*Official* India in South Africa

[r3alist]

india are well in control.

pitch is taking spin, bhaji is looking good, conditions will be helpful for the bowlers.

india have plenty of runs.


seriously, whats the fear, mockers??

 

[Blaze 18]

india are well in control.

pitch is taking spin, bhaji is looking good, conditions will be helpful for the bowlers.

india have plenty of runs.

seriously, whats the fear, mockers??

Nah.

 

[Cevno]

There's an easier solution that you're all missing though- Sehwag doesn't like opening, so bat him at three, open with Vijay and Gambhir and leave everyone else be.

Having Sehwag up top to "set the tone" is just a crappy idea in South Africa but if you want to do that once this tour's over it's perfectly reasonable to give one of the other two the number 3 spot.

Actually Sehwag's two knocks up top in this test,albeit small ones were crucial in this test on tough conditions.

Gave India momentum up front and saved pressure from getting to Dravid and also a potential collapse.

He does not like opening ,but he has been bloody succesfull there turning so many non winning and losing situations for India into winning ones.

Why the f would you want to tamper with that?
He is probably the best opener in world cricket for some time now.

 

[Cevno]

1) Murali Vijay
2) Gautham Gambhir
3) VVS Laxman
4) Sachin Tendulkar
5) Virender Sehwag
6) Cheteshwar Pujara
7) MS Dhoni

Might work.

How is getting Murali Vijay up top ,better than say playing Pujara at 3 and getting Kohli / Rahane at 6?

And you want to shift most arguably the best opener in world cricket to 5?

 

[Cevno]

What a Fantastic knock by VVS Laxman today. WAG!!

Among the best knocks i have seen live ever. Pity he did not get a hundred but has been superb this and last year.

He has now played as many pressure knocks for India as anyone in World Cricket,if not more than anyone in World Cricket.
Superb!!!!

 

[Cevno]

If we shift Sehwag down, then surely should look to try to get Rahane (FC average currently at 69.01) in as opener.

So you want to Shift Sehwag into the middle order and open with Rahane who is a number 3 batsmen?

 

[Cevno]

Nah the pitch is the same as it's been all match.. decent assistance for bowlers. Of course De Villiers is a big threat, every one is a threat right now.

Actually the conditions in terms of the winds and the sun became better.

Still think if the conditions are right tomorrrow with likely overcast predictions and 60% chance of rain ,then there is still plenty of juice in the wicket and swing in the air.

 

[Blaze 18]

How is getting Murali Vijay up top ,better than say playing Pujara at 3 and getting Kohli / Rahane at 6?

And you want to shift most arguably the best opener in world cricket to 5?

It is just an idea, dude.

 

[r3alist]

Nah.

yep

 

[morgieb]

This test is looking ****ing good right now. Still leaning towards South Africa, because AB & Kallis will probably do something special to take them close to victory, but you never know.

 

[Turbinator]

Expecting India to wrap this up pretty quickly.

 

[R_D]

Great knock of VVS... You always can depend on him to deliver in such situations. The man cool as a cucumber under pressure. Shame he missed out on another hundred.

Overall i think I'd rather be in India's position than SOuth Africa. But still 50-50 i reckon... all depends on how well India bowl in the morning. Stating the obvious but If India can somehow get Kallis and AB out quickly... Should be able to wrap it up pretty quickly.
Although Prince might score.... he tends to do well against India under pressure.

Whatever happens... its been a great match to watch.

 

[Jono]

I missed all of yesterday's play because of my parents' 25th anniversary.

Taped every ball and don't know the scores... have just started watching.

See you all in 8 hours!

 

[Uppercut]

Omg I'm so jealous.

 

[Uppercut]

Actually Sehwag's two knocks up top in this test,albeit small ones were crucial in this test on tough conditions.

Gave India momentum up front and saved pressure from getting to Dravid and also a potential collapse.

I don't actually agree.. I think they set the wrong tone. Sometimes negative cricket actually is the best option and this was one of those times.

He does not like opening ,but he has been bloody succesfull there turning so many non winning and losing situations for India into winning ones.

Why the f would you want to tamper with that?
He is probably the best opener in world cricket for some time now.

But nevertheless, these are all fair arguments. I'm pretty indifferent as to whether you play Gambhir or Vijay at three instead but my point was that deciding to let Dravid go needn't involve the disruption of bringing in new players out of the blue to bat in a key position, overly screwing around with the batting order or batting someone in a position where they're not that comfortable. It's actually pretty easily solved.

 

[Turbinator]

I am so pumped for tonight!

India's got one thing to say to South Africa, and it is this

 

[Burgey]

I don't actually agree.. I think they set the wrong tone. Sometimes negative cricket actually is the best option and this was one of those times.



But nevertheless, these are all fair arguments. I'm pretty indifferent as to whether you play Gambhir or Vijay at three instead but my point was that deciding to let Dravid go needn't involve the disruption of bringing in new players out of the blue to bat in a key position, overly screwing around with the batting order or batting someone in a position where they're not that comfortable. It's actually pretty easily solved.

Tendulkar could step up and bat three.

If you're prepared to move a player like Sehwag down from a spot where he scores a million at a strike rate of a billion, then you can move a bloke up a spot.

Personally I wouldn't do either, but one is no more crazy than the other.

Just saying.

 

[Xuhaib]

After yesterday one can safely say VVS is the best clutch batsman over the past 25 years S Waugh was good but this guy is super human in these situations.The only batsman who made this pitch look easy and thats an achievement considering the batting talents on both sides.Massive respect for the guy.

 

[Dissector]

I missed all of yesterday's play because of my parents' 25th anniversary.

Taped every ball and don't know the scores... have just started watching.

See you all in 8 hours!

Wow that's an impressive piece of self-control. And it was a terrific day of test cricket so it will be worth it though at the end you won't be any closer to knowing who will win the test.

 

[Rant0r]

Any chance South Africa ?