***Official*** India in South Africa 2017/18

[Shri]

Best thing for India on day 4 would be a couple of quick wickets. If SA bat slow, both a draw and a chase would be possible for India.

 

[Kirkut]

Best thing for India on day 4 would be a couple of quick wickets. If SA bat slow, both a draw and a chase would be possible for India.

I hope this would be a revenge for 1996 Jo'burg test which we should have won had there been no rain.

 

[Arachnodouche]

God, what a traumatic tour that was. Even that afternoon rearguard by Azhar and Sachin at Cape Town was bittersweet because of the inevitability of it all. Fine memories of the Wanderers though.

 

[vcs]

Absolutely loved that Cape Town partnership between Sachin and Azhar. Watched it live on TV as a young boy, can never forget the way they came out and batted after lunch. Sachin's flicks to midwicket and straight-drives were Godly in that innings.

 

[Black_Warrior]

The only thing I would say both teams lack is a good all-rounder.

Hardik ****ing Pandya man. What the hell are you talking about? Guy was rested against Sri Lanka just for these overseas tours of 2018.

Don't have that many hopes for Hardik, will be viewing everything positive he does as a bonus.

Pandya may or may not be the standout player in this series and he's only just started test cricket but I think he has a very high ceiling. Has all the ingredients of a solid all rounder and with player management and fitness that is a key focus of this management, he we will be looked after unlike Kapil Dev.

This is relentless. Back in 2013/14 in Joburg, India batted out some tough spells from Philander Steyn and Morkel and then cashed in by smashing Tahir around. SA have gone and replaced him with a far superior spinner and added another world class fast bowler on top. Anyone who scores runs against this attack will get a hell of a reputation.

Second best score was 26. SIngle handedly brought India back in the match. So how's he going with that reputation?

 

[Daemon]

It's one brilliant knock and some decent bowling. He was also dropped and had some fair luck with not edging one whilst being opened up.

Quote those posts at the end of the series and I think everyone will gladly eat humble pie.

 

[OverratedSanity]

No I think even one performance warrants us eating a bit of humble pie. I didn't think he'd do anything, especially with the ball.

 

[Daemon]

No I think even one performance warrants us eating a bit of humble pie. I didn't think he'd do anything, especially with the ball.

I'll respect him when he hits 258 in a day and gets a haircut

 

[OverratedSanity]

What if he becomes a gay champion and punches out a homophobe?

 

[Prince EWS]

No I think even one performance warrants us eating a bit of humble pie. I didn't think he'd do anything, especially with the ball.

It depends a bit. The comment that started it all was simply "The only thing I would say both teams lack is a good all-rounder".. and I don't think that's been disproved yet. Obviously people who were sure Hardik would be completely ****ing useless in every game have been, but I don't think that necessarily applies to CricAddict.

I didn't say anything before the series, but I absolutely would've agreed with CricAddict that neither team had a good all-rounder, and I don't think Pandya having half a good game or Philander scoring some runs disproves that in any way yet.

 

[vcs]

Pandya's had a dream start to his Test career. His numbers look pretty spectacular right now (not that it means anything, but still).

 

[Shri]

That ****ing strike rate though.

 

[Kirkut]

Pandya is a typical modern day cricketer. I've watched both his ton against SL and his 93 he plays too many risky shots, I'm not sure whtether he's cut out for long term in test cricket.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Dropped catches and luck is a bad excuse though. Pretty much every big knock has a dropped catch or luck of some kind. People get dismissed off no balls and we still don't hold it against them.

 

[Daemon]

I still called it a brilliant knock.

Dropped catches should quite obviously be factored into the quality of an innings imo. It makes no sense to exclude them. A good example is Roots 190 where people were slightly reluctant to rate it very highly.

 

[Kirkut]

I still called it a brilliant knock.

Dropped catches should quite obviously be factored into the quality of an innings imo. It makes no sense to exclude them. A good example is Roots 190 where people were slightly reluctant to rate it very highly.

There were a few dropped catches in Lara's 153 though.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I don't like where this discussion is going

 

[Black_Warrior]

I still called it a brilliant knock.

Dropped catches should quite obviously be factored into the quality of an innings imo. It makes no sense to exclude them. A good example is Roots 190 where people were slightly reluctant to rate it very highly.

People rarely remember them. Smith got a hundred against Pakistan at Gabba last year and was dropped when he was on 60 something. He was also out caught behind earlier in the innings but no one heard it and Pak didn't review.

Pretty sure Tendulkar was dropped or was out and was not given against South Africa in 2010. It's considered one of his best knocks. No one remembers.
Kane Williamson was dropped on 20 something during his last ODI century. Unless someone watched it, they wouldn't know and there would be no further mention.

It all balances out in the end.

These are just the one at the top of my head.

When we look back at performances, we check the scores and it does not mention these things. It's not that people are deliberately removing them..most people just won't remember. So it's unfair to to players whose dropped catches we remember.

 

[Daemon]

There were a few dropped catches in Lara's 153 though.

Thats racist

 

[OverratedSanity]

Shouldn't there be an early start today to try and get as many overs in as possible. The over-rate was trash before the rains too.