Some Ganguly fans are all goo-goo gaa-gaa over a marginally better strike rate and batting average in ODI (less than 21in BA and 3 in SR). I guess that makes him way superior than Dravid.
By the same token they forget that Dravid is (not 1 or 2, but about 20 runs higher in BA). I wonder whether that makes Dravid the undisputed king of test matches for India. By the way only Gavaskar and Tendulkar are in the same league (for India).
Hey Ponting...b4 talking about his (Kumble's) captaincy..did you had the guts to call back Sangakkara y'day to bat again ???no way coz u took that so called (not out) catch..shame on you and your australian cricket..
India will have a golden chance to win a series in AUS although a four test series may lead to a tied tour. This is a very weak AUS team while India is perhpas the storngest it has been in a long time. This team is better than the team Sourav led in last AUS tour. Current AUS team is just a shadow. India will win at least two tests this time.
India should stay focussed and whitewash PAK. This should not be even a competition. Just like SA is finishing NZ, IND should finish of PAK within three days.
RE:This is a much weaker AUS
by krishna on Nov 21, 2007 01:11 AM
I am elso hoping that India will fare better than they did in their last innings... However, except for Dhoni the team is not going to be much different. We still have Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Ganguly, Kumble and Khan. One of the biggest reasons for our sucess was Sehwag/Akash Chopra who gave us great starts. This time around, I cannot expect the same from Jaffar/Karthik. Besides Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly and Tendulkar were in much better form the last time they were in AUS.
RE:This is a much weaker AUS
by Mat on Nov 21, 2007 01:26 AM
Hope we do as well as we did last time,but watching the way Aussies are playing,there is no doubt that this is their strongest team ever.They miss a good spinner,but they blow away teams without spinners,anyways.India has always done well against spinners,so they might even chose to go without a spinner. Their fast bowlers ,as a group,are better,now,with Brett Lee,Johnson,and Clark finding great consistency,and accuracy.
The batting is also much better ,with everyone being in top form.We do not have even a single batsman in the top 10 ranking list.
The good thing is ,we are playing Pakistan, and hopefully ,the strugglers will be dropped out soon.!The only way is to get good start. We need to find another Akash Chopra,to wear them out.
One bad decision can cuase the whole match turn upside down, two good exapmles are, Yuvi's out in last ODI against PAk, until then India was in the game, and Sangakkara's dismissal, the way he tore into Aus bowling, every one including Punter and Ian chappell thought, he had the match in his pocket. That's why when he was ruled out by Rudi Koertzn, Aussies didn't have the sportsmanship and courage to call him back. Umpires are human, agreed, waht are the captians doing, just a take look at the giant screen and call the batsman back. Can one captain set an example in the enar future. crcket is not war, it's only a game and let gamesmanship prevail. One more thought for the umpires, If you are not sure, why give out!!!wait unitl you are sure about the dismissal, until then Ponting can wait!!!!!!
RE:Umpiring Errors costing dearly
by Venkatachalam on Nov 21, 2007 06:03 AM
Yes Sangakhara played brilliantly and his innings was unfortunately terminated due to umpiring error. But it does not mean that he would have won the match for Sri Lanka because when he got out they still needed lot of runs which with the last few wickets was almost imposible to achieve. When Ponting declared he was definitely aware of an improbable win for the Sri Lankans because of the nature of the pitch. Even if they had won the overall superiority of the Aussies is therefor everyone to see as they could not be dismissed even once in the 2 tests.
To beat Aussies our team will have to put up high totals and players will have to stay at the crease for reasonable period. Our players are more of the bang bang variety and everything depends on the performance of Sachin, Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly. We do havesome mercurial bowlers who also shine in short spells except of course Kumble. All the best. In any series umpiring decisioms may go against the teams but that need not be the reason for losing a test or deries. Good luck
RE:Umpiring Errors costing dearly
by Yogesh Patel on Nov 21, 2007 12:04 AM
Only Captain I remember who has called a batsman back after given out by the umpire is Sir Garfield Sobers who did it in India. Great sportsman of all time. No one even comes close to him.
RE:Umpiring Errors costing dearly
by Samrat Bose on Nov 21, 2007 12:37 AM
The other example was when Gundappa Vishwanath called back Bob Taylor (England) in the Jubilee Test at Mumbai in 1980. Bob was adjudged caught behind, but Vishwanath, standing in the slip, did not think the ball touched the bat. For the record, England won the test, but Vishy's act is still remembered with respect.
Poor Umpiring decisions that's going to come up later when tour the Australia! Is anyone bothered?
Our BCCI is busy counting currencies. They won't be bothered about issues like, our batsmen or bowlers ending up at the recieving end due to horrible umpiring decisions. Even the umpiring errors need to be protested and ICC must be informed of these mistakes with video footages. Umpires irrespective of their colour or creed try to please whites and win their support to officiate more matches. There's not a single umpire from India who is in the ICC's elite panel of umpires. BCCI is not bothered at all. They'll only show the measures taken in this regard on paper and not the nett result of them. They even forget that ICC can not survive without asian nations' support. Infact, BCCI must dictate terms rather than doing the bowing act. Steve Bucknor has gone too old to hear or observe the faint snicks and edges froom the bat and he must retire. The only good umpire in the current lot seems to be Mr. Alim Dharr from Pakistan who does a fairly neat and unbiased job.
Thank God! Our players have woken up finally and learnt to fight fire with fire. I'm sure, Andrew Nel's stare at our batsmen will surely be dealt suitably by our batsmen hereafter. Ausies and South Africans are the most erring ones in terms of himiliating the opposition on and off the field. It's time, we give them back their due share. Khudos to the current crop of young and courageous players for doing just that.
RE:Sangakara is the victim of poor umpiring down under. Beware Indians! You may be the next targets of these umpires...
by Asanka on Nov 20, 2007 10:45 PM
Ponting is trying to scare Kumble. Actually Tendulkar is our captain. But our smart leader Sir Sharad Pawar, saw this in advance and decided to hide Tendlya. So made a dummy skipper Kumble so that the Aussies would go after him and our main man Tendlya will be spared to think for India. Jai Hind Jai Maharashtra
