***Official*** India in England

[Raghav]

Indian team know that their bowling is their main area of concern. If thats the case, they should put a special attention on it. Well, they need to do lot of homework on reading opposition batsman footages and they should attack the opposite batsman on their weakness. They should comeout finding a strategy to target each batsman after reading the footages. I have heard many teams doing this before going to a foreign series. They go prepared with a particular strategy and they apply it. For an ugly sake, I have never seen Indians saying about this nor implementing this against the opposition on foreign soil.

Indian bowling needs improvement and a clear strategy against each opposite number.

 

[Turbinator]

India have been given a second chance here. Hopefully they make the most of it.

 

[silentstriker]

Indian team know that their bowling is their main area of concern. If thats the case, they should put a special attention on it. Well, they need to do lot of homework on reading opposition batsman footages and they should attack the opposite batsman on their weakness. They should comeout finding a strategy to target each batsman after reading the footages. I have heard many teams doing this before going to a foreign series. They go prepared with a particular strategy and they apply it. For an ugly sake, I have never seen Indians saying about this nor implementing this against the opposition on foreign soil.

Indian bowling needs improvement and a clear strategy against each opposite number.

I can't believe that I'm saying this, but the batting is more of a concern. Our bowling is not great and won't be our strength any time soon, but it hasn't been bad lately. They need to be more consistent, but overall the Indian batting lineup is a much graver concern.

Next Test, what do you think the lineups will be? India will go in with the same line up. I would like it to change but the problem is, I don't really have faith in the other guys in the squad, so I strain to name a better side from the one that just played. They didn't bring the right players along IMO, but this is what we have and we're stuck with it.

 

[Raghav]

India have been given a second chance here. Hopefully they make the most of it.

Yep.

 

[adharcric]

Completely agree. Obviously, India are lucky to get away on the brink of a defeat but Vaughan and England did not show much urgency until the umpires started checking the light meter every other over towards the end. According to the forecast, they should have gotten even fewer overs bowled in today and they should have been prepared for worse circumstances. Anyways, bad decisions, bad light and bad weather are all a part of the game. Dravid was given out incorrectly and I didn't mind the rain, for once, giving India a break.

 

[pasag]

Don't think England have anyone to blame but themselves re: overrates and hurrying things up. India got lucky and it just goes to show how stupid some of those shots toward the end were when you could have the match being called off at any second like that - charging down the pitch ffs! Really, makes no sense. Anyways top Test nonetheless and a good result for the series as a whole and my avatar bet

 

[shankar]

Any comment on our dire batting ? Yeah bowling was dire on the first morning, but they restricted England to 298 in the first inning. If we lose this test, it will be because of very performance by our batsman throughout this match.

I wasnt saying that the bowling on the first day was the reason for our position. It was however the difference between the sides. England didnt bat much better than India. Their bowling, on the other hand, didnt make too many mistakes throughout the match unlike ours. This was what made the difference.

Saying this is not the same as letting the batsmen off the hook.

 

[adharcric]

Excellent innings from Dhoni. Not good, excellent. Yes, he was jittery early on and played an ambitious stroke in a tense situation later but he made 76 not out under pressure. SS, saving a test match isn't always about defending every delivery - that allows bowlers (i.e. Panesar) to work to a plan and eventually work you out. Dhoni's heave down the ground off Vaughan was actually a safe stroke as there was nobody in that region at all and the ball was flattish. Meanwhile, RP Singh played one of the stupidest shots I've ever seen - compares with Dhoni's Mumbai performance. Dhoni didn't always exhibit great composure and made some questionable moves with the tail-enders, but considering this was his first test in English conditions, that was real good.

 

[Shaggy Alfresco]

Don't think England have anyone to blame but themselves re: overrates and hurrying things up.

Yep. It was all England's fault. They didn't really deserve to win the test. India got some poor decisions too, why is everyone focused on their poor performance? Quite frankly, England weren't good enough. India will take heart from England's poor bowling performance. They stunk.

 

[Bob Bamber]

India got lucky , well more like Sree got lucky, absolutely plumb , but I suppose Dravid might not have been out , so its swings and round abouts.

I'm not sure England could have done much more , make things a little more urgent perhaps?

1 down , 2 to go. Both sides need to be a little more watchful when batting , both both sides bowled very , very well , apart from India on Day one , would have been much closer.

 

[Raghav]

Excellent innings from Dhoni. Not good, excellent. Yes, he was jittery early on and played an ambitious stroke in a tense situation later but he made 76 not out under pressure. SS, saving a test match isn't always about defending every delivery - that allows bowlers (i.e. Panesar) to work to a plan and eventually work you out. Dhoni's heave down the ground off Vaughan was actually a safe stroke as there was nobody in that region at all and the ball was flattish. Meanwhile, RP Singh played one of the stupidest shots I've ever seen - compares with Dhoni's Mumbai performance. Dhoni didn't always exhibit great composure and made some questionable moves with the tail-enders, but considering this was his first test in English conditions, that was real good.

Zaheer too..There is no need for him to play that stroke considering its the last ball of the over...

 

[silentstriker]

SS, saving a test match isn't always about defending every delivery - that allows bowlers (i.e. Panesar) to work to a plan and eventually work you out.

No. I applauded him when he played shots, as long as he played the right kind of shots. There is no excuse, none, for exposing your stumps like he did against Panesar. You can't tell me that it was a good shot. You can't tell me it was a good thing as he kept on going for the heave against Panesar when he was bowling from the rough. Even if he hits it, he'll be caught. That shot should not even be played under normal circumstances (except in desperation when you need to accelerate the run rate or something), let alone in this situation.

No one is telling him to block, but what possible benefit is there to a shot when you back off and show all your stumps. You miss that ball, and it hits the stumps. You hit that ball, and it can still edge and hit the stumps, or glove to keeper.

I really don't care what people say after the fact. I watched every ball of that knock live. That was a massively irresponsible innings. Taking a single off the first ball? Going all out on a stroke and then not running? Why would you hit the ball with all your power if you aren't going to run anyway? This wasn't classical shot making off bad balls. Dhoni was trying to hit the good balls out of the park, for which there is no excuse in this situation. You can't play Test cricket like that, not if you are playing for your team. I hope someone has a recording of the whole innings...watch it ball by ball especially after Kumble fell. It was massively irresponsible.

He made the most runs of anyone in the side, and good for him. But he was either selfish, or stupid. I don't know which, and frankly, considering he has done it before, it doesn't really matter.

 

[chalky]

Yep. It was all England's fault. They didn't really deserve to win the test. India got some poor decisions too, why is everyone focused on their poor performance? Quite frankly, England weren't good enough. India will take heart from England's poor bowling performance. They stunk.

Forgive me if I seem a little slow but is this is that supposed to be sarcasam

 

[Shaggy Alfresco]

Forgive me if I seem a little slow but is this is that supposed to be sarcasam

 

[Raghav]

No. I applauded him when he played shots, as long as he played the right kind of shots. There is no excuse, none, for exposing your stumps like he did against Panesar. You can't tell me that it was a good shot. You can't tell me it was a good thing as he kept on going for the heave against Panesar when he was bowling from the rough. Even if he hits it, he'll be caught. That shot should not even be played under normal circumstances (except in desperation when you need to accelerate the run rate or something), let alone in this situation.

No one is telling him to block, but what possible benefit is there to a shot when you back off and show all your stumps. You miss that ball, and it hits the stumps. You hit that ball, and it can still edge and hit the stumps, or glove to keeper.

I really don't care what people say after the fact. I watched every ball of that knock live. That was a massively irresponsible innings. Taking a single off the first ball? Going all out on a stroke and then not running? Why would you hit the ball with all your power if you aren't going to run anyway? This wasn't classical shot making off bad balls. Dhoni was trying to hit the good balls out of the park, for which there is no excuse in this situation. You can't play Test cricket like that, not if you are playing for your team. I hope someone has a recording of the whole innings...watch it ball by ball especially after Kumble fell. It was massively irresponsible.

He made the most runs of anyone in the side, and good for him. But he was either selfish, or stupid. I don't know which, and frankly, considering he has done it before, it doesn't really matter.

Completely agree

 

[pasag]

Forgive me if I seem a little slow but is this is that supposed to be sarcasam

Well a pretty poor attempt at it anyways.

 

[PhoenixFire]

No. I applauded him when he played shots, as long as he played the right kind of shots. There is no excuse, none, for exposing your stumps like he did against Panesar. You can't tell me that it was a good shot. You can't tell me it was a good thing as he kept on going for the heave against Panesar when he was bowling from the rough. Even if he hits it, he'll be caught. That shot should not even be played under normal circumstances (except in desperation when you need to accelerate the run rate or something), let alone in this situation.

No one is telling him to block, but what possible benefit is there to a shot when you back off and show all your stumps. You miss that ball, and it hits the stumps. You hit that ball, and it can still edge and hit the stumps, or glove to keeper.

I really don't care what people say after the fact. I watched every ball of that knock live. That was a massively irresponsible innings. Taking a single off the first ball? Going all out on a stroke and then not running? Why would you hit the ball with all your power if you aren't going to run anyway? This wasn't classical shot making off bad balls. Dhoni was trying to hit the good balls out of the park, for which there is no excuse in this situation. You can't play Test cricket like that, not if you are playing for your team. I hope someone has a recording of the whole innings...watch it ball by ball especially after Kumble fell. It was massively irresponsible.

He made the most runs of anyone in the side, and good for him. But he was either selfish, or stupid. I don't know which, and frankly, considering he has done it before, it doesn't really matter.

That's basically what Michael Holding was saying.

Basically, if Dhoni is anything like me, then he is more likely to get out when he is just defending and defending, IMO, I am much more confident that I will hit the ball if I am going for it, rather than just standing there blocking it.

 

[Turbinator]

I still stand by my 1-0 India prediction no matter what people say.

I think India will go in with an unchanged side for the next test. However, I want Yuvraj to get a chance, who knows he might just continue his form from one day cricket into tests.

And well said Akhil, "India for once get a break".

 

[Sanz]

Yuvraj should play the next test in place of Tendulkar/Laxman.

 

[Pratters]

My assessment of the Dhoni at this time is this: He cannot play in a shell and last long. His natural game is to play shots. So I do not mind him playing shots. However, given that this is a test, he should -

1. Play as many less risk shots (percentage wise) as he can. He doesn't need to plonk them every time. A forward push can do.

2. Avoid playing shots where he can. A good delivery comes outside the off stump, you do not have to play it. Leave the good deliveries where it is not necessary to hit them.

Obviously, the above two, particularly the second aspect is easier said than done. Leaving deliveries is a very difficult art and you need to know where your off stump is. You do need it if you want to last long in a test XI.

Also, I do not get why he started plonking every thing in the last segment of his inning. The tail enders were doing it too and it was madness. India is very lucky to be 0-0 here and while the first part of Dhoni's inning was good (given his level as a test player right now), the last part was not. Dhoni needs to do quite a bit of work where test cricket is concerned.