Can we beat SA in SA in the upcoming test series?

[swastikpanda2]

2 hours ago, ShebbySB said:

If the SA team is at full strength they will look like this:-

Markram

Elgar

Amla

ABD (Bavuma comes in if he's not there)

Faf (C)

Duminy

De cock (WK)

Philander

Keshav

Rabada

Steyn (Olivier comes in if he's not there)

Reserves:- Kuhn,Theunis De Bruyn,Morris,Morkel,Phehlukwayo.

Best possible India team:- Vijay,Rahul,Pujara,Kohli (C),Rahane,Saha (WK),Pandya,Ashwin,BK,Shami,Umesh.

Reserves:-Mukund/Dhawan,Rohit,Jadeja,Kuldeep,Ishant,Siraj+ 1 reserve WK/Bat (Not sure about that pick).

So can we beat them in their own backyard?

 

Duminy has retired from Test cricket. That's not Sa full strength man.

 

Expect this line up( If it satisifies their Quota system)

 

Elgar

Markram

Amla

ABD / Bavuma it Abd is not available.

Duplesis

Decock

Philander

Steyn

Rabada

Morkel/ Oliver

Maharaja

 

Even we manage to draw the series, it will be an achievement.

Unless Steyn/ Philander/ Morkel/ Rabada remains injured we are not gonna see any Parnell/ Phelukawosomething.

 

 

[mishra]

While taking 20 wickets is what wins the test, IMO the real intent is shown y our openenrs. If our openenrs are still there even after first 60 deliveries off Racada, we are definitely in with a chance. I still have got not much confidence in them. Rahul Vijay Dhawan, I still feel one of them will throw his wicket within first 60 deliveries each and every inning

[Laaloo]

26 minutes ago, mishra said:

While taking 20 wickets is what wins the test, IMO the real intent is shown y our openenrs. If our openenrs are still there even after first 60 deliveries off Racada, we are definitely in with a chance. I still have got not much confidence in them. Rahul Vijay Dhawan, I still feel one of them will throw his wicket within first 60 deliveries each and every inning

Morkel and Maharaj are bigger threats than Rabada. This series is certainly winnable if we play to our potential. 

[mishra]

3 minutes ago, Laaloo said:

Morkel and Maharaj are bigger threats than Rabada. This series is certainly winnable if we play to our potential. 

Yes, It is winnable as long as our openers show respect new ball. I am not worried about Maharaj though. For me, its still Rabada. Guy becomes too leathal in favourable conditions

 

[WC2011INDIA]

No. But I think or rather hope it will be highly competitive. 

[Laaloo]

12 minutes ago, WC2011INDIA said:

No. But I think or rather hope it will be highly competitive. 

Rahane is the key

[flat_wicket_bully]

With literally zero preparation before the series, its going to be impossible lol

[sergio04]

rabada will run through our supper stars

2-0 to s.a

[maniac]

Unless they lay green tracks for us we should be fine. This current team can handle bounce but if we get a green track vs Philander and Rabada then its good night. But from what little I saw the pitches vs Bangladesh were decent where we have a good chance even though the Toygers inability made it seem like minefields.

[Vilander]

3 hours ago, Nikhil_cric said:

We are not taking this tour seriously enough. We have been playing non stop cricket for the past 1 year and are now playing another useless series against SL. They are tired and we need them fresh and at their sharpest . 

 

We need to

 

1) Have our best from the quicks. Hopefully Shami, Umesh and Bhuvi/Ishant are at their best, well rested 

 

2) While not playing at Durban, spinners will still play a key role. They need to bowl tight and dry and give nothing away. 

3) Batsmen have to be very aggressive, SA rarely recover when they are under the pump. Give Rabada respect but w have to brutalise their other bowlers especially Maharaj. Force faf to overbowl his main quicks and tire them out. If it's a green mamba, no point being defensive or they'll get out . Need to take calculated risks and put them off their lines and lengths. Also bat first unless it's a green mamba. These SA pitches are deceptive and sometimes get quicker on the 2nd day.

 

3) They need to take every damn catch that comes their way and keep that slip cordon tighter than a nun's vag. Our catching during the England series was horrendous.

4) Lastly SA are mentally weak and we need to go for the jugular when we have them down.  Sledge the hell out of their players if it's necessary. 

lol you have not played cricket at any level i suppose :)...

[Vilander]

Boss it would be seaming wickets, dont expect miracles. India will compete but nothing is certain.

[Nikhil_cric]

21 minutes ago, maniac said:

Unless they lay green tracks for us we should be fine. This current team can handle bounce but if we get a green track vs Philander and Rabada then its good night. But from what little I saw the pitches vs Bangladesh were decent where we have a good chance even though the Toygers inability made it seem like minefields.

That was thanks to their idiotic decision to bat second on both occasions. Kohli won't make such dumb decisions or atleast I hope not. 

[Nikhil_cric]

3 minutes ago, Vilander said:

lol you have not played cricket at any level i suppose :)...

Only school cricket. But why do you ask? 

[Khota]

Short answer: Yes!

Edited October 10, 2017 by Khota

[Nikhil_cric]

3 minutes ago, Vilander said:

Boss it would be seaming wickets, dont expect miracles. India will compete but nothing is certain.

This is the best test team we have had in quite some and SA, despite their thrashing of BD, actually are not that strong. Seaming wickets would help our quicks too. Bottom line I think we can beat SA no matter what wicket it is as long as we have sufficient preparation. But I think we won't have that. 

[rtmohanlal]

depends... if all things fall in its place.Got to be lucky with the toss(Keep in mind that  batting  first on 2 toss winning occasions , then posting descent totals of around 350 on  both occasions , then winning  by a few paltry runs due to 4rth inns score board pressure  can do the trick despite  SAF  winning the other test by even an inns) . Then choice of the bowling need to be the most perfect. Jadeja & Kuldeep are key to success, I think, because SAF is traditionally weaker against  both type of bowling.  

[sandeep]

1 hour ago, maniac said:

Unless they lay green tracks for us we should be fine. This current team can handle bounce but if we get a green track vs Philander and Rabada then its good night. But from what little I saw the pitches vs Bangladesh were decent where we have a good chance even though the Toygers inability made it seem like minefields.

I see it the other way around.  Green tracks will bring our pacers in the game even stronger.  Just bounce means the likes of Bhuvi, Shami will have to work harder to adapt their lengths and bowl longer spells.  Our batters are better overall, but SA are better equipped to score on bouncier tracks.  

[Ankit_sharma03]

1. Make sure we take parthiv as WK n 3rd opener. I have my doubts regd Saha against SA bowling 

2. Take a call between Jadeja n kuldeep, no point taking 3 spinners. Call shud also be taken on who will take wkts rather utility as its not LOI. 

3. Take pandya n Shankar both . Against Sa bowling batting wud need to be cushioned so ill have shankar as backup

4. Shami fitness wud be of most importance .

5. Keep the horizon of 5th fast bowler a lil more open. As in it wud be mostly between Thakur and aniket but ill suggest keep someone like Navdeep saini in mix as well 

6. The whole overseas season another thing that wud be of as gr8 importance as shami's fitness may be even more wud be pujara form overseas. 

3 hours ago, maniac said:

Unless they lay green tracks for us we should be fine. This current team can handle bounce but if we get a green track vs Philander and Rabada then its good night. But from what little I saw the pitches vs Bangladesh were decent where we have a good chance even though the Toygers inability made it seem like minefields.

Actually green track wud make someone like ishant n bhuvi lethal and we can throw in shankar as well . His 130k bowling if given assitance from pitch can be helpful.  

[maniac]

7 minutes ago, Ankit_sharma03 said:

1. Make sure we take parthiv as WK n 3rd opener. I have my doubts regd Saha against SA bowling 

2. Take a call between Jadeja n kuldeep, no point taking 3 spinners. Call shud also be taken on who will take wkts rather utility as its not LOI. 

3. Take pandya n Shankar both . Against Sa bowling batting wud need to be cushioned so ill have shankar as backup

4. Shami fitness wud be of most importance .

5. Keep the horizon of 5th fast bowler a lil more open. As in it wud be mostly between Thakur and aniket but ill suggest keep someone like Navdeep saini in mix as well 

6. The whole overseas season another thing that wud be of as gr8 importance as shami's fitness may be even more wud be pujara form overseas. 

Actually green track wud make someone like ishant n bhuvi lethal and we can throw in shankar as well . His 130k bowling if given assitance from pitch can be helpful.  

Even if Saha gets out to 0 in every single game,I will still have him as the keeper over Pappu....it wasn never the bowling nor the batting which more often than not set up games for us,it was always the keeping+ fielding that let us down.in such pitches keeping becomes that much more critical.

 

Having said that Pappu is not a bad option to have as a pure back up bat on those tough pitches.I rate him over Nair

[Ankit_sharma03]

8 minutes ago, maniac said:

Even if Saha gets out to 0 in every single game,I will still have him as the keeper over Pappu....it wasn never the bowling nor the batting which more often than not set up games for us,it was always the keeping+ fielding that let us down.in such pitches keeping becomes that much more critical.

 

Having said that Pappu is not a bad option to have as a pure back up bat on those tough pitches.I rate him over Nair

Saha's keeping is an asset which is something ill highly consider in Eng n Ind due to later movement. I wont worry much in Sa regd keeping. Against SA bowling we need our tail to make runs as thats one bowling line up i will fear about any tail . Specially if we are looking to play an all rounder who wud be pandya who plays with hard hands giving cushion to our batting becomes more important.  Our team will only do well if we have runs on board

 

Pappu is really good with bat and he ll provide that left hand batsman to in the order which can help. 

Yes but Saha obv will deserve the 1st go 

Edited October 10, 2017 by Ankit_sharma03