**Official** India v Pakistan

[Arjun]

From Amit Varma's article on CricInfo-
Being a fast-bowling strike bowler doesn't just mean that you run in with the new ball and make it swing and seam and get early wickets. It also means that when there is no help from the conditions, you run in and bend your back and use your brain and, with the sheer fire in your belly, burn the opposition. Wasim Akram, the West Indian quartet, Allan Donald, they could all do that. Could do that? Strike that first word; they did do that, time and again.

Good point. However, all the examples he provided had one very vital asset- pace- which is absent in the attack.

 

[V Reddy]

Showing his dentition ! He visited an Indian dentist a week back and wanted to show that India has some great dentist.

LOL

 

[V Reddy]

Official Website for 1st ODI on April 2nd in Kochi-- http://kochiodi.com

Jeez now we are having official sites for each onedayer ..hehe..

 

[Jono]

Good point. However, all the examples he provided had one very vital asset- pace- which is absent in the attack.

Ah yes... the vital asset of pace. That asset which the greatest fast bowler around today, Glenn McGrath, lacks.

It all makes sense to me now.

 

[Arjun]

Ah yes... the vital asset of pace. That asset which the greatest fast bowler around today, Glenn McGrath, lacks.

It all makes sense to me now.

Ever heard of Stephen Harmison, Shoaib Akhtar and Shane Bond? Besides, Glenn McGrath had Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee bowling alongside him.

 

[shoot_me]

Name one player who isn't.

Lakshmipathy Balaji, Dinesh Karthik, Gambhir--three out of the Mohali 11 arent involved in endorsements.

 

[Arjun]

In today's Times of India, Ayaz Memon pointed out that a few players in the Indian side were trying too hard to achieve personal goals. One was trying to prove his form on return from injury, another wanted to prove his fitness, a third wanted to score his 35th Test century and two others just wanted to play themselves into form. Why do they keep doing this? In comparison, opener Gautam Gambhir did the right thing by attacking every bowler whom he faced, yet an expert on a news channel pans him for not getting a big score. When will the Indians ever learn that team's cause come ahead of personal milestones? Maybe it is that age-old problem- the Indian side has always lacked a good captain.

 

[Arjun]

Lakshmipathy Balaji, Dinesh Karthik, Gambhir--three out of the Mohali 11 arent involved in endorsements.

Balaji may have one coming up sooner or later.

The likelihood of Dinesh Karthik being replaced by Parthiv Patel (Avon Cycles, Britannia biscuits) cannot be ruled out.

If Madan Lal had his way, the Mohali Test would be Gambhir's last.

 

[shoot_me]

If Madan Lal had his way, the Mohali Test would be Gambhir's last.

Gambhir's innings was more impressive than sehwag's century because of the aggression right from the start. The pakistanis gave Sehwag quite a few lives but Gambhir didn't take any chances and showed us some good clean whoopin'.

 

[Arjun]

Exactly. Rather than single out one innings, the combined part of Sehwag and Gambhir was effective in getting the opposition fielding side running for cover, yet building a century partnership- their second so far in four Tests (the B'desh Tests not included) at a brisk pace.

I had mentioned this comment by Madan Lal to one group discussing the match, to which I got a reply- "How many centuries did Madan Lal make?" Maybe two.

 

[honestbharani]

I still think Kaarthick is potentially a better bet than Parthiv. Sure, Parthiv seems to be the better batter and I hope Kaarthick has not wasted his time fine tuning his batting when he could have fine tuned his keeping. He had an ordinary game, but I thought he took some very good takes in the second innings, meaning he had come up from ordinary to inconsistent during the course of the match. I have always said this, give the guy a fair chance. If he succeeds, wait till he succeeds consistently and if he fails, wait till he fails consistently. That is when you know the true quality of any player, not after one good or bad game.

 

[marc71178]

Considering the difference between the class of Indian pacers and Pakistani pacers, i believe it is a good move.

What difference in class?

 

[viktor]

Ever heard of Stephen Harmison, Shoaib Akhtar and Shane Bond? Besides, Glenn McGrath had Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee bowling alongside him.

Harmison hasn't yet proved himself, Akhtar, the less said the better...Bond, yeah he was good in Goldfinger, haven't heard of him since.....
Lee can't get in the side because of a m-f bowler Kaspa, and Dizzy, while quicker than McGrath and Kaspa, is not express...anybody else you can think off??

 

[Arjun]

Harmison steamrolled the Windies twice and the Kiwis once, and may roll over the Indians when the English come on tour. Akhtar is one of very few pacers who can upset the Australian batsmen, and he's a genuine matchwinner for the Pakistanis (none of the Indian pacers are matchwinners) in all conditions. Bond was good in Goldfinger, which Australian, West Indian and especially Indian teams would do well to remember and would be the #1 pace bowler but for injuries- name one Indian pacer who doesn't get injured.

Kaspa's no great shakes- his average is in the 30's. Gillespie is capable of bowling at serious pace, but chooses not to overdo it. Moreover, if the recent VB series is an indication, Lee is a contender for best ODI bowler. Even in FC matches, he can take a bucketful of wickets- he was dropped from the Ashes squad and told to take wickets for NSW- he took 21 in 2 matches and returned to rip through the English batting lineup. West Indies played some genuinely quick pace bowlers, but they got injured a little too quickly, at ther wrong time. South Africa's Andre Nel has been in very good form.

Look at the top Test and ODI teams- they have at least one genuine fast bowler in their ranks.

 

[marc71178]

Kaspa's no great shakes- his average is in the 30's.

Hmm, an interesting theory that.

 

[viktor]

Gillespie is capable of bowling at serious pace, but chooses not to overdo it.

Thank you.

 

[Gangster]

What difference in class?

Did you happen to misread Arjun's post and think he was comparing the Pakistani pacers to the English ones? Because in that case, your question actually seems somewhat intelligent.

 

[mofo123]

Did you happen to misread Arjun's post and think he was comparing the Pakistani pacers to the English ones? Because in that case, your question actually seems somewhat intelligent.

i dont get it? england have a pretty good pace attack? harmison, hoggard, anderson, jones, ali, wharf...that was a silly post
the difference was balaji in pak and india.

 

[Dasa]

In comparison, opener Gautam Gambhir did the right thing by attacking every bowler whom he faced, yet an expert on a news channel pans him for not getting a big score. When will the Indians ever learn that team's cause come ahead of personal milestones? Maybe it is that age-old problem- the Indian side has always lacked a good captain.

Umm, this is Test cricket. Gambhir got out slogging - not acceptable in Tests. The scoring rate doesn't matter that much when you have 5 days to get a result.

 

[marc71178]

Did you happen to misread Arjun's post and think he was comparing the Pakistani pacers to the English ones? Because in that case, your question actually seems somewhat intelligent.

No, I fail to see the difference in class between the Indian pacemen and the Pakistani's.