Indian outlook is totally defensive. There is no aggressive intent, no planning to take 20 wickets. The selectors are more afraid of losing...so they don't even make any attempt to win. And depend on the toss to try and bat first. Even that will backfire against strong bowling attacks like RSA, Eng, Aus or Pak.
So, never mind the bowlers, Dhoni. Don't pretend that you feel for them. If you really cared about their workload, you would have picked 5 bowlers. Instead you prefer to protect your (already pampered) batsmen.
I wouldn't at all be surprised to see more bowlers go the Flintoff/Murali route: forget tests and make easy money by playing IPL. There also, the bowlers are cannon-fodder, but the torture lasts for much less time, and there is oodles of money on offer.
Summing up, we want more dead pitches so that our Bradmans can boost their test average? After all, shouldn't Sachin get to 50 test hundresds?? Isn't that more important than winning tests?
And sponsors' darling Yuvy is feeling left out...he is sad that he missed scoring some easy runs. He is licking his chops and waiting for the next pitch to be of the same lifeless variety.
Shodhan,Surinder Amarnath were also left handed. And what's this nonsense about debut innings - in the context of a hundred on debut, only the first match is considered - don't complicate matters with unnecessary stats.
Whither goest thou Yuvraj? Raina has grasped the opportunity with both hands to consolidate his position at no 6. He is a brilliant fielder and an occasional left arm trundler.The most striking part of his debut was the fire in his belly-something an increasingly cynical prima donna Yuvraj lacks.Obviously the fire in his belly is not stoked as his evident from the avoirdupois his frame is struggling to control! Maybe Raina's advent will wake him from his indifference and make him strive harder to do justice to his undoubted talent! Sad as it may be a few of the other seniors too need to be freshly assessed. Harbhajan has lost his effectiveness. The ODIs have made him into a defensive bowler rather than the aggressive one he was earlier.He bowls flatter and faster these days.There is no loop or flight to grip and turn the ball! Rahul Dravid is showing signs of decline. Great though he may have been, his reflexes are not as sharp as they were once. His missing crucial catches in the slips and his struggle at the wicket point to declining skills. Ponting is also facing a similar situation in Australia. There is no shame in this as age takes a toll. VVS Laxman is gradually coming to the same stage of decline. Understudies for these two titans have to be introduced now otherwise the gap will never be filled when they retire. Guys like Pujara & Rohit Sharma are waiting in the wings and need induction like Raina. What can one say about Tendulkar? With age he seems to
Re: Raina
by jo pa on Jul 30, 2010 11:23 AM
DRAAVIID should be dropped in the interest of the team. He seems to have some strings which are helping him to stay on despite useless contributions to the side.
Ppl just think. How much credit will u attribute for a ODI macth against Bangaladesh, where Sachin makes 100 in first innings and India make 250-270 and India win comfortably? I would guess not much credit to it. Flash-back to 2007 world cup match, Ind vs Ban , India lost that resulted in ousting out of the world cup. India made around 190 and Ban chased it in about 49 overs. If Sachin made a century in that match, it would like the case I mentioned above. Bottomline, every century he made counts irrespective of oppenent,ground and first/second innings. You will know the value of the innings only if it never exists. But players,selectors/commentators know that value.Thats why they redgard him as the greatest player. Clueless ppl can keep barking that he cant win matches.
Re: Sachin
by seejoy lazar on Jul 30, 2010 04:28 AM | Hide message
matter of fact even if ganguly or viru or yuvi had scored century India would hav scored around 280...did any1 stop sachin from scorin 100 on tat day...
Re: Re: Sachin
by Harsha Bhogle on Jul 30, 2010 07:16 AM
Sachin has never risen to the occassion when India needed him the most .. like the WC 2003 final. A cricketer like Gilchrist should be called 'great' because he rose to the occassion in that final and hit the Indians all over the park. Being great is not about technique, it is about rising to the occassion when it matters. Agreed that Sachin is an extremely talented batsman, technically better than anybody in the world and having a repertoire of extraordinary shots. But he is certainly not a 'great'. So Sachin fans, wake up and smell the coffee. And oh, I almost forgot .. STOP BARKING !!!
Re: Re: Re: Sachin
by Philanthropist on Aug 03, 2010 01:48 AM
yeah Gilchrist rose to the ocassion...he hit in only the final...only as_sholes like u can think like this...
Re: Re: Sachin
by super hero on Jul 30, 2010 04:47 AM
Yeah India would have won if any of the top batsmen hit a century that day. I am talking about all the matches he hit centuries. Not about the ones he failed. He has the most centuries and most man-of-the-matches than anyone. The point is, how we think the matches he didnt score are important and how we think, the matches he scored are less important. still cant understand? understandably...lol
