***Official*** India in Sri Lanka

[Agent TBY]

Some so-called expert on All India Radio

Why're you even listening to AIR?

 

[andruid]

3rd ODI: Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (RPS) - Aug 24, 2008
India won by 33 runs
India 237/9 (50 ov); Sri Lanka 204 (49 ov)

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1st ODI: Ireland v Kenya at Belfast - Aug 24, 2008
Ireland won by 33 runs
Ireland 148/9 (50 ov); Kenya 115 (39 ov)

Bizarre coincidence?

 

[adharcric]

Munaf gets a deflection and a genuine run-out chance here. Billy doesn't refer this to third. A wicket denied by umpire.

And then the next delivery gets hit for four. Clearly, eight overs of Yuvraj have put the Indians from a position of comfort to that of danger. And Munaf will be blamed.

Yuvraj had 1 for 37 from 8 overs - that's just fine from him. Munaf will not be blamed - seriously, what the **** are you talking about?

EDIT: Mahela tried a chip-shot on the next delivery, to get a century real quick, to get out caught by Kumar. Fantastic knock by Mahela. One man playing an innings of substance is substantially better than seven batsmen scoring bits and pieces.

Haha, no ****. Is that your argument for playing six and not seven batsmen?

 

[adharcric]

The Indians can't even win an exhibition match with this bowling attack. It's ridiculosly weak.

The pace attack of Zaheer, Praveen and even Munaf are proving effective against the Lankans, once again. The Indians can get a lot out of this result. They can add a fourth seamer, and keep them in action for a long time when in good form. And of course, keep enough in close-in catching positions. Then go ballistic with Zaheer and Praveen.

Love it.

 

[bryce]

didn't see the game, but imo any game india play with yuvraj as their 5th bowling option they are lucky to win, what kind of strategy is that? unless they are that worried about their batting that they are willing to sacrifice their bowling strength...

 

[ret]

nice perfos by Dhoni and Raina to get India to 237

and it's sad to see India going in with 4 regular bowlers, when
1. the 7 batsmen are struggling to put that 25-30 extra runs
2. the part-time bowling options are nothing to write home about
3. if [or when] one of the 4 regular bowlers goes for runs, it puts a lot of pressure on the bowling line-up esp when defending ok totals

this is more like with 7 batsmen you struggle to get that 25-30 extra runs to give cushion to the bowlers and the bowling with part-time options could possible ease the pressure by giving away 20-30 extra runs!!!

someone like Pathan no matter how badly he bowls can at least bowl 5-6 decent overs than most part-timers, who can also chip in with 4-5 overs if one of the regular bowlers go for runs. and Pathan as a batsman is not that bad at all and can be very useful at #3 or #7

it's more sensible for the management to pick 6 batsmen out of the 7 that they want to play and use guys like Pathan and Kumar as batting option too

with 237 runs on board, it's clearly a day when the bowling and fielding has to pull it off for India but does that have the depth to do it? let's hope that today is the day when bowlers along with the part-timers, deliver

and today turned out to be that day when the bowlers delivered!!! though the credit should go to the weak SL batting too

Indian think tank should think abt fielding a more balanced side in the future games and keeping SL to around 200

select 5 batsmen from: Kohli, Gambhir, Badri, Raina, Yuvi and Rohit [conversely drop one]
then play 5 bowlers with one/two bowling all-rounders: Pathan, Praveen, Zaheer, Bhajji, Munaf
and ofc Dhoni lends that balance as the Wkeeping all-rounder

my recommendation of the 11 for the next game

- Kohli
- Gambhir
- Badri
- Raina
- Dhoni
- Rohit / Yuvi
- Pathan
- Praveen
- Bhajji
- Zaheer
- Munaf

 

[Days of Grace]

Is it just me, or does the standard of batting in these matches, supposedly played on flatbed wickets, seem really disappointing?

 

[SJS]

Is it just me, or does the standard of batting in these matches, supposedly played on flatbed wickets, seem really disappointing?

It was atrocious. The worst part is, it is getting worse, by the day.

I have gone off to sleep or just switched off the TV in recent times so often that I am amazed. It hadn't happened in over forty years of being cricket crazy. But its not cricket that is putting me off but the quality of the batting and bowling. I know it is that because when there are matches being telecast from earlier periods including 70's, 80's and even 90.s, I watch with great pleasure.

But watching them brings to me the stark reality of falling standards in the game. One has been talking of it for some time but now its upon us in a big way and I despair at what kind of cricket (quality wise) we will be watching in another five years. Yes - as early as that.

 

[Jono]

How good was Zaheer's nut to Sanga!

Love how he can get the ball to cut in so much when he's on-song.

 

[bryce]

I was always under the impression Kohli was a number four. You see it too much nowaday, middle order batsman being chosen to open just so the selectors can cram all their best batsman in the side, hence choosing not to pick proven openers(majority because teams do not have 2 clear cut choices or injury to regular opener). I cannot see why management woud want to play experimental games in the highest level of cricket we have in this world, surely that is what the grades below are for. You may not need them in 20 over cricket but surely your chances of success are heightened if you have two proven 50 over openers.

 

[Burgey]

How good was Zaheer's nut to Sanga!

Love how he can get the ball to cut in so much when he's on-song.

Yep. He's quality.

 

[adharcric]

I was always under the impression Kohli was a number four. You see it too much nowaday, middle order batsman being chosen to open just so the selectors can cram all their best batsman in the side, hence choosing not to pick proven openers. I cannot see why management woud want to play experimental games in the highest level of cricket we have in this world, surely that is what the grades below are for...

Kohli isn't even one of the "best batsmen". Shikhar Dhawan, for one, is a better batsman at the moment. To his credit though, the youngster has gotten better and better throughout the series and has looked pretty good only to throw away his starts.

 

[bryce]

Kohli isn't even one of the "best batsmen". Shikhar Dhawan, for one, is a better batsman at the moment. To his credit though, the youngster has gotten better and better throughout the series and has looked pretty good only to throw away his starts.

But was his selection primarily as an opener? He looked good as a 4 in the under 19s

 

[adharcric]

But was his selection primarily as an opener? He looked good as a 4 in the under 19s

Good point actually, he was chosen ahead of Badrinath as a middle-order reserve but the selectors could've called up Dhawan once Sehwag was ruled out.

 

[bryce]

Yeah. I have a feeling had Badrinath not spoken out they may have opted for a specialist opener rather than Badrinath. But since Badrinath is better suited lower down, Kohli gets thrown to the top of the list which imo diminishes his chances of suceeding. Not that they can do anything about it now though, you start to wonder what goes on in their selectorial meetings..

 

[honestbharani]

you start to wonder what goes on in their selectorial meetings..

That is something every Indian cricket fan does the moment they start following the national side..

 

[bryce]

That is something every Indian cricket fan does the moment they start following the national side..

hmmm, perhaps suicide bombers are the answer? Bomb the BCCI imo

 

[Prince EWS]

But was his selection primarily as an opener?

He was selected as a batsman who could open the innings if necessary from what I read before - a backup utility batsman.

 

[Migara]

SL needed another big partnership. Lone battles rarely win matches.

 

[Perm]

Good knock from Jayawardene, one of his better ones in ODI cricket. Pity he didn't receive more support but India were in a pretty good position once Dhoni took control.