*Official* India in South Africa

[Manee]

Oh yeah, he was also injured in that series. He hurt his elbow which meant he couldn't throw - whether that affected his bowling is unclear, but it is worth noting.

 

[Blaze 18]

On a side note, this performance by India also shows how important first innings scores are. There seems to be a notion that second innings scores are somehow more valuable. Both India's and Australia's first innings performances have disproved the said theory. First innings performances are as important as second innings scores, if not more. You screw up in the first innings and the match is as good as gone.

 

[Manee]

Agreed. Australia have lost this Test match. No second innings performance will ever save them. Momentum simply will not allow it. You have slight exceptions like Laxman 281, but first innings are on the whole, much more important. Had India been bundled out for 80, as I think a lesser batting line up would have, on this pitch, regardless of conditions, the game would have been very likely over.

 

[akilana]

On a side note, this performance by India also shows how important first innings scores are. There seems to be a notion that second innings scores are somehow more valuable. Both India's and Australia's first innings performances have disproved the said theory. First innings performances are as important as second innings scores, if not more. You screw up in the first innings and the match is as good as gone.

Yes another notion proven to be false is that another 100 runs off 155 would have been more useful than off 170 balls for Australia's situation.

 

[TumTum]

And Smith is amazingly defensive as a captain. There is a reason why I don't think SL or SA will EVER be a dominant team even if they had the kind of players others did.. They just think waaay too defensively. Even Dhoni is rather defensive but he is not at their levels.. I mean, WTF was that having a deep cover when India were 70 odd for 3 and Laxman had just come in???

Yep. His usual method of declaring is let the opposition chase for example 450 in the last day.

 

[Black_Warrior]

averaged 45 vs Pakistan

LOL Those were two of the worst cricket pitches that I have seen...

You know when that batting line up doesnt collapse..there must be something wrong with the pitch.

 

[Briony]

India didn't do too badly on a pitch expected to have lots of demons. The Indians rode their luck a bit with edges going over the top and wide at times. Only really Steyn bowled consistently well though. You imagine that Khan might be more suited to this pitch than the likes of Morkel and Tsotsobe. The latter seems to be a bit short of test class. He can't generate much pace and doesn't trouble batsmen a lot. On this type of pitch Parnell could have posed some danger for the Indians.

SA might have to bat well to get ahead of the game if the pitch deteriorates.

 

[Jono]

If India were 5 down instead of 6 it wouldn't be too bad. That Pujara wicket hurt.

 

[Zinzan]

India didn't do too badly on a pitch expected to have lots of demons. The Indians rode their luck a bit with edges going over the top and wide at times. Only really Steyn bowled consistently well though. You imagine that Khan might be more suited to this pitch than the likes of Morkel and Tsotsobe. The latter seems to be a bit short of test class. He can't generate much pace and doesn't trouble batsmen a lot. On this type of pitch Parnell could have posed some danger for the Indians.

SA might have to bat well to get ahead of the game if the pitch deteriorates.

Yeah, India did a touch better than what I thought, I picked them to be all out for 170ish. Thought Morkel was disappointing.

I may be wrong, but I think you'll find the quota-system is the reason Tsotsobe is in ahead of Parnell.

 

[Briony]

Yeah, India did a touch better than what I thought, I picked them to be all out for 170ish. Thought Morkel was disappointing.

I may be wrong, but I think you'll find the quota-system is the reason Tsotsobe is in ahead of Parnell.

But Parnell is classified as non-white as well. Think it's more to do with teams tending to leave winning sides intact. If it is to do with the quota system though, it would show that SA is not really serious about getting to #1. No team can afford passengers. Steyn looked a bit sore at the end too.

 

[Cevno]

Sehwag, Vijay and Dravid got terrific deliveries.. Laxman got out to a great catch. Sachin and Pujara played loose shots.. Sachin's dismissal was pretty similar to how Tsotsobe got Laxman at the Centurion.

True.

Really dissapointed with both Pujara and Sachin.

Both of them just gave it away.

As for Vijay he was very lucky to survive till as long as he did. He looked Raina shaky and was bound to get out at one point or the other.

 

[Cevno]

If India were 5 down instead of 6 it wouldn't be too bad. That Pujara wicket hurt.

True.

The sixth wicket makes it look much worse.

Though i think 250 would be a good score on this track.
Probably need one of these to get a 50 to get there though.

 

[NasserFan207]

India still well in this game. If they get to 250 they have a good chance.

 

[Cevno]

This Match reminds me of this match -

1st Test: South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 15-18, 2006 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

We were in almost a similar situation after day 1 ,when Ganguly made his superb gritty fifty and had a crucial stand with VRV singh on day 2.

Then Sreesanth produced a dream spell.

Compared to that match Zaheer is a better bowler now and Ishant better than VRV.

 

[M0rphin3]

The CURRENT (I mean the one playing at MCG) English attack would be a nightmare for ANY batting side.. That said, still think India would have done better than what Australia did..

And Smith is amazingly defensive as a captain. There is a reason why I don't think SL or SA will EVER be a dominant team even if they had the kind of players others did.. They just think waaay too defensively. Even Dhoni is rather defensive but he is not at their levels.. I mean, WTF was that having a deep cover when India were 70 odd for 3 and Laxman had just come in???

Smith's defensive, but hard to match dhoni's high standards tbf.

 

[Briony]

True.

Really dissapointed with both Pujara and Sachin.

Both of them just gave it away.

As for Vijay he was very lucky to survive till as long as he did. He looked Raina shaky and was bound to get out at one point or the other.

There was an air of desperation about his batting; he was lucky not to get out earlier.

 

[vcs]

There was an air of desperation about his batting; he was lucky not to get out earlier.

Considering how impregnable his defensive technique has looked lately, I can't understand why he looked in such a hurry yesterday. I think he just didn't trust himself to hang in there long enough to grind bowlers down on this wicket.

 

[Cevno]

Strange....

I thought he looked decent before he got out.

There was one hook he edged ,but that was all.

 

[vcs]

Strange....

I thought he looked decent before he got out.

There was one hook he edged ,but that was all.

After he survived that Morkel over before lunch (that was an awesome bit of bowling), he shouldn't have got out to Tsotsobe.

 

[shankar]

After he survived that Morkel over before lunch (that was an awesome bit of bowling), he shouldn't have got out to Tsotsobe.

It was just a lazy shot after lunch before he 'switched on'. But TBF to him can't remember the last time in the last 12 months where he gave it away so easily.