***Official*** India in Pakistan

[deeps]

Told ya - RP just got another wicket ! Irfan-ZERO. RP-FOUR

Yup - let's protect him.

Yes, like i said, it wouldn't do his confidence good to get belted by afridi. As soon as afridi was out, RP Singh came back into the attack. I don't see the point you are trying to make. I'm not saying Pathan should have bowled, i don't think he should have. But you have to understand that he is new to the international arena, bowling to a type of batsman that he's never seen before, and is a one of a kind. Getting mauled by Afridi could be dangerous for his confidence for the rest of the series.

 

[GotSpin]

Afridi seems to be getting better and better, and more dangerous for other teams is his consistency

 

[PAKMAN]

Afridi seems to be getting better and better, and more dangerous for other teams is his consistency

OOOH YEAH !

 

[GotSpin]

I like your avatar pakman

 

[PAKMAN]

Link isnt working

sorry here u go

FAISALABAD: The surprising decision of the Pakistan team management to play all-rounder Abdul Razzaq in place of a specialist bowler in the second Test against India was taken after a complete analysis carried out on the Indian batsmen, particularly captain Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag.

The two put on 410 runs for the opening wicket in the drawn first Test in Lahore.

Sources in the Pakistan team told ‘The News’ that Razzaq’s inclusion had come about as after analysing the footage of the first Test and previous matches. It was felt a bowler with a natural ability to bring the ball in was required to curb the Indian batters.

"Basically the theory behind Razzaq’s inclusion is that he is a natural inswing bowler and the Indian batsmen on flat tracks including Dravid, Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar are more likely to get out on the ball coming in instead of the one that swings away," the source said.

The source said the fact that Razzaq was also capable of bowling long spells to a consistent line and length compared to Rana Naved or Mohammad Sami also went in his favour.

The official word though was that while Rana had a slight shoulder niggle Sami was down with fever.

The source said the Pakistan team think tank had also done a lot of homework on Sehwag after his blistering 254 runs in the first Test.

"The idea is that the best way to bowl to him is to take a packed off-side field with around seven fielders and attack him on one side of the wicket and let him go for his shots and make a mistake," he added. "The feeling is also that to the ball coming in Sehwag is a bit suspect," the source stated.

Interestingly, the bowlers have also been told to keep on trying to make Sehwag’s stay at the wicket uncomfortable by talking to him constantly and attempting to disturb his concentration.

Pakistan vice-captain Younis Khan when asked for the reasons behind dropping Rana Naved and Sami said on Saturday that it was part of a plan to include Razzaq instead of Rana but he wouldn’t like to discuss it at a news conference.

"It was a part of team planning to include Razzaq instead of Rana but I won’t tell."

He said Rana had a slight shoulder niggle but the management thought Razzaq was a better bet as a bowler on the second Test pitch.

"There is not much help for swing bowling — probably it is more suited for seam bowling and bowlers who can cut the ball off the pitch and Razzaq gives us that option. Also he is very hungry to play and we are sort of operating a rotation policy so we thought we should give him a try. He is playing as a bowler so he will bowl a considerable amount," Younis said.

 

[PAKMAN]

I like your avatar pakman

thanx

 

[Jono]

Yeah Pakman, I've always thought you had one of the best avatars on the board.

Anyway India finish the day well at 1-110. Sehwag's wicket right after tea had me worried but Laxman and Dravid steadied well. Day 3 will go a long way in telling us how this match is going to pan out.

 

[Neil Pickup]

What's the scariest thing for me is that he's threatening to grow a brain and play innings that are still coruscating in their, well, bloodlust - but appropriate to the situation. Defending, leaving... and then exploding.

It could be quite something over the next year or so - I'm certainly tempted by a few day fives next summer.

 

[Mecnun]

Afridi growing a brain!! Well I have been proved wrong before once or twice

 

[honestbharani]

I was wondering myself how they could have helped in the decision.

I think even under the current laws, the umps can refer the 3rd ump to check whether the ball bounced or it hit the boot, as was the case with the Asif dismissal (that was not given).

 

[honestbharani]

What's the scariest thing for me is that he's threatening to grow a brain and play innings that are still coruscating in their, well, bloodlust - but appropriate to the situation. Defending, leaving... and then exploding.

It could be quite something over the next year or so - I'm certainly tempted by a few day fives next summer.

While it is true that Afridi is improving, you have to ask yourself whether constantly playing their home matches on such tracks will actually help the Pak batters... I mean, there was a reason why Pakistan were 30/2 or 40/3 every time they batted first in India last year with the 9:30 AM starts and conditions aiding swing bowling. I am pretty sure the same will happen in England. Pakistan have a BRILLIANT bowling attack for the English conditions... Rana, Akhtar and Asif look very promising AFAIC to get 20 English wickets. Add Kaneria, Afridi and Malik there, and you have a very balanced bowling attack. But I think their batters MIGHT let them down in those conditions. I don't see Malik, MoYo or even Afridi doing all that better over there. Afridi, I think, will score 30s,40s and the odd 50 but it is tough to see them put on 400+ scores over there. Given the cold conditions, I think Pakistan should have tried to have green tops atleast in domestic cricket to help their batters learn to bat in them. Can any of the balanced Pakistan fans here tell me how their domestic wickets are? Are such flat ones prepared there as well? That is what Rameez RAja was indicating in his comments.

 

[Mecnun]

"Can any of the balanced Pakistan fans here tell me how their domestic wickets are? Are such flat ones prepared there as well? That is what Rameez RAja was indicating in his comments."

Not sure I qualify as a balanced Pak fan but anyhow my two rupees worth is that generally wickets in Pak are flat and overused but you do get moisture in them with ball keeping low hence the dodgy techniques of Pak batters who do great domestically but as soon as the ball moves laterally with a hint of swing/seam they become undone. There are exceptions ofcourse. I blame PCB and lack of an effective domestic structure with coaching at grass roots level.

This is quite strange as we do manage to produce a fair number of medium pacers and quickies besides wickets not being conducive to seamers and pacers.

 

[billie424]

actually i havent seen many domestic matches but I saw a five day match played between i think Sialkot and faisalabad in Lahore where the pitch was very lively... and as far as afridi is concerned he is a great asset.... any team in the world would love to have a player like him .... he is a decent batsman with great hitting abilities and is a very good bowler his bowling str rate is 61 which is very good for a spinner.... warne's strk rate is 58-59.....

 

[cricketboy29]

Please lets not have this thing again, when pathan was playing well everyone was like, wow, pathans a genunine allrounder. Afridi has come a long way since his debut, but i must say, you cant classify him in the allrounder bracket in Tests especially. In ODIs, he makes the grade, but in Tests, i dont think his bowling is quite up to the standard. Because as far as i remeber it, an allrounder is someone who can get into the team, as a bowler or a batsman. But damn, billie could you tell me where you got that avatar from?. its brilliant

 

[Tom Halsey]

Please lets not have this thing again, when pathan was playing well everyone was like, wow, pathans a genunine allrounder. Afridi has come a long way since his debut, but i must say, you cant classify him in the allrounder bracket in Tests especially. In ODIs, he makes the grade, but in Tests, i dont think his bowling is quite up to the standard. Because as far as i remeber it, an allrounder is someone who can get into the team, as a bowler or a batsman. But damn, billie could you tell me where you got that avatar from?. its brilliant

I'd say Afridi is a very decent bowler (IIRC he started his career as a bowler).

 

[Bouncer]

actually i havent seen many domestic matches but I saw a five day match played between i think Sialkot and faisalabad in Lahore where the pitch was very lively... and as far as afridi is concerned he is a great asset.... any team in the world would love to have a player like him .... he is a decent batsman with great hitting abilities and is a very good bowler his bowling str rate is 61 which is very good for a spinner.... warne's strk rate is 58-59.....

where the heck u came up with this avtaar????

 

[nikhil1772]

Wonder if the Indian team management have it in them to drop Irfan after his dismal bowling performances recently as they do that efficiently with Ajit,Zaheer and the likes

 

[JustTool]

From Cricinfo:

If India did miss a trick, it was perhaps right at the beginning, when Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan were given a ball that was just eight overs old. RP Singh came on much later, and bowled a fine eight-over spell for 12 runs and a wicket. Pathan again lacked incisiveness and pace, and Zaheer was a notch below his performance yesterday, presumably the result of bowling so much on an unforgiving pitch.

There was also the Harbhajan factor to consider. With the first new ball only 15 overs old, he had extracted disconcerting bounce and appreciable turn. But with memories of Afridi's savage assault at Lahore still fresh, he wasn't risked almost till lunch was on the table. Presumably, RP Singh was also shielded, though the spell he bowled suggested that he needed no such mollycoddling.

Yes, like i said, it wouldn't do his confidence good to get belted by afridi. As soon as afridi was out, RP Singh came back into the attack. I don't see the point you are trying to make. I'm not saying Pathan should have bowled, i don't think he should have. But you have to understand that he is new to the international arena, bowling to a type of batsman that he's never seen before, and is a one of a kind. Getting mauled by Afridi could be dangerous for his confidence for the rest of the series.

 

[marc71178]

FAISALABAD: The surprising decision of the Pakistan team management to play all-rounder Abdul Razzaq in place of a specialist bowler in the second Test against India was taken after a complete analysis carried out on the Indian batsmen, particularly captain Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag.

I'd have thought it had more to do with Rana's injury that makes him a doubt for the 3rd Test.

 

[marc71178]

I think even under the current laws, the umps can refer the 3rd ump to check whether the ball bounced or it hit the boot, as was the case with the Asif dismissal (that was not given).

AFAIK, isn't that only if the field umpires were unsighted?