Post match analysis: Ind vs Aus, 4th ODI,MCG, 2008

[putrevus]

Indian batting made heavy weather of getting 160 This is pathetic, they made 160 look like 300 , even though they got a very decent start with 60 runs on board with only two wickets after 13 overs which is a very good start chasing 160, but this middle order made that 100 runs in more than 30 0vers .The bowling did its part but batting again didn't deliver. If they were chasing something like 200 to 220 runs i don't think they would have made it, most people were on Dhoni for not making big scores, what about MR.YUVRAJ , this is has not reached double figures in nine or ten innings , this is really pathetic, if he doesnt fire rest of way India dont have any chance of winning.Not getting 160 in 40 overs is really bad signs for Indian batting whose bowling looks awesome but no support from Batting. This match would have given Aussies more confidence than indians , they made Indians sweat for meager 160 , in spite of Lee being hammered, I dont think Viru should open in ODIS , let me him come at no 3 that way you have left right combination.

[siddhu]

where have u been.... everybody has been on UV's case for quite some time now (although not unfairly) and more than u think, it has given Indians more confidence than u think, it was a full fledge Aussie side against India newbies... just let go of that bonus point thing.

[putrevus]

where have u been.... everybody has been on UV's case for quite some time now (although not unfairly) and more than u think, it has given Indians more confidence than u think, it was a full fledge Aussie side against India newbies... just let go of that bonus point thing.

it is not about bonus point , it is about confidence if you see the faces of Indian after victory it was more relief than jubilation, this team has to prove to themselves that they can bat for 50 overs and make big scores if openers dont fire the five wickets which fell all of them were seniors only. Sewhag and Yuvraj need to fire for this batting to click other wise they dont have a chance to make big scores.

[IndianRenegade]

The aussies did bowl well, but it wasn't deadly though. And I wouldn't like to draw conclusions from this performance as Dhoni was saying that they decided to wait for the part timers, to come in. May be it was a part of the team strategy to go about this slowly. Anyways, it is a bit worrying & batsmen will have to work a little bit harder. And many of them are still coping up with the Aussie condition.

[manoj_admlab]

India harness fire within for a daring assault: 4th ODI, CB series, 2008 Peter Roebuck February 11, 2008 INDIA dared to attack the Australians and it produced the tussle of the season. The hosts met blow with blow, creating a gripping contest between two committed and well-matched pugilists. Except when India's part-timers were bowling, every run was hotly contested and every cricketer stretched to his limit. Until the last few runs came in a hurry, the result was beyond prediction. Slogathons are not nearly as entertaining. Even the pitch played its part, providing a fair surface that assisted the bowlers without unduly restricting capable batsmen. Australia's innings was a thing of shreds and patches. Throughout its course the Indians played with conviction, making positive moves at every opportunity and sustaining their assault even as their hosts rallied. Much could be gleaned from Mahendra Dhoni's handling of tyro paceman Ishant Sharma. Noticing that the MCG had provided a firm surface, he asked his raw youngsters to let rip. The message was clear. He believed in his bowlers and expected them to take wickets. Never mind that the opposing openers had been belting the ball around for a decade. As might be expected from a novice, Sharma held nothing back, charging to the crease and mixing corkers with wides and no-balls. Youth knows nothing of mortality let alone fear. In his enthusiasm, he over-pitched and suffered as Matthew Hayden drove sumptuously. His first two overs cost 24 runs and the scoreboard was rattling along. Now Dhoni faced his most important decision of the day. A lesser man might have withdrawn Sharma until his blood had cooled. Sri Lanka had made this mistake in the previous match at the SCG, scattering the field at the first sight of an antipodean charge. That's no way to beat these hosts. This is a confronting continent of fires and drought. Dhoni proved his worth by telling Sharma to have another crack. Wisely, he did not ask him to cut his pace but instead suggested pulling back his length a foot or so (one of Ian Thorpe's pedals might have been required). Encouraged, Sharma produced a vivid spell that changed the course of the match. Combining pace, cut and bounce, he asked a question with every ball. His first wicket was tinged with fortune as Hayden chased after a ball heading towards slip, but the delivery that removed Ricky Ponting landed on a length and took the shoulder of the bat. Intent on defence, the Australian captain was taken by surprise and departed with the kind of bemused air last seen when his favoured greyhound faded in the straight. A few gremlins have crept into the Tasmanian's work early in his innings. After five blistering overs Sharma was rested but the break was short. Dhoni had grabbed his opponents by what President Nixon was once pleased to call "the short and curlies" and did not mean to let go. Before long the speedster was recalled and he promptly dismissed Andrew Symonds, who was unable to subdue a lifter. Hereabouts the youngster's rhythm was superb and his follow-through took him close to the batsman. The Indians pressed home their advantage. Although not as slippery, Shantha Sreesanth bowled with the same intent and took wickets as much by upsetting the thinking of his opponents as by troubling their techniques. Irfan Pathan played his part with a probing contribution that spoke of his competitive character. Harbhajan Singh, too, was impressive. The tumble of wickets gave him a chance to attack and he produced a testing spell. It took a seasoned knock from Michael Hussey to hold the innings together. Between innings, the Indians must have fancied their chances of romping to victory. But the hosts regrouped and worked to a plan of their own devising: keeping a disciplined length just outside off stump and placing a tight field. Moreover, Ponting had an extra pace bowler at his disposal, so the batsmen had to fight for every run. Mitchell Johnson beat the bat repeatedly, and with his comrades straining every muscle, the result remained in doubt until deep into the night. It was a fascinating contest between an established champion and a forthright contender. Clearly the Indians have learnt how to handle these opponents. It is not a matter of words or gestures but conviction. The Aussies were stretched by a group of young, proud and sometimes hot-headed Indians prepared to stand their ground. In recent months Sreesanth and Harbhajan, especially, have let passion rule their heads. It is the fire within that counts. Dhoni made a couple of mistakes, spreading the field for weaker bowlers and disrupting the batting order, but his fast bowlers were outstanding and eventually India found two warriors with the bat to take them to victory. The Australians worked well as a team and Hussey played the innings of the match. This enthralling day's cricket combined the tension of a Test match with the vigour of these one-day capers. http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/india-harness-fire-within-for-a-daring-assault/2008/02/10/1202578600577.html

[goose]

you got to admire the new bravado... ...but this is perhaps taking things a tad too far. Rohit Sharma aged 20 in his first ever interview pitch-side at the G says not once but twice when asked to comment on his personal batting effort by Mark Taylor....'it was a great knock. yah a very great knock'. HAHAHA !

[Ram]

Just lay off a bit will you ? For all you, the youngster may have been VERY excited and wouldnt know what was coming out his mouth.

[Chandan]

I don't think semding Pathan at #3 was a mistake by Dhoni. Obviously he wanted to protect Gambhir from a rampaging Lee firing everything over 147kmph. He must have thought that Pathan could handle him better with his superior batting technique. And he did so, by not giving Lee a wicket in his first spell. Gambhir eventually was dismissed by Lee but that was much later in the inning. I thought it was a sensible move.

[Sachinism]

yup dhoni's captaincy needs to be applauded he cant be blamed for the lesser bowlers letting the pressure off, he does the best he cant with what is available

[Bumper]

He's just 20, overwhelmed by the occasion. Didnt know what to say. When i was 20, i couldnt utter a word on stage without preparing every bit of what i want to say. With age, he will mature as a speaker.

[Mr. Wicket]

Oh noes. He worries more about his batting than his press conferences, interviews and next commercial shoots!

[Bumper]

Oh noes. He worries more about his batting than his press conferences, interviews and next commercial shoots!

Thats true, he is overrated at the moment. He could have gotten out atleast 3 times yesterday. But his temperament is supreme.

[Guest dada_rocks]

Jesus what is wrong with few of us.. young uy played weel team won and he must calibrate his words and check with Un organization whether they were rightly balanced or not..

[Guest dada_rocks]

He's just 20, overwhelmed by the occasion. Didnt know what to say. When i was 20, i couldnt utter a word on stage without preparing every bit of what i want to say. With age, he will mature as a speaker.

:two_thumbs_up: Precisely I still remember how tight-lipped I got in SSc interview of NDAin first attempt when i was supposed to speak about a topic given extempore for five minutes..

[Guest dada_rocks]

precisely it was case of safety first if anyone thinks even with score of 200+ dhoni and rohit wud have bided their time for so long well then they don't kknow howthe chasing works

[goose]

hello? i was joking you know. obviously, when he says it was a great knock, he means it was a great innings for him personally as opposed to a great innings in the pantheon of all cricket.

[Guest Hiten.]

Amidst all the praises... ....lets not forget to criticize Dhoni's absurd decision of sending IKP ahead of last match centurion GG. There was no sanity in shuffling the batting order, when your team is chasing a comparatively low score. If he wanted to shuffle batting order, I would have liked him to send UV in a pressure free situation where he is allowed to bat with SRT; who can fault out UV's technique on the spot. UV actually needs to bat with someone experienced (well for this series SRT, is the only deal we've got) to spot his weakness while playing on the center stage. He might be hitting the ball well in the nets, but on field he is completely clueless. As Healy reckons, India should give UV one last chance in Canberra and ask him to play his natural game. If then UV does not prevail, then I suppose its rock bottom for the lad. If there is a need to replace UV, pleaseeeee get Suresh Raina in the team. Anywhoooo, Congrats on our Victory :icflove::isalute:

[Guest Hiten.]

Think again mate. India-B were actually chasing the target vs Aussie's elite bowling line up. 160 is written off as a low score, but when the oppositions have bowlers like Lee, Clark, Bracken and Johnson. Good luck getting that 160 in 30 overs :P

[ludhianvi]

Ponting hadnt taken the 3rd powerplay until the 46th over. As long as India had wickets in hand, they were going to win this game. The onus was on the Aussies to take wickets and for India to just play out the overs. Remember there must have been something that the Aussies got bundled for just 159.

[fineleg]

The start of 60 in 13 overs for 2 wkts is a great start. Our middle order needs a boost from one of the more experienced batsmen. Currently, its a bit too raw and inexperienced, and thatz why we are struggling a bit. Batting in Aussie conditions is not easy, and it requires some blend of experience as well.