*Official* India in South Africa

[Jono]

Aren't England 4th ?

No. They are third.

Anyway, **** the rankings, great comeback victory from India.

VVS take a bow.
Harbhajan was excellent all test.
And Sree**** showed up today and bowled very very well.

 

[kingpin]

on the lighter side

 

[vcs]

on the lighter side

 

[Blaze 18]

on the lighter side

 

[Rant0r]

Aren't India first ?

And ? What's that got to do with South Africa and England ?

 

[Jono]

Hahahahahhahaha

Amla is so awesome.

 

[Rant0r]

Do we need to bring up this No. 1 discussion after every ****ing game? Clearly the teams in world cricket right now are fairly evenly matched ATM, with India having the most consistent record in the last couple of years or so (I don't care if the touring schedule has been a bit kind to us in that period, it should even out eventually).

It's clearly a point people want to discuss, kind of like how Tendulkar is the best since Bradman (Cough)

 

[weldone]

No. They are third.

Anyway, **** the rankings, great comeback victory from India.

VVS take a bow.
Harbhajan was excellent all test.
And Sree**** showed up today and bowled very very well.

Zaheer says hmmm...

 

[Blaze 18]

I like India's chances. Virender Sehwag hasn't fired, and it is not often he goes an entire series without a big score. Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar will be playing their last test in South Africa - all the more incentive for them to sign off with a bang.

 

[Jono]

Zaheer says hmmm...

Goes without saying doesn't it?

I mean, no one would be stupid enough to say he'd make very little difference to this Indian team. Sureeeeeeeely no one would say that

 

[vcs]

It's clearly a point people want to discuss, kind of like how Tendulkar is the best since Bradman (Cough)

Been done to death. Go ahead though... personally, it's not something I find particularly productive/interesting.

Anyway, good win for India but plenty of room for improvement, especially in the batting department. Great stuff from the bowlers, kept their nerve and defended a tricky target. India certainly had the better of the umpiring decisions in this game as well.

 

[silentstriker]

Everytime someone questions the #1 ranking, my happiness goes up. It's so nice for people to be jealous of India for a change.

 

[Blaze 18]

And ? What's that got to do with South Africa and England ?

Well, if we are going to be using the rankings as proof (the same ranking system you ridiculed about ten minutes back) of where England currently stand (they are third, not fourth), then the same should apply for India as well, no ?

Anyways, England's performances have been quite impressive. They drew with South Africa in South Africa and are on the verge of beating Australia in Australia; comprehensively beat a full-strength Pakistan at home, whereas South Africa huffed and puffed to draw a series recently.

 

[Uppercut]

It's a massive short-coming in their lineup. Despite this settled team, how many more home tests do they want to lose?

In the last 4-5 years this team, with such a solid foundation, and now almost 9-10 certain starters, still are incredibly inconsistent.

It's not a massive short-coming in their lineup, it's more of a concern that they're not winning as often as they should based on their on-paper strength.

FWIW I think the bowling did a good enough restriction job to win this test given conditions, so the batsmen have to pick up the slack. But I'm reluctant to criticise them because so much just... went wrong. Their ATG batsmen who just scored an unbeaten double century got run out at the non-striker's end in one innings and got a homing missile set for his gloves in another. Amla keeps getting out to his first mistake and the two successive shockers at a key moment (as well as the one that saved Zaheer) can't have helped either.

Even against England last year, they collapsed once in four tests and failed to take the final wicket in two rain-affected matches which they'd dominated. This in no way detracts from their opponents, but the point is, **** happens. India are a quality side (as were England) and no matter how well you play you can't guarantee beating them every time- something fans can sometimes be reluctant to accept. The real test is how they respond in Cape Town.

 

[silentstriker]

Every Test is a real Test until the next one.

 

[Jono]

It's not a massive short-coming in their lineup, it's more of a concern that they're not winning as often as they should based on their on-paper strength.

FWIW I think the bowling did a good enough restriction job to win this test given conditions, so the batsmen have to pick up the slack. But I'm reluctant to criticise them because so much just... went wrong. Their ATG batsmen who just scored an unbeaten double century got run out at the non-striker's end in one innings and got a homing missile set for his gloves in another. Amla keeps getting out to his first mistake and the two successive shockers at a key moment (as well as the one that saved Zaheer) can't have helped either.

Even against England last year, they collapsed once in four tests and failed to take the final wicket in two rain-affected matches which they'd dominated. This in no way detracts from their opponents, but the point is, **** happens. India are a quality side (as were England) and no matter how well you play you can't guarantee beating them every time- something fans can sometimes be reluctant to accept. The real test is how they respond in Cape Town.

Meh, they should start with winning some series. A well settled lineup should be winning series.

If you think there isn't a problem that a team with the best opening bowling partnership, a very good opening batsman, and arguably the best middle order in world cricket is barely managing to win a series, home and away, than you're kidding yourself.

There is something wrong. And it's been happening for ages.

For every bad shot Amla played, I'll point to Sachin in the first innings and Sehwag in the 2nd. For every rough ball Kallis faced I'll point to Dravid in the first test, and Vijay in the 2nd dig.

This SA team has far too many excuses all the time. They could very well win the third test, but Jeez they lose a lot of test matches. More than India do.

 

[vcs]

It's not a massive short-coming in their lineup, it's more of a concern that they're not winning as often as they should based on their on-paper strength.

FWIW I think the bowling did a good enough restriction job to win this test given conditions, so the batsmen have to pick up the slack. But I'm reluctant to criticise them because so much just... went wrong. Their ATG batsmen who just scored an unbeaten double century got run out at the non-striker's end in one innings and got a homing missile set for his gloves in another. Amla keeps getting out to his first mistake and the two successive shockers at a key moment (as well as the one that saved Zaheer) can't have helped either.

Even against England last year, they collapsed once in four tests and failed to take the final wicket in two rain-affected matches which they'd dominated. This in no way detracts from their opponents, but the point is, **** happens. India are a quality side (as were England) and no matter how well you play you can't guarantee beating them every time- something fans can sometimes be reluctant to accept. The real test is how they respond in Cape Town.

Why have India had a historically stronger home record despite their spinners (Kumble, Harbhajan) not being as strong at their discipline as the SA quicks (Pollock, Steyn) etc.? It's an interesting question to ponder. India aren't even producing that many dustbowls these days and visiting teams are a lot better than they used to be at handling spin and the other unique challenges that India provide. I think India's opening partnership being amazing in India while SA's in SA isn't... is a big part of that.

Interestingly enough though, SA do very well compared to others when they tour India.

 

[Shri]

Hope Dhoni's test captaincy record survives for as long as possible. Still hasn't lost a test series as captain and looks like he is getting into some sort of form as a batsman.

 

[Jono]

Why have India had a historically stronger home record despite their spinners (Kumble, Harbhajan) not being as strong at their discipline as the SA quicks (Pollock, Steyn) etc.? It's an interesting question to ponder. India aren't even producing that many dustbowls these days and visiting teams are a lot better than they used to be at handling spin and the other unique challenges that India provide. I think India's opening partnership being amazing in India while SA's in SA isn't... is a big part of that.

Interestingly enough though, SA do very well compared to others when they tour India.

SA batsmen have done very well in India because their pace bowlers can get a lot out of the wickets there when some others can't.

They lose at home quite a bit mainly because of their batsmen, who flatter to deceive a lot.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Congratulations India but job is only half done.. They have gone and won a test match in South Africa many times..smashed in 2006 in the first test only to lose the momentum and the series..They must not allow to happen that again.
Third test match is key and expect South Africa to come all guns blazing..
The batting is still disappointing..it has to fire..Sehwag is the key at the top..he has been the most disappointing for me so far.. He really needs to and get a big hundred like he does.


Regarding the rankings..I think its great that after a long time..we have so much competition at the top. Before it was Australia, a 1000 miles and then the second ranked team.

I think India, South Africa and England are very closely placed at the moment. India cant beat SA at home..SA cant beat England at home. India beat England both home and away
England cant beat SA at home but drew in SA

The India-England series next year is going to be an absolute cracker of a test series...

India, England and South Africa should play each other in 5 test match series from now on.. Nothing can be greater for cricket than two almost equal teams battling it out in a 5 match series.