*Official* India in South Africa

[Jono]

Well... I am absolutely delighted that I was able to avoid knowing the scores and watched every ball of yesterday's play. Told all my family members at the anniversary party to not tell me anything about the cricket at all.

What a ****ing test match this is turning out to be!

Few observations...

1. VVS Laxman... what more needs to be said?! Legend.
2. LOL @ that Steyn LBW appeal against Zaheer not being given. Was the plumbest of plumb LBWs.
3. **** myself at the opening stand. Thought Smith was going to once again guide SA home in a 4th innings chase.
4. I wish Smith hit Sree**** with the bat. Loved it when he waved it at the dickhead. Sree**** must have said something extremely harsh/disgusting to rile Smith up like that.
5. Amla's bad shot was SO SO crucial. He was looking brilliant.
6. I am 99% sure that Kallis drop by Pujara, though tough, will come back to haunt India.
7. When Sachin came on to bowl that one over I was like "oh man this is going to be bad". So many half-trackers. Whatever partnership breaking talent Sachin had in years gone by is gone. Throw the ball to Sehwag FFS. He can't be injured anymore.
8. Tonight is going to be ****ing amazing.

Prediction: South Africa by 3 wickets

 

[ankitj]

6. I am 99% sure that Kallis drop by Pujara, though tough, will come back to haunt India.

I have that feeling too Don't think that was a tough catch at all by international standards. We ought to have specialist short leg fielders today with Harbhajan bowling. No idea about Pujara's credentials.

 

[vcs]

Well... I am absolutely delighted that I was able to avoid knowing the scores and watched every ball of yesterday's play. Told all my family members at the anniversary party to not tell me anything about the cricket at all.

What a ****ing test match this is turning out to be!

Few observations...

1. VVS Laxman... what more needs to be said?! Legend.
2. LOL @ that Steyn LBW appeal against Zaheer not being given. Was the plumbest of plumb LBWs.
3. **** myself at the opening stand. Thought Smith was going to once again guide SA home in a 4th innings chase.
4. I wish Smith hit Sree**** with the bat. Loved it when he waved it at the dickhead. Sree**** must have said something extremely harsh/disgusting to rile Smith up like that.
5. Amla's bad shot was SO SO crucial. He was looking brilliant.
6. I am 99% sure that Kallis drop by Pujara, though tough, will come back to haunt India.
7. When Sachin came on to bowl that one over I was like "oh man this is going to be bad". So many half-trackers. Whatever partnership breaking talent Sachin had in years gone by is gone. Throw the ball to Sehwag FFS. He can't be injured anymore.
8. Tonight is going to be ****ing amazing.

Prediction: South Africa by 3 wickets

Agree with that prediction. For India to win, catches will have to go to hand (and be taken), edges will have to carry to slips, inside edges will have to hit the stumps, SA will have to panic a bit etc. etc... basically what happened in their first innings.

 

[kingkallis]

Naah, we will win before tea.

Harbhajan to take a 5fer.

 

[kingkallis]

I have that feeling too Don't think that was a tough catch at all by international standards. We ought to have specialist short leg fielders today with Harbhajan bowling. No idea about Pujara's credentials.

It was a straight forward catch because he was in a perfect position to take it.

 

[M0rphin3]

Latest from Sid Monga in Durban: It is raining madly here, and the ground is turning into a pool. #IndvSA #rain

So final nail in the coffin for SA I reckon?

 

[Jono]

Also, Laxman & Zaheer putting on crucial runs brought back memories of Johannesburg 2006. WAGs!

With regards to the debate as to what to do when Dravid goes (either dropped or retires), the clear answer is moving Laxman to 3. It's not even a debate,

The idea of not moving Laxman because he has scored runs at 5 recently is silly, because:
a) He was scoring runs at 6 as well, but we still moved him
b) He has said a million times his favourite position to bat is 3.

There is no point moving Sehwag from opener, nor is there a point of moving a 37 year old Sachin Tendulkar who just had his greatest ever year in test cricket from #4.

There is an argument for moving Murali Vijay to #3 as a direct replacement for Dravid. But I'd rather move Laxman to #3, and bring in one of Badrinath, Kohli or Rohit Sharma. I believe they are all better than Murali Vijay.

 

[Jono]

Why are Indians so much more scared of Amla than they are of AB? He's chased down 400 for South Africa before in a near-identical situation without even breaking a sweat.

Amla averages 64 against India (compared to AB's 41)... and that is after his two failures in this test. He was averaging 70 before that.

More importantly, he's a better player of spin than AB Devilliers, even though AB is the better bat overall.

 

[Dissector]

Cricinfo says:

The heavy rain that lashed Durban last evening has cleared and the weather is sunny on the fourth morning of this wonderful Test match.

Will be interesting to see if there is some early swing for Zaheer. Reckon India needs to separate this pair early or they will take the game away.

 

[Cevno]

Also, Laxman & Zaheer putting on crucial runs brought back memories of Johannesburg 2006. WAGs!

With regards to the debate as to what to do when Dravid goes (either dropped or retires), the clear answer is moving Laxman to 3. It's not even a debate,

The idea of not moving Laxman because he has scored runs at 5 recently is silly, because:
a) He was scoring runs at 6 as well, but we still moved him
b) He has said a million times his favourite position to bat is 3.

There is no point moving Sehwag from opener, nor is there a point of moving a 37 year old Sachin Tendulkar who just had his greatest ever year in test cricket from #4.

There is an argument for moving Murali Vijay to #3 as a direct replacement for Dravid. But I'd rather move Laxman to #3, and bring in one of Badrinath, Kohli or Rohit Sharma. I believe they are all better than Murali Vijay.

The Problem with Laxman at 3 will be that when the ball is swinging , he is a bit susceptible to the in cutter to him as his reflexes are not up when he comes in early.
Also don't think he is the type of batsmen who can consistently put up big big runs ,which sometimes is essential to do on flat wickets.
At 5 he has done better than 6 by a margin also ,and he has become a master of batting with the tail which is essential for the team.

Also putting up Laxman into 3 would be a problem because then you are leaving Pujara and one other new player at 5 and 6.
It could be a case of lets bowl our best at the top 4 and then we are through to the greenhorns for the opposition and no sure how they will cope with batting with the tail too ,which Laxman has become a master of.
I would rather cushion one with Laxman ,Sachin coming after him.
Look at how well Pujara did when he came to bat at 3 against Australia,knowing that there was support after him.

Also you missed Rahane from your list.
Don't think Vijay is good enough either so that a special space is made for him in the middle order or at 3.

 

[Vroomfondel]

The Problem with Laxman at 3 will be that when the ball is swinging , he is a bit susceptible to the in cutter to him as his reflexes are not up when he comes in early.
Also don't think he is the type of batsmen who can consistently put up big big runs ,which sometimes is essential to do on flat wickets.
At 5 he has done better than 6 by a margin also ,and he has become a master of batting with the tail which is essential for the team.

Also putting up Laxman into 3 would be a problem because then you are leaving Pujara and one other new player at 5 and 6.
It could be a case of lets bowl our best at the top 4 and then we are through to the greenhorns for the opposition and no sure how they will cope with batting with the tail too ,which Laxman has become a master of.
I would rather cushion one with Laxman ,Sachin coming after him.
Look at how well Pujara did when he came to bat at 3 against Australia,knowing that there was support after him.

Also you missed Rahane from your list.
Don't think Vijay is good enough either so that a special space is made for him in the middle order or at 3.

I don't think it's reflexes. I think it's just his tendency to play the flick across the line before his eye is in. Steyn gave him a good working over yesterday with inswingers, and he looked quite comfortable patting them down the pitch.

Agree with you on Vijay though, I'm not convinced and I do think Rahane and Kohli are better options. (Rohit, I don't know about, he seems to be another Yuvraj in the making).

 

[Turbinator]

Right then, here we go, let's rip through these South Africans

ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 

[Jono]

Rohit's reputation is a bit unfair on CW imo. Yeah he has an air of Yuvraj to him at times, but how many more runs does he have to score at first class level to at least receive recognition?

Was he overrated back in 2007/08? Yes.

But the kid hits 200s and 300s for fun.

Don't have any problem with those thinking Rahane is better, and I agree that Kohli and Badrinath are also better, but let's not put Rohit in the Yuvraj book just yet.

For one his technique against spin is 100 times better.

 

[M0rphin3]

Harby to open the bowling, good move

 

[M0rphin3]

And Harby is looking good too. Sree in early, good stuff this

 

[Cevno]

Rohit's reputation is a bit unfair on CW imo. Yeah he has an air of Yuvraj to him at times, but how many more runs does he have to score at first class level to at least receive recognition?

Was he overrated back in 2007/08? Yes.

But the kid hits 200s and 300s for fun.

Don't have any problem with those thinking Rahane is better, and I agree that Kohli and Badrinath are also better, but let's not put Rohit in the Yuvraj book just yet.

For one his technique against spin is 100 times better.

True.

He is better than Yuvraj ,but the fear for me with him is he is another Sanjay Manjrekar.

Looks good and has good technique ,scores runs in domestic matches but barring the odd innings and the short cameos can't score runs in international matches.

He has gotten a long long rope in ODI's based on how he looks while batting just.
Not sure he hits 200 and 300 for fun too. Rahane and Jaffer do that much more over a longer period for Mumbai.

Having said that ,it is only a fear about him at the moment and am not sure about him either way.

 

[R_D]

Rohit gets stick for being crap in ODI i think...
People forget that he's still got a good FC record though.

I haven't seen Rahne bat but he does have a impressive record.

Sreesanth bowled a decent first over....

 

[Jono]

Very very good first over from Sree****. Such good lines/.

 

[Cevno]

Good Bowling by sree too.

2 maidens to start.

 

[M0rphin3]

AB looking clueless.. Good turn for harby