Group A - India, England, Australia, West Indies

[adharcric]

I think unless the ball is moving around a lot, Dravid needs to bat at 5 cause if both him and Sachin get out early, there's a distinct lack of class in the rest of the batting. He had his best phase in ODIs batting there and is pretty good in the slog overs as well. Raina/Kaif/Mongia can come in at 3.

That's what should be happening and we might have seen Raina, Kaif and Mongia doing a lot better if they had the opportunity to come in at one-down, but ever since Chappell and Dravid got addicted to this Pathan-at-3 "experiment", the chances of that happening have died. For now.

Whatever the team management decide for tomorrow in terms of team composition and the batting lineup, I just hope they all click and we get a good showing from this team for once.

If India manages to play well, this should be a real cracker of a contest - expect Australia to be at their best.

 

[Turbinator]

If we get Gilly and Ponting early on, and if Sehwag provides a blistering start along with a significant contribution from either Tendy OR Dravid....I say we win!

 

[R_D]

That's what should be happening and we might have seen Raina, Kaif and Mongia doing a lot better if they had the opportunity to come in at one-down, but ever since Chappell and Dravid got addicted to this Pathan-at-3 "experiment", the chances of that happening have died. For now.

Whatever the team management decide for tomorrow in terms of team composition and the batting lineup, I just hope they all click and we get a good showing from this team for once.

If India manages to play well, this should be a real cracker of a contest - expect Australia to be at their best.

Yeah that has been the problem... Whatever happened to the batting order being Flexible theory from Chappell?
When he first tried it out, he tried different players at number 3 but after a while we are just seeing Pathan at number 3 all the time for some reason, this obsession with Pathan at number 3 is getting ridiculous now and it possibly has disrupted other players as well.
It wouldn't suprise me much if Pathan bats at number 3 again. .

 

[Dravid]

If we get Gilly and Ponting early on, and if Sehwag provides a blistering start along with a significant contribution from either Tendy OR Dravid....I say we win!

I say if India want to win, then bowl first. Our batting is struggling and hope the bowler can have a good game early on bowling first.

 

[Jono]

Screw bowling first, India never chase down Australian targets.

 

[Sanz]

Yeah, I would rather we bat first and put up some decent total. I have a feeling India are going to win this one.

 

[Dravid]

Yeah, I would rather we bat first and put up some decent total. I have a feeling India are going to win this one.

You aren't the only one, I'm not that worried as I should be. Australia haven't been in the best of forms as we all know.

 

[honestbharani]

yeah, and they can just shave off all the grass from the Mohali wicket at short notice too.

 

[honestbharani]

That's a good team, with Irfan, Powar and Sreesanth interchangeable dependent on conditions and form. That's a very good team in fact.

Kaif and Mongia have been screwed by the selectors because of Raina's apparent "match-winning ability", but he's only 19 for Christ's sake and he hasn't exactly won too many matches. He's been put in the team solely on potential and the fact he's a more aggressive batsman than Kaif, but he's clearly not as good.

Look I'm not going to bad-mouth Raina, he's a good kid who will likely be a good player in the future. I'm not going to start slagging off Indian players who aren't performing, especially when they're 19, I just blame the selectors and Dravid/Chappell. They've been a bunch of dumbasses.

I pretty much solely agree with everything you've said Honest. You don't drop Mongia when he played such a wonderful knock against Australia, you don't send in Pathan at 3when you lose an early wicket (only ever consider it when its a flat track and India are off to a flyer (say 80/1 after 11)) and you don't play Raina when he's not ready.

great minds think alike.


But surely, something that is obvious to so many of us here HAS to be obvious to the likes of Chappell and Dravid. But I guess its not.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I think Australia will bowl first if they win the toss anyway to avoid the dew. Australia are a much better side defending a total than chasing one, but whoever wins I'd expect Australia to be in the field first up.

 

[Jono]

great minds think alike.


But surely, something that is obvious to so many of us here HAS to be obvious to the likes of Chappell and Dravid. But I guess its not.

We're some random guys on a cricket internet forum.

They're two of the greatest ever with batting averages > 50 at the highest level of cricket.

I don't get it

 

[adharcric]

We're some random guys on a cricket internet forum.

They're two of the greatest ever with batting averages > 50 at the highest level of cricket.

I don't get it

I wish we could run the team.

Tell you what, I'm pretty confident I'll get a solid degree and a great job and eventually make big bucks.
One day, I'll buy the BCCI and import CW folks in there so India can finally stop ****ing up in cricket.

 

[adharcric]

Yuvraj doubtful for crucial match against Australia.

This is a huge blow and now the Indian side will seriously be tested against the Aussies.
Agarkar is out. Yuvraj looks to be out. Munaf had a sprain but he seems more likely to play.

Something tells me Raina will get another match. Mongia has to play and Kaif should be considered as well. I would prefer six specialist batsmen (apart from Dhoni) but Powar must play and we also need three seamers so that probably won't happen. Now I'm just confused.

Sehwag, Tendulkar, Kaif/Raina, Dravid, Mongia, Dhoni, Pathan, Powar, Harbhajan, Sreesanth, Munaf ... that's what I expect.

EDIT: Crap now I read some sources saying that Munaf is doubtful as well ... wtf is going on, we're getting screwed all over.

 

[Dravid]

Yuvraj doubtful for crucial match against Australia.

This is a huge blow and now the Indian side will seriously be tested against the Aussies.
Agarkar is out. Yuvraj looks to be out. Munaf had a sprain but he seems more likely to play.

Something tells me Raina will get another match. Mongia has to play and Kaif should be considered as well. I would prefer six specialist batsmen (apart from Dhoni) but Powar must play and we also need three seamers so that probably won't happen. Now I'm just confused.

Sehwag, Tendulkar, Kaif/Raina, Dravid, Mongia, Dhoni, Pathan, Powar, Harbhajan, Sreesanth, Munaf ... that's what I expect.

EDIT: Crap now I read some sources saying that Munaf is doubtful as well ... wtf is going on, we're getting screwed all over.

Have faith man...have faith.

 

[Dravid]

West Indies won the toss and elected to bat. Would be interesting to see how they go but I don't think it matters to them and I think they did just to insure they would play the 50 overs and get some batting practice for the semi final.

 

[adharcric]

Don't worry man, I'm usually the most optimistic Indian fan around here. I'm sure Sanz and SS would agree.

 

[aussie]

well bowled Lewis

 

[open365]

No on wonder we suck at ODIs when we don't give a bowler who averages 21 with an economy rate of 3.86 a regular place in the side.

 

[superkingdave]

hope WI win easily here, wouldn't want anything papering over the cracks. I know if we win Fletcher et all will come out saying everythings ok

 

[Dravid]

35-1 Indies...Really good ball by Lewis, trapped right in front of middle stump