***Official*** India in Sri Lanka

[adharcric]

but was it such a big opportunity for karthik any way? wasn't he just keeping the gloves warm until dhoni came back?

Given that the management had backed Sehwag and Gambhir as openers and Dhoni as the wicketkeeper, a strong performance here would've made Karthik a certain selection as a very valuable reserve in the test squad. Really though, the second opener's spot was still up for grabs coming into this tour and despite his solid glovework and growing role in the test side, Dhoni still hasn't proven himself as a test-class batsman whereas Karthik began doing just that in England. Good stuff here would've guaranteed Karthik a spot in the test squad and given the selectors something to think about if Gambhir or Dhoni slipped. Instead, Gambhir has impressed everyone, Karthik has done the exact opposite and the best he can hope for in the upcoming months is to compete with Parthiv Patel for a reserve wicketkeeper spot, if the selectors actually choose to have one.

 

[SJS]

Given that the management had backed Sehwag and Gambhir as openers and Dhoni as the wicketkeeper, a strong performance here would've made Karthik a certain selection as a very valuable reserve in the test squad. Really though, the second opener's spot was still up for grabs coming into this tour and despite his solid glovework and growing role in the test side, Dhoni still hasn't proven himself as a test-class batsman whereas Karthik began doing just that in England. Good stuff here would've guaranteed Karthik a spot in the test squad and given the selectors something to think about if Gambhir or Dhoni slipped. Instead, Gambhir has impressed everyone, Karthik has done the exact opposite and the best Karthik can do in the upcoming months is compete with Parthiv Patel for the reserve wicketkeeper spot, if the selectors actually choose to have one.

I am more surprised than disappointed with what has happened to his (Karthik's) keeping. You dont lose your skills as a wicket keeper over night. I suspect he is going through a bad patch and lack of confidence. His poor show with the bat and how he was shown up by the Sri Lankan bowlers must not have helped. I think he can be back as a keeper. He was too good to just lose it with a couple of bad games. Parthiv was a bad keeper to start with.

Karthik's batting failures, however, do not surprise me. He is a busy, innovative kind of a batsman. If one was to think of another wicket keeper I would say he reminds me of Moin Khan at the crease. He refuses to conform and that can pay off but it can also come a cropper against crafty bowlers.

I dont think he needs to dramatically change his batting but he should temper his bravado a bit and get the basics right. If he was batting at number eight like Moin Khan with his place as a keeper secure anyway, it would be different, but thats not the case with him. Limited overs game (and even the run of successes at Test level) makes people overlook the flaws in his batting. It was the same with Dhoni but Dhoni has shown much more maturity and changed his batting inspite of his great, relative, success. Karthik needs to look carefully at his batting issues. If he isn't god enough to do that any coach worth his salt can tell him. The way he bats today, no top class bowler will let him get away for long.

 

[pasag]

Haha just finished watching the replay now, looks like the SL batsman just went 'cbf'.

 

[Prince EWS]

Haha just finished watching the replay now, looks like the SL batsman just went 'cbf'.

Well.. all but one of them anyway.

 

[Uppercut]

I dont think he needs to dramatically change his batting but he should temper his bravado a bit and get the basics right. If he was batting at number eight like Moin Khan with his place as a keeper secure anyway, it would be different, but thats not the case with him. Limited overs game (and even the run of successes at Test level) makes people overlook the flaws in his batting. It was the same with Dhoni but Dhoni has shown much more maturity and changed his batting inspite of his great, relative, success. Karthik needs to look carefully at his batting issues. If he isn't god enough to do that any coach worth his salt can tell him. The way he bats today, no top class bowler will let him get away for long.

I think what Dhoni did was incorporate "drop the ball off the bat and run" tactics, he's become one of the best takers of quick singles in world cricket. His reputation for big hitting also makes opposing captains reluctant to tighten the field on him. I may have missed something, but this is the only technical change i have seen from him- and he still has the occasional bit of idiocy that leads to getting out to Paul Harris or something. Karthik, on the other hand, needs to completely restructure his game to be a test level success IMO.

 

[pup11]

I think what Dhoni did was incorporate "drop the ball off the bat and run" tactics, he's become one of the best takers of quick singles in world cricket. His reputation for big hitting also makes opposing captains reluctant to tighten the field on him. I may have missed something, but this is the only technical change i have seen from him- and he still has the occasional bit of idiocy that leads to getting out to Paul Harris or something. Karthik, on the other hand, needs to completely restructure his game to be a test level success IMO.

IMO, it was about time Parthiv patel got a chance to prove himself again at the international level, Patel is much better batsman than Karthik and it was only his glovework that led to his axing from international arena, but Patel was very young then and if i am not wrong he has performed quite well in the domestic circuit off-late, so it would be very suprising if Patel doesn't get the nod ahead of Karthik for the 3rd test.
As far as Dhoni's drop and run tactics are concerned that has worked well for him in the Odi's but, in test matches he still has a long way to go before he can prove himself to be a good test batsman.

 

[ret]

the 3rd test is around the corner, and it would be better if Ind focuses on its strengths in this series and exploits SL's weaknesses

both the tests have produced results, so it won't be surprising if the 3rd one produces a result too but the question is in whose favor?

one of the problems for India is its underperforming middle-order, which is a pity as batting is India's strength. how do we go about compensating for their underperformance? there are a few ways to do it like

1. play other batsman in place of one of the middle order batsman
2. play an extra bowler [thus strengthen bowling] in an effort to reduce SL's total and thus compensate for the underperforming middle-order
3. replace one of the middle order batsman with someone on the bench and the other with a bowler
4. go with the same winning 11 and hope for the best

other area that needs improvement is the one behind the stumps. there is a big case of dropping Karthik for Parthiv

based on the above, a line up like the one below would make sense

recommended 10

- Sehwag
- Gambhir
- Laxman
- Tendulkar
- Rohit
- Parthiv
- Kumble
- Bhajji
- Zaheer
- Ishant

for the 11 position, pick one from Dravid, Ganguly, Munaf and Ojha depending upon the conditions and how these guys are shaping up for the game

 

[cowboysfan]

seriously -I doubt they would change a winning side-I hope they give parthiv a chance too.

 

[Migara]

The PS Oval will be pacy and bouncy. Usually anybody needs three seamer attack. But SL and IND are different. Both of them have a spin duo which will rank among top five in test cricket.

 

[silentstriker]

The PS Oval will be pacy and bouncy. Usually anybody needs three seamer attack. But SL and IND are different. Both of them have a spin duo which will rank among top five in test cricket.

That's not exactly something to be proud of, considering there aren't five spin duos in Test cricket....

 

[Dissector]

Vogler and Faulkner
Grimmett and O'Reilly
Laker and Lock
Ramadhin and Valentine
Mushtaq and Saqlain
I am sure the Indian spin trio of the 70's must have played as a duo for some tests. And of course we have the two duos who played in this test.

 

[silentstriker]

Vogler and Faulkner
Grimmett and O'Reilly
Laker and Lock
Ramadhin and Valentine
Mustaq and Saqlain
I am sure the Indian spin trio of the 70's must have played as a duo for some tests. And of course we have the two duos who played in this test.

I thought he meant currently, not all time.

 

[Dissector]

I think it was pretty obvious he meant all-time.

 

[ret]

Zaheer is due for a match-winning performance, a pacy and bouncy wkt should help him

 

[Migara]

Zaheer is due for a match-winning performance, a pacy and bouncy wkt should help him

He'll get murdered by Sangakkaraa nd Jayawardane when there is pace on the ball. Ishant Sharma will couse lot more damage if he bowls a decent length on this wicket. Prasad will come in, and if he hits the line and length, can expect few Indian wickets to fly over.

 

[Dissector]

The PS Oval will be pacy and bouncy.

It will be a good test for Gambhir then assuming this Prasad chap is any good. He has shown he is a good player of top-class spin but I doubt he will become a test-class batsman against a good pace attack. I would love to be proved wrong obviously; we really need a decent opening pair to cope with Lee and Clark.

 

[ret]

He'll get murdered by Sangakkaraa nd Jayawardane when there is pace on the ball. Ishant Sharma will couse lot more damage if he bowls a decent length on this wicket. Prasad will come in, and if he hits the line and length, can expect few Indian wickets to fly over.

I have seen Zaheer do wonders when he gets going esp when he was playing for Baroda. I think he is due for one of those performances and ofc Ishant should do well too

on Jayawardene, I don't think he has done well against teams with good pace attack as much as one would have liked .... in Australia, he averages less than 35, in NZ less than 28, in RSA less than 32, in Pak less than 31 .... so it looks like an overstatement that he will do well on a pacy and bouncy wkt, but all the best to him!!!!

Sangakara, on the other hand, is a class act. like Zaheer, he is due for a good performance too

 

[Lambu]

on Jayawardene, I don't think he has done well against teams with good pace attack as much as one would have liked .... in Australia, he averages less than 35, in NZ less than 28, in RSA less than 32, in Pak less than 31 .... so it looks like an overstatement that he will do well on a pacy and bouncy wkt, but all the best to him!!!!

Quite revealing those stats..and justfies why i don't rate Mahela very highly.

 

[Migara]

Quite revealing those stats..and justfies why i don't rate Mahela very highly.

But obviously better than Sehwag.

 

[Migara]

on Jayawardene, I don't think he has done well against teams with good pace attack as much as one would have liked .... in Australia, he averages less than 35, in NZ less than 28, in RSA less than 32, in Pak less than 31 .... so it looks like an overstatement that he will do well on a pacy and bouncy wkt, but all the best to him!!!!

But Zaheer Khan is no where as good as Donald, Pollock, Bond, Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib, Martin, McGrath, Lee or Gillespie. So my point still stands. Paceman of Zaheer's quality does not match the class of Jayawardane. Ishant Sharma, yes I will agree.