Test cricket different from its abridged "hit and giggle" variety! The batsmen time to score; the bowlers have practically no restrictions and there is flexibility in field setting.Given these circumstances upskilling is required to combat the challenges!Habits borne out of surfeit of ODIs and 20-20s ie steering through and over the slips;reverse sweep;driving on the up;cross batted swipes;cow corner tonking etc prove disastrous!While playing Tests these have to be eschewed or calamity soon befalls a batsman!To get out of this mind set, established Test players have to "unlearn" and need to play a few "normal" cricket matches.BCCI,in its infinite wisdom,refuses to acknowledge that the three forms of the game need different applications.For its "august" committee members(for whom understanding such technicalities is a waste of time)all forms of cricket can be played with the same skillset and there is no need for adjustment!With such a view BCCI finalises international schedules for the cricketers!These cricketers are expected to step off the plane and perform irrespective of opposition;weather conditions;pitch type etc. If these corporate junkies, who run BCCI and see money making its only goal,were called upon (suddenly)to speak extempore on an unfamiliar subject in front of a large discerning audience they would appreciate what Test cricket is all about and give it res
Everyone knows that in a Test Match we have to get the opposition out twice.... India did not do it even once - so how can you win? It is useless saying that Zaheer got injured on the 1st day and we were at a disadvantage - absolutely true - but cricket is a team game played with 11 players and India should have planned for this event as Zaheer has had a history of breakdowns while playing. We should have planned to play with five bowlers in case one is injured, particularly on English pitches with the English weather. Getting the opposition team out earlier would also mean a lesser load on the batsmen! Even now it is not too late and till Sehwag returns let Dravid open along with Gambhir, allowing both Yuvaraj or Munaf to play along with Raina
Re: ZAHEER IS GRE8
by Ashwin Kumar on Jul 26, 2011 09:37 PM
Why religion here..Don't you have any other blog site for communal comments..You bloody..You Better be out from here..
This test was a throw-back to the pre-Kapil era. The Indians were meek and defeatable right from the day one. Batsmen like Dravid and Laxman played for over an hour for 10 odd runs. Fielders dropped catches at random.
Gary Kirsten obviously understood the dynamics of the team better and got the most out of them. Fletcher is new and need more time to learn how to motivate the team.
Here are my observations from this test:
1. Poor selection by leaving out Yuvraj Singh and playing Abhinav Mukand. Was South Lobby responsible for this?
2. Playing unfit and injured players came back to hound Indians. The medics in the team and team management owns this mistake.
3. Lack of tactical strategy against Kevin Pieterson. Indian captain had no clue what to do when Kevin was in full flow.
4. Poor fielding - Dravid and Laxman dropped easy catches. Dhoni was lethargic behind the wickets. But the poor fielder of the test award goes to Abhinav Mukund.
5. Poor leadership by Dhoni. Releasing an ad mocking his senior player and his dead father before the test was in very poor taste. By bowling himself at the peak of english innings, Dhoni showed his casual approach and gave a message that he had already given up on this test.
6. Lack of motivation and determination by the team. With the exception of Dravid, VVS, Raina, Praveen and Sharma, rest of the team gave up too quickly. May be they were trying to follow their leader - Don't make it large, make it different - Dhoni
Re: Make it different - Dhoni
by Prasad on Jul 26, 2011 10:49 PM
Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh are Dhoni's friends. So they get into the team even without any contribution. This screwball called Yuvraj is 30 years old but could not take Dada's place in the Test team even after 4 years of his retirement. he is good at balla ghumana not for the rigours of test cricket. Mukund is an opener.Can this Yuvraj open? This is the only place left for him.There certainly seems to be Northern yaar lobby at work.
The most import turning point after Zaheer leaving feild was Dhoni's stupidity of not bring back Ishaant back after lunch on the day 4. He was on fire and if another 3-4 overs of Ishaant has brought another wicket, story would have been different. Dhoni bad test captain, very bad test batsman and rubbish test keeper.
It is not correct to say that England dominated the first test right from the first day. Everybody will agree that Zaheer's absence was the turning point. He was almost unplayable in the first day morning. It is not easy to win a test match with only two relatively inexperienced bowlers. Of course, our much vaunted batting failed to rise to the occasion. Some unforced errors in the second innings by Dravid and Laxman sealed India's fate. A possible draw ended in India's loss.
More than losing the match what hurt me was the meek and timid way Sachin approached the game when batting yesterday. There were no big devils in the pitch and the English bowlers were neither menacing nor unplayable. Sachin had devils in his mind which ensured he failed. It is deeply embarassing and insulting that Sachin went without runs for 40 balls got almost out 3 times before falling plumb LBW to Anderson. Though it would be inappropriate to rate anyone on ONE INNINGS, Sachin proved that he is ordinary and lacks the grit and determination required when pushed to the wall or severely tested. For India, we lost the match the moment Dravid & Laxman were gone, though Raina saved some respect for us. Dhoni has been a colossal failure and Sachin let us down when it matters most. Would have been proud, if we had lost with GUNS BLAZING....Now Sachin's 100th century is of no consequence anymore since it did not come when it mattered most. Now for me, Sachin is not even no.10 batsman in the World, leave alone No.1. There are far better batsman who fight for their country's cause..
