***Official*** India in New Zealand 2020

[honestbharani]

No one is asking for pitches to change. Just a thought that doing away with the toss might take away one of the many advantages a home team gets sometimes. It was not a necessary consideration earlier as we had far longer tours and much more time for teams to adjust. Remember this works both ways. NZ will get to bat first every time in India, if they want to.

 

[Days of Grace]

Be interesting to compare the toss wins and losses with match wins and losses away from home from the last 10 years compared to the first 140 years of test cricket.

You also have to factor in that teams just don’t do solid warm-ups these days. In fact it seems the national cricket boards are trying to outdo each other in giving visiting teams a two day warm-up against under 11 opposition in a paddock.

 

[Meridio]

India have had their A team here for a month, with half the test team playing in it. Against a strong NZA team too. They've had more preparation than most tbh

 

[Neptune]

India are a poor poor team overseas. I remember the 4-1 drubbing we gave them in 2018, our batting lineup at that time was god awful too. Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan etc. Home and flat track bullies imo.

 

[Bahnz]

Be interesting to compare the toss wins and losses with match wins and losses away from home from the last 10 years compared to the first 140 years of test cricket.

You also have to factor in that teams just don’t do solid warm-ups these days. In fact it seems the national cricket boards are trying to outdo each other in giving visiting teams a two day warm-up against under 11 opposition in a paddock.

I kinda think that if the World Test Championship is going to be a thing, the ICC should mandate that every test series be preceded by at least one 4-day first class warm-up game against either a full strength domestic side, or an A team. They could set up a small fund to cover the additional costs of match and accommodation fees for the more cash-strapped boards. I know it won't happen but it would make things a lot fairer, especially for 2-test series.

 

[OverratedSanity]

India have had their A team here for a month, with half the test team playing in it. Against a strong NZA team too. They've had more preparation than most tbh

The lack of warm up games argument has always rung a bit hollow to me. And yet its always used to explain away repeated poor overseas performances. You only need to watch these batsmen play for 5 minutes (which is about how long they actually bat tbf ) to realise how poor their techniques are against any kind of movement. Don't think another warm up match would've helped in any real way. If you're bad, you're going to be bad even with some extra last minute prep.

 

[Prince EWS]

The lack of warm up games argument has always rung a bit hollow to me. And yet its always used to explain away repeated poor overseas performances. You only need to watch these batsmen play for 5 minutes (which is about how long they actually bat tbf ) to realise how poor their techniques are against any kind of movement. Don't think another warm up match would've helped in any real way. If you're bad, you're going to be bad even with some extra last minute prep.

I definitely think it's massively overblown, partly because it always reminds me of my father making his lame "back in myyy dayyy, the touring team played all the state teams, and they were big events!" speech, but to be fair there might be something more to it with this Indian side given they often seem to start each tour by playing ********* in the first Test and then warming to it more as it goes on.

Blaming no warmups for getting pumped 3-0 is always pretty lolsy but if keep losing your first Test and then come back later in the series it could actually make a difference.

 

[honestbharani]

India have had their A team here for a month, with half the test team playing in it. Against a strong NZA team too. They've had more preparation than most tbh

I dont think anyone said it was an excuse. But, to be fair, while the guys who played the A game definitely had decent preparation, the tracks were vastly different. And the practice game was a joke.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I definitely think it's massively overblown, partly because it always reminds me of my father making his lame "back in myyy dayyy, the touring team played all the state teams, and they were big events!" speech, but to be fair there might be something more to it with this Indian side given they often seem to start each tour by playing ********* in the first Test and then warming to it more as it goes on.

Blaming no warmups for getting pumped 3-0 is always pretty lolsy but if keep losing your first Test and then come back later in the series it could actually make a difference.

Even the idea that India get better in series is overblown.

2014 overseas leg: In SA, India began superbly in Joburg and lost the series. In England, their two best matches were the first two at Trentbridge and lord's. Even in the 2018 tours, India probably got worse in England by the time the 5th test came. The SA tour is probably the only one where they legitimately looked like they got better by 3rd test.

But that's fine, let's assume that India do improve as series go on. Even if that happens I put it down to them batting the same bowlers for a few innings. No warm up game is going to be presented to India where they get to face Southee and Jamieson on an identical track to the test they're about to play. Another 3 day game facing 40 overs of Kugeleijgn wouldn't have helped one bit.

 

[Prince EWS]

Rarely have a I loved a post disagreeing with me more.

This was one of those opinions I held but hated because it kind of contradicted everything else I believe.

 

[honestbharani]

Even the idea that India get better in series is overblown.

2014 overseas leg: In SA, India began superbly in Joburg and lost the series. In England, their two best matches were the first two at Trentbridge and lord's. Even in the 2018 tours, India probably got worse in England by the time the 5th test came. The SA tour is probably the only one where they legitimately looked like they got better by 3rd test.

But that's fine, let's assume that India do improve as series go on. Even if that happens I put it down to them batting the same bowlers for a few innings. No warm up game is going to be presented to India where they get to face Southee and Jamieson on an identical track to the test they're about to play. Another 3 day game facing 40 overs of Kugeleijgn wouldn't have helped one bit.

India as a team do not get better through the series but usually their batting does get a bit better. The last series in England, except the 5th test and last day or two of the 4th test, we were super competitive but our batsmen only really got going by the 3rd test. And then our bowlers messed up in the 4th.

And honestly, just about everything on Indian cricket is overblown. I do not think that refutes any of what PEWS posted. Give the botty his due.

 

[Flem274*]

gonna be funny re-reading this thread if india pulverise us tomorrow

 

[Athlai]

Was just reading on stuff this morning that we have 8 Tests after this series for the WTC. 6 of which are at home. That seems sorta ridiculously in our favour doesn't it?

 

[Immenso]

Was just reading on stuff this morning that we have 8 Tests after this series for the WTC. 6 of which are at home. That seems sorta ridiculously in our favour doesn't it?

Up to and including this series, it would be 2 home, 5 away.
So after this series it will be 6 home, 2 away.
So, 8-7.

It's done by series divided by matches anyway. It is a bit flawed though.

 

[Immenso]

i have a huge hard-on for tourists doing a proper prep. And I actually think India have done that. I'm pleased to see teams and boards that care enough.

India 'A' team touring in weeks before playing 2 'A' tests. Plus a full squad 3-day warm-up game (but no FC status). I don't see how you could ever do much more than that in modern days.

The miscellaneous classed warm-up game was on a greentop as well. Which I thought was generous.

Only mistake is the 3-day warm-up should have been FC status to sharpen the instincts.

Usual modern practice of the warm-up non_FC 15 a side status is for the purposes of shoe-horning 15 players into a single match-play opportunity. Especially all of the batsmen.

But seeing as Argawal, Pujara, Vihari and Rahane (and Aswin) had all had India 'A' games they could have afforded to treat the warm-up as a serious 11 a side match.

 

[Athlai]

Up to and including this series, it would be 2 home, 5 away.
So after this series it will be 6 home, 2 away.
So, 8-7.

It's done by series divided by matches anyway.

Well it seems like a fairly likely 240 points for us in our future. NZ in with a big chance a going to Lords

 

[SteveNZ]

Interesting to read the captains talking up the relevance and 'context' of the WTC. I think I felt a bit nauseous reading Kane say there was an effort to bring context to Test cricket 'that wasn't there'. I don't believe he thinks that for a second.

And Kohli said it's made Test cricket more exciting. Bullshit.

Am I the only one who cares not one jot about it? Every series has a context. Being unbeaten in 12 straight Tests gives it a context. Winning overseas has a context. Is this something the generations below me don't give a **** about?

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Would be nice to make the final, but it being at Lords does bring back traumatic memories.

Overall I’d rather win a series in Aus (or even vs Aus!) or reach number one in the rankings.

 

[Immenso]

Interesting to read the captains talking up the relevance and 'context' of the WTC. I think I felt a bit nauseous reading Kane say there was an effort to bring context to Test cricket 'that wasn't there'. I don't believe he thinks that for a second.

And Kohli said it's made Test cricket more exciting. Bullshit.

Am I the only one who cares not one jot about it? Every series has a context. Being unbeaten in 12 straight Tests gives it a context. Winning overseas has a context. Is this something the generations below me don't give a **** about?

It is changing the context though.

I would expect a mother of all roads pitch this week with NZ 1-0 up in a 2-0 series. But with the WTC, will this be the case? NZ need to chase points.

At this stage, I genuinely don't know what NZs intentions will be.

Actually, I don't fully understand the points system yet either ...... Maybe a 1-0 series win is worth heaps? and not worth risking a 1-1?

 

[NZTailender]

Interesting to read the captains talking up the relevance and 'context' of the WTC. I think I felt a bit nauseous reading Kane say there was an effort to bring context to Test cricket 'that wasn't there'. I don't believe he thinks that for a second.

And Kohli said it's made Test cricket more exciting. Bullshit.

Am I the only one who cares not one jot about it? Every series has a context. Being unbeaten in 12 straight Tests gives it a context. Winning overseas has a context. Is this something the generations below me don't give a **** about?

I'd prefer, instead of a final, the 2 year cycle or whatever determines a top 4, who then play semis, with a final, or maybe even a round robin format (with reserve days to make sure we get 5 days).

There should be some way of recognizing the worlds best test team at a fixed point, but this doesn't seem to be the best way of doing that.