***Official*** India in South Africa 2021-22

[Apex Predator]

While Someone like Vihari is perfectly capable to do what Pujara does.. I don't think we should waste his potential. Pujara is totally clueless at home vs spin which used to be his strong point. People compare him with Dravid but Dravid was a quite a solid stroke maker & has 10k runs in ODI cricket. Pujara is not in his league in terms of sheer talent. Amount of strokes Dravid has in his playbook is totally off the charts compared to Pujara. Both are different batsman but with same roles

 

[OverratedSanity]

Pujara and Dravid are compared only because they bat 3 and are defensive minded. In every other way that matters they are honestly nothing alike.

 

[Spark]

Idk, I agree that he was important to the win last summer and soaking up deliveries is useful, but he's not a nightwatchman. He's batting at #3. His job is to score runs, "soaking up balls" is an extremely distant second; if he's not scoring runs then it doesn't really matter how long it takes for him to not score runs.

 

[Apex Predator]

While he probably was assigned a specific job in Australia & he did that decently last time around. He stood for quite a while at Gabba & got out at a very good point for India too. At SCG he failed to do that & ultimately Ash & Vihari brought us home. In MCG he was mediocre.
Point is ultimately runs matter in India where he is failing since 2019.. We have been in quite a lot of tricky situations at home off late & Guys like Pant Sundar & Rohit bailed us out vs England & Iyer Mayank vs NZ. In West Indies he is terrible while Vihari was great.

 

[WpGuy]

Why are you a homophobe

Nope I just play for a different team?

 

[Gnske]

Nope I just play for a different team?

Why though if you are not homophobic.

 

[Shri]

pujara's not good enough at scoring runs when his preferred spots are cut off. he only really flicks to mid wicket vs spin on the leg side these days and if you put a fielder there to cut him off, he has no shots to score runs in the leg side

in his prime, he used to come down the track and play along the ground to covers to such balls but these days he just wants to survive

 

[OverratedSanity]

If you're averaging even mid-high 30s while staying in for a while I can see the value. You cant be averaging low 20s and excuse it by saying hey he stays in for a while. Anyway, Pujara cant even stay in with consistency these days, he got out first ball lmao.

 

[Spark]

If you're averaging even mid-high 30s while staying in for a while I can see the value. You cant be averaging low 20s and excuse it by saying hey he stays in for a while. Anyway, Pujara cant even stay in with consistency these days, he got out first ball lmao.

think i read yesterday the top-six average in the last few years is mid-30s

 

[honestbharani]

Right now he's been playing such an intense level of cricket for so long and has been reduced to a grinder trying to survive. Needs to play some low pressure stuff with poorer bowling so he can rediscover his scoring shots, get some confidence back.

This will hold good for Virat too IMO. And even more for Virat than Puji.

 

[Apex Predator]

Play called off.. This will probably be a draw unless India forces the issue a bit

 

[OverratedSanity]

Lame

 

[cnerd123]

This will hold good for Virat too IMO. And even more for Virat than Puji.

Indeed. That's the issue with 3 format players and such a hectic international + IPL schedule. Our best players don't get time to take a break, recharge, go down to Ranji and dominate.

 

[ma1978]

Looks like India’s shot here is go hell for leather in that first session and try to put up 180-200 runs in the first 45 overs.

easier said that done I know.

 

[Apex Predator]

Try to get to 400 as fast as you can & then declare & don't mind getting 350 AO should be the plan. SA has to bat for at least 2 full sessions tomorrow.

 

[Shri]

going at 3 an over has looked uncomplicated so far. maybe upping it to 4 an over wouldn't be an issue with pant and ash yet to bat after this pair.

 

[anil1405]

going at 3 an over has looked uncomplicated so far. maybe upping it to 4 an over wouldn't be an issue with pant and ash yet to bat after this pair.

And if these two fail we've got divine intervention.

 

[Aritro]

Hopefully devilish things have happened to the pitch as a result of all this rain and we get something slightly more entertaining tomorrow

 

[Arachnodouche]

Indeed. That's the issue with 3 format players and such a hectic international + IPL schedule. Our best players don't get time to take a break, recharge, go down to Ranji and dominate.

Can't think of many instances where guys take time out in their mid-30s to hone their skills in Ranji and then make a successful comeback. You have to imagine the fire burns somewhat less brightly after ten+ years on the circuit; takes an insanely driven character to put in that kind of work in front of empty stands, especially in the present climate.

 

[centurymaker]

There's just about 8 sessions left in the match!! We are losing whole of day 2 and at least the last session and a bit on day 5, if not more.

When India resumes batting on Day 3, they have two sessions to try and get close to 480-500. This will leave them with 5-6 sessions for bowling south africa out twice and would need to enforce the follow on!! Without the follow on, it'll be a draw as it will leave small amount of time for 4th innings.

We might lost half of Day 5. So we have around 240 overs left.

Day 3: 98
Day 4: 98
Day 5: 40-50


On Day 3, bat 60 overs and get as close to 500 as possible. Bowl South Africa out in 90 overs, enforce follow on, bowl them out again 80-90 overs.

If India bats again, pretty much game over.