***Official*** New Zealand in India 2012

[Arjun]

The Indian middle order would be much better off with Badrinath, Kaif and Mazumdar, than these young blokes. Honestly, the Ranji Trophy experience should carry more weight than age certificates. Badri may be old, but he's fit, strong and surely one of the best players.

With Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman gone, the Indian team management needs to wake up and start looking for all-rounders. Now there's no excuse to go on without any.

 

[Shri]

Yes because Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman gave Kallis a run for his money as all rounders when they played.

 

[Spark]

Tendulkar does occasionally bowl a mean leggie tbf.

 

[Shri]

Tahir > Tendulkar iirc.

 

[Shri]

Maybe its about time we went back to the basics. The basics that gave Ganguly's team at the start of his captaincy the belief that they can beat the best at home which gradually allowed them to build confidence and get some away test wins over time. Raging turners. I don't think any batsman in the world(Indians included) atm have the skill to play on a true dusty pitch. 1. Prepare turners. 2. Call back bhajji. 3. Play Ashwin and Bhajji. 4. Get some whitewashes at home. 5. Profit.

 

[BeeGee]

I don't know how anyone could take those two muppets seriously tbh.

AWTA. They are the worst kind of knee jerking, band wagon riding, OTT, sensationalizing morons.

 

[BeeGee]

Is n't it lame idea to have Baz open the innings when we have Flynn (left-hander) + Guptill opening partnership working well?

NZ opener stats for the last three years:

Player        Matches  Average

BB McCullum     9       43.86
MJ Guptill     14       32.65
DR Flynn        2       27.50
TG McIntosh    11       25.14
BJ Watling      5       23.11
RJ Nicol        2       7.00

A bloke who averages 43 opening in Tests is world class. It was a ridiculous decision to move McCullum to three in the first place. Since moving to three he has averaged 39, which is good, but we have other players who can bat three. IMO, Guptill and McCullum are the two best openers we have, so they should be opening.

I don't think Flynn is a natural opening batsman and I doubt he would succeed in that position long term.

 

[SteveNZ]

I think in all fairness the decision to move McCullum to No.3 was made by McCullum.

So who's No.3, Kane or Flynn?

 

[Prince EWS]

So who's No.3, Kane or Flynn?

I just want Kane to have a proper chance at settling in a position, and given it's inevitable that he'll end up batting 3 in this side, that should probably be the position he gets to settle in. I just hope that if he doesn't set the world alight there immediately, they don't cower and move him back to 5 again straight away.

 

[Cruxdude]

From all reports it looks like this test will be played in front of a largely empty stadium. Can't help but look back at the awesome crowds one gets in the more traditional centers. Makes no sense holding matches in grounds where you do not expect people to turn up. Grounds should be penalized if they do not manage to get decent crowds in.

 

[SteveNZ]

I just want Kane to have a proper chance at settling in a position, and given it's inevitable that he'll end up batting 3 in this side, that should probably be the position he gets to settle in. I just hope that if he doesn't set the world alight there immediately, they don't cower and move him back to 5 again straight away.

Pretty solid logic. I'm sure if we looked at his cricinfo profile and saw what positions he's batted in, it would be all over the shop.

 

[arjwiz]

What's the weather predicted? Looks like rain all 5 days, especially over the weekend.

Hyderabad-10-day Extended Weather Forecasts - in.weather.com
Weather Report for Hyderabad, India

Any chance this could end up a draw?

 

[BeeGee]

So who's No.3, Kane or Flynn?

I just want Kane to have a proper chance at settling in a position, and given it's inevitable that he'll end up batting 3 in this side, that should probably be the position he gets to settle in. I just hope that if he doesn't set the world alight there immediately, they don't cower and move him back to 5 again straight away.

Yep, Williamson at three.

 

[Kippax]

Yep, Williamson at three.

Yeah AWTA. We've had some pretty average bats score big top-order runs in India in the last decade tbh. If Kane can score a ton sent in by Yorkshire on a greentop on a miserable day I don't really see a need for him to be sheltered here, and what would be revealed by him failing would be worth finding out. What Flynn can offer when he's not hemmed into that 'typical flightless, shotless Kiwi, very limited, got smacked in the teeth in England once' corner the cricket world has him in would also be worth finding out.

My take on Kane is very similar to say the golfer Adam Scott; a really placid, far from instinctively contentious guy who'll generally play better the cleaner the game situation you give him is.

 

[Raghav]

From all reports it looks like this test will be played in front of a largely empty stadium. Can't help but look back at the awesome crowds one gets in the more traditional centers. Makes no sense holding matches in grounds where you do not expect people to turn up. Grounds should be penalized if they do not manage to get decent crowds in.

This is not the first time it's happening. Crowds are generally low in Hyderabad on comparison to Chennai or Bangalore or to any metropolitan in India. Interestingly, BCCI gives a match to Hyderabad whenever NZ tours India.. as if there is an agreement with BCCI and HCA (Hyderabad Cricket Association ).. Since last two decades, Hyderabad hosted atleast one game (be it test or odi) whenever NZ toured India ..

 

[Agent TBY]

From all reports it looks like this test will be played in front of a largely empty stadium. Can't help but look back at the awesome crowds one gets in the more traditional centers. Makes no sense holding matches in grounds where you do not expect people to turn up. Grounds should be penalized if they do not manage to get decent crowds in.

Where else would you host a match at this time of year? Hyderabad's the safest bet.

 

[BeeGee]

India v New Zealand, 1st Test, Hyderabad : Ross Taylor banks on swing and seamers in Hyderabad | Cricket News | India v New Zealand | ESPN Cricinfo

Some awful quotes from Taylor in there:

"Most of our batters have played against India here last time, so they won't be a surprise to MS [Dhoni]," Taylor said.

Batters? We're playing cricket not baseball. They are batsmen ffs.

"If we have match-winning performances, then hopefully we get the right results at the end of the day."

If you have match winning performances then you obviously will win the match. There's no hope required. You can't have a match winning performance in a game you lose.

 

[Howsie]

Wow, what a surprise. Our two best bowlers from the last test aren't even certainties to play. Their is no way in the world you can leave out Boult without taking the complete piss but Southee too, just to bring in Martin or Patel, a joke, a complete joke.

 

[Daemon]

Excited for Pujara. Scored heaps during the A series against the Windies so signs are good.

 

[Cevno]

Yeah, awta. He has had to work doubly hard after all the injuries he has had. Surgeries on both knees has to take a toll.

Hoping Badri.or Rahane get the other spot. Not raina.