***Official*** India in Sri Lanka

[SJS]

Do you really think the Indian batsmen are as bad as they looked in the first test? Don't know about the outcome but I'm expecting a good showing from the batsmen at Galle. I'm actually just as worried about Kumble and Harbhajan - as dominant as Murali and Mendis were in this test, people forget that the Indian spin duo was supposed to be a huge threat in this series. So far, they've been disappointing and improved fielding will be the first step in the right direction.

No they are not. Thats clear. One does expect them to put up a better show. There is no need to push the panic buttons. Its true that in the light of the batting debacle everyone seems to forget that we put up a poor show with the ball and on the field which stoof in stark contrast to our opponents. Kumble and Harbhajan have a lot of thinking to do.

The disheartening thing for me was not the loss, it was the strange feeling that Indian team was somehow not there. I dont know why, but one did get the impression that each batsman was fighting his own personal battle on the wicket. Except during the opening partnerships when Sehwag and Gambhir were together, the two batsmen at the crease hardly seemed to be playing in the same game, if you know what I mean. There was a complete sense of disconnect between the individual and the team's objective.

I may be completely wrong, probably am, but I just couldn't escape from that feeling in both innings.

 

[honestbharani]

Do you really think the Indian batsmen are as bad as they looked in the first test? Don't know about the outcome but I'm expecting a good showing from the batsmen at Galle. I'm actually just as worried about Kumble and Harbhajan - as dominant as Murali and Mendis were in this test, people forget that the Indian spin duo was supposed to be a huge threat in this series. So far, they've been disappointing and improved fielding will be the first step in the right direction.

No, Adhar, I don't think our batsmen are that bad...




I just think M & M are THAT good, ATM...

 

[funnygirl]

India's middle order giants are no longer the giants they were used to be . Their reflexes are slow . Hope Kumble and Bhajji can make use of the Galle turner to the maximum

 

[SJS]

India's middle order giants are no longer the giants they were used to be . Their reflexes are slow . Hope Kumble and Bhajji can make use of the Galle turner to the maximum

What time frame is that supposed to refer to ??

 

[Salamuddin]

Ladies and gentlemen here we have the comments of a true genius. I commend you my friend. Dropping Sachin and replacing them with Rohit Sharma...man never thought of that one...Possibly India's greatest batsmen almost average 60 in first class cricket 54 in test match and in reach of the world record for the most test runs blah blah blah with Rohit Sharma a player averaging an amazing 37 in first class cricket with no test runs at all...Oh but wait stats dont tell the whole picture...Well then lets get rid of dravid who has gotten india out of trouble multiple times...More recently Ganguly who has shown grit, determination and consistancy...no need for him...Rohit Sharma with his 20/20 heroics is definitely a better test batsman than all these names combined. He would have made Murali and Mendis look like complete idiots...

But you know what...this man did not just stop there....How about Kumble and Harbhajan...yessss you know it all lord kaiser....lets just drop india's greatest wicket taker in test match cricket along with harbhajan singh...man lets just kill everybody in the world over the age of 30...oh the world will be such a beautiful place and India would definitely be undisputed kings of cricket

how bout lets forget about finding the right balance between experience and youth and get rid of all the old farts who are absolutely useless...As a matter of fact why is murali still playing for sri lanka..isnt he 36 something. Man hes even older than tendulkar dravid and harb...What about Samaraweera and Jayawardene...easily over the age of 30...But yet they both scored centuries out there...

Tell you what...you should definitely be the sole selector of the Indian team...For the next test match we would have 5 debutants. And what if they fail...hmmmm how bout bring in Prankaj, Tiwary, Tammy...Heck Im just under 21, I might even get a shot...

People like you make my day

Its idiotic overreactions like this that characterise Indian fans.

I never advocated a large scale makovever of the team. What I said was India needed to started the process of blooding younger players to replace guys who are not producing the goods anymore. Obviously replacement is something taht needs to be done judiciously but there is irrefutable evidence that several players in this side are well past their best.

WHo honetsly gives a crap what you did years ago ? Its current form that counts.....Harbhajan has done jack all for years yet continues to get in the team ahead of the likes of Mishra and Ojha.
Rahul Dravid has averaged 33 in test cricket in his last 19 tests but hey let's ignore that because he was the world's best batsman in 2002.
Tendulkar went thru a horrible run of form but India chose to play him ahead of a guy like Kaif who had shown considerable promise in the tests he had played was ignored.
Ganguly who has never been much chop as a test match batsman was brought back into the team ahead of a promising batsman like Badrinath.

Performance matters little in India - if you're a big name and the fans think you are a star you'll get picked.
It explains why players like Dharmani, Kaif, Chopra , Badrinath and Mishra never got tehir dues while oveerrated players like Yuvraj and Ganguly get picked over and over despite their performance not being upto scratch.

 

[Uppercut]

Ganguly who has never been much chop as a test match batsman was brought back into the team ahead of a promising batsman like Badrinath.
.

Recalling Ganguly was an excellent decision though.

I agree with the point you're making in general though. Dravid in particular seriously needs a (possibly even permanent) break from test cricket, and India, unlike say, England, have batsmen who deserve a chance in the team.

 

[ret]

i m beginning to wonder, if it's bowling thats exceptional or is it the batting that is making the bowling look exceptional .... who knows Kumble and Bhajji would have looked good too bowling at India's line up

 

[Uppercut]

i m beginning to wonder, if it's bowling thats exceptional or is it the batting that is making the bowling look exceptional .... who knows Kumble and Bhajji would have looked good too bowling at India's line up

Well, the only way to tell whether it's good bowling or poor batting is to watch the match. I didn't so i'll say nothing, but the general feeling seems to be that it was predominantly good bowling.

 

[ret]

Well, the only way to tell whether it's good bowling or poor batting is to watch the match. I didn't so i'll say nothing, but the general feeling seems to be that it was predominantly good bowling.

i watched the highlights and i would put it as a mixture of both good bowling and bad batting .... i would expect the batsmen to meet the challenge of good bowling with good batting and put up a reasonable total

 

[Raghav]

i watched the highlights and i would put it as a mixture of both good bowling and bad batting .... i would expect the batsmen to meet the challenge of good bowling with good batting and put up a reasonable total

absolutely, Indian batsman did not apply themselves to bat on. They never showed that temperament to stay at the crease. They played casually against extraordinary bowling performance from Indians.

 

[honestbharani]

i watched the highlights and i would put it as a mixture of both good bowling and bad batting .... i would expect the batsmen to meet the challenge of good bowling with good batting and put up a reasonable total

But you need to have watched the balls leading upto the wickets, actually. The way Mendis and Murali worked on the batsmen and set them up was something else... Haven't such quality spin bowling for a very long time. I am sure the pitch helped but I felt the biggest help for both of them was the fact that they had the other keeping the pressure on the batsmen from the opposite end.

 

[sunilreddy]

It will be good for India if they leave out Zaheer and replace him with Ojha for the second test. Ganguly can partner Ishant for 5 to 6 overs.

 

[Raghav]

It will be good for India if they leave out Zaheer and replace him with Ojha for the second test. Ganguly can partner Ishant for 5 to 6 overs.

I dont think India can do the same mistake of not playing two specialist seamers in test matches. You cant rely on Ganguly as the 2nd seaming option.....

 

[ret]

But you need to have watched the balls leading upto the wickets, actually. The way Mendis and Murali worked on the batsmen and set them up was something else... Haven't such quality spin bowling for a very long time. I am sure the pitch helped but I felt the biggest help for both of them was the fact that they had the other keeping the pressure on the batsmen from the opposite end.

fair point

 

[Dissector]

But you need to have watched the balls leading upto the wickets, actually. The way Mendis and Murali worked on the batsmen and set them up was something else... Haven't such quality spin bowling for a very long time. I am sure the pitch helped but I felt the biggest help for both of them was the fact that they had the other keeping the pressure on the batsmen from the opposite end.

Yes, facing two spinners of such quality at the same time would have been a novel and unnerving experience for the Indian batsmen especially since spinners unlike fast bowlers can bowl very long spells. You can't wait them out like you can with the quicks.

 

[sanga1337]

It will be good for India if they leave out Zaheer and replace him with Ojha for the second test. Ganguly can partner Ishant for 5 to 6 overs.

Ganguly is really not a good enough option for a second seamer. At best he's a part timer who bowls around 110km. If you really want Ohja in the side just replace Harbhajan with him

 

[mczu]

god save INDIA

 

[SJS]

god save INDIA

Amen

 

[dinu23]

Prasad's in the squad... hope he gets selected.

 

[Faceless void]

P'haps they will replace Vaas with prasad for now.A nd when both Maha n Malinga are fit those two will most probably replace both kulasekara n Vaas in the test side.
Jus like in the sanath's incident selectors might be thinking that staying away from tests will most probably lengthen his Carrier in ODI's in which his economical spells are a definite asset for the side.
It's no secret that he has lost the kind of sting he had, and given the formidability of the 4M bowling attack p'haps it is is the right decision rather than taking years off his ODI carrier by wearing him off in tests.
Though this would probably weaken the batting line up given vaases ability to hold up one end and even though his bowling still is still superior to that of maharoof in all the aspects, Giving the 4 M's a chance to work together as a unit will probably be more beneficial in the long run.
so that vaas can concentrate on playin a more pollock like role in in the ODI side.