia made England fight to win the 2 Tests that they did. Consider that England was well on top of each of those Tests at one point. It's really a major difference between the teams in the present Ashes series. England have not shown the fight Australia did in the 2005 series. That's because Australia have played the game with greater confidence from the start of the series.

But I digress.

India should take a page out of the Australian textbook and adjust to the situation and play with confidence. Not stupid overconfidence, but with the belief that they can win this Test and this series. They shouldn't even be considering the possibility of a drawn result or a loss at this stage. Play naturally, but naturally adapt to the positive mindset that is needed to achieve the goal.

Top post. Dead set Afridi.

EDIT: Maybe.

 

[adharcric]

It's hard to blame umpiring mistakes for defeat by such a heavy margin as India lost in the 2nd Test. Though time was a factor in that Test. Still, as quickly as you can say India was robbed by poor umpiring, South Africa can say they were robbed by poor light. Especially on day 3, when Smith was more than willing to bat in the dark and was not given the chance to make that decision.

The umpiring definitely played a larger role than the bad light IMO. Having 10 decisions (net 7) is massive, especially when two of them involve your best batsman. Regardless, our display in the second innings was disgraceful so we have no right to make excuses. Overall, I would say India have outplayed South Africa by a slightly greater than slight margin.

 

[adharcric]

Me? Nah, I am good but not that good.

Sorry mate, learn to spell first. You're the Turbinator, not the Turbanator.

 

[Turbinator]

Sorry mate, learn to spell first. You're the Turbinator, not the Turbanator.

TurbInator sounds better .

 

[Dravid]

tbh, Munaf doesn't seem 100% fit. I would have rather benched Munaf since he isn't his best yet and brought in Bhaji

 

[adharcric]

tbh, Munaf doesn't seem 100% fit. I would have rather benched Munaf since he isn't his best yet and brought in Bhaji

No. You would never go into a test in South Africa with only two seamers. Even if the pitch looks like a turning one, it's far too risky. That said, Munaf definitely isn't 100%.

 

[Dravid]

No. You would never go into a test in South Africa with only two seamers. Even if the pitch looks like a turning one, it's far too risky. That said, Munaf definitely isn't 100%.

Dare I say they should have risked Bhaji instead of Kumble then?