Sachin's 42nd hundred celebration!

[The Outsider]

Two sparkling knocks in two games that mattered- against SL and Aussies...one swallow doesn't make a summer??

He also top scored in the other match we won against Australia.

[Ram]

:dontknow:/:hmmmm: @ Lurker's posts. Sachin just played the best One-day innings by ANY batsman, since Gilchrist's 100 in the WC final. I cannot possibly fathom what people are still complaining about.

[Lurker]

In Dravid's & Ganguly's era, we were victims of defensive captaincy. Ganguly & Dravid (to a less extent) didnt understand that the only way to stop the Aussie batting machine is to bowl them out. Their strategy to win was to OUTBAT the Aussies, which never worked. Dhoni thinks the opposite. He wants to outbowl the Aussies. It comes across as crazy & quite 'out of the box', but is working so far. Besides Dhoni does not care about the reputation of his players. Picking Chawla & Praveen Kumar ahead of Veeru, Sreesanth & Munaf (more experienced campaigners) seemed like a retarded move, TBH. But in hindsight i concede that it proved to be a master stroke. Veeru would have likely bowled 5 overs for 32 & scored about 20 runs as an opener. Sreesanth & Munaf on their best day, would have done what Praveen did today. Its easy to overlook what Chawla did at the other end when Bhajji was picking wickets. I doubt if Chawla were leaking plenty, Symmo or Haydos would have gone for such aggressive shots against Bhajji. All the little things we did right proved to be crucial in the end. The result:

Summed up quite nicely Bumper. I must say I have never been convinced of Dhoni's statements where he typically says - Keep things simple and enjoy the game. I didnt buy it when we beat Australia in 20/20 semis and I wasnt so sure when we won the world cup as well. However he proves time and again that he is a cool customer and even his ardent critic today will concede that surely not all his wins were down to fluke. When Praveen Kumar took the new ball I was concerned(probably most of us were). But the lad proved his captain right, didnt he? Now if Ponting starts an innings with say Symonds as the opening bowler and Symonds dismisses Sehwag and SRT, ends with 2-47 most likely he(Symonds) would be hailed as doing his job very well and Ponting as the greatest captain who takes all the right decisions but what has been the response for Dhoni and Kumar? Which also makes me wonder as to how people are orgasming to celebrate SRT's innings but absolutely no taker for Dhoni's leadership today??? Maybe we still beleive in individuals and not the team. xxxx

[Mr. Wicket]

How is Praveen being given the new ball such a huge gamble? The Symonds comparison is irrelevant IMO. Symonds is a part timer middle overs bowler. Praveen is a genuine new ball bowler. He was picked in the side for his bowling based on his domestic hauls and showings in the Ranji final/semi, and anyone who's seen him bowl in domestics knows he's very potent with the new ball when on form. Giving him the new ball was basic common sense, not a tactical masterstroke out of nowhere.

[bigdhoni7]

dhoni's captaincy has been praised but today belongs to sachin. a perfect innings for a century and a great matchwinning knock to shut up his critics who claim he doesn't perform when the team needs him the most.

[Bumper]

How is Praveen being given the new ball such a huge gamble? The Symonds comparison is irrelevant IMO. Symonds is a part timer middle overs bowler. Praveen is a genuine new ball bowler. He was picked in the side for his bowling based on his domestic hauls and showings in the Ranji final/semi, and anyone who's seen him bowl in domestics knows he's very potent with the new ball when on form. Giving him the new ball was basic common sense, not a tactical masterstroke out of nowhere.

I'd have thought Pathan & Ishant were the obvious picks to share the new ball. Picking Praveen & Chawla ahead of the experienced campaigners in a FINALS against Aussies was out of the box.

[Mr. Wicket]

Were the others that obvious? Munaf is a liability. Can't bat, can't field and these days can't bowl either. Sreesanth's been too erratic and inconsistent, so can't be picked. Praveen's a good fielder, handy bowler and a useful hitter. And he was coming off a matchwinning four-for vs. Sri Lanka. Chawla was more of a gamble, and a fine one by Dhoni. I originally felt four bowlers and Sehwag in would suffice, but Chawla was excellent. I was saying earlier though that I had no problem with him being picked - just wished that he had been played in the last game against SL or Aus to get a bit of match practice as well.

[Bumper]

Were the others that obvious? Munaf is a liability. Can't bat, can't field and these days can't bowl either. Sreesanth's been too erratic and inconsistent, so can't be picked. Praveen's a good fielder, handy bowler and a useful hitter. And he was coming off a matchwinning four-for vs. Sri Lanka. Chawla was more of a gamble, and a fine one by Dhoni. I originally felt four bowlers and Sehwag in would suffice, but Chawla was excellent. I was saying earlier though that I had no problem with him being picked - just wished that he had been played in the last game against SL or Aus to get a bit of match practice as well.

Most Indian captains would have picked Sreesanth & Sehwag purely on reputation. It'd have been easy to justify such a selection for the finals. Had Ganguly or Dravid been captain, they would have strictly gone by seniority.Dhoni had the balls to take such gambles.

[Lurker]

Giving him the new ball was basic common sense' date=' not a tactical masterstroke out of nowhere.[/quote'] Really?? A bowler playing his 4th One Day International, and facing arguably the greatest LOI partnership ever -Gilly and Hayden - ahead of likes of Pathan and Ishant Sharma is basic common sense?? I suppose you have never seen Srinath operating after Prabhakar or Kapil at the fag end of his career?? And I am pretty sure you have always complimented Indian captains of their "common sense" when Agarkar kept bowling dead overs and spilling runs. Give credit where its due. It is one thing to look from a critic's position and call it common-sense, it is completely different to enact the role in the middle and win the game against the best side in the world in their own backyard. xxx

[Gambit]

Lurker was probably doing cartwheels when SRT made the ton but is too proud to admit it here given the battles over SRT in the past few months. :D

[Sachinism]

Im sooooo happy he scored this, its silenced soo many critics and now he has a century in Aus and what a time to get it

[Holysmoke]

I am sure you are smart enough to realize one swallow doesnt make a summer. Let me ask you a straight question - In this ongoing series, whose contribution has been far more vital - Sachin or Rohit Sharma? Forget Dhoni, Ishant Sharma etc.

Sachin's top scored in 3 out of the 4 games we've won.

[Anakin]

Sachin's top scored in 3 out of the 4 games we've won.

SO? He must be dropped anyway :giggle:

[Chaos]

Sachin's batting, apart from the century innings, has hardly been anything worth bragging about. Even with the unbeaten century he is averaging under 40. Take away his century and his average in the series falls under 30, close to early 20s really. There is no point in suggesting as if Sachin is scoring at a super high average or anything.

shows u were in hibernation before this series where he racked runs in odi's.....

[CMeLater]

A Gr3at Innings by an Gr3at Indian

[udaydewan]

And what a fantastic sportsman. Got hit by ugly Lee beamer but no reaction and shook lees hand. Just imagine how tyson hayden and liar symonds would have reacted??

Tyson Hayden??? It should be MAD HEW Hayden

[Dravid]

shows u were in hibernation before this series where he racked runs in odi's.....

kaha tha kamine? :D kumar took top order out against aussie :D @topic-:yay::yay::yay::yay::yay::yay:

[King Tendulkar]

Lurker is nuts. Using long words and fancy sentences does not hide the fact he is talking rubbish and quite frankly shows a deep lack of understanding about cricket

[kabira]

if SRT had scored in other games and failed in last two, Lurker would have said opposite. He scored in meaningless games and failed in two important games. Lurker you are funny man, Who's contribution is more? Sachin or Rohit? What has Rohit done? Lets see. We won two games against Lanka, what was his contribution? We won two games against Aussies, what was his contribution? Mind you SRT was top scorer in both the games. You being cynical here Lurker.

[DomainK]

Its plain idiotic. If you dont have the guts to stand up and cheer a good performance, you dont have any right to ever criticize anyone.