*Official* India in South Africa

[Cevno]

South Africa v India, 1st Test: Disappointed Rahul Dravid confident of saving the game | Cricket News | South Africa v India | ESPN Cricinfo

Dravid, though, can't do anything about one of the reasons behind this particular slow start. "In an ideal world, you know, you would play a warm-up game or a couple of warm-up games before a tour like this," he said. "But we don't live in a Utopian world, we don't live in a perfect world, you have got to make do with what you have. We tried to do the best we could, we came here as early as possible - some of us - and practised a bit. The conditions yesterday were a bit different from what we have practised on also, but having said that, there's still a lot of cricket left in this series. We have got to keep our heads up, and we have got to show some fighting spirit with the ball tomorrow and later with the bat."

**** you BCCI.

Dravid please, along with Kumble, first take over Karnartaka cricket. Then eventually the BCCI. I know it'll never happen, but we need good guys like Anil and Rahul administering Indian cricket

That part is done already .

Kumble is the KCA president With Srinath his secretary and Venkatesh prasad also in his council.

 

[Jono]

Abhimanyu Mithun impressed the team management with his strength and spirited bowling on the Sri Lanka tour, where India drew the series on unhelpful tracks in the absence of Zaheer, Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh. He will now be wondering what wrong he has done to not be on this trip. Knowing the Indian selectors' ways, in all likelihood nobody has told him. To send two rookie fast bowlers on such a big tour, one of whom has played four Ranji Trophy matches and the other who failed to create any impression in two ODI defeats against Zimbabwe, was as big a blunder this selection committee - used to making blunders - has made. There could be an argument worth considering that the selectors have been frustrated by Munaf Patel, but against Mithun there is no case.

Little bit harsh on Umesh Yadav writing him off on the ODIs, but in general, the author is correct. Bad selections.

 

[Jono]

That part is done already .

Kumble is the KCA president With Srinath his secretary and Venkatesh prasad also in his council.

Yeah I know. My point is first fix that up, then move to the BCCI in the years to come.

 

[vcs]

I think there were big signs in India against Australia and New Zealand that the bowlers would struggle to take 20 South African wickets, especially without Zaheer.

I didn't get to watch the Indian innings live (I was making 2 minute noodles) but I still have faith in the Indian batsman to perform well against the might of Morkel and Steyn in the remainder of the series

I was absolutely amazed to see the name S Raina in the XI, can't believe Pujara isn't playing or even Yuvraj, yep Yuvraj..

 

[vcs]

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.

India have done enough to put them above Australia and England, even if they get pumped by an innings and 200 runs in every match this series.

 

[Teja.]

The only time they took any NZ wickets was when Zaheer was injured...

Tbf, Though Zaheer did bowl exceptionally well in those 2 games he did play considering the pitches he bowled in. He had 7 wickets @ 23. Really not his fault his support bowling was pathetic.

 

[0RI0N]

Jesus. This is ridiculous ownage by the Saffies.

lulz feelsgoodman.jpg
Indian fans UMADkat?
Yeah UMADkat

 

[taipan1]

I can remember getting a fair amount of tick some months back when I suggested India's popgun bowlers might struggle in this series, so it's interesting reading some of the comments here.

 

[Dissector]

The thing is the Indian bowling has shown this amazing ability to rise to the occasion just when you think it can't possibly take 20 wickets. They did it in Sri Lanka and again against NZ in the third test without Zaheer. India has won at least won one test in every series for four years and 18 consecutive series. I honestly think the streak has to end this time but that's what I thought against SL and at the start of the third test against NZ as well. Let's see.

 

[honestbharani]

Gotta say Yuvi ain't half bad against the short pitched stuff.. It is the full ones outside off he has trouble with. If he can get over that, he can still be a big player for us in tests.

 

[smash84]

India have done enough to put them above Australia and England, even if they get pumped by an innings and 200 runs in every match this series.

India has been the best no doubt but getting pumped by an innings and 200 runs every match would surely bring them crashing down. If they manage such a scoreline I would rank England and SA above them.

 

[Jono]

Gotta say Yuvi ain't half bad against the short pitched stuff.. It is the full ones outside off he has trouble with. If he can get over that, he can still be a big player for us in tests.

Meh. Don't need him with Kohli, Rahane and Sharma piling on the runs at will. Badri too.

 

[honestbharani]

India has been the best no doubt but getting pumped by an innings and 200 runs every match would surely bring them crashing down. If they manage such a scoreline I would rank England and SA above them.

And what if we win the next 2?


This is what is silly about CW... I can understand the fans at the stands thinking this way but surely people here realize that cricket is to be judged based on more than ONE GAME?? Surely, it is not such a far fetched idea.. Zinzan was, as usual, harping on about England being the best team in the world.. And next time they bat, they collapse for 180 on a pitch where even Australia didn't collapse for that low a total... So we conclude now that Australia are the best in the world. And they may still go on to lose this very test... Jeez, CW at times...

 

[honestbharani]

Meh. Don't need him with Kohli, Rahane and Sharma piling on the runs at will. Badri too.

Badri > all of them ATM for me.. But selectors don't seem to think that way. They will sooner go back to Yuvi than to the others mentioned..

 

[smash84]

And what if we win the next 2?


This is what is silly about CW... I can understand the fans at the stands thinking this way but surely people here realize that cricket is to be judged based on more than ONE GAME?? Surely, it is not such a far fetched idea.. Zinzan was, as usual, harping on about England being the best team in the world.. And next time they bat, they collapse for 180 on a pitch where even Australia didn't collapse for that low a total... So we conclude now that Australia are the best in the world. And they may still go on to lose this very test... Jeez, CW at times...

HB....did I say ONE MATCH anywhere in that post???? Sometimes I wonder if you even bother reading other people's posts

 

[honestbharani]

India has been the best no doubt but getting pumped by an innings and 200 runs every match would surely bring them crashing down. If they manage such a scoreline I would rank England and SA above them.

apologies.. read "every" as "this"match somehow.. sorry.. bad mood today

 

[smash84]

apologies.. read "every" as "this"match somehow.. sorry.. bad mood today

thank you.....are u in a bad mood because India are getting their *** kicked in pretoria??????????

 

[honestbharani]

lol.. but I was half expecting it anyways.. And as I said, it augurs well for the rest of the series generally when India are **** in the first test...

 

[smash84]

SA should declare by the end of the first session at max. Rain is forecast for day 4 and 5. And Amla smacks another boundary as i write this

 

[TT Boy]

SA should declare by the end of the first session at max. Rain is forecast for day 4 and 5. And Amla smacks another boundary as i write this

10% chance of rain tomorrow. Min 200 overs left in this game.