***Official*** India in Sri Lanka

[SJS]

then i will happily come in



yes, Sehwag lives by the sword .... which to me implies that the more he lives the more he kills. so if hadn't got killed, he would have killed more

and I haven't had the opportunity to examine the mental make-up of the two players in detail .... i m comparing them [if it is not obvious] on their batting abilities. and to me, Sehwag and Dhoni are amongst the better players of spin in the team

Cant disagree with any of that.

By the way, Sehwag too is quite a bright guy but in a sense he is more arrogant than Dhoni. Dhoni has no problem being made to eschew his big strokes if the bowler or wicket or the situation so demand, Sehwag , on the other hand, is more in the Viv Richards mould and it is always either you or me as far as he and the bowler are concerned and thats the difference.

 

[ret]

Cant disagree with any of that.

By the way, Sehwag too is quite a bright guy but in a sense he is more arrogant than Dhoni. Dhoni has no problem being made to eschew his big strokes if the bowler or wicket or the situation so demand, Sehwag , on the other hand, is more in the Viv Richards mould and it is always either you or me as far as he and the bowler are concerned and thats the difference.

very true

so we have someone like a Viv and a Miandad in the team

 

[SJS]

very true

so we have someone like a Viv and a Miandad in the team

 

[Dissector]

It's not a benchmark. It's a revelation that even quality players of spin can struggle against bowlers they have not seen before.

This is an important point. While India have generally handled Murali and Warne well they have sometimes struggled against new spinners: Kaneria, Harris, Clarke and Udall. A real worry when it comes to Mendis.

 

[ret]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ0QtoKtIWw&feature=related

Viv Richards full guns blazing

PS another exciting clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AamQVDdCcBg&feature=related

 

[maxpower]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ0QtoKtIWw&feature=related

Viv Richards full guns blazing

PS another exciting clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AamQVDdCcBg&feature=related

Great clips, as much as I love Shewag and his always positive attitude, there is only one king and that is Viv Richards. Also in regards to me saying Dhoni not being talented, I meant if one looked at his cricket one would not think he has any classic cricket talents. I think talent is overrated, I'd take any player any game who is ready to do what it takes, and is determined, and has a hustle over someone who is just naturally talented. In watching various sports, I think too many naturally talented players think things are owed to them. sorry talented people no such thing.

 

[SJS]

This is an important point. While India have generally handled Murali and Warne well they have sometimes struggled against new spinners: Kaneria, Harris, Clarke and Udall. A real worry when it comes to Mendis.

You need to qualify that. The struggle has lasted a Test match at best or less than 20 overs, whichever comes first

Kaneria
- 1st Test : 5 wkts at 14.0 each
- Next 10 Tests : 38 wkts at 56.3 each

Clarke
- First 16 overs (spread over 3 Tests) : 9 wkts at 5.1 each
- Next 30 overs (spread over three Tests) : 1 wkt for 93

Harris Paul
- 1st Test : 5 wkts at 35.8 each (not earth shattering really)
- Next 3 Tests : 8 wkts at 51 each.​

Udall has played just 1 Test against India and taken 5 wkts for 67 runs - thanks mainly to the second innings 4 for 14. I have absolutely no doubt which way his figures will go next time he plays against India.

Most of the spinners have had one early great spell against India and that has been it. In fact it is because Murali and Warne are such great bowlers that Indians have not treated them in a cavalier manner from the very beginning and mastered them before assaulting them. Its the arrogance which comes from confidence against relatively unknown spinners that has, at times, been their undoing, but it has NEVER lasted.

I doubt if it will in the case of Mendis. He is not going to bowl merely 5-6 overs once in a blue moon like Clarke did. He will bowl many overs in the very first Test and players like Sachin, Dravid and Laxman dont repeat the same mistake like Raina or Yuvraj might.

The myth of Mendis the mystery bowler wont last for too long, not against this Indian line up. Having said that, I must concede that this is still a moth watering prospect as far as the first Test is concerned.

 

[Jonty Lathwal]

people like Sachin,,Dravid,,Ganguly,,,& Laxman will play Mendis better than
Raina ,Yuvraj & Rohit.....

 

[Dissector]

Yes, obviously the Indian batsmen are too good to be outfoxed by a spinnner for long. On the flip side my guess is that Mendis is a lot better than those other spinners with far more variety; so his mystery period may last for more than one test. One can only hope that after the Asia cup final (which may be a blessing in disguise) the Big Four have been carefully watching his videos and making plans.

 

[duffer]

Mendis will be tested more in this upcoming series than the Indian batsmen imo. We'll see if he can maintain the rage when batsmen don't have to go after him.

 

[Migara]

Now everybody is arguing about what Mendis will do to Indians.But most of them tend to forget that (unlike Warne) Murali has shown improvement against Indians. In his last matches against Indians, he did manage to even run through the Indian sides containing Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman and Dhoni. (7./100 in Delhi and 8/87 in SSC). I would feel the threat will be even more this time around. Murali's home average against India has dropped from 34 to 26. And IMO will keep dropping.

 

[SJS]

Now everybody is arguing about what Mendis will do to Indians.But most of them tend to forget that (unlike Warne) Murali has shown improvement against Indians. In his last matches against Indians, he did manage to even run through the Indian sides containing Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman and Dhoni. (7./100 in Delhi and 8/87 in SSC). I would feel the threat will be even more this time around. Murali's home average against India has dropped from 34 to 26. And IMO will keep dropping.

Murali has played six series against India - three at home and three away. Only once in six series has his bowling average been under 30 (2001-02 at home when he took 23 wickets at 19.3). There is nothing spectacular about that record for a bowler like Murali.

As for improvement at home. he had such bad first two series (13 wickets at 38.8 with a best of 4 for 136). Surely there was nothing that could have happened to those miserable figures than improvement.

Since that series in 2002-03 he has played India only once, in India in 2005-06 and took 16 wickets at 31 each including the 7 for 100 you talk of. That average of 31 per wicket was Murali's second best ever in six series against India.

While its correct that his average has improved, there has been no spectacular performance in the 15 years since he first played against India barring the 23 wickets in those three Tests six years ago.

 

[Dasa]

If the pitches in this series are anything like those in the England series a few months ago, I wouldn't expect Murali to have a hugely successful series.

 

[Migara]

Murali has played six series against India - three at home and three away. Only once in six series has his bowling average been under 30 (2001-02 at home when he took 23 wickets at 19.3). There is nothing spectacular about that record for a bowler like Murali.

As for improvement at home. he had such bad first two series (13 wickets at 38.8 with a best of 4 for 136). Surely there was nothing that could have happened to those miserable figures than improvement.

Since that series in 2002-03 he has played India only once, in India in 2005-06 and took 16 wickets at 31 each including the 7 for 100 you talk of. That average of 31 per wicket was Murali's second best ever in six series against India.

While its correct that his average has improved, there has been no spectacular performance in the 15 years since he first played against India barring the 23 wickets in those three Tests six years ago.

Now haven't you noticed that Murali had achieved a feat that no other spinner achieved that easily since Lance Gibbs? Running through the Indian side for a spinner is a rare thing. Doing it twice is remarkable. And all those came in recent times. There's every possibility he could do it on the third time as well.

 

[Jono]

If the pitches in this series are anything like those in the England series a few months ago, I wouldn't expect Murali to have a hugely successful series.

Call it treason, but if he ran through the Indian team I wouldn't actually mind.

Would like what is likely to be his last series vs. India be a successful one.

Hopefully he can run through us yet we still win anyway lol

 

[Dissector]

Haha, I feel the same way about Murali and India. IIRC SJS had posted something similar by Cardus about Vic Trumper.

 

[Sanz]

Dhoni is not talented, he is has something better than talent, that is finding a way to get things done, he reminds me of Kapil Dev in those terms, and I see someone compared him to Miandad, not bad at all.

Well Kapil had a lot of talent in Batting, he simply wasted it more often than not.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Now everybody is arguing about what Mendis will do to Indians.But most of them tend to forget that (unlike Warne) Murali has shown improvement against Indians. In his last matches against Indians, he did manage to even run through the Indian sides containing Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman and Dhoni. (7./100 in Delhi and 8/87 in SSC). I would feel the threat will be even more this time around. Murali's home average against India has dropped from 34 to 26. And IMO will keep dropping.

Even though Murali is not presently the bowler he used to be?

 

[Jono]

True, and a valid point. I guess one might argue that the awesome foursome aren't as good as they were in their prime too.

Then again, Tendulkar's actually a better batsman now than he was when India last played Sri Lanka.

But Ganguly, even though he had a great last 18 months, seemed to struggle so much against Hogg in Australia. You'd think Mendis has the ability to get on top of him.

Dravid's very good, but not great against spin IMO.

Laxman seems that he's still awesome against it.

So all in all I think I made an argument and then refuted it. At least where spin is concerned lol.

 

[Migara]

Laxman seems that he's still awesome against it.

He struggled against Murali last time around.