***Official*** India in Pakistan

[cricketboy29]

i would say Pakistan has the advantage at this moment in time, TIF, because your forgetting that Yuvraj's innings was IIRC on much more of a batsman's pitch, and Kamran akmal's effort today to lift pakistan out of the hole that pathan and co. had pushed them into was simply exemplary.

But the stage is set for Ganguly, I personally feel that this innings could make him again or break him. A century now would defintely say that he has a lot to offer the Indian team. And for Dhoni and Pathan, not everyday is Sunday. You cant expect them to have that classy a rearguard everytime, and that was on a road of a pitch, quite a bit different here i must say.

 

[TIF]

i would say Pakistan has the advantage at this moment in time, TIF, because your forgetting that Yuvraj's innings was IIRC on much more of a batsman's pitch, and Kamran akmal's effort today to lift pakistan out of the hole that pathan and co. had pushed them into was simply exemplary.

But the stage is set for Ganguly, I personally feel that this innings could make him again or break him. A century now would defintely say that he has a lot to offer the Indian team. And for Dhoni and Pathan, not everyday is Sunday. You cant expect them to have that classy a rearguard everytime, and that was on a road of a pitch, quite a bit different here i must say.

I never said that all 4 of these players will do well with the bat. Even if one of them stays and plays like how Kamran Akmal did and the others give him support by chipping in with 20s and 30s, then India, can overtake the Pakistani total. But then, India does need a lead of atleast a 100 to put Pakistan on the backfoot, but still a lead is a lead.

I know that Dhonis and Pathans innings were on a batting pitch and Yuvrajs came on a batting pitch to a certain extent, but the match situation was tough and the pitch had something in it for the bowlers on the 1st day. I only gave the last match as an example. What I really meant was this as I said in that post -

Also, remember that Dhoni and Irfan Pathan are yet to come and both have played well for India with the bat in the recent past and that too in pressure situations.

 

[cricketboy29]

Indeed, im backing Dada to get a big one tomorrow, methinks he's definitely due, and it wont be long before the boundary boards on the offside are damaged .

Ah, well, you can always hope

 

[Neil Pickup]

I think Ganguly's playing for his career. It should make riveting viewing. Shame a) I don't have coverage and b) I'll be asleep.

It'll be all or nothing, I feel.

 

[Sanz]

Mr. Sanz thinks Prabhakar>Pathan. With an average of 37 bowling wise for Prabhakar I really don't know where that comes from.

Obviously you didn't watch the 1989 series in Pak and if you did then maybe selective dementia has taken over..

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1989-90/IND_IN_PAK/IND_PAK_T1_15-20NOV1989.html

http://www.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1980S/1989-90/IND_IN_PAK/IND_PAK_T2_23-28NOV1989.html

Prabhakar was the highest wicket taker in the series 16 @ 33.87 and with the bat he averaged 56. Let's see if Pathan can match that..

 

[Sanz]

Tremendous effort by indian top order to bring pakistan back into the game.

 

[SJS]

I think Ganguly's playing for his career. It should make riveting viewing. Shame a) I don't have coverage and b) I'll be asleep.

It'll be all or nothing, I feel.

If Ganguly scores a hundred tomorrow, I hope he does, it will not just be the most important century of his life but will throw the Indian team equations wide open.

Shoaib may try to bounce him first thing in the morning but if Ganguly survives the first five overs of Shoaib, he will fight tooth and nail. It promises to be great viewing.

 

[javedjasim]

Shoaib Akhtar bats like an upper order batsman

 

[Fusion]

you were wrong.

I've never been happier to be wrong!

 

[jack_sparrow]

Just saw the slow motion replay of tendulkar getting hit on the head. His head went ways back and i feared he had a whiplash. He looked confused for a second or two, and if it wasnt for the runner shouting at him, he wouldve taken longer to snap out of it.

 

[jack_sparrow]

lol at ganguly ducking like a chicken prematurely.

 

[Mecnun]

Shoaib Akhtar bats like an upper order batsman

No you got it wrong way round .. Our top order bat like tailenders when it's a seaming pitch Well done Shoaib though!!

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

Pathan!!!! What a legend!!!

A true living Legend

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

has pathan's feat ever been done before in test cricket?

NEver ever in the entire history has any bowler taken a hattrick in the very first over of the match!!

IKP is an absolute legend, the sultan of swing.His performance is a slap on the faces of the ppl who use to say that he can only perform against minnows!

 

[adharcric]

Well yes he is a great swing bowler, that's for sure. He's definitely not a "minnow-basher", but he has lots of room for improvement. Forget comparisons to a legend like Wasim Akram, even to be considered a world-class bowler, he needs to bowl at greater pace or bowl a more consistent length, which is what the McGraths and Pollocks manage to do with mastery.

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

The ball is moving a bit but if test players cant play the moving ball what are they supposed to be doing there in the first place.

I saw nothing so far that one doesnt see day in and day out in England.

Pakistani batsmen exposed their lack of technique PLUS the bad habits picked up on dead tracks.

Zaheer wasted the new ball initially at the other end. It was so irritating to see him hitting short while pitching up was all he had to do.

Twice he pitched up on a good line and it got him two wickets.

I think Dravid over bowled him. Pathan should have come back faster. This ball doesnt last, not the seam..

To be fair, when batsmen keep on batting on dead track for a long time and are suddenly made to play on seaming wkt, then they often end up being in trouble.

 

[Prince EWS]

Pathan's a good bowler with a lot of potential. But hes not "a great swing bowler" and he's certainly not "an absolute legend."

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

What is Kamran Akmal doing at number eight !

I can understand the terrace-fans showing a preference for Afridi over Akmal but what about Inzy and Woolmer ?

Akmal needs to open (ideal since Pakistan is struggling to find an opener) or bat in the middle order, never below six.

He doesnt suffer in comparison to Yousuf and Younis except for experience and 'brand-name' . He is good enough to play for Pakistan as a pure batsman. Doubt if Afridi or Razzaq can qualify for that.

I disagree, the workload on the keeper would be massive if he's made to open the inninngs and then made to keep wkts.Akmal is techinically a better batter than the likes of Farhat and malik but he really can't open for Pakistan and keeps wkts too in test matches

 

[GladiatrsInBlue]

he definitely is, except he's not far better than pathan. anyways, i was thinking of a pak lineup with 3 specialist pacemen & kaneria as tailenders.

I have to say that as a batsman Akmal is far better than IKP.

And this is comming from IKP's die hard fan!!

 

[marc71178]

Tremendous effort by indian top order to bring pakistan back into the game.

Or does it more show the Pakistan fightback in context?