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*Official* India in South Africa
- Thread starter James
- Start date
chicane
State Captain
Haha. The man is in absolutely ruthless form. So awesome.
Well, I;m still backing us to have a massively better second innings batting but can't say it'll be enough to save the game. Bowling definitely doesn't look good enough.
vcs
Request Your Custom Title Now!
Indeed. If that's not enough reason for pessimism, I don't know what is.
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
Haven't seen Arjun today....
Prince EWS
Global Moderator
0RI0N
State 12th Man
QFT
India < Amla
chicane
State Captain
popepouri
State Vice-Captain
I think this game highlights that over the last 2-3 years the SA team is one step from greatness but it seems out of reach. They can beat Australia, England away but they're unable to put stamps on various series that should have gone in their favour like Pak in UAE, Aus at home and England at home. They're able to dominate India in the backyard but can't string the next result to get the series win. Maybe the selection of Tahir may change that when and if he becomes available.
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Dissector
International Debutant
Clutching at yet more straws, I have a theory that this SA side doesn't like playing as frontrunners against other good teams. E.g. after beating Australia in Australia they were favourites to beat them at home but couldn't do it. After winning in England, they were favourites to beat them at home and couldn't do it. After going up 1-0 with massive victories they were favourites to win a series in India but couldn't do it. Perhaps they will stumble again with the prize in sight.
See? Indian fans are amazingly resourceful at spotting even the most microscopic silver lining.
Edit: I see popepouri beat me to the same point and I had forgotten about the UAE series which admittedly was played on roads. But certainly if SA fail to push through for a series win yet again you have to question their mental strength.
See? Indian fans are amazingly resourceful at spotting even the most microscopic silver lining.
Edit: I see popepouri beat me to the same point and I had forgotten about the UAE series which admittedly was played on roads. But certainly if SA fail to push through for a series win yet again you have to question their mental strength.
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vcs
Request Your Custom Title Now!
Yeah I think there is a lot of parity in world cricket right now. If Australia win in Perth by a fairly convincing margin to tie up the series (after receiving huge amounts of abuse after Adelaide), I think it will only go to highlight it further.
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silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Haha, first innings in South Africa where your spinner is the only one taking wickets.
Evermind
International Debutant
Yeah. I'd say SA is a notch ahead but not by much.
SA have great batting and fast bowling, but no world-class spinner. With Swann, they'd be clearly ahead of everyone else.
India have an excellent batting lineup, but abysmal bowling attack. Take away Zaheer and it's not much better than Bangladesh's bowling lineup at the moment. You can have Sehwag, Bradman, Lara, Tendulkar, Ponting, Sobers and Gilchrist in the top 7 but you won't win a single game with crap bowling.
Aus and England can look like world beaters one day and absolute **** the next day. In this, I do think Australia have better overall talent, except in the spinner category. Watson, Ponting, Johnson and Haddin are far superior to their counterparts in the England side. Only Pietersen and Swann are true world-class Eng players IMO.
So yeah, not much between the teams, though SA ahead in my book, and India's pathetic fast bowling putting them level with or a notch below England and Australia.
Evermind
International Debutant
Is it too early to add Unadkat to that wheel of mediocrity? Can't imagine his pleasant medium-pace troubling anyone.Haha, first innings in South Africa where your spinner is the only one taking wickets.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Can't do that on one innnings. He's on the fast track though. In a few games.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
On the other hand, being a fast bowler and bowling slower than your wicketkeeper captain should earn you an automatic place.
So I'm a bit torn.
So I'm a bit torn.
tooextracool
International Coach
If there is any logic behind the selection of Unadkat over Praveen Kumar I'll gladly stop posting on this forum. And Im fairly certain the selector's answers to this performance is the one and only Irfan Pathan. Absolute joke.
Evermind
International Debutant
It's not such a bad answer if they're gonna choose another popsicle like Unadkat. At least Pathan can bat a bit.
One pie-chucker is as good as any other. No harm in padding up your batting and going for draws. Clearly, India are never going to win a series in SA unless they clone Zaheer.
Time for Atul Sharma IMO.
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Dissector
International Debutant
Isn't part of the idea of the wheel of mediocrity that the bowlers actually show some promise and get the fans all excited for a while before flaming out. Like Ishant in particular. Unadkat was just hopeless from the very beginning, more like Xavier Doherty.
And this is something of a pet peeve of mine, mediocre is often used as a synonym for terrible but it's not. It means average or a bit below average. Unadkat isn't medicore; he is just crap.
And this is something of a pet peeve of mine, mediocre is often used as a synonym for terrible but it's not. It means average or a bit below average. Unadkat isn't medicore; he is just crap.