*Official* Group A Discussion - Pakistan, West Indies, Australia, India

[chicane]

Oh dear. That screw-up hurts cos Gambhir was ****ing brilliant. Confusion in just the previous over and then he hits it straight to the fielder, calls then sends him back too late. Tragic.

 

[Shri]

Surprised to see that India are still in this match with a chance tbh. I was really worried about Mohd. Ameer.

 

[Uppercut]

Playing the sheet anchor role safeguarding the wicket at one end while Gambhir can play his strokes at the other. Not surprising and not a bad strategy as they need a big partnership.

Not so much use with Kohli at the other end though.

 

[Pratters]

Dravid took couple of steps with the shot and shouted out no .. Gambhir too had not run far off but he didn't make frantic effort to get back in.... - Cricinfo.

The way they defend Dravid always pisses me off. Can't state it is Dravid's fault even if it is. Gambhir making any effort would be of no use as it was too late. It was entirely Dravid's mistake.

Sambit Bal apologised in a column once saying they were wrong about Ganguly but they latch on to their love for Dravid. I love Dravid too, he is one of my favorite players but I won't go sucking his teeny weeny.

 

[G.I.Joe]

I wouldn't play Abhishek Nayyar this series. I know for a fact he isn't medically fit. Its a wonder he's even in the squad.

 

[Dissector]

List A record boosted by not outs.

4 not outs in 26 innings doesn't seem that bad. Anyway I have liked what I have seen here. He seems a busy player who can keep the scoreboard ticking though that late cut isn't a percentage shot when there is a slip in place. He will look mighty stupid if he just cuts it straight to the slip.

Edit: Ha. And just as I write that he gets out. The message board curse!

 

[Shri]

Look at what two competent spinners are doing here. This is what India missed.

 

[Fusion]

4 not outs in 26 innings doesn't seem that bad. Anyway I have liked what I have seen here. He seems a busy player who can keep the scoreboard ticking though that late cut isn't a percentage shot when there is a slip in place. He will look mighty stupid if he just cuts it straight to the slip.

Edit: Ha. And just as I write that he gets out. The message board curse!

Haha, I was about to quote just that!

 

[ret]

Kohli gone .... Dhoni seems to have the habit of throwing new comers in to mix of things. Looks like he forgot what Jadeja did in the T20 WC games against Eng

 

[Pratters]

@ Dissector - 22 completed innings is too little to draw a conclusion that he might be a good player because his average is good. I hope the selectors have not picked him on hype but that is what it is it seems to me. I don't rate Kohli as an international batsman right now. He is far from ready. There are others to select, namely - Rohit Sharma, Badrinath.

 

[Uppercut]

Dravid was really piling the pressure on Kohli to take care of the strike rate there.

 

[Dissector]

@ Dissector - 22 completed innings is too little to draw a conclusion that he might be a good player because his average is good. I hope the selectors have not picked him on hype but that is what it is it seems to me. I don't rate Kohli as an international batsman right now. He is far from ready. There are others to select, namely - Rohit Sharma, Badrinath.

Well I agree that Rohit Sharma should get more chances and so should Badrinath in test matches (not so sure about ODI's).

 

[Shri]

Well I agree that Rohit Sharma should get more chances and so should Badrinath in test matches (not so sure about ODI's).

He played Shane Warne like a champ in one of the T20 games in the IPL. He should be right up there afaic.

 

[AaronK]

it looks like my favorite player afridi would be the star of the bowling here..Dhoni gone..

 

[Pratters]

Sharma is a decent player as he has shown in the IPL. His List A record is ordinary but I don't give that much importance to stats. I know that Sharma will deliver in time though he hasn't in his international ODI career so far.

Badrinath has a poor List A S/R but he is a solid batsman. If India want a sheet anchor, that's the man to go to, not Dravid after you drop him. Dravid is all class and may succeed (I hope he does) but you don't go back to him when you have looked forward and dropped him for good.

Then there is also Kaif.

 

[Dissector]

*Sigh* it looks like game over. And clearly the spinners have proved to be the difference between the sides. Afridi is emerging as one of the best limited overs spinners in the world.

 

[Jungle Jumbo]

I get the impression that after the World Twenty20, both Rohit and Raina are going to have to demonstrate that they have learnt to play the short ball, or they may as well just keep players like Kohli in the side. Seems pointless having someone in the side with a huge gaping hole in their technique that will be exposed as soon as they leave the subcontinent.

 

[ret]

probably shows why India should have had Mishra as the 5th bowler .... Picking up wkts [rather than looking to contain] in the middle order [in fact at every stage] is the key

 

[Pratters]

I get the impression that after the World Twenty20, both Rohit and Raina are going to have to demonstrate that they have learnt to play the short ball, or they may as well just keep players like Kohli in the side. Seems pointless having someone in the side with a huge gaping hole in their technique that will be exposed as soon as they leave the subcontinent.

Rohit Sharma doesn't have visible flaws against the short ball AFAIK and Raina is being picked despite his short ball fallacy due to his record.

 

[Dissector]

Nice counter-attack by Raina. Definitely makes things interesting. Pakistan missing a trick by not bringing in Aamer to bowl short-pitched stuff at him.