***Official*** India in Pakistan

[adharcric]

Actually, to an extent that does explain it. I noticed that almost everyone who commented on Tendulkar's decision to walk is Indian. Not that they have the extreme attitudes that are described by Sanz, I think that a very small part of what he said is true.

Michael Holding and Dean Jones commented on the decision as commentators too, because there was a little uncertainty in the replay. I don't understand how questioning a player's decision to walk when replays show that there may have been uncertainty is "not taking it sportingly" or "extreme Tendulkar bias". Holding and Jones, btw, are not quite Indian.

 

[nehrafan]

Sehwag on drip after food poisoning

FAISALABAD: Indian cricket team’s vice-captain Virender Sehwag was on Monday put on drip in his hotel after he was diagnosed of food poisoning, team’s media manager said here. Sehwag, who scored 31 in first innings on Sunday, did not come to the Iqbal Stadium for third day’s play of the ongoing second Test against Pakistan. "He had food poisoning at 2am Monday and was put on drip in the morning," media manger G S Walia said. "He has stayed back in the hotel room today so that he could rest and recover, and bat if needed later," he said.




I wonder if that food poisoning was a planned moved by Sehwag's foes??

 

[vandemataram]

I read it in a Pakistani newspaper that chances of Inzi getting well even for the OD series are slim .This practically means that India will go into the match having a great advantage over Pakistan.Even though Pak have some decent batters but without Inzi their batting is suspect , and they seems to look insecure when Inzi is not in the team.I really think that India will now have a great chance of beating Pak 1-0 in test series, and 4-1 or maybe even 5-0 in OD series.

 

[vandemataram]

Sehwag on drip after food poisoning

FAISALABAD: Indian cricket team’s vice-captain Virender Sehwag was on Monday put on drip in his hotel after he was diagnosed of food poisoning, team’s media manager said here. Sehwag, who scored 31 in first innings on Sunday, did not come to the Iqbal Stadium for third day’s play of the ongoing second Test against Pakistan. "He had food poisoning at 2am Monday and was put on drip in the morning," media manger G S Walia said. "He has stayed back in the hotel room today so that he could rest and recover, and bat if needed later," he said.

From where did you get that one from??? i haven't come accross any news of Sehwag's illnes, or the possibility of him missing the match coz of illness.

 

[James]

That's a real shame for the series if Inzamam is ruled out, but even if he is out 5-0, 4-1 . I couldn't see that happening personally.

 

[vandemataram]

Pakistan are 2 batsmen short in the second innings, this obviously will weaken the Pak batting lineup to a great extent.India should fancy their chances of a victory in the second test match, if they can bowl out Pakistan today, or till lunch tomorrow, then they should be able to get the target and win the match!!

Interesting scenario.

First India will have to take an innings lead or atleast equal the Pak total, then they will have to bowl out the nine Pak batters by lunch time tomorrow.A win is still possible provided India get out yousuf and Younis cheaply in 2nd inn.

 

[vandemataram]

That's a real shame for the series if Inzamam is ruled out, but even if he is out 5-0, 4-1 . I couldn't see that happening personally.

It is dependent on the result of the test series. If Inzi misses the Karachi test, and India crab's the advantage with both hands and beat Pakistan, then a demoralized Pak team (already missing their captain) won't be able to play upto their optimal level.

 

[James]

It is dependent on the result of the test series. If Inzi misses the Karachi test, and India crab's the advantage with both hands and beat Pakistan, then a demoralized Pak team (already missing their captain) won't be able to play upto their optimal level.

You could be right, but as an out-sider who doesn't care who wins, Pakistan seem to have turned the corner with Bob Wolmer IMO.

Hopefully the cricket in the series improves, because this goes down for me as the second biggest series of 2006 but it hasn't lived up to it yet I don't think with these awful pitches that are being served up. Hopefully the Karachi pitch gives the bowlers a chance.

 

[ajaagarkarajaaja]

Kapil compare Dhoni with Afridi

Dhoni is my hero: Kapil

Harish Kotian | January 23, 2006 20:12 IST


Mahendra Singh Dhoni has taken to international cricket like a duckling to water. His aggressive batting and golden locks have already made him a huge star in India. Even the legendary Kapil Dev is overawed by the youngster's batting.

"Dhoni is my hero," the former India captain declared in Mumbai, at the launch of the Golf Masters 2006, one of the biggest corporate golf tournaments in the city.

Playing only his fifth Test, the 24-year-old scored a blazing century, his maiden in Test cricket, against Shoaib Akhtar & Co. and, in the process, helped India avoid the follow-on in the second Test against Pakistan on Monday.

"We talk a lot about Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, but this boy has as much as talent as anyone in the game," Kapil added.

The Indian cricket icon said even though the Jharkhand wicketkeeper is not a gifted player, he is a good striker of the ball.

"He is an unbelievable talent. He has good technique and strikes the ball very hard."

Kapil also praised Dhoni's attacking batting, saying he doesn't look out of place even while playing aggressively.

"Look at Shahid Afridi; he always plays attacking shots, but he always looks out of place. This is not the case with Dhoni; he is just outstanding," Kapil said.

But he refrained from comparing him to the likes of Vivian Richards or other great strokemakers.

"Don't compare him with anyone right now. He has just played five Tests. Let him play around 25 Tests and then we will know his ability."

The former India coach also praised debutant pacer Rudra Pratap Singh, who scalped four wickets in Pakistan's first innings.

"I am happy to see a youngster taking four wickets on debut on a pitch supporting the batsmen. He has the talent to go a long way, but it all depends on the hard work that he puts," Kapil added.

The 48-year-old expressed his disapproval of the pitches that have been provided in the current series.

"In the last 15 years I haven't heard so much criticism about a pitch. The pitches are very bad for cricket. They must prepare sporting wickets to produce results. Every cricketer would like to have a result-oriented pitch.

"I will give the man of the series awards to the groundsmen for preparing such wickets. However, Indian batsmen have showed a lot of character and have performed better than expected. You never expected them to perform so well after conceding a total of 700," Kapil said.

He also refused to comment on Sourav Ganguly's exclusion, saying too much has been made of it.

"We have spoken a lot about Sourav in the last three months. If he is worth his place in the team then he will come back; else, he has done a great service for the country."

 

[James]

I would say who cares if you look out of place when you score your runs. As long as you're scoring runs, it doesn't matter how you get them!

 

[Tony Blade]

I wonder if that food poisoning was a planned moved by Sehwag's foes??

Honestly..;

 

[pug]

Honestly..;

All you needed to do was move on to the next post pretending you never read that. Was that too much to ask?

 

[SJS]

Why is no one commending the Little Master's sportsmanship and honesty for walking at such a crucial point in such an atmosphere. SRT obviously knew he gloved it to Kamran Akmal and honestly decided to walk because he knew he was out. Full credit to him for walking in a game of so much tension, I don't know why people are treating it like an act of blasphemy.

He thought he was out and he walked. Thats okay. It was a disappointment for everyone who wanted him to score AND thought India's last hope vanished with him, but thats about it. No more no less.

Having seen the replays from the square leg camera he may think twice before walking the next time though

Deano mentioned a very interesting incident from a time he walked when he was clean bowled in a game (in Guyana I think) and it was a no ball but before he could recover his crease, he was run out by an alert fielder.

That was the end of his walking even if bowled !!

 

[SJS]

after watching the replays Boycott,rameez and sanjay all agreed that it was out ,his hand was still on the handle when the ball made contact

That is because they relied only on the camera from behind which is as tricky as the camera from the front. Both these angles have the two hands and the handle in one line which does not show if there is a distance between the two hands.

The only camera which showed that was the one from square leg. It clearly showed that the bottom hand was off the handle much before the ball came in line with it.

Sachin may still have been out but only if the ball also rubbed past the left glove. Definitely not because of the right glove.

It was irritating to see Manjrekar and company rubbishing a newspaper report but not showing the sideways angle shown by their own broadcast during the live part of the entire broadcast. Not because it is blasphemy but because they sound so silly if one has seen the sideways angle which IS available to them too.

 

[onemangang]

"Look at Shahid Afridi; he always plays attacking shots, but he always looks out of place. This is not the case with Dhoni; he is just outstanding," Kapil said.

Kapil is an idiot, he never shy away from mouthing his mouth off. Whats the point of saying that Afridi looks out of place?? Afridi has been going great guns lately and to discredit him by saying that he might be scoring but he looks out of place whereas Dhoni doesn't look out of place is plain dumb and hilarious.

 

[onemangang]

It is dependent on the result of the test series. If Inzi misses the Karachi test, and India crab's the advantage with both hands and beat Pakistan, then a demoralized Pak team (already missing their captain) won't be able to play upto their optimal level.

Without Inzi, India would be fav's for both ODI and third test match.If Inzi doesn't play then Pak should bring in Hameed as an opener( for malik) and Asim should come in place of Inzi.

 

[Fusion]

For those watching the game, how is the pitch performing?

 

[onemangang]

I think India should go into Karachi match with 6 batters (as the wkt over there might not be a dead track) and 4 bowlers.I would personally like to see Pathan dropped and Ajit replacing him.

Oh how i wish India had selected one more pacer for this tour, either VRS or Munaf in place of Saurav!

 

[onemangang]

For those watching the game, how is the pitch performing?

Its a road!

 

[Sanz]

Having seen the replays from the square leg camera he may think twice before walking the next time though

The expert has spoken. Now you know more than SRT himself.