This is as it should be. I throughly agree with Dravid . He has said the right thing " We would have forced a result ". A mental edge for the forthcoming triangular series. Please for India's sake u media persons learn to support the Indian team in whatever they do ( even the English and Australians media for all their losses ....)
We Indians are modest and respectable. Not like loudmouth clowns from New Zealand talking trash. We talk truth and facts. We dont brag, even, our big achivements. Bragging construed or little achivements are out of question. A thief thinks everybody else is also a thief. Kiwis came to India with same mind, that we will doctor pitches for their demolition. Very cautious and guarding while making any statements. As soon as they got away from being humiliated, they have started throwing insults at us and bragging about them again. Any body can read through statements made by Kiwis. The biggest shame of all is our journalist adding their two bits against their own just to appease them, may be hoping a bone or two get thrown in their direction.
I really fail to understand why spinners from other countries have become more successful than our own spinners in Indian soil and pitch. May be, our selection is all about face saving than giving chance to juniors. In my opinion, do something to show that there is no place for a non-performer.
the moment new zealand got 630 on the board indians had a negative frame of mind.they never tried to make a match out of it.instead of being too much defencive,they could have played their shots.by playing the way they did they got in to a lot of trouble.also in the end i think laxman should have taken some initiative to avoid the follow-on.
Whatever be the resuult, we've missed Dravid as 'Wall'. Hopefully those who shouted a few days ago Ganguly should not be in the team, they should think before critisize.
Though I adore Rahul Dravid for his reliable batting at all times which has helped India in test matches more often than any other current day cricketers (including Sachin), I just laughed at his comment that the team showed character in achieving a draw. It is an effort to divert attention from abysmal bowling of Zaheer, Kumble and Harbhajan, batting failures of Sachin and Dravid and some fielding lapses. Indian conditions always have helped the home team, so the draw achieved by NZ is a victory for them.
Talking about our strengths, we have no quality spinners around at the moment and Kumble and Bhajji seem to have forgotten how to take wickets. Our strength actually lies in our fast bowling - that is how we managed to achieve so much in this year's world cup. We have new fast bowlers like Munaf and Irfan who should get opportunities to play on bouncy wickets. It helps us to face our opponents in other countries - WI, SA, NZ, Australia who have healthy pitches offering assistance to all - batsmen, spinners and pacemen. This series is a big defeat for India - the team, the selectors, the administrators (pitch technical committee) and the curators of the pitches.
Whatever excuse Dravid (as all Indian captains of recent times) gives in the press conferences, it is a truth that Newzealand was far superior as a TEAM and they won the mind game... In Mohali,Newzealand team was far superior in terms of Batting (Four Centuries), Bowlers (bowled their heart out, India had just Kumble), and Fielding... Indian batsman were feared and overcautious, bowlers without any impact and fielders with their head down... For NewZealand each one of the 11 players contributed in almost equal manner, can you name one player in NZ eleven, who disappointed (except wiseman to an extent)
If we take the case of extras, India gave as many as 53 extras but NewZealand gave only 7 extras in 424 runs with just one leg bye.. Apart from Great Field placements and fantastic NewZealand fielding, wasn't it over cautious approach and fear of Indian batsmans that we fail to earn extras in the form of Legbyes.. I believe 6-7 would have helped us in avoiding Follow-on
I also believe VVS Laxman should have been sent to open the second innings with Akash Chopra as he remained not out in the first and was well settled and could have carried on his innings..
I agree with Dravid and i am happy that India has got a captain at last who knows what he speaks.Moreover he knows where to be silent. I think any team could have forced a result in newzland's shoes but all credit goes to Laxman and newcomer chopra. Any way we will see kiwis in onday's never mind
