srbhkshk
International Captain
I think Bumrah can be a good prospect in Australia, we have the batting to get the runs there, need pacers who can bang it in on good pace.
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How did India become the No. 1 Test Side?
- Thread starter sumantra
- Start date
Motorwada
Banned
And massive selection errors.
GotSpin
Hall of Fame Member
It was certainly nice of South Africa to play just 5 batsmen in the dead rubber though.
Motorwada
Banned
Did the same in all of the tests. They have been doing 5 bowlers throughout the series. In fact here the batting was strengthened as the pure bowler was replaced by an all rounder.
centurymaker
Cricketer Of The Year
And how many batsmen did India play throughout the series? 5 including usually Nohit, so thats usually 4. Plus this game south africa played an all-rounder instead of a spinner, slightly strengthening their batting and Amla returned to form.
They did almost everything they could to win 3-0 to avenge the 0-3 in India. (This was what the whole series was about). Faf had been mentioning about it even prior to the series and how he desires to beat (whitewash) India comprehensively in South Africa like India had done to them in India. Plus 3-0 would have taken them level with India as No.1 in the world which everyone was totally aware of. So cut the ****. This was no dead rubber. SA wanted to win as badly as India.
(Look at the number of times they talked or complained about the pitch/es, an indication of how strongly they wanted to win and not lose. Elgar even put on a show to get the game called off when South Africa were in trouble and looked like would lose).
Slifer
International Captain
They did this all series long. Fact of the matter is, India was far more competitive in RSA than the reverse. Indians should hold their heads high.
Motorwada
Banned
India by winning has ensured the test mace and even if SA whitewash Aus they can't be no 1.
vcs
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Well, it was a nice win to savour, but it was a dead rubber, so IDK why you guys are getting so sensitive when it's pointed out. The series was done and dusted.
Saying that, yes, SA definitely wanted the whitewash and the ranking points, so they did not take it lightly.
Saying that, yes, SA definitely wanted the whitewash and the ranking points, so they did not take it lightly.
cnerd123
likes this
There are definitely routes to victory for India in Australia in any on-off Test match. Get Smith cheaply, Bumrah and Shami putting in effective spells on hard and fast pitches, guys like Kohli and Rahane tonning up.
It's just that it relies on so many things going well, it's highly unlikely they'll be able to string together enough good performances to win a whole series.
It's just that it relies on so many things going well, it's highly unlikely they'll be able to string together enough good performances to win a whole series.
Motorwada
Banned
Not saying it was not a dead rubber. But there is a lot of context behind this
1. India have ensured they get the mace as even 4-0 will keep SA to 2
2. SA were defeated pretty comprehensively in Ind and wanted to reciprocate the "doctored" pitches by doctoring one of their own. To get defeated on such a pitch is a big L. It also cements India as the "true" no 1 perception wise. India won a test and competed in the other two and might have even won with proper selections. SA were destroyed in Ind with Nagpur and Delhi tests over in the 2nd innings itself.
Bahseph
International Debutant
I'd wait until they have toured England and Australia to say they are the 'true' number one. They were good in SA and deservedly won the last match. They have the tools to win abroad, I believe that now more than ever before but when the series was alive they didn't get the job done. That's the bottomline. Not getting all the defensiveness guys. Even us SA fans have acknowledged how competitive this series has been compared to when we toured India.
Victor Ian
International Coach
You know your team is number 1 when you stop having to explain why.
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
India are deserved number 1s now. Sure they probably won't beat Australia or England away, but they'll probably come closer than most other sides. The fact that they can be competitive on fast bowling friendly tracks now that they've unearthed some not-terrible pace bowlers, combined with Kohli filling in the Sachin role of actually being good against pace means that India are more competitive than they have been at any point in the past in overseas tests.
I just hope for the sake of world cricket that something embarrassing happens to Kohli causing him to quit/get forced out of the captaincy. I can't stand his pressers. He also has way too much power in Indian cricket right now.
I just hope for the sake of world cricket that something embarrassing happens to Kohli causing him to quit/get forced out of the captaincy. I can't stand his pressers. He also has way too much power in Indian cricket right now.
subshakerz
Hall of Fame Member
I think you are getting ahead of yourself. This was a good win in this test but the overall performance from the Indian team was below my expectations. I thought they would at least draw the series.
- SA's side has some clear weaknesses but on the whole seemed better quality-wise than India. Arguably the best pace attack in the world, a top 6 that is not reliant on 1 batter in tough conditions and much better fielding standards.
- You can give points for India doing well on this tough pitch, but equally credit SA for outperforming India on a subcontinent wicket in the last test.
- India's pace attack performed well in favorable conditions but they still lack an actual world-class fast bowler of Rabada/Philander/Hazelwood quality who can be a handful in all conditions. Rabada and Philander won SA in Australia but I doubt India's pacers can manage that. If this pitch wasnt so egregiously bad and a mere helpful wicket like the last two tests, I think SA's attack would have outperformed India again.
- India's top six outside of Kohli produced 1 fifty in 3 tests. Thats pretty disappointing, especially on SA's side you had AB, Amla, Elgar and FAF all sporadically contribute.
- Ashwin was given a helpful wicket yet still failed to be able to produce a matchwinning performance in the second test. Having a spinner who can win matches abroad is important if India claim to be no.1.
- Frankly, I dont think this team is more competitive so far than India 2002-2010 when it comes to overseas. India came closer to winning in SA in 2006 and 2010 than Kohli did here. And their batting lineup was never struggled like this side did.
- Being competitive is not enough to claim no.1. Australia and SA are both competitive outside of their country already. No.1 for it to mean something is basically saying that you have the best all-round team in the world, and with the evidence on show, I dont think India can claim to be.
Motorwada
Banned
1. Massive selection errors with no Bhuvi/Rahane
2. How exactly are Aus/SA more competitive away than India? Aus has whitewashes in SL, UAE, draw in Bang, loss in Eng and a competitive loss in India. Their away series win in SA is balanced by their home series loss against SA. SA has a 0-3 in Ind, 1-3 in Eng and their away series win in Aus is balanced by their home series loss against Aus. Taking India's far superior home record too Ind are clearly no 1. In fact in last 4 years Ind has best away W/L ratio as well. No 1 isn't being an ATG team. It's about being better than the others. And India has enough evidence to claim themselves to be the best all round team in the world. In Asian conditions and WI they are god like and they have shown they can compete well in pace friendly conditions in this series.
Spark
Global Moderator
Selection errors is such a strange point to make, as if somehow selection is extraneous to cricket.
Let's wait until the England and Aus tours before making a final judgment on India. It wouldn't be the first time India have competed well in SA and looked very solid before being barely competitive for most of England and Aus. I don't expect them to really win either series, but they can't be putting up http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...4th-investec-test-india-tour-of-england-2014/
Let's wait until the England and Aus tours before making a final judgment on India. It wouldn't be the first time India have competed well in SA and looked very solid before being barely competitive for most of England and Aus. I don't expect them to really win either series, but they can't be putting up http://www.espncricinfo.com/series/...4th-investec-test-india-tour-of-england-2014/
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