India played well to win an illusive “away” series win. West Indies also played their part and made sure that a series win in West Indies was no formality which other teams sought after and managed to do. The score-line would have been much better barring weather and some ordinary team selection. Sehwag silenced his critics again by scoring a meaty hundred. Jaffer came into the reckoning. Laxman made a hundred in conditions, which suggested India to be on the mat but Lara pulled of the hook and things eased out. Rahul Dravid was as consistent as divinity. He scored 496 runs at an average of 82.66. He can put no foot wrong. It was good to see “The Telegraph” (published in Kolkatta) hailing Rahul Dravid.
Indian Batsmen.
They should look up the captain and emulate what he has done over the years. I would like to see some more grit. I think Indian batsmen should bring forth the flamboyance that they show in One Day matches. I think they consider it too dull. Kaif needs to tighten his game while Yuvraj needs to rethink his batting for Test arena.
The openers came in and went out without anyone noticing. Rahul Dravid who would have not been surprised played all day and was lucky to miss out on a century in the first innings. He could have well got one in the second. The West Indies pitches are weird as they deteriorate they start to spin and jump for the batsmen and indifferent bounce attracts the seamers as well. I think they would really be tested in South Africa I am looking forward to that whenever India goes in their next. Indian batting just undermined itself in the one days. Dhoni was for some reason looked out of sorts. Kumble meanwhile made sure that he contributed not only with the bat but also spend time in between and score some runs. The bowlers should all look to do the same.
West Indian batsmen.
They need to just hang in their and fight it out. Lara wont play forever and Viv Richards left test arena ages ago. There are people like Gayle, Sarwan and Bravo who should come fore and guide people in even if it means that they have to curb their strokeplay. Sarwan has to start better. He is a very good touch player. Samuels should also be their in the list. Morton another batsmen who should be regularly featured in playing eleven. Bravo gives them the extra option.
Indian Bolwers.
They impressed for starters but would be looking towards the selectors to give them a snior pro to work with in Test matches. Kumble is a snior pro but not a fast bowler. I think Harbhajan two fivers gave me lot of hope. If Sehwag can claim West Indies then Harbhajan being a specialist should have better chances of doing so. Kumble mean-while has done well to control the herd. Sehwag also made a useful contribution. Munaf looks good. Sreesanth was surprise package in the last test. I think I kept him of the list coz Gayle just knocked him out of wind in the earlier matches. Irfan was unlucky. I for once feel that in away matches India should play five bowlers.
My point of view is if Pathan played in all the matches instead of Yuvraj, could we had a chance of a better score-line without taking anything away from this one?
West Indian bowlers.
They look good but may do well once they are in full strength. Collymore looks sharp and bowls a mean line. A spinner could do wonders. Collins took wickets while Bradshaw always looks to contain. The West Indian fielding was good all through the series. I think West Indies should look to come up provided they get some good bowlers going and nurture them well.
Besides Cricket.
I have not watched all the games of the World Cup even though I wanted to do so. I guess u don’t get every thing in life. I believe Portugal will lift the trophy if they slay France in the semis but it is a long way to go. I think every one is betting on France to win the semis. I don’t know the name of a single striker’s of Portugal but they did well to compete with top teams and get better of them. If one looks at France there is a willy fox called Zidane. He is such a master. He has to do it for France. He has done it before. He and Henry are tuning well. One thing if for sure, favourites not always win the World Cup.
Showing posts with label The Wall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Wall. Show all posts
12.4.06
Cricket: Indians make selection goof ups.
The match played today was a fiasco in many ways let me enlist them.
An absurd game plan.
No team can win any cricket match if they don’t have bowlers. The whole selection was absurd. The bowlers should not have been dropped and batsmen should have replaced the batsmen. The Indians were entangled by the improper team selection, which resulted in England gaining few points out of this result. If the opposition is on mat then keep them there, if it is your day then make sure you make it count. The nature game of cricket is as fickle as the land of its origin. No one can bet with surety on the future, what happens if in the next game a resurgent English team beats India in tight match. I bet all the four wins and a serious victory would go down the drain.
Openers spills the beans.
No one can say that Indian top order selection has been performing we are serious short of talent on this opening front. I don’t know, which was the last genuine test opening pair, which lasted for say 40 matches in Test. Then, after a very successful Ganguly and Tendulkar pair split in One Days we seem to struggle even there. I think Robin Utthappa is an opening batsman. Why he being a genuine opener wasn’t he tried? Dhoni played really well to make a 96 taking nothing away for him, but how many times can he open? If he can do it regularly then why isn’t he regularly opening? There is a certain Adam Gilchrist whose been opening successfully for Australia and there are examples of other keepers as well who have opened successfully.
The house crashes without the Wall.
There is not only top order woes for India. There is a very rigid middle order to content as well. There was no spark from the spark plugs. The previous match heroes were silent guns today. Yuvraj, Raina went out to tame dismissal. Venugopal Rao will be kicking himself for not doing enough. I think these guys are in bad luck. They are selected when the big boys are rested and they know they would have to make place for them when the big boys are back. It is sad for guys like Venugopal Rao.
Spot a bowlers contest.
How many matches have V.R.V. Singh, R.P. Singh and Munaf Patel played in all? Whatever may be there count I think English batsmen would have backed themselves to chase down 323. Indian seamers bowled a combine of 20 overs and gave away 118 runs no one even looked look like taking a wicket. There efforts also included 13 extra bowls and equal numbers of runs. There was only Harbhajan who claimed three wickets with his quota of ten overs going for 30 runs.
The English are not complaining.
Why should they? I would be the last person who would be surprised if the English manage to win the last game. Why do I say so? I am not pro English and anti-India. But as an honest cricket fan Indian performance is often lack lustre and thoughtless as it was today. This worries me a trifle. If the good form is just an innings so is the bad form. If the pitch at Indore is anything to do bounce and pace I would favour the English to make it count again and dent the Indian spirit.
The extras, who is counting?
The Indians conceded 27 extras ie 12.05% of runs that’s the English scored along with nearly bowling 7% extra overs. In an endeavour of defending a meagre total these numbers are big. There was a wicket of Ian Bell that went down begging because of a no-ball. The English managed to record a century opening stand. If you keep track of India winning and loosing then keep a track on extra’s which they concede when the loose a match. It will provide a very interesting hint.
The Indians have had a great series of One Day series. I would love to see Indians perform well in tournaments where there are more the two teams then. The Indians under estimated the English and there selection was shocking. There is some dead (Sehwag and Kaif) wood in the team that needs to be replaced.
An absurd game plan.
No team can win any cricket match if they don’t have bowlers. The whole selection was absurd. The bowlers should not have been dropped and batsmen should have replaced the batsmen. The Indians were entangled by the improper team selection, which resulted in England gaining few points out of this result. If the opposition is on mat then keep them there, if it is your day then make sure you make it count. The nature game of cricket is as fickle as the land of its origin. No one can bet with surety on the future, what happens if in the next game a resurgent English team beats India in tight match. I bet all the four wins and a serious victory would go down the drain.
Openers spills the beans.
No one can say that Indian top order selection has been performing we are serious short of talent on this opening front. I don’t know, which was the last genuine test opening pair, which lasted for say 40 matches in Test. Then, after a very successful Ganguly and Tendulkar pair split in One Days we seem to struggle even there. I think Robin Utthappa is an opening batsman. Why he being a genuine opener wasn’t he tried? Dhoni played really well to make a 96 taking nothing away for him, but how many times can he open? If he can do it regularly then why isn’t he regularly opening? There is a certain Adam Gilchrist whose been opening successfully for Australia and there are examples of other keepers as well who have opened successfully.
The house crashes without the Wall.
There is not only top order woes for India. There is a very rigid middle order to content as well. There was no spark from the spark plugs. The previous match heroes were silent guns today. Yuvraj, Raina went out to tame dismissal. Venugopal Rao will be kicking himself for not doing enough. I think these guys are in bad luck. They are selected when the big boys are rested and they know they would have to make place for them when the big boys are back. It is sad for guys like Venugopal Rao.
Spot a bowlers contest.
How many matches have V.R.V. Singh, R.P. Singh and Munaf Patel played in all? Whatever may be there count I think English batsmen would have backed themselves to chase down 323. Indian seamers bowled a combine of 20 overs and gave away 118 runs no one even looked look like taking a wicket. There efforts also included 13 extra bowls and equal numbers of runs. There was only Harbhajan who claimed three wickets with his quota of ten overs going for 30 runs.
The English are not complaining.
Why should they? I would be the last person who would be surprised if the English manage to win the last game. Why do I say so? I am not pro English and anti-India. But as an honest cricket fan Indian performance is often lack lustre and thoughtless as it was today. This worries me a trifle. If the good form is just an innings so is the bad form. If the pitch at Indore is anything to do bounce and pace I would favour the English to make it count again and dent the Indian spirit.
The extras, who is counting?
The Indians conceded 27 extras ie 12.05% of runs that’s the English scored along with nearly bowling 7% extra overs. In an endeavour of defending a meagre total these numbers are big. There was a wicket of Ian Bell that went down begging because of a no-ball. The English managed to record a century opening stand. If you keep track of India winning and loosing then keep a track on extra’s which they concede when the loose a match. It will provide a very interesting hint.
The Indians have had a great series of One Day series. I would love to see Indians perform well in tournaments where there are more the two teams then. The Indians under estimated the English and there selection was shocking. There is some dead (Sehwag and Kaif) wood in the team that needs to be replaced.
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