***Official*** South Africa in India

[Sanz]

If the game is not expected to last more than three days than its not a sporting wicket but merely a wicket which is not test standard.

Are you suggesting that Ahmadabad pitch was not test standard ?

 

[Protean]

Are you suggesting that Ahmadabad pitch was not test standard ?

I'm pretty sure "expected" was the operative word there.

 

[TT Boy]

Are you suggesting that Ahmadabad pitch was not test standard ?

No.

 

[TT Boy]

Sreesanth is supposedly out due to a shoulder problem. Anil Kumble said yesterday that he is a major doubt and will have a fitness test on Thursday. Sharma is similarly going to have a late fitness test to determine whether he will be fit enough to play but by the sounds of it Ganguly and Patel maybe opening the bowling…

Kumble has said that Sharma's passed a fitness test and is 'fit enough to play' but may not due to the projected composition of India's side. Kumble fitness however is still rather uncertain and a call regarding that maybe left until tomorrow morning.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=17&art_id=nw20080410095501816C317360

 

[DaRick]

Kumble has said that Sharma's passed a fitness test and is 'fit enough to play' but may not due to the projected composition of India's side. Kumble fitness however is still rather uncertain and a call regarding that maybe left until tomorrow morning.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=17&art_id=nw20080410095501816C317360

Sounds a touch odd to me...given that, by current indications, the wicket will be anything but a road.

 

[silentstriker]

No.

Sorry mate, not test standard doesn't fly with me - both teams have to bat and bowl on it. Of course, this is without actually seeing the pitch, I'll know tonight for sure.

 

[silentstriker]

If the game is not expected to last more than three days than its not a sporting wicket but merely a wicket which is not test standard. A

According to report, it'll start breaking up on the third day, so if the Test is expected to last four days, it's a perfectly fine wicket.

 

[pasag]

Good news about the pitch, we'll finally get to seperate the boys from the men re: batsmen.

 

[Days of Grace]

If it was a perfect pitch (all things being equal), it would start breaking up towards the end of day 4, imo.

However, it is India's home ground, so they have the right to tailor the pitches for their spinners. Harris seems to be a good bowler, but it is in the spin department that India have a massive advantage.

 

[Manee]

A Virender Sehwag innings is never more unlikely, nor is it never more useful, than on what is expected to be a cracker (quite literally) of a spinning pitch.

 

[Manee]

Kumble has said that Sharma's passed a fitness test and is 'fit enough to play' but may not due to the projected composition of India's side. Kumble fitness however is still rather uncertain and a call regarding that maybe left until tomorrow morning.

I would not want Anil Kumble to play if he is relying on a First Day morning fitness test - he is clearly not fit if that is the case. I would far rather Ramesh Powar or Piyush Chawla played in his place. Both would be especially useful for the clear ability that both have with the bat in domestic FC level - which translates best, as here in a home Test.

 

[duffer]

All the reports from people who've been at the ground have basically been that it'll be a raging turner and India might go with Bhajji, Powar and Chawla/Kumble.

They also seem to think that a guys like Morne would love to bowl on a pitch that's going through the top early so South Africa will stick with the three quicks and Harris.

 

[Manee]

If India go with Powar and Chawla - I see no reason why India cannot play two pace bowlers, especially if one is Irfan Pathan. Two or three bowling all rounders should allow a team to play five bowlers, in my opinion.

 

[duffer]

It's a dicey balancing act. Viru and his offies could be a good third spin option on this pitch and I really think after the first innings debacle in Ahmedebad we need an extra specialist bat as an insurance policy.

 

[silentstriker]

If it was a perfect pitch (all things being equal), it would start breaking up towards the end of day 4, imo.

That's unfair. Fast bowlers have it good for all Test (even on breaking 5th day) while spinners only come into their own on the fifth day?

 

[silentstriker]

All the reports from people who've been at the ground have basically been that it'll be a raging turner and India might go with Bhajji, Powar and Chawla/Kumble.

They also seem to think that a guys like Morne would love to bowl on a pitch that's going through the top early so South Africa will stick with the three quicks and Harris.

I think Kumble, Harbhajan and Sehwag are fine. I don't think adding a fourth will increase our chances.

On a breaking pitch, a bowling attack of Sharma, Munaf, Harbhajan and Kumble is fine, with Sehwag contributing a lot of overs and Ganguly contributing a few himself.

 

[duffer]

That's unfair. Fast bowlers have it good for all Test (even on breaking 5th day) while spinners only come into their own on the fifth day?

Aye, it's a Western skewed ideal of what cricket should be like.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

That's unfair. Fast bowlers have it good for all Test (even on breaking 5th day) while spinners only come into their own on the fifth day?

Thought you hated spinners.

 

[silentstriker]

Thought you hated spinners.

Completely and utterly, I do.

But, it's still unfair to them.

 

[silentstriker]

Uneven bounce is the one type of wicket where Kumble is unplayable. A mini-Underwood if you will. He must play, considering the SA bowlers will be a handful on this wicket as well. If not, I think this series will be lost.