***Official India in New Zealand***

[Bahnz]

I really take offence to a comment by a Kiwi commentator about Sehwag. When he threw his wicket away, someone said it's dumb. D-U-M-B. That was way out of line. Yes, that shot was inappropriate. Yes, he should have thought about the match situation. Yes, he should have showed some discretion. Yes, there was a lot more match play left. But dumb? As Arun Lal said, totally out of line.

Sehwag has an average over 50. He has several scores over 150, several over 200 and two over 300. You can't call him dumb! Honestly, I too hope he scores a 300 or more in the next Test match, just to show who's dumb!

Really? I mean, I understand that he's an aggressive player and all, but it WAS dumb. And yes sometimes it'll come off and he'll blaze a run-a-ball 150, but leaving your team in that kind of position with 2 whole days to play was at least as dumb as Taylor's horrible slog to get out on day 1.

 

[Evermind]

So India did collapse, as predicted.

This match should be over by tomorrow, with a more humiliating margin than the first one.

 

[Arjun]

Have to disagree with some of pro Sehwag comments here. That shot, in almost any situation was D-U-M-B (as the commentators rightly said). It was a daft slog when the situation required some sense with just about 30 minutes to stumps. Its fair enough if Sehwag wanted to be aggressive, and was unable to wait until the next day, but there was little preventing him hitting that ball through the off-side for six with a clean straight swing of the blade, as opposed to trying to hoick it over mid wicket and gifting his wicket away. Awful shot and another example of Indian complacence against second tier spinners coming back to bite them in the ass.

Really? I mean, I understand that he's an aggressive player and all, but it WAS dumb. And yes sometimes it'll come off and he'll blaze a run-a-ball 150, but leaving your team in that kind of position with 2 whole days to play was at least as dumb as Taylor's horrible slog to get out on day 1.

That's Sehwag for you. There's no need to convince him to 'play out an innings' or 'keep a wicket intact', as it will never work. He's at his best when he's trying to attack all the time. All of his big hundreds have come when he's tried to take a bowling attack to the cleaners. We've seen, back in 2004, facing a massive deficit in the first innings in Kanpur, he belted Pollock and Ntini all around the park, and they easily erased or at least came close to it. Either it comes off, or it doesn't. On the other hand, there are six slow-coaches (although one is known to force the pace often) in this Indian top seven. Clearly, all of them could have buckled down and played a long, serious innings. Why not implicate them for throwing their wickets away so cheaply?

 

[Days of Grace]

I really take offence to a comment by a Kiwi commentator about Sehwag. When he threw his wicket away, someone said it's dumb. D-U-M-B. That was way out of line. Yes, that shot was inappropriate. Yes, he should have thought about the match situation. Yes, he should have showed some discretion. Yes, there was a lot more match play left. But dumb? As Arun Lal said, totally out of line.

Sehwag has an average over 50. He has several scores over 150, several over 200 and two over 300. You can't call him dumb! Honestly, I too hope he scores a 300 or more in the next Test match, just to show who's dumb!

Oh, please.

Can't you handle criticism of your Indian, pampered, spoilt superstars?

All those things you listed added together equal dumb. It was D.U.M.B. Handle it.

He won't score 300 in the next game, because it won't be on an Asian road.

 

[Jono]

Oh, please.

Can't you handle criticism of your Indian, pampered, spoilt superstars?

All those things you listed added together equal dumb. It was D.U.M.B. Handle it.

He won't score 300 in the next game, because it won't be on an Asian road.

Wow, way to make a stupid post.

Get off your high horse for a second. As if there aren't flat tracks everywhere in the world, and Sehwag has scored runs... everywhere in the world. NZ would kill to have him.

I don't care what the NZ commentators in particular said about Sehwag. Its the general consensus that has gone on for years from everyone. If he gets caught at third slip slashing, or on the boundary slogging, he's playing poor cricket.

If that slash goes over point for 4, and the slog over long on for six, and he makes a double ton, he's a champion.

 

[Arjun]

Dhoni's return to the team will surely be a major boost for them. They can, however, make another change- there's no way Amit Mishra should be sitting out, when neither of Yuvraj and Munaf have done anything.

 

[Manee]

We have a clean slate now in terms of the Test, but with the option of a win removed. We put on 500 here, and the draw is secured.

 

[Manee]

Dhoni's return to the team will surely be a major boost for them. They can, however, make another change- there's no way Amit Mishra should be sitting out, when neither of Yuvraj and Munaf have done anything.

Munaf took wickets in the first Test though. Personally, I think Vijay in for Yuvraj may be necessary. However, one must consider giving Yuvraj a prolonged run in the team, something he has never had.

 

[Days of Grace]

We have a clean slate now in terms of the Test, but with the option of a win removed. We put on 500 here, and the draw is secured.

Yeah, should be a piece of cake

 

[Manee]

Yeah, should be a piece of cake

There is only room for optimism here, lest I throw myself off a tall building after seeing the scorecard.

 

[Arjun]

Munaf took wickets in the first Test though. Personally, I think Vijay in for Yuvraj may be necessary. However, one must consider giving Yuvraj a prolonged run in the team, something he has never had.

So what? Munaf scored no runs, took no wickets, gave away several runs in the outfield and off his own bowling. He's done scratch, to replace Amit Mishra, who's a better bowler. There's no point picking Vijay, as he's not going to do much on a flat deck. What if he too gets out cheaply? Like Dinesh Karthik? Why, even Harbhajan Singh may be a more useful batsman than Yuvraj Singh.

 

[Athlai]

Hope Jeets takes a few wickets. Should be over by the end of the day tomorrow though. India batted decently in their first innings but it was their bowling and fielding effort that let them down. At 23/3 they started well but let their grip slip and after that they seemed entirely ineffective throughout the rest of the match. (Besides Harby who was great)

 

[masterblaster]

Yeah, should be a piece of cake

If anybody can do it, it's this Indian team. They have the skill and proven experience on how to construct a long innings. It's a long shot but I wouldn't count against them.

 

[honestbharani]

Man... we are goners...



Congrats Kiwis... You played amazingly well in this match and deserve the innings win.



Great work on showing up the INdian side as well... If ever there was proof that complacency and poor fielding alone can lose you a match, this is it... New Zealand want to win this a LOT more than India... It is as simple as that and that is what has resulted in this performance, I feel.


Exciting times ahead for the Kiwi supporters with very promising and talented batsmen like Ryder, Guptill and Taylor backed up with a seemingly come of age McCullum and the ever reliable Vettori.. Jeets Patel should play all the time... at least in tests. And they just one good quality seamer to complete the puzzle.. They should be in the top half in few years time if they can live up to their potential..

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Don't get too carried away.

 

[Craig]

I really take offence to a comment by a Kiwi commentator about Sehwag. When he threw his wicket away, someone said it's dumb. D-U-M-B. That was way out of line. Yes, that shot was inappropriate. Yes, he should have thought about the match situation. Yes, he should have showed some discretion. Yes, there was a lot more match play left. But dumb? As Arun Lal said, totally out of line.

Sehwag has an average over 50. He has several scores over 150, several over 200 and two over 300. You can't call him dumb! Honestly, I too hope he scores a 300 or more in the next Test match, just to show who's dumb!

It's not like he racially insulted Sehwag and his family.

 

[Jono]

Yeah bit of an exaggeration.

 

[Redbacks]

Was it Ian Smith who called it a 'dumb' shot? Pretty sure he uses the same comment every time he is in Australia, when in his opinion, he thinks a player has thrown their wicket away.

Wouldn't consider it a personal attack, every batter makes mistakes.

 

[Goughy]

Don't get too carried away.

yeah, this Test isnt over and less than a year ago this NZ was getting beaten home and away against a very ordinary England team.

 

[Evermind]

yeah, this Test isnt over and less than a year ago this NZ was getting beaten home and away against a very ordinary England team.

England are better at winning or drawing series away than India. Disregarding the latest debacle.

Just look at complacent and easily-satisfied Indian fan comments on ccricinfo:

Aravind: "Ah, nothing more interesting than seeing India face and rise up to a challenge, it was getting boring doing so well in cricket for so long"

This from a team that hasn't won an away series in Aus, SA and NZ in recent history. Can't remember the stats for SL. Pretty amazing.