***Official*** India in Sri Lanka 2015

[hendrix]

I guess just like if you play for NZ you don't have the right to complain about lack of test matches and good test series, because NZC is turning a test match vs. Aus into an ODI.

Or perhaps we separate Boards from players.

I don't agree with Howsie; you can certainly feel hard done by when given out wrongly. And even if you do toe the company line, you're still not going to be happy when given out correctly. I just don't like the dissent.

It's expecting way too much of Harbhajan and Kohli, I know; who both give that incredulous stare even when correctly given out, but it's just a horrible look. McCullum does it as well. There were SL batsmen given out wrongly who didn't do that.

One of the best things about DRS is is that it removes that pretense.

 

[artvandalay]

He does have a point though, this Indian team are not known for playing cautiously and grinding like Dravid and Laxman used to. It doesn't come naturally to them. Look at the way Dhawan batted today for instance.

 

[Swingpanzee]

holee **** just saw the scoreline

 

[Shri]

Grow a pair and come out and say something about it then, just like a couple of NZ players did about getting rid of a test match.

Barking up the wrong tree.

 

[Teja.]

He does have a point though, this Indian team are not known for playing cautiously and grinding like Dravid and Laxman used to. It doesn't come naturally to them. Look at the way Dhawan batted today for instance.

Dhawan scored a century by playing really cautiously early on in the first innings.

 

[OverratedSanity]

He does have a point though, this Indian team are not known for playing cautiously and grinding like Dravid and Laxman used to. It doesn't come naturally to them. Look at the way Dhawan batted today for instance.

ffs Dhawan scored 134 at a SR of 49 in the first innings. This "natural game" BS is a myth. Dhawan adjusted to the conditions in the first innings. Shoudl've done in the second as well.

 

[hendrix]

herath got five wickets by basically bowling straight balls that skidded more than turned and he varied his length. so fun to see how something so simple (in terms of the plan) can get such a mental hold on the batsman. batsmen so often approach him like he's bowling mystery balls.

I think you're not giving enough credit to the manipulation of the ball's trajectory that Herath uses. It's quite an advantage to be a short bowler with the way he bowls; makes it so hard to read the length, and if you can't read the length you're screwed in terms of dealing with his arm ball, which dips and drifts quite lethally.

The guy is a superbly skillful bowler.

 

[Shri]

Match would have been close to over if we had an in form Sehwag today.

 

[Contra]

How do you explain Dhawan and Kohli scoring centuries in the first innings at 40-50 strike rates? And India getting to 375 at only 3 rpo despite Kaushal bowling a full toss an over? You're blaming the wrong thing here.

Simple, Dhawan was carrying an injury (despite that he was looking to score with sweeps and some other goto shots of his) and Kohli is always looking to score! Looking to score runs is what I'm looking for, the intent to score runs. In a small run chase you want to look to score runs so you can put pressure back on the fielding side and dash whatever little hope they might have of causing a collapse. I'm not blaming India for not coming out all guns blazing like Chandimal did (SL were in a different situation in their case). But India have shown very little intent to score runs. They seem to think that just because kaushal bowled a bunch of full tosses in the first innings he will do the same in the second innings, that's just stupid.

In the first innings India were looking to build a big score, this is a run chase, completely different dynamics.

 

[hendrix]

How classic is it for Rahane to get a duck in the first innings and to be grinding it out here?

Rahane and Phatty. Love them so much.

 

[Teja.]

Match would have been close to over if we had an in form Sehwag today.

Yep, because Sehwag is just the man to bat for you in the 4th innings.

 

[cnerd123]

Harbhajan Singh has spoken about wanting DRS FTR

Harbhajan Singh, former cricketers bat for DRS following umpiring howlers in India vs Australia 2nd Test | Latest News & Gossip on Popular Trends at India.com

“I believe it’s time that we accepted the DRS as it will only benefit our cause. If you look, in both Test matches, India were very competitive but there were key moments when our boys got a raw deal,” Harbhajan told PTI today. ”I can recall four decisions. Shikhar’s (Dhawan) caught behind in the second innings of the first Test in Adelaide.

Howie is 0-2 here.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I think you're not giving enough credit to the manipulation of the ball's trajectory that Herath uses. It's quite an advantage to be a short bowler with the way he bowls; makes it so hard to read the length, and if you can't read the length you're screwed in terms of dealing with his arm ball, which dips and drifts quite lethally.

The guy is a superbly skillful bowler.

I don't think Flem meant to say he isn't tbf to him. Just that Herath's bowling doesn't look all that flashy or dangerous in a conventionally obvious way when you're watching him bowl. But obviously once you watch closely you can see how difficult it must be to play him. It's just not as apparent on television to the casual eye most times.

 

[Flem274*]

i'd back the fat one to get sehwag. the fat one is hard to get underneath.

 

[artvandalay]

ffs Dhawan scored 134 at a SR of 49 in the first innings. This "natural game" BS is a myth. Dhawan adjusted to the conditions in the first innings. Shoudl've done in the second as well.

Dhawan didn't slow down until later on in his innings. he played pretty positively.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Simple, Dhawan was carrying an injury (despite that he was looking to score with sweeps and some other goto shots of his) and Kohli is always looking to score! Looking to score runs is what I'm looking for, the intent to score runs. In a small run chase you want to look to score runs so you can put pressure back on the fielding side and dash whatever little hope they might have of causing a collapse. I'm not blaming India for not coming out all guns blazing like Chandimal did (SL were in a different situation in their case). But India have shown very little intent to score runs. They seem to think that just because kaushal bowled a bunch of full tosses in the first innings he will do the same in the second innings, that's just stupid.

In the first innings India were looking to build a big score, this is a run chase, completely different dynamics.

I reject the notion that you need to score any quicker in run chases than in the first innings.

 

[Contra]

Yep, because Sehwag is just the man to bat for you in the 4th innings.

Just for the sheer presence of his play-style yes, would take a quick 20-30 from Sehwag in a small run chase over duds with crap techniques defending over after over waiting for loose balls.

 

[viriya]

Never thought I'd say this but I #BelieveInRahane.

 

[cnerd123]

Herath has bowled well but not 5/38 well. Much like Broad's 8-fer, his success has as much to do with the batsmen's shortcomings as it does with the bowler's skill.

We aren't trying to take anything away from him, but as Indian fans we are naturally gonna bitch about the poor batting rather than talk about the good bowling.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Match would have been close to over if we had an in form Sehwag today.

He'd have got his usual 21(16) in the 4th innings.

Might actually have been useful