Cricket is a team game - but where is the team? Rahul Dravid is a team man but some of the others around him do not justify being part of the team
I didnt see the entire match - it was a working day but Ganguly's score - 50-odd runs in 120-odd balls, and VVS (very very superficial?) 22 in 43 - are inexplicable
Finite Element Analysis would reveal the following: SAURAV - weak points - poor runner between wickets converts 3's to 2's and 2's to 1's or gets run out - he has never been a good fielder let alone a solid one and cannot prevent the quick single, is not good as a boundary rider, and seldom hits the stumps direct. So when India go to field, we are -10/-20 because of Saurav and if he misses the stumps and the batsman prospers penalty is more...If he bowls on flat wickets without movement he is hit all over the park (in this match -10) - to offset this cumulative penalty, Saurav is expected to contribute with the bat +20/+30 at least more than the usual strike rate, else he endangers team interest
Kaif/Yuvraj - what use experience, no consistency
Dhoni - poor on legside keeping, missed catches, gave away runs keeping to bhajji
The loss against Sri-lanka is not at all surprising. Given the fact that our cricketers take active interest in everything other than cricket no wonder their attention is not on the game. May be it's time for them to take up other professions since they have sufficient money to start their own business. Someone is good at the restaurant business while another one is good at endorsements. Also we now need to play against teams like Canada, UAE etc if we have to improve our record. These cricketers need to be kicked on their ass and new talent should now be brought in. Our team is just a pack of hungry wolves who look for every opportunity to make money preferably through soucres other than cricket. And as far as Ganguly is concerned well it's time for him to call it a day before people literally drag him on to the streets and thrash him. He has become the biggest liability but is shamelessly hanging around. Congrats Dalmiya your man is indispensible.
Prime thing that went wrong, was eventually gangully's batting. He managed to consume 110 balls, in the way to make his personal record glare.
It managed to put pressue to batsmen next to him, to accelerate runrate and hence failed to capitalize.
When nation is expecting a teams victory, ganguly wastes more balls, instead of easing the pressue as a batsmen, he played against india's plan.
Eventually pressue on batsmen following him, pressue on bowlers, because of low score.. finally indians crumble, and walk into finals with dejected moral instead of a win and boosted-upbet mindset.
Sri Lanka victory proved that courage, determination to succeed can bring victory from the jaws of defeat. Whereas our Indian players seems to be a dejected lot. They do not have the will to fight and it is written all over their face expressions. I am sure, if India was in Sri Lanka's position, the result would have been a easy victory for the Lankans. It is now a usual practice that our famous top order fails to bring in results and they are in the team for the only reason than that they have done something great before. I should say, our bowlers should be complimented for their fighting spirit. They are the only ones where India can rely some hope. Why Lakshman is in the team is a wonder despite all the failures. He is the only one who got more than his share despite repeated failures. Who is protecting him. He is a poor fielder. He has stamina and power. But does not use it. He plays the one day style in tests and the vice versa in one dayers. Poor Greg Chappel, Ian Chappel was right in telling "brother, you might be crazy to coach the Indians". Unless the Indian team change their mentality, victory will be a hard nut to crack.
Firstly, hats off to jayawardena and Chandana for their match winning knocks from a hopeless situation. I wish our Indian 'overglorified' karodpathi palyers can emulate such performances more often.
Its abundantly clear that India needs five full time bowlers to win matches. As it stands, none of the four are in the class of Murali, Mcgrath or Warne. So they are bound to fail maore often, as it happened in this match. On top of this, if you have part-timers, you are inviting trouble. Dravid could hardly hide his remorse in the final few overs. As they say, many a slip between the cup and the lip. Dravid deserves better support than what he got on this day from all bowlers, excluding the excellent Nehra. Pathan was okay. The rest were dismal. Letting the opposition to win from 96 for 5 is criminal. Its high time all the five top bowlers in the team play in a match together. Sehwag, Saurav and so on can back them up if one of them has an off day.
Wake up, Indian think tank. You have no excuses anymore.. I have not seen anything innovative from the much hyped coach thus far. Let us see his stamp in at least this long needed change.
MATCH KA MUJRIM: Sourav Ganguly: Personal score and place in team are most important things and played a selfish and selfcentered innings!
VVS Laxman:Incapable for ONE-DAY style of cricket. But can play a blocker's role in tough conditions, but with poor form and partners like ganguly he witnessed that he is out of touch and not just Non athletic!
Selection commity: Players like Yuvraj,Laxman,Ganguly seemes to have payed some % of money to the members.
that the Indians could not finish the game and gave it away. What is Sehway doing in the team. When was the last time he performed? Is he considered a senior then where is the responsibility, accountability part. Why is no body in the press asking hard questions?
I just dropped into my friend's room in Munirka, New Delhi last night from JNU and saw my friends watching the match between India and Sri Lanka. I joined them for few minutes and the match was ending...only to find our country losing. It was so sad.Why couldn't not India maintain a steady winning rate like Australia? Why is our country so unpredictable when it comes to winning a match like cricket, for which we are well known all over the world? This is a serious lapse. yet I wish them the best for the future matches. Try Try try again.....
Nice performance from the Lankans. Despite the absence of Jayasurya, Vass and Muralitharan, the team performed extreemly well under tremendous pressure. They totelly deserve it. One more poor performance from India. Sehwag, Ganguly, VVS, Kaif, Yuvraj should bury themselves in shame. How many chances do these guys want to have. VVS's last known performance was in Pakistan, he still clings to that and gains a place in the team. Unfortunately , I cant even remember when was the last time Ganguly played a sensible innings. These guys do not deserve a place in the team.
I should say, bowlers are improving, Phatan and Balaji, bat better than the top order. I hope Ganguly , Laxman and others learn from them.
