*Official* Quarter Final 2 - India v Australia

[Prad100w]

I think Tendy is the key here. Remember the WC 2003 match against Pakistan? The Pakistan attack of 2003 was much better than this Aus attack yet India won. So it is not like the Indian team cannot handle express pace or good quality pace. Although because of lack of practice against express pace India probably would find it tougher than let's say Pakistan

Pakistan bowled utter crap in that match, in fact most of that tournament. Won't expect the same from Aussies apart from maybe Tait. And their fielding is far superior to Pakistan. But that doesn't mean Indians would not play like that. Yes, the chances are less. And because of the awesome record Australia have in India and in knock outs every team would be worried let alone Indians.

 

[smash84]

I would be worried about this if I was Indian

"But the Australians know that, as formidable as India's batting line-up is, there is always the possibility of a collapse. Against South Africa, India lost their last nine wickets for 29 runs; against England they lost their their last seven for 33; and against West Indies their last seven were skittled for 50."

Is there somebody in the Indian team who can block the wickets from one end somebody like Dravid?

 

[social]

I would be worried about this if I was Indian

"But the Australians know that, as formidable as India's batting line-up is, there is always the possibility of a collapse. Against South Africa, India lost their last nine wickets for 29 runs; against England they lost their their last seven for 33; and against West Indies their last seven were skittled for 50."

Is there somebody in the Indian team who can block the wickets from one end somebody like Dravid?

Wont make any difference unless they know how many runs they need to score

 

[smash84]

Wont make any difference unless they know how many runs they need to score

lol.......true......that was an awesome piece of logic back there....

 

[vcs]

Pakistan bowled utter crap in that match, in fact most of that tournament. Won't except the same from Aussies apart from maybe Tait. And their fielding is far superior to Pakistan. But that doesn't mean Indians would not play like that. Yes, the chances are less. And because of the awesome record Australia have in India and in knock outs every team would be worried let alone Indians.

I don't think Pakistan bowled crap in that match. But yeah, Australia's fielding is several notches higher than Pakistan's that day.. they dropped Sachin in the 30s. I would also say this batting lineup is a bit superior to what we had then, despite all the recent collapses. Especially when you take the conditions into account.

 

[smash84]

I don't think Pakistan bowled crap in that match. But yeah, Australia's fielding is several notches higher than Pakistan's that day.. they dropped Sachin in the 30s. I would also say this batting lineup is a bit superior to what we had then, despite all the recent collapses. Especially when you take the conditions into account.

ditto.........Pakistan didn't bowl that badly tbh it was that they dropped Sachin off Wasim and that really hurt them..........

 

[Sylvester]

You don't really need to target the Aussie bowlers, they will usually bowl you balls to hit. Even Lee has proven to be hittable in this WC, Johnson and Tait naturally do that. If they are on song which hasn't happened in this WC then they ain't much you can do.

 

[Ikki]

Press interviews aren't about sober analysis, players and coaches also try to get into the heads of the oppo. If India are stupid enough to take what he says on-board, it's worked hasn't it? We're talking professional athletes here, not analysts. He mentions specific players in the line-up as key and suggests that if they fail, India will too. That might put more pressure on them to do well in their own minds. Or it might not but it's 100% more likely to do so than if you don't say it.

I think what I am advocating is a similar mind-game tactic with an important difference: he is relying on them to screw-up; whereas I think we should be confident in our own abilities. As much as the interview may get into the minds of the Indians, it will also send a message to our own players and IMO that is a weak one - essentially, we're trying to put the onus on them, the pressure on them, because we need it to win.

Maybe it's a small difference, but I'd much rather the attitude is "I don't care what India do...as long as we do what we know we can do, we'll win".

 

[smash84]

agreed with Ikki there

 

[Prad100w]

I don't think Pakistan bowled crap in that match. But yeah, Australia's fielding is several notches higher than Pakistan's that day.. they dropped Sachin in the 30s. I would also say this batting lineup is a bit superior to what we had then, despite all the recent collapses. Especially when you take the conditions into account.

I did not say that this batting line up would fail miserably. They might score big as well. But looking at the Aussie bowling attack i would be worried. Because if we crack in the batting department, i think we are in trouble with the average bowling line up. So that puts more pressure on batting. And if we are susceptible to anything it is this kinda bowling. Aussies have bowled well in India in the past and won different odi series unlike many other teams. And their record in knocks outs just scares you.

 

[Spark]

I think what I am advocating is a similar mind-game tactic with an important difference: he is relying on them to screw-up; whereas I think we should be confident in our own abilities. As much as the interview may get into the minds of the Indians, it will also send a message to our own players and IMO that is a weak one - essentially, we're trying to put the onus on them, the pressure on them, because we need it to win.

Maybe it's a small difference, but I'd much rather the attitude is "I don't care what India do...as long as we do what we know we can do, we'll win".

Yeah I'd prefer this.

 

[pup11]

He did that during the Tests. Worked out surprisingly well.

It was Hilfenhaus who troubled Sehwag with the short delivery in that series, anyways I just hope Mitch put his mind into getting his radar right rather than trying to go around making such noises.

Moving onto the big game was watching Punter's interview last night, he looked pretty positive and pumped and felt that the all round criticism of him and his team would motivate them to do better.

When asked about the likely team for the QF he gave a slight hint by saying that both Ferguson and Dussey are looking really good in the nets. So it won't be really surprising if either one of them if not both play tomorrow.

 

[Spark]

I meant in general, tbh. The short ball tactic did actually work really well, got him at least three times in the four innings, forgotten how he got out in the last.

 

[Jono]

India v Australia, World Cup 2011: Evergreen Tendulkar inspires Ponting | Cricket News | ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[vcs]

I'm sure I saw that article sometime last year when Australia toured India.

EDIT : Well, not that exact one, but something on similar lines.

 

[Spark]

It looks as if it was taking quotes from the presser today but it does look very similar to an article that went around last year.

Looks increasingly like the team might change for tomorrow.

 

[pup11]

I disagree

I think Watson is key

Then Hussey

No way Watson is that important, he usually just gets out after making a 50 so he is hardly the most dependable figure in the side.

For me the key is how our middle order plays during the middle overs and then how they finish off the innings, and of course one guy alone won't be able to ensure all that.

So what we really need is everyone from Ponting to Hussey to Clarke realising their role and playing accordingly rather than expecting one or two blokes to do most of the work.

 

[smash84]

My-KHussey is the key

 

[Spark]

India v Australia, World Cup 2011, Ahmedabad: India fret over Sehwag fitness | Cricket News | ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | ESPN Cricinfo

He's not really fired against us in the same way as he does as everyone else, but this would be a big blow for India nonetheless.

 

[vcs]

Dammit, losing Sehwag would be huge.