***Official*** South Africa in India 2015

[Prince EWS]

Man, you know everything.

How do you keep track of domestic cricket in so many different places?

This isn't something that would be out of the realms of what I'd know off the top of my head usually but I do admit to having looked at his "recent matches" section of cricinfo to see if he'd done any domestic bowling recently before I made that post. I actually do remember looking at the scorecard for that game but didn't notice Rohit's none-fa at the time.

In answer to your question though, I have nothing else in my life.

 

[Shri]

Man, you know everything.

Cribb isn't Jon Snow.

 

[cnerd123]

Exactly this. More than Rohit getting better, I would love to have Jadeja getting better in his batting so that we have the bolded one.

See this strikes me as the job Jadeja was always supposed to do, but then he turned into a bowler.

Young Jadeja was a legit middle order batsman. Batted middle order for India U-19, batted middle order domestically, and even batted at 4 for RR in the IPL. He was then forced into the number 7 slot in the ODI side, where he sucked, which was no surprise to anyone.

Since then he has completely re-vamped his batting. His stance is more open now. He clears the front leg more. He's improved his power-hitting and slogging out of sight, but at the expense of a proper defensive game.

Current-day Jadeja is nowhere near what a Test Number 6 should be like. He is perfect for playing jammy counter-attacking innings/downhill skiing at 8 in Tests and ideal for end-of-innings shenanigans in limited-overs cricket. He possess enough batting nous to be useful even in tough conditions - as we saw this series and in England. But he would be batting far out of his depth at number 6.

Maybe if he re-worked his batting again, he might be good enough. I doubt he ever possessed the ability to bat in India's top 7 tbh. Even if he went back to his old batting style and maximised his ability in that department, he's still probably won't be a 40-average calibre Test batsman. On top of that, he can't afford to let his bowling slip again. Peak Jadeja is, at best, a second spinner away from home. Right now what we have is a capable second spinner and a handy lower order batsman. If he works on his batting, it will take away from his bowling, and what we will have is a not-quite-good enough middle order batsman and a not-quite-good-enough 5th bowler. Basically we will have another Stuart Binny.

Lokesh Rahul is indeed an opener. It's that funky ICC logic coming into play here. He's not going to displace any of the Top 3 unless one of them is injured/in a terrible run of form, so might as well play him at 6. It's what we did with VVS - he was a number 3 domestically but wasn't ever going to displace Dravid from that slot, even after the 281. Worked out just fine.

 

[cnerd123]

He actually did have a proper bowl the last time he played a domestic game. No wickets though.

Problem with Ranji is that so many non-bowlers are having a bowl. Even guys like Manish Pandey and Mandeep Singh are racking up overs. It's all low-intensity filler stuff to let the main bowlers have a breather. Rohit, by his own admission, has a bad shoulder. Maybe he's capable of tossing down a few non-breaks, but not really able to get the work behind the ball that being a 5th bowler for India would require.

TBH Suresh Raina would be the best fit for number 6 if he can work out all the technical kinks in his game. Really needs a few solid seasons in Ranji/County for that to happen though, but he's not going to get that given how vital he is to the ODI/T20/IPL sides.

 

[Prince EWS]

Rohit, by his own admission, has a bad shoulder.

That's a shame. I've genuinely always felt he had something to work with in terms of his bowling, as opposed to Raina who is always at best going to bowl really accurate slow-mediums.

 

[cnerd123]

That's a shame. I've genuinely always felt he had something to work with in terms of his bowling, as opposed to Raina who is always at best going to bowl really accurate slow-mediums.

Yea, Nohit started off as full-time spin bowler. Kinda like KP/Viru. Genuinely has talent in that department. But much like Viru, a bad shoulder means he's given it up.

 

[Pratters]

I remember Viru used to bowl pretty okay.

 

[indiaholic]

I remember Viru used to bowl pretty okay.

Not just okay. Could have been the best in the team.

 

[cnerd123]

Not just okay. Could have been the best in the team.

There was a period of time when Harbhajan was bowling **** during which he was the best in the team.

 

[cnerd123]

That ball to Ponting

 

[OverratedSanity]

The one to Hussey was even better. Sehwag and tendulkar could've been legit brilliant spinners if they'd given it a proper go.

 

[Daemon]

Probably more runs in that match then this entire series

 

[cnerd123]

The one to Hussey was even better. Sehwag and tendulkar could've been legit brilliant spinners if they'd given it a proper go.

Heh. This reminds of this infamous thread on PC:

Sachin Tendulkar: Too much talent for a single person. - Cricket Discussion on PlanetCricket Forums

 

[Jono]

So the official position on DRS for this series is that you are allowed a review but only if you are a complete wanker about it.

Nah not quite because Vijay was a wanker to the umpire but didn't get any review.

Basically you have to be a ****ing boss like Kohli.

 

[indiaholic]

Nah not quite because Vijay was a wanker to the umpire but didn't get any review.

Basically you have to be a ****ing boss like Kohli.

Nope. You need a good cop bad cop routine. Kohli stands at one end staring and throwing slanderous accusations at the women in your life while Rahane calmly explains the advantages of not making mistakes on television.

 

[indiaholic]

Heh. This reminds of this infamous thread on PC:

Sachin Tendulkar: Too much talent for a single person. - Cricket Discussion on PlanetCricket Forums

2/10. Should have mentioned his prowess at table tennis while playing with one hand in a cast.

 

[Jono]

Also everyone here knows I'm a Rohit fan but by God there was not much special about the ball he copped today (I think it was mentioned here during the day's play). It was a full and straight ball. Sure it was a good plan to put the field as a bouncer ball was coming and then bowl full, but it didn't swing in the air and it wasn't unbelievably quick. He just played inside it.

FFS Rohit, literally imposssible to defend you now.

 

[Burner]

Rohit looks defeated though. Like he thinks he doesn't belong there. Does he get more chances if he gets dropped and then guns domestic?

 

[Furball]

FFS Rohit, literally imposssible to defend you now.

Much like when Rohit gets a fast straight one.

 

[Contra]

There was a period of time when Harbhajan was bowling **** during which he was the best in the team.

Harby's bowling only fell off late 2010, in 2008 he was our best bowler. Although Viru was pretty legit too that year. I remember Michael Clarke saying sorry to Sehwag because he was dropped a few times off his bowling

Not to mention bowling Gilly around his legs earlier in the year, that was so awesome.