Dravid: What Next?

[Guest HariSampath]

VVS should have always been at # 3 or better still opening as I had advocated b4 series, he has done the job well before. Dravid should be at 6 and the facts are he has batted very poorly last 6-7 tests and even with plenty of luck in this series hasnt done much. crossing 50+ once in 7 inngs when he had already been performing under par for several tests is hardly reassuring. Lets see the 2nd inngs, hope he does something useful. His stonewalling and pointless batting has already cost us 2 test matches and this series.

[bunny]

or better still opening as I had advocated

Are you joking?

His stonewalling and pointless batting has already cost us 2 test matches and this series.

Joking again?

[Cricketics]

Lets see the 2nd inngs, hope he does something useful. His stonewalling and pointless batting has already cost us 2 test matches and this series.

WAT DA HECK? what pontless. what useless?

[Guest HariSampath]

^ cant u see..those inngs he played in melbourne,,,we lost the momentum because of that and it went a long way in losing the 1st test

[Gambit]

Tuk tuk cricket is simply not the way to play in OZ. Manjrekar acknowledges this style of play to be one of his biggest blunders in OZ. You simply don't try and wear the Aussies down with attrition. Doesn't work 9 out of 10 times. Make time spent at the crease count for runs. RD was guilty of this in 1999 when he flopped badly(AK scored more runs than him in that tour) but he was terrific in the 2003 tour when he played lot more positively and with more intent. This series he has scored some runs but his S/R of 32 is shocking. Slightly more positive play could have seen him with atleast 80+ more runs.

[Chandan]

^ cant u see..those inngs he played in melbourne' date=',,we lost the momentum because of that and it went a long way in losing the 1st test[/quote'] But what do you want to say?? Everyone knows that he struggling to regain form. One can't expect dazzling strokeplay from a person who is going through a lean period! I would suggest you to get off his back. He is trying his best even when his timing is all messed up. He played an extremely crucial knock in the last match itself. We need to support our players when they are struggling, not strangle them through such criticism!!

[King Tendulkar]

We must be patient with Dravid. He is still a legend and class. Form is temporary class is permanent. He will be back. Although I must admit he does worry me a bit now!

[mhr123]

Most probably the best option is Rd shud come at 6 and Lax at 3 ... may swapping the positions might help him. Even experts have pointed out that Lax is wasted at no. 6 seeing his form.

[Rohip]

I agree Lax at 3 and RD at 6. RD isnt finished yet!

[bunny]

Tuk tuk cricket is simply not the way to play in OZ. Manjrekar acknowledges this style of play to be one of his biggest blunders in OZ. You simply don't try and wear the Aussies down with attrition. Doesn't work 9 out of 10 times. Make time spent at the crease count for runs. RD was guilty of this in 1999 when he flopped badly(AK scored more runs than him in that tour) but he was terrific in the 2003 tour when he played lot more positively and with more intent. This series he has scored some runs but his S/R of 32 is shocking. Slightly more positive play could have seen him with atleast 80+ more runs.

Even if we buy your argument that he would have got more runs had he played positively, there's a big difference in not scoring runs and being responsible for loss just because he played slowly. Tuk tuk cricket might give you less runs but tuk tuk cricket isn't responsible for a loss.

[Gambit]

Even if we buy your argument that he would have got more runs had he played positively, there's a big difference in not scoring runs and being responsible for loss just because he played slowly. Tuk tuk cricket might give you less runs but tuk tuk cricket isn't responsible for a loss.

Where did I hold him responsible for any loss?

[bunny]

^ cant u see..those inngs he played in melbourne' date=',,we lost the momentum because of that and it went a long way in losing the 1st test[/quote'] So why did we lose the 2nd test as you said he has cost us 2 matches? And in the 1st test we were 120/3 at one stage with a reasonable run rate. What happened after that?

[Chandan]

Its not Gambit who held him responsible for the losses. It was Hari. Why are you getting these two mixed up, bunny?

[bunny]

Where did I hold him responsible for any loss?

Sorry. My apologies.

[maggot_brain]

What's next? Drop Dravid. I agree with Boycs. No-one is indispensable. One knock of 93 amongst a very poor run.

[talksport]

Too much has gone through with Dravid over the past 2 years... Chappell-Ganguly episode World Cup Debacle Crucifications from Selectors/board/Fans/Press on any conceivable issue. Captaincy Resignation Dropping from One Day Team Opening Pressures And still he puts a ***ing price on his wicket,everytime he goes to the middle. If anybody ever needs support from Fans in Indian Cricket, he is Dravid....

[bunny]

Too much has gone through with Dravid over the past 2 years... Chappell-Ganguly episode World Cup Debacle Crucifications from Selectors/board/Fans/Press on any conceivable issue. Captaincy Resignation Dropping from One Day Team Opening Pressures And still he puts a ***ing price on his wicket,everytime he goes to the middle. If anybody ever needs support from Fans in Indian Cricket, he is Dravid....

Agree a little bit on that. But the most support he can get is from the team management. Let the team not put pressure on him. Maybe he needs to come down the order when the pressure is a bit less. But, that being said if he doesn't perform in the first couple of games against SA he needs to be dropped for a series or two. (Hope they have the proper replacement though. IIRC, SA is coming next and then we are touring SL. Who ever's the replacement must know how to play off spin really really well. Otherwise he is going to be a dead meat).

[Chandan]

Too much has gone through with Dravid over the past 2 years... Chappell-Ganguly episode World Cup Debacle Crucifications from Selectors/board/Fans/Press on any conceivable issue. Captaincy Resignation Dropping from One Day Team Opening Pressures And still he puts a ***ing price on his wicket,everytime he goes to the middle. If anybody ever needs support from Fans in Indian Cricket, he is Dravid....

Really agree with you here. Let us support him and have faith in him and the team management that they'll always take the right decision to bring him back to form. For example, I liked when he was not pushed to open again. I hope in India he comes at #6 with no pressure on him and regains his touch!!

[Guest HariSampath]

Even if we buy your argument that he would have got more runs had he played positively, there's a big difference in not scoring runs and being responsible for loss just because he played slowly. Tuk tuk cricket might give you less runs but tuk tuk cricket isn't responsible for a loss.

yes I still believe that tuk tuk cricket by Dravid cost us the melbourne test , go check the matchthread for what everyone said about that. Plodding along stupidly for a whole session, playing maiden after maiden in a row, and finally getting out, cost us the game as we collapsed . gavaskar , shastri, chappell and everyone said that and irrespective of what you say that is the truth. Dravid has this test to come good and if he plays at 6 he still might ( for his sake I hope so), as far as this series is concerned he is a failure. one 90 in 7 inngs mena s he is a failure. His sequence of test match failures in last 2-3 series is much worse than Sehwag's , for whicch Sehwag was dropped. If Dravid doesnt click in 2nd inngs ( not a scratchy 40 etc, but a big one), his test place too will be in danger. Indian team and slots are not "gratitude awards" for past performances.Places have to be earned , and results delivered, or players will be dropped , whether ODIs or tests, and whether it is Dravid or Ganguly or Yuvraj or Dhoni or Tendulkar. Team India is much larger than individual players.

[talksport]

Test Matches are not played in just one session. Initiatives might be lost but can be reagained in the next session. Blaming Dravid for Melbourne Test is like blaming Harmison for Ashes debacle for bowling that wide delivery. As an example in Melbourne Test, Session 1: Dravid Lost the initiatvive Fast Forward to Session 2: Australians are completely on back foot in when Sachin and Ganguly took Hogg to cleaners... The unfortunate dismissal of Sachin just before Tea and Yuselessness in the late order could not capitalize on the Sachin/Ganguly Partnership. I blame on lack of Practice Match & not using specialist openers for Melbourne