adharcric said:
Now I'm thinking Tendulkar's injury might be a subtle blessing in disguise so we can do some deep introspection and figure out what the hell is wrong with our team. Time for some changes perhaps, not sure what though.
First, we should pray that sachin will get back to form. If he does, it will be oriceless for India. We are not ready with any thing remotely like a replacement for him.
Two, we need to realise that test cricket is different and batting on wickets that are not dead as a Dodo is different. Thats why Sachin, Dravid and Laxman are special. Sehwag has limitations which he has to work to overcome. Just saying that we should leave him to his own methods is being stupid and worse.
Yuvraj has shown some maturity but needs to learn how to stay at the wicket for a day and a half. It requires a different mind set.
Jaffer needs to be persisted with but I think we have a problem with sehwag opening. If Dravid does not want to open, we need to find another solid opener.
In the last three series, in 9 test matches, we have had (other than the 410 in that bowlers graveyard in Pakistan, the following series of opening partnerships.
13
2
12
31
0
39
21*
9
8
11
1
18
39
9
6
Surely this is a major problem. Sehwag ia a big part of this problem. He needs to work on his deficiencies and stupid fans and ignorant TV channel anchors may get carried away by "I am like that only" but this wont cut much ice with world class bowlers particularly on wickets that are not dead.
NEXT, Dhoni's keeping is a problem. There is no point denying it because we cant even contemplate saying a word against our sporting Gods (until the day we decide to dump them unceremoniously). It was pathetic Siva trying to defend Dhoni's extremely poor show standing up to the stumps by saying wicket keeping is not an easy job particularly to world class spinners , Really? Thats news. So what are we siupposed to do. Dump the world class spinners or tell them that return catches are the only mode of dismissal available besides bowled and LBW?
Ridiculous. His batting IS NOT a justification/cover for poor keeping. If we think he is the new batting God, lets play him as a batsman and have a better wicket keeper. This wont do. The missed stumping of Flintoff, killed India's chances and that was not the only one. AND its not just the missed stumpings and catches that tell the sorry tale, it is the missed balls even when they do not come off the bat. They scare me for they show a bad keeper. Its only a matter of time when one of those missed balls would be off the bat.
NEXT, our slip catching is pathetic barring Dravid and the now discarded Laxman. You can play ODI's without great slip fielders (since you can win them without taking a wicket or even after conceding 434 runs) but test matches cant be won without a minimum four guys who are really good in the slip cordon. More so with the emerging new ball bowlers.
I saw the Indian team practicing for slip catches at the Wankhede stadium the other day. It was very lackadasical. Half of them dont even stand properly for slips. Then they were practicing only long catches which are difficult to for a batsman to give sharply during practice. You need to practice from much shorter distances to develop the reflexes.
On the bowling front, while things have improved with the new boys, I am amazed to see that Munaf almost a debutanyt, is the ONLY bowler in the team who sticks to a line. Pathan sprays it all over the place. The others do the to a varying degree.
Hoggard's major difference from the Indian bowlers was that he pitched the ball at more or less the same spot, ball after ball until he decided upon a variation like a bouncer or a yorker. This is what county cricket teaches you I suppose but who is disciplining the Indian bowlers.
I think these are problems enough. We have a big plus in the new bowlers like Munaf and Sreesanth who have shown some promise but we have far too many things to resolve before we start clamouring that the number two spot is rightfully ours.
Finally, lets NEVER forget that this series was played by us (and a poor show it was from us) against an England side devoid of five certs in their starting eleven and a sixth who looked so good in the first game.
We nearly lost at home to an England B team and thats a big big worry.
, the unfortunate thing for him though is that could be his final test.
