Play to your strength... In any game thats the 1st thing one should be looking to do.
So, what is our strength, History tells us its always been Batting & Spin Bowling. So what do we do, we drop Laxman & Kumble. Great. One example of Playing to their strengths was given by Aus when they played their best bowlers , all seamers in the last 2 matches.
The truth of the matter is overseas players just don't have the talent to play spin bowling, Y not exploit this. Again, We reply by fielding 4 Seamers against WI & against AUS played just 1 spin bowler (coz they had 2 reinforce our batting). Even Mongia today got a wicket in the 1st over & was unlucky that Martyn was not given out later LBW, just think Kumble on this wicket. Agreed that Mohali pitch on the previous match was a seamers paradise, but this was a different Pitch.
Kumble is 36(same as McGrath) but has more heart when fielding then sum1 like Munaf or RP. This new rule of 20 Overs for powerplay is not good as its so very against spin bowling. It just leaves them with the middle 20 Overs considering the last 1o are slog overs.
Now coming to Batting, Martyn is the batsman doing really well in this series, his style & fortunes are similar to Laxman. We replace Laxman for Raina, who is not reliable. Today we saw our batsman playing cautiously as they just don't believe in the middle order (kaif,raina,mongia,, will not blame Dravid & the others 2 b cautious). When we play 5 Batsmen only , its imperative that all 5 are your best. We just can't get Raina in for laxman.
Part of the problem is : Trying too hard to find new seamers (nothing bad in that)..mager please don't neglect the gold of spin right infront of u. The seamers bowled a pile of shit today. I don't know why Munaf goes to around 77Mph when he is in his 4-5th overs, he starts off around 84-85, on the other hand the 5th aussie bowler Watson bowls around 87-88 consistently.
If u think Laxman is a liability in the field then just Munaf isn't good either , He just doesn't bend down,also Lax is a good Slip catcher.
At the end of it all it was a listless display, no sound of encouragement from anyone, kinda missed Ganguly today, Also there was a great display from AUS in all 3 departments.
So, what is our strength, History tells us its always been Batting & Spin Bowling. So what do we do, we drop Laxman & Kumble. Great. One example of Playing to their strengths was given by Aus when they played their best bowlers , all seamers in the last 2 matches.
The truth of the matter is overseas players just don't have the talent to play spin bowling, Y not exploit this. Again, We reply by fielding 4 Seamers against WI & against AUS played just 1 spin bowler (coz they had 2 reinforce our batting). Even Mongia today got a wicket in the 1st over & was unlucky that Martyn was not given out later LBW, just think Kumble on this wicket. Agreed that Mohali pitch on the previous match was a seamers paradise, but this was a different Pitch.
Kumble is 36(same as McGrath) but has more heart when fielding then sum1 like Munaf or RP. This new rule of 20 Overs for powerplay is not good as its so very against spin bowling. It just leaves them with the middle 20 Overs considering the last 1o are slog overs.
Now coming to Batting, Martyn is the batsman doing really well in this series, his style & fortunes are similar to Laxman. We replace Laxman for Raina, who is not reliable. Today we saw our batsman playing cautiously as they just don't believe in the middle order (kaif,raina,mongia,, will not blame Dravid & the others 2 b cautious). When we play 5 Batsmen only , its imperative that all 5 are your best. We just can't get Raina in for laxman.
Part of the problem is : Trying too hard to find new seamers (nothing bad in that)..mager please don't neglect the gold of spin right infront of u. The seamers bowled a pile of shit today. I don't know why Munaf goes to around 77Mph when he is in his 4-5th overs, he starts off around 84-85, on the other hand the 5th aussie bowler Watson bowls around 87-88 consistently.
If u think Laxman is a liability in the field then just Munaf isn't good either , He just doesn't bend down,also Lax is a good Slip catcher.
At the end of it all it was a listless display, no sound of encouragement from anyone, kinda missed Ganguly today, Also there was a great display from AUS in all 3 departments.
21 comments:
Brilliant Analysis..good job
Well put man.....i agree completely with you.
But the selectors don't see this....haven't selected LAX this time too......a sad decision....
Vengsarkar "Laxman has Fitness problem"..Agreed.
Laxman is a excellent slip catcher,20 Overs these days r powerplays,, then 10 overs of Harbu,, so give or take around 30 overs u need a slip catcher & then at death he is a okie dokie outfield fielder ,, so,, its only kinda 10 overs & he can field in the outfield as i said,,,, well , he is a exceptional player , so for him the team can make sum accomodations,, can't they... now comes running between the wickets,,, u might lose around 15 runs from Lax 2 running between wickets & fielding but when he can score those big hunderds infront of teams in which other lesser players piss in their pants,,, is it a bargain 2 try atleast.
With the world cup so near, I think Laxman should be back , Raina is a good talent , try him after the WC.
John Wright in todays TOI "The World Cup will once again feature Australia and to win it, India will have to beat them. There is a certain man who lives in Hyderabad, who has done rather well against Australia and providing he is in form and firing, he might just be what India needs. India must build towards a World Cup squad that includes its six best batsmen, its five best bowlers, the two all rounders in Dhoni and Pathan with one spare spot for what you believe need the most. "
And after such a debacle , selectors take Karthik for Yuvi,, Unbelievable stuff.
In Todays TOI , The man , Laxman says " “It’s quite disappointing. I was expecting a call, I thought they need an experienced player at No 3. Somehow Vengsarkar has an impression that I have A fitness problem. But I am preparing for the (Duleep Trophy) match against Sri Lanka A,’’
I don't know y people just don't do the logical.
Sachin,Sehwag,Dravid..
I see only 3 batters in the Indian Cricket team to SA, even these 3 r not in form. I seriously don't know where the runs will come from which our so called new "agile" fielders r going to stop. Even 1 wicket at the start(which will fall more often then not ), the entire team would b under pressure. On the other hand u have AUS , 1 wicket falls the next hero comes in & so on.
3 batsman are never going to win u matches, even if u replace these above 3 by Ponting,Martyn & Hussey,, they will have 2 play out of their skins EVERYTIME to win against a team like SA , who just have to play % cricket to win.
Get ready dudes, I see a near(should i say near or not) series wash for India.
What a turnaround, India on a downhill since they toured WI , WI on the up. "Team Effort" thats what the WI players always say in match closing ceremonies, as the have the players to do that, they bat till 9. Smith,Gayle,Bravo,Samuels they bowl 40 overs & are very good batsman too. Amazing, Bradshaw & Taylor r the only 2 pure bowlers backed up by 2 good medum pacers & 2 good spinners. The fact that Samuels whom I think is a very good batsman is not being used says very well for their batting. Gayle was brilliant today.
I was just watching the Highlights of WI VS SA, I think Samuels bowling action is suspect, Indian batsmen also noticed that in WI when he bowled a faster delivery.
Remembering the good old days of indian cricket , i just saw the series archive of IND in AUS in 2003 from cricinfo,,seeing the scores that India put up so many times was just amazing started off by Ganguly's 100. Btw India scored 700 in an innings there , awesum series . Sehwag,Sachin,Dravid,Laxman,Ganguly,Yuvraj,, all in full flow. Amazing what an absence of 1 or 2 players can do to a team. For the current team it would b an Herculean task 2 do what they did back in '03.
There is a nice article today in TOI editorial page about Greg-Dra combo, which has the famous quote from Greggie “West Indies has forgotten how to win”, which has gone a long way in stirring up Caribbean pride.
I could have made the easiest ever $100 here by placing $250 on SA at the start of the match at www.bet365.com, Its just a shame that bet365 doesn't work for US residents (I think there is some legal issue to bet on sports here)
As I had said India only had 3 batters , sehwag out for injury, so u only have 2 batters in Sachin & Dravid on which u can hope.
If sum1 is in UK , buddy, u can make sum money mann,,, This Indian team aint gonna win anything there. Jaffer,Kaif, Raina, Mongia - USELESS , but don't say anything sensible here ,,, There is a "Process" at work here.
This unconfirmed news that I just read from TOI is very disturbing. Sehwag got a finger injury just before the 1st ODI but was included in the final 11 of the game which was rained out. Now he was almost certain 2 play in the 2nd ODI, but told Dravid of his unavailability on the last second. TOI sources report that he chickened out of the 2nd ODI. Again, these reports are unconfirmed, but if these are indeed true ( i pray not) then what is the meaning for Sehwag to play cricket. The least that 1 can do on this tour is 2 b brave & do their best even if u r technically inept. Now Laxman is coming 2 SA where he should hav been in the 1st place only, Talks are that Ganguly also will b included on the Tests. Y these 2 were not in the team before?? Now the damage is already done, Lax may not play the 4th ODI.
I more article I read sumwhere in TOI or Cricinfo says that India seems 2 b going back 2 their old ways & players, Well, is that a bad/wrong thing 2 do, NO, so team management, just do the sensible thing. Btw all teams in the world try 2 match Aus, & whats there age. To groom youngsters u need them 2 b in company of experienced proven cricketers. Michael Clarke is being groomed in the same way, take out every exp. player from Aus & ask him 2 perform, it might just b too much to ask for him.
Before SA Tour:
Vengsarkar: "Laxman has Fitness problem".
Next day TOI:
Laxman : I am fit.
So, y r sending Lax now.
Sachin 4 one,, Never makes any statements,, so it was a surprise when he said "v will give a better show in SA" before the tour. I think he will never make such statements again.
1 interesting observation :
SA also has 2 wicketkeepers in its ranks, Boucher & De Villiers , Same with India too Dhoni & Karthik, Some time ago i saw a short clip of Dhoni bowling in the nets, Lets c if Karthik can bat well. Just a thought, if Karthik bats very well & sumtime India needs Dhoni 2 bowl , Karthik can keep at that time, after sum time Karthik would become the wicketkeeper & Dhoni the bowling all-rounder,, may b just a figment of my imagination.
Alright, So the ODI's r over...
For the Tests, India's batters need 2 perform, Sachin,Laxman,Sehwag,Ganguly,, If any1 is in, he has 2 make it count, as for bowling, they need 2 hit the right areas & b resolute,, India has 2 show courage & give a fight. Lets hope they do well.
Also this ODI Debacle should b a good incentive for the Domestic cricket players, Perform & they will have more then a chance.
Coming back to the last ODI , Its hard 2 see why people don't see that Kaif has a problem with flat fast catches coming 2 him, He has dropped catches like that many times before & will continue 2 do that if proper remedy is no taken.
About time that India gives a chance 2 proven performers in Ranji even if they are 28-30 yrs old ala Aus.
Yesterday Barry Richards talked about India not thinking about future. I think the first step that India needs to do in Ranji trophy is make half the pitches bouncy ( not difficult , considering the amount of money BCCI makes) and then make the trophy such that half the matches each team plays would b on these wickets only.
Victory .. Ganguly,Lax,Zaheer & ofcourse Sree.. kool....
It took so much for India 2 get one test win, all the more reason 2 admire what Aus does day in & day out.. Once again this match shows that Cricket is all about every1 contributing 2 the team, great for india.
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