*Official* - Road to India in England 2011

[GIMH]

Sir Alex, I'm sure you're reading, you made some good calls in this thread huh?

 

[Cevno]

lolwut? Our best bowler not playing the WC not making much difference? He is the guy with a plan whenever we bowl.

He is averaging 37 and 43 with a economy rate of 5.4 in the last 2 years in ODI's.

It will make a difference but not a huge one. He has improved as a Test bowler but almost has detoriated as a ODI bowler over the past 2 years.

In low scoring games in India everybody will do well particularly the spinners,but on the flat pitches everybody is likely to be smashed to all parts.

 

[Teja.]

Zaheer continues his alarming run of underappreciation.

India's best quick bowler by miles and miles. Would walk into any team in the world, Test or ODI.

Indeed.10 wickets @ 24.6 in the 2 games he played bowling at 75 m/s and about quarter-fit.

If Zaheer is fully fit in England and bowls all four games, he'll take 80 wickets at 4.09 IMO.

 

[silentstriker]

Itinerary:

npower Test series:

1st Test - July 21-25 at Lord's
2nd Test - July 29-Aug 2 at Trent Bridge
3rd Test - Aug 10-14 at Edgbaston
4th Test - Aug 18-22 at Brit Insurance Oval

Natwest ODI (And T20) series:
International T20 - Aug 31 at Old Trafford
Aug 31 International T20 Old Trafford

1st ODI - Sep 3 at Emirates Durham ICG
2nd ODI - Sep 6 at The Rose Bowl
3rd ODI - Sep 9 at Brit Insurance Oval
4th ODI - Sep 11 at Lord's
5th ODI - Sep 16 at SWALEC Stadium, Cardiff.

Hmm, are there any tour games? Or are we planning to give the opposition 1-0 lead as usual?

 

[Cevno]

Zaheer continues his alarming run of underappreciation.

India's best quick bowler by miles and miles. Would walk into any team in the world, Test or ODI.

Indeed.10 wickets @ 24.6 in the 2 games he played bowling at 75 m/s and about quarter-fit.

If Zaheer is fully fit in England and bowls all four games, he'll take 80 wickets at 4.09 IMO.

I am appreciating his test record and have more than anyone here,tbh.

But he is not a equally good ODI bowler.

 

[Prince EWS]

Indeed.10 wickets @ 24.6 in the 2 games he played bowling at 75 m/s and about quarter-fit.

If Zaheer is fully fit in England and bowls all four games, he'll take 80 wickets at 4.09 IMO.

The chance of Zaheer being fully fit for all four games is about equal to the chance of Ian Bell trying out left arm bowling in the nets, discovering he can bowl 185km/hr and returning similar figures, though.

 

[silentstriker]

I predict 2-1 either way, depending on what the lineups look like post-WC (e.g, retirements, if any) and if Zaheer has a body left.

IMO someone should break his arm so he can't play the WC and would be ready by the English tour.

All in all, I must say that I'm actually much more excited about the tour of Australia as even though England are clearly the superior team - India have never won in Australia and have done it multiple times in England.

Due to the borefests that are usually Ind-Pak, India-Australia have kind of become the Ashes (from the Indian pov of course).

 

[silentstriker]

The chance of Zaheer being fully fit for all four games is about equal to the chance of Ian Bell trying out left arm bowling in the nets, discovering he can bowl 185km/hr and returning similar figures, though.

Bit unfair. We don't actually know if Ian Bell has ever tried bowling in the nets at full speed, so there's certainly a chance that he's capable of 185kph.

 

[Furball]

I predict 2-1 either way, depending on what the lineups look like post-WC (e.g, retirements, if any) and if Zaheer has a body left.

IMO someone should break his arm so he can't play the WC and would be ready by the English tour.

All in all, I must say that I'm actually much more excited about the tour of Australia as even though England are clearly the superior team - India have never won in Australia and have done it multiple times in England.

Due to the borefests that are usually Ind-Pak, India-Australia have kind of become the Ashes (from the Indian pov of course).

I would try and convince you that it means less because of how dire Australia are, but that would be an enormous lie.

 

[Cevno]

They will certainly have improved a year from now ,specially knowing our luck in Australia.

 

[silentstriker]

They will certainly have improved a year from now ,specially knowing our luck in Australia.

India have actually had decent luck in Australia (e.g, in 2003 with injuries, etc). They got **** on last tour at Sydney though, as well as Lee bowling to them really well. Would have easily won against this lot.

I would try and convince you that it means less because of how dire Australia are, but that would be an enormous lie.

Yea, clearly England are better but only England and WI have won multiple series in Australia - it's a magnificent achievement. India are seen as impossible to beat at home, but Australia have had an even better record.

It would clearly be more of a historical emotional achievement rather than purely #1 vs. #2 or anything like that. Hoping Australia don't improve until then.

 

[Cevno]

India have actually had decent luck in Australia (e.g, in 2003 with injuries, etc). They got **** on last tour at Sydney though, as well as Lee bowling to them really well. Would have easily won against this lot.

True, India had big luck with Injuries but Bucknor screwed India in the Sydney test in that series too .
Wasn't willing to give anyone LBW to Kumble.

Remember Ganguly giving him 0 in the captains report and lodging a complaint about teasing dravid too,IIRC.

 

[vcs]

India have actually had decent luck in Australia (e.g, in 2003 with injuries, etc). They got **** on last tour at Sydney though, as well as Lee bowling to them really well. Would have easily won against this lot.



Yea, clearly England are better but only England and WI have won multiple series in Australia - it's a magnificent achievement. India are seen as impossible to beat at home, but Australia have had an even better record.

It would clearly be more of a historical emotional achievement rather than purely #1 vs. #2 or anything like that. Hoping Australia don't improve until then.

Someone made the point that India were in a similar position today as they were in Sydney.. even with all the ****e decisions, say we had someone like Gambhir instead of Waterboy (and the mental strength we've shown lately), we might have drawn that game. I've never really believed in using those umpiring decisions as an excuse for India not lasting <3 sessions with their batting strength.

 

[Cevno]

Our Mental Strength has improved big time since Gary Kirsten and Paddy Upton (mental conditioner) took over and since Dhoni became captain.

 

[Teja.]

The chance of Zaheer being fully fit for all four games is about equal to the chance of Ian Bell trying out left arm bowling in the nets, discovering he can bowl 185km/hr and returning similar figures, though.

I'd take Zaheer being half-fit and taking 40 wickets @ 8.18 tbh as well as Ian Bell trying out left arm bowling in the nets and discovering he can bowl 92.5km/hr. He might play a role as a fifth bowler for England then who will be humiliated and made to cry at the home of cricket by the most destructive opening pair in the history of the game

/lack of sleep talking.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'd take Zaheer being half-fit and taking 40 wickets @ 8.18 tbh as well as Ian Bell trying out left arm bowling in the nets and discovering he can bowl 92.5km/hr. He might play a role as a fifth bowler for England then who will be humiliated and made to cry at the home of cricket by the most destructive opening pair in the history of the game

/lack of sleep talking.

Marginal revenue tbh.

 

[GIMH]

True, India had big luck with Injuries but Bucknor screwed India in th
e Sydney test in that series too .
Wasn't willing to give anyone LBW to Kumble.

Remember Ganguly giving him 0 in the captains report and lodging a complaint about teasing dravid too,IIRC.

Thank god UDRS prevents these things now

 

[Teja.]

Marginal revenue tbh.

Just finished Micro tbf. Have National income Accounting now. Brutal at 1 am and not having slept for 50 hours.

 

[Furball]

This series needs a subforum tbh.

 

[Prince EWS]

This series needs a subforum tbh.

I need a subforum.