First-test blues must end

[BacktoCricaddict]

Am tired of seeing this otherwise impressive Indian team show starting trouble and struggling in the first match of every series. In addition to the better selection strategies that they seem to be implementing, BCCI should also schedule long acclimation period plus practice matches prior to every test series especially SENA series.  This also applies to one-off marquee settings like the WTC finals where the players must hit the ground running.

[vvvslaxman]

This was an unexpected first test blue. India was truly dominating the first test until they went to sleep with inept energy on the field both from captain and players. 

[express bowling]

1 hour ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

Am tired of seeing this otherwise impressive Indian team show starting trouble and struggling in the first match of every series. In addition to the better selection strategies that they seem to be implementing, BCCI should also schedule long acclimation period plus practice matches prior to every test series especially SENA series.  This also applies to one-off marquee settings like the WTC finals where the players must hit the ground running.

 

We would have won in SA this year if we had acclimatized with more planning and time. 

[MediumPacer]

Eng did all that ,long preparation in the uae ,long gaps between tests and won the 1st match and still ..

[MediumPacer]

The most important thing is to have the right type of players for those conditions and scrap

[Vijy]

No planning, hasty scheduling, and some timid selections. all of these keep hurting us every time

[BacktoCricaddict]

23 minutes ago, MediumPacer said:

Eng did all that ,long preparation in the uae ,long gaps between tests and won the 1st match and still ..

They are just not good enough. Our guys are, and should be given every opportunity to win every match, especially important one-off matches like WTC finals. Both times, we were half-baked going into the finals.

Edited March 10 by BacktoCricaddict

[MediumPacer]

5 minutes ago, BacktoCricaddict said:

They are just not good enough. Our guys are, and should be given every opportunity to win every match.

We lack confidence as well,you saw how we were playing scared in front of aus in the finals although playing in familiar condition.Some of it is also technical.

[vvvslaxman]

16 minutes ago, Vijy said:

No planning, hasty scheduling, and some timid selections. all of these keep hurting us every time

This was not the usual first test blue. England was doing catch up game for the best part. We just dropped the ball. Axar was an useless pick for that Test.

[Vijy]

1 hour ago, vvvslaxman said:

This was not the usual first test blue. England was doing catch up game for the best part. We just dropped the ball. Axar was an useless pick for that Test.

as was the great bharatha. likes of gill and ashwin were also missing in the first test, and only showed up later

[vvvslaxman]

5 hours ago, Vijy said:

as was the great bharatha. likes of gill and ashwin were also missing in the first test, and only showed up later

You do not drop Ashwin in India regardless of what he did. That would be madness. Axar sucked ball in Australian series too. 

[Vijy]

13 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

You do not drop Ashwin in India regardless of what he did. That would be madness. Axar sucked ball in Australian series too. 

Won't be madness when he declines further. It is apparent that the decline has set up. this was his "worst" series in a while. He performed very creditably, but previous Ashwin would have gobbled up Eng ButtBallers much faster

[vvvslaxman]

Just now, Vijy said:

Won't be madness when he declines further. It is apparent that the decline has set up. this was his "worst" series in a while. He performed very creditably, but previous Ashwin would have gobbled up Eng ButtBallers much faster

Still we have no one remotely close to him in off spin department. We have plenty of left arm options. He is safe until he totally bombs like averaging 50 at home in a series loss.  Axar is the first one that will be edged out. Kuldeep takes his spot. There is no ambiguity there. These 3 are potent 

[BacktoCricaddict]

1 minute ago, vvvslaxman said:

He is safe until he totally bombs like averaging 50 at home in a series loss.  Axar is the first one that will be edged out

I honestly hope he retires before that happens. He seems smart enough to realize when he starts to decline precipitously. The options behind him may be limited but I'd rather lose with a newbie who averages 50 but has upside than with an oldie who averages 50 and has no upside. 

 

Given his legacy, he should consider hanging it up right now - when he is on a high. Then we can try some newbies against NZ, BD etc and get them ready for tough future series ahead.

[Number]

That's also one of the biggest reasons why we have lost 2 WTC Finals. 

[Gollum]

We didn't get team selection right first up. Playing with Bharat and Mukesh will obviously have repercussions. 

[Vijy]

2 hours ago, Gollum said:

We didn't get team selection right first up. Playing with Bharat and Mukesh will obviously have repercussions. 

And also Entitled Iyer.

 

and some players took it easy at first: both Gill and Ashwin fall in that category for the first test.

[Gollum]

7 hours ago, Vijy said:

And also Entitled Iyer.

 

and some players took it easy at first: both Gill and Ashwin fall in that category for the first test.

Ashwin was ok, didn't do worse than our other spinners. Gill failed in both innings, and Axar was a bigger culprit, dropped a simple catch of Pope. 

[Kron]

21 hours ago, vvvslaxman said:

Still we have no one remotely close to him in off spin department. We have plenty of left arm options. He is safe until he totally bombs like averaging 50 at home in a series loss.  Axar is the first one that will be edged out. Kuldeep takes his spot. There is no ambiguity there. These 3 are potent 

Prime ashwin would average 15 in this series. Still good though. Legendary player.

[Vijy]

15 hours ago, Kron said:

Prime ashwin would average 15 in this series. Still good though. Legendary player.

15 avg is a given if he was at peak. ditto for jaddu