Edgbaston test : Day by day prediction and discussion

[Sir john]

SJ bkltmc vaapis aa gaya tu ? :mad:

:cantstop::cantstop::cantstop::cantstop:

[Deleted_User_1]

This is only possible if Danda gets that feeling in his privates

Privates saying it is all over!!!

[koolkarts]

Today was probably the best thing that happened to Indian cricket in the last 18months Yes, I know it sounds wrong, and harsh, but it's true. Outplayed. Completely. England looked like a champion WI side of the 80s, trouncing over India, who looked like mere minnows. Why? 1. Lack of Hunger 2. No Zaheer 3. No Sehwag The Zaheer factor is huge, and Michael Holding just brought it up on NDTV. He said that he reckoned India could have won the first test if Zaheer was around when England were 55/5. You could say the same in this test. 120/8 would not have turned into 220/8 with Zaheer. What about Sehwag? Yes he is also a big factor. In all likelihood, he probably would have failed in a couple of innings, but that one innings in which he scores over 20 is enough to put bowlers off their line. Sehwag slashes at anything fractionally wide, and works off his pads on anything straight with ease. After putting the bowlers off their lines, he takes a cheeky single, and lo and behold, you have a lefthander - Gambhir, who requires further changes in line. This is all very disruptive to the opposition, and India often gain the advantage. But the crucial question is... with Zak and Sehwag would we be 2-0 up? No. We lack that hunger. And we haven't felt hungry in a long time, not since we became number 1, let alone the World Cup. Mentally, I truly feel our players are some of the toughest out there (exception Bhaji - but I will come to this) . This hunger should not be hard to develop, given us (the fans) and the media's criticism that is going to follow in the next few days. Now that someone is at our throne, trying to grab us off the 1st place, I think it is time for the King to firstly accept the results, then eat the humble pie, and then show England how King's come back. We did it in South Africa. We've done it against the great Australian side many times before (with dare I say, an even worse attack than what we have now), and we did it in the WC after the SA loss. Are there any positives to be taken? Yes. 1. The ageing giant Dravid is back, and back with a bang. He is literally worth 3 batsmen when he's in form. 2. Sachin showed some really good positive form today. He got out in a stupid way, but I don't feel he is in bad form now (I had doubts after the first innings) 3. This is going to be a controversial one, but I feel it's a positive. In the long run, this experience to Praveen, Ishant and Sreesanth is going to be completely invaluable. Watching Ishant toiling yesterday with Praveen, I really felt they had finally understood what it takes to be a top test cricketer. Their mentor Zak, wasn't there, and when he is there, we all know what a big effect he has on their confidence. Yes the seamers were rubbish compared to England's. Their attainment was awful. But the effort put in by these two, Praveen & Ishant has been commendable, and I really got the impression they valued their places in the team. 4. The way our batsmen played Graeme Swann. This will be crucial in the fourth test at the OVAL. We destroyed Swann, regardless of what you want to think. Even Harbhajan, a guy on the lowest form and lowest confidence of his career, was batting against him as if he were some sort of amateur. Unfortunately, that's where the positives end. Some of you may say Laxman's fluency is a positive. I don't really think so. His losses in concentration at crucial times have really hurt us. Dhoni's wicketkeeping and batting AND captaincy has been really painful to watch, and it's got to the stage where I'm pitying him. Raina and Yuvraj I feel unfortunate for. Raina played really well at Lords, but his short ball problem needs further work. I think he'll be fine in the next few years though. The sudden exposure to crucial responsibility is not for everyone. He will take his time, but we should cushion him for another year. To an extent the same applies with Yuvraj. Harbhajan is a really worry. I don't know what's happening. It's widely known that he's one of the most mentally weak in the Indian side and he's a confidence bowler. The way he was hitting out today looked as if he was desperate for some recognition from the media. THE WORST THING we can do now is drop him. Yes it's a hard decision to stomach, but look at what England did with Stuart Broad, and let's take a leaf from their book. He's got 400 test wickets and is very experienced. He needs to sit down, be encouraged, and sort out his bowling, flighting it more, slowing it down, and letting the ball grip so that it turns. He's been bowling at 60mph this series - why so fast? He should be bowling in the late 40s! What next? If Sehwag and Zak are back, then yeah maybe 2-1. or 2-0 or 3-0 to England. However, if the hunger is back, and the Indian team feel suitably insulted, then I can see it being 2-2. This Indian team is overfilling with talent that is not performing. So what if the ball seams and moves? Dale Steyn at 95mph vs Stuart Broad at 85mph? I think I know who the Indian team would rather face. Their confidence is down, and it needs to be up within the next week. I hope, for India's sake, that their batsmen and bowlers get an opportunity to hit form in the tour game later this week. Zaheer should play in the next test, niggle or no niggle. When your country needs you, you should respond. Gambhir should not have sat out this test, people fight it out all the time in the crease, there is sufficient protection available these days to enable you to make it through. 2-2 sure is a tough ask at the moment. But this Indian team needs belief - self-belief. I feel the Indian team should bat first in the next test. Yes it is difficult in seaming conditions vs the new ball, but the batsmen really need an opportunity to score a big first innings total with no pressure. Once that happens, the confidence will start clicking. The bowlers will feel less under pressure, and there will be that leap in India's stride. Let us all hope that this team gets there selves together. It will be extremely embarrassing otherwise.

[Pagalpanti]

Tbh if India pull of a 2-2 it'll show the real strength the team has, which I think it can pull off but the determination or hunger isn't there. I mean we've drawn so many tests from bad positions in recent times, but these last 2 tests we've just been helpless, I've not seen India perform this bad in last few years apart from the centurion test. Sehwag and Gambhir will hang around for 4-5 years (hopefully) so opening slot wont be much problem but Zak I doubt will continue in tests after the Australian tour. Bowling needs a major over-haul. Young guys should be tried, let them fail but we might find someone eventually. The current one's don't seem to be trying to get better because they know they wont be replaced.

[anotherhawkeye]

Don't agree with all points, esp. about Bhajji, but it was a good read. Thanks.

[Cricket Tragic]

Tbh if India pull of a 2-2 it'll show the real strength the team has, which I think it can pull off but the determination or hunger isn't there. I mean we've drawn so many tests from bad positions in recent times, but these last 2 tests we've just been helpless, I've not seen India perform this bad in last few years apart from the centurion test. Sehwag and Gambhir will hang around for 4-5 years (hopefully) so opening slot wont be much problem but Zak I doubt will continue in tests after the Australian tour. Bowling needs a major over-haul. Young guys should be tried, let them fail but we might find someone eventually. The current one's don't seem to be trying to get better because they know they wont be replaced.

I think we can we win a test with a full team but I doubt that we can win both. This might finish like the last series in Australia.

[21cent]

Comeback may be possible only if we were playing in the flat tracks on Hindustan and no UDRS is available. But seeing as thats not the case, I sense that an innings defeat fir Ind will be on the cards for 3 rd test.

[koolkarts]

I think we can we win a test with a full team but I doubt that we can win both. This might finish like the last series in Australia.

If we manage to win the next test, I see us being able to win the last one. Our team will be at a high, (and one not that high that we get overconfident!) and I can literally see us batting out England at the Oval. It's all a mental game here. The problem's lie with India's confidence, mindset and hunger.

[Cricket Tragic]

What a thread from SJ.

[koolkarts]

Don't agree with all points' date=' esp. about Bhajji, but it was a good read. Thanks.[/quote'] No worries, glad you enjoyed it. Really needed to vent out my anger and disappointment in a structured manner lol. What do you think we should do with Bhaji? Drop him? And then what? That's the end of his career? The guy is a decent tailender also, something that the rest of our bowlers really lack...

[Blue Panther]

Good read. Losing sehwag, zaheer, and gambhir has made it very difficult. We should keep faith and keep supporting our team, they deserve the support whenever they put in lot hard work.

[The Realist]

Good points but no way should Dartbhajan be given any more chances. FFS he is the senior bowler and should be leading the attack, not being treated like a rookie who needs his fragile confidence boosted. If he can't cut it anymore then he's dropped. Fact is if he was in a football team he would have been axed ages ago - no team can afford to carry a passenger.

[akshayxyz]

Tbh if India pull of a 2-2 it'll show the real strength the team has, which I think it can pull off but the determination or hunger isn't there. I mean we've drawn so many tests from bad positions in recent times, but these last 2 tests we've just been helpless, I've not seen India perform this bad in last few years apart from the centurion test. Sehwag and Gambhir will hang around for 4-5 years (hopefully) so opening slot wont be much problem but Zak I doubt will continue in tests after the Australian tour. Bowling needs a major over-haul. Young guys should be tried, let them fail but we might find someone eventually. The current one's don't seem to be trying to get better because they know they wont be replaced.

2-1 is very much possible..but 2-2 is far from practicality. Most likely we are not losing next test and hopefully win 1 of the nest two.. but if we win the next one, Eng would try their best to ensure that 4th one is a draw (making a flat pitch!) - assuming we get 4 fit bowlers to bowl (only difference in the two sides so far).

[Dravid]

STFU OP:finger:

[ravsdh]

STFU OP:finger:

if fans think that sehwag will turn up with no acclimitisation and hit a ton at edgbaston they are dreaming. northants if they win the toss will bat, no doubt about it. no player will come in and instantly perform. the next test begins next wednesday and viru isnt even in england yet. get real ppl.

[ravsdh]

hope we remain no.1 in test

im sorry but if we lose this test by 1 test, the rankings may say we are number 1 but we arent. england are miles better atm

[Blue Panther]

We gotta bat first to have any hope. Batting second and chasing has never been our strength in seaming tracks.

[koolkarts]

2-1 is very much possible..but 2-2 is far from practicality. Most likely we are not losing next test and hopefully win 1 of the nest two.. but if we win the next one' date=' Eng would try their best to ensure that 4th one is a draw (making a flat pitch!) - assuming we get 4 fit bowlers to bowl (only difference in the two sides so far).[/quote'] The crucial thing is that the we need to win the next test. As for the 4th test. India have historically always done well on the flat pitches back at home. The Oval is a flat ground with assistance for the spinners. If Bhaji is back in form (or is replaced with another spinner), and our batting has confidence, why should we not win the 4th test. It is all about pressure, not so much the swing or pitches.

[Blue Panther]

This is for ipl lovers:finger::finger::finger:

[nballa]

absofruitly, same could have been said after the first test, or the first class game before that, or the last two odi losses against the depleted west indies.