***Official New Zealand in India Nov-Dec 2021 Thread***

[Fuller Pilch]

India also number one test team now in the icc rankings and fair enough because they have proven themselves a more capable team across conditions and facing different opposition than nz.

But I'm guessing if India lose in South Africa (or possibly draw) NZ will go back to no 1.

 

[Daemon]

Will the England series ending in a draw bring us down the rankings?

 

[Bahnz]

India should smash SA unless SA have uncovered a new Steyn and ABdV over the winter.

 

[centurymaker]

Will the England series ending in a draw bring us down the rankings?

So much is going to happen before that.

Firstly India SA series. As long as India wins that series, India will remain No.1 even if NZ wins its Tests at home.

Secondly Annual Rankings Update in May, where they remove the weightage of matches from 3+ yrs ago and halve the weightage of matches between 1 and 2 yes ago. Anything can happen in the annual update, top teams could easily move up or down due to losing or gaining a few to several points.


Thirdly, NZ have a proper Test series in England, which can potentially cost them a big number of points if England lose the Ashes comfortably and then win against NZ.

Only after all this, India gets to complete that series vs England. By then the series result may have little impact on overall positioning. Who knows. Too many factors.

 

[Athlai]

Yeah the annual adjustment thing seems to always screw India

 

[Athlai]

And by screw I mean, appropriately deflate their points to a more accurate and lower representation

 

[centurymaker]

India should smash SA unless SA have uncovered a new Steyn and ABdV over the winter.

I don't trust India's middle order.

Its the top order (Rohit and Rahul) and the lower order (Pant Jadeja Ashwin Thakur etc) that has been winning them the games in the last year or so, both home and away.

Pujara has contributed at times but Kohli and Rahane have been ****.

If Middle order remains ****, then India loses its significant edge over South Africa, who have good openers as well but **** middle order followed by the dangerous De Kock. They still have a great bowler in Rabada and very good bowlers in Ngidi, Nortje, & Olivier as well as Maharaj the left hand spinner who could also trouble India's middle order.

So based on current form, its a lot closer than people think. India is expected to win but would have to perform closer to potential than simply walk in and carry passengers like Rahane and Ishant and still win, no thats not going to happen.

 

[Hurricane2]

Phillips should have been selected ahead of Mitchell for the second test
Well done India well deserved series win
Well done New Zealand our four points for the draw will be very handy
Cricket was the winner. I don’t mean that as a joke. Cricket was the winner as we saw a tenfer, 5fers, centuries, fighting innings to get a draw and great sportsmanship from both sides.
I would hereby like to nominate India for the 2021 spirit of cricket award. This award has been won by New Zealand like 8 times in the past but would like to see India get some recognition for a change. They are very modest and very good role models for young cricketers across the world.
( Except Pant who had a dirty hukunui
primary school hoik in the World Cup final which will never be forgiven )

 

[Hurricane2]

Even if Ross had’ve had, which he didn’t, a definitive role in losing the 2nd test, it would still have been the right decision to pick Ross.
Winning this test match was less important than the need to ensure Ross retires on his own terms as long as that retirement comes soon.
Given the academic choice between winning a match and playing Ross, playing Ross and treating him with dignity and respect was more important if decision making trade offs had to be made.

 

[centurymaker]

Thing I find disappointing with the annual update is that only 1 year of games are kept at 100% weightage, while 2 years of games before that are kept at 50%.

Just would like them to retain full 4 yrs (at 100%+75%+50%+25%) and then add in the 5th year as it unfolds.

 

[centurymaker]

But in the ICC rankings they only retain 3 years of games and add in the latest year as it unfolds, which is the 4th year.

However, once we complete the year, there's again another annual update in May and we are again back down to retaining just 3 years of games,

So it means that most of the year when we check the rankings, we are only seeing 3 and a bit years of data i.e. we are getting an incomplete picture.

Only true time to see who is no.1 is in March/April because thats the only time you have 4 full years!! Thats why they always gave the Test Mace in April and not before. Makes total sense.

And the most inaccurate time to check rankings is right after the rankings update.

However, people don't know this so its better to retain 4 years and also because some teams complete their home and away cycle in 5-6 years.

 

[Bahnz]

Even if Ross had’ve had, which he didn’t, a definitive role in losing the 2nd test, it would still have been the right decision to pick Ross.
Winning this test match was less important than the need to ensure Ross retires on his own terms as long as that retirement comes soon.
Given the academic choice between winning a match and playing Ross, playing Ross and treating him with dignity and respect was more important if decision making trade offs had to be made.

Haha, wtf even is this?

 

[_00_deathscar]

With the rankings, doesn’t that **** over teams who have touring schedules?

I’m only using India as an example because I know more about them but could apply to anyone.

There was a period in the last 24 months somewhere where we only basically played away tests for a while (followed by mostly home tests).

 

[Athlai]

Haha, wtf even is this?

He's right

 

[centurymaker]

With the rankings, doesn’t that **** over teams who have touring schedules?

I’m only using India as an example because I know more about them but could apply to anyone.

There was a period in the last 24 months somewhere where we only basically played away tests for a while (followed by mostly home tests).

And that is other big flaw where home and away games are treated equally.

 

[Flem274*]

centurymaker making a late bid for worst poster on the forum tonight

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Winning this test match was less important than the need to ensure Ross retires on his own terms as long as that retirement comes soon.
Given the academic choice between winning a match and playing Ross, playing Ross and treating him with dignity and respect was more important if decision making trade offs had to be made.

Ross Taylor is NZ cricketing royalty, but a test win (let alone a first ever series in India) always comes before thinking of an individual. He could've just been not selected and had an 'injury' like Rahane.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

He's right

No, he's not

 

[Hurricane2]

Haha, wtf even is this?

No comment.

 

[Athlai]

He is though. Imagine the utter gall of the selectors to drop Taylor before he wants to go out triumphantly at home.

Mitchell or whoever coming in. There would have been riots in the streets.

Drop Nicholls before Taylor. The Boss goes out, bat in hand.