Australia vs India, 2nd Test at Melbourne, Dec 26 1985 - why didn't India try to chase the target?

[Trichromatic]

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-tour-of-australia-1985-86-62298/australia-vs-india-2nd-test-63419/full-scorecard

 

This 3 match test series was drawn 0-0.

 

India had to chase 126 runs in 25 overs which was difficult, but worth the risk for the team having Kapil Dev, Srikanth to secure first ever test series win in Aus.

 

Why did they go for draw?

[Trichromatic]

When Aus were 228-8 with just 45 runs of lead, India would have thought they have the game in their hands. But then last wicket partnership of 70 runs ruined their chances and they completely gave up.

[vvvslaxman]

India could have won all 3.  Just that could not provide finishing touch.

[BacktoCricaddict]

Underdog mentality which led us to believe that a draw was as good as a win.

[vvvslaxman]

9 minutes ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

Underdog mentality which led us to believe that a draw was as good as a win.

 

Actually there was a rain forecast. Fans did wonder why Gavaskar played too slow. India lost it when they allowed their last wicket partnership. It was a very weak Australian side. India just pounded them

[vvvslaxman]

I remember MSD not going after a target in Windies.  It is eerily similar. India allowed Windies to put up a partnership of 62 runs from 256/8.  Inida lost 37 overs due to that. And India needed 180 in 47 overs or something instead of 120 odd in 80 overs. India went so slow and aborted the chase 94/3

 

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-tour-of-west-indies-2011-489197/west-indies-vs-india-3rd-test-489228/full-scorecard

[nitinbwj]

52 minutes ago, vvvslaxman said:

I remember MSD not going after a target in Windies.  It is eerily similar. India allowed Windies to put up a partnership of 62 runs from 256/8.  Inida lost 37 overs due to that. And India needed 180 in 47 overs or something instead of 120 odd in 80 overs. India went so slow and aborted the chase 94/3

 

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/india-tour-of-west-indies-2011-489197/west-indies-vs-india-3rd-test-489228/full-scorecard

Dravid 34 off 89..what a surprise. 

[putrevus]

Srikanth talks all big game these days , batted like a mouse plus Gavaskar batted like an utter idiot,

 

they should have won that match. No excuse.

[vvvslaxman]

8 minutes ago, putrevus said:

Srikanth talks all big game these days , batted like a mouse plus Gavaskar batted like an utter idiot,

 

they should have won that match. No excuse.

 

Bit of negative bowling too. But Srikkanth went ballistic in the next match 116 in 116 balls or something like that.  India lost the plot when they actually allowed Gilbert to bat that long. He was a tailender.

[putrevus]

3 hours ago, Trichromatic said:

When Aus were 228-8 with just 45 runs of lead, India would have thought they have the game in their hands. But then last wicket partnership of 70 runs ruined their chances and they completely gave up.

This is one of the matches why Allan Border is so revered in Australia.He was a fighter who even with his weak teams  fought till last ball.

 

India was better team in in that series but they never had guts to win .

 

 

[vvvslaxman]

1 hour ago, nitinbwj said:

Dravid 34 off 89..what a surprise. 

 

Kohli and MSD were yet to bat lol They just gave up. This is why Pant must be worshipped by Indian fans. MSD no way in hell could have done something like that. Even at the Gabba India was both racing against time/overs/wickets. Yet Pant and SUndar did not give up.  

[Trichromatic]

5 hours ago, putrevus said:

Srikanth talks all big game these days , batted like a mouse plus Gavaskar batted like an utter idiot,

 

they should have won that match. No excuse.

 

Actually reading the match report, it seems that India had 1 session left to score remaining 67 runs. But weather forecast wasn't great and Indian team chose to ignore that part and went slow. 

 

They got 2 sessions to score 126 runs and score half of it in one session, then last session was washed out. Surprisingly Kapil Dev was captain of this Indian side.

 

Australia, who except for Matthews and Border batted poorly, were saved by the weather and by the Indians' lacking a sense of urgency. India, who had almost all of the post-lunch play on the last day in which to score 126 to win, were 59 for two at tea when the weather intervened.

 

The weather forecast for the final day was unfavourable, yet the Indians seemed to have ignored it, judging by their tactics against Australia's last pair and by their approach afterwards to getting the required runs.

[Trichromatic]

India toured Australia thrice in 70s and 80s. Played against a weak Australian side and had opportunity to win 2 of those series.

 

1977 series - lost 3-2 https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/60469.html

First 2 matches were lost by margins of 16 runs and 2 runs respectively.

 

1981 tour - Drawn 1-1 - https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/60492.html

 

1985 series - Drawn 0-0 - https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/series/60531.html

Missed out opportunity to win 2nd test.

 

90s were completely dominated by Aus.

 

2000s was competitve.

 

2011 series was worst.

 

2014 was missed opportunity to draw the series.

 

After that 2 series wins for India.

[Suhaan]

7 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

 

Kohli and MSD were yet to bat lol They just gave up. This is why Pant must be worshipped by Indian fans. MSD no way in hell could have done something like that. Even at the Gabba India was both racing against time/overs/wickets. Yet Pant and SUndar did not give up.  

MSD made a life feasting on Lankan attacks

Edited March 9 by Suhaan

[jf1gp_1]

In 85, 126 in 26 overs would be an impossible type of chase. 

[Trichromatic]

50 minutes ago, jf1gp_1 said:

In 85, 126 in 26 overs would be an impossible type of chase. 

 

They had probably around 50 overs left to chase the target.

 

But given the weather forecast number of overs could have been 40, 35, 30, but there was no urgency from Indian team.

 

It was very weak Aus attack and chasing 125 in a session wasn't unrealistic even in 1985.

 

[vvvslaxman]

7 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

 

They had probably around 50 overs left to chase the target.

 

But given the weather forecast number of overs could have been 40, 35, 30, but there was no urgency from Indian team.

 

It was very weak Aus attack and chasing 125 in a session wasn't unrealistic even in 1985.

 

 

Even in 2000s guys like Mcgrath had to use delay tactic, negative bowling from preventing NZ to chase a target of 270 or something. Back in the 80s it was much easier to implement.

[putrevus]

8 hours ago, Trichromatic said:

 

Actually reading the match report, it seems that India had 1 session left to score remaining 67 runs. But weather forecast wasn't great and Indian team chose to ignore that part and went slow. 

 

They got 2 sessions to score 126 runs and score half of it in one session, then last session was washed out. Surprisingly Kapil Dev was captain of this Indian side.

 

Australia, who except for Matthews and Border batted poorly, were saved by the weather and by the Indians' lacking a sense of urgency. India, who had almost all of the post-lunch play on the last day in which to score 126 to win, were 59 for two at tea when the weather intervened.

 

The weather forecast for the final day was unfavourable, yet the Indians seemed to have ignored it, judging by their tactics against Australia's last pair and by their approach afterwards to getting the required runs.

They knew about the rain and yet made no attempt to score those runs.

 

 

 

WI on other hand chased 175 in 25 overs  against India in a similar situation in 1983 when rain was around the corner.

 

 

[Trichromatic]

5 minutes ago, putrevus said:

They knew about the rain and yet made no attempt to score those runs.

 

 

 

WI on other hand chased 175 in 25 overs  against India in a similar situation in 1983 when rain was around the corner.

 

 

 

I am even more surprised because of following reasons:

1. Kapil Dev was captain.

2. Bowling attack was weak.

3. Team had players who could accelerate - Kapil Dev, Srikanth and those who could go in blockathon if anything goes wrong.

[putrevus]

11 minutes ago, Trichromatic said:

 

I am even more surprised because of following reasons:

1. Kapil Dev was captain.

2. Bowling attack was weak.

3. Team had players who could accelerate - Kapil Dev, Srikanth and those who could go in blockathon if anything goes wrong.

See as Kapil said many times. Sunny was their idol and mentor. He rarely questioned him that might be the only reason why I think Kapil did not open with Srikanth.