Dear Dravid, Sachin , Ganguly etc

[Rajiv]

..with a lead like this, a perfect time to show your experience and build up a huge score. This is what champions are made of, if you can't manage this..kindly go home to your family, cuddle your kids and cook them breakfast everyday. Thanks for everything you have done, but its now or never; no point being called FAB if you can't turn this game into a DRAW or VICTORY For those who were missing TEST cricket coz the 20/20 - here it is!!! I am prepared to see newbies come in and lose a few - but I can't see this charade anymore ..in pure mumbaiyaa... Stats, Runs, Average gaya tel lene

[DomainK]

I agree with you Rajeev. Its time for them to perform.

[The Outsider]

Nothing will come of it, Rajeev. This team took the field knowing they'll lose today. Their bowling and fielding was insipid, flat, and horrible and can't expect the batting to be any better. If SL add another 50 runs, I expect us to go down by an innings with a procession of 10s and 20s.

[DomainK]

Nothing will come of it' date=' Rajeev. This team took the field knowing they'll lose today. Their bowling and fielding was insipid, flat, and horrible and can't expect the batting to be any better. If SL add another 50 runs, I expect us to go down by an innings with a procession of 10s and 20s.[/quote'] Thats exactly when Champions rise. They are the ones who win against all odds and all expectations. I have big expectations out of Sachin in particular given that he is not out of form indeed. He has played the toughest bowlers with ease and he is the one batsman along with Sehwag who can take us back to a dominating position. I dont expect much from Dravid Dravid. He is in very poor form. Laxman is entirely clueless against Mendis. But Ganguly should deliver.

[umpire]

Sometimes when batsman is hurt physically, he tends to concentrate better. Laxman and Sachin both injured, guess one of them will make runs.

[Shane]

I hate being a pessimist, but even my most optimistic brain cell doesnt respond positively about India's chances, hoping a double from Sehwag today, GOD SAVE THE QUEEN INDIAN CRICKET TEAM

[fineleg]

FINALLY! The thread I wanted to see from Rajeev. Yes, they have to deliver now. Or that fab 4 can go home and cook for their kids, and retire from Test cricket, ODI cricket etc. Really ridiculous if the Fab-4 cannot turn this situation around.

[DomainK]

FINALLY! The thread I wanted to see from Rajeev. Yes, they have to deliver now. Or that fab 4 can go home and cook for their kids, and retire from Test cricket, ODI cricket etc. Really ridiculous if the Fab-4 cannot turn this situation around.

I wont scan all 4 of them with the same lens. But at least two of them should be out of the team after this series.

[Shane]

I wont scan all 4 of them with the same lens. But at least two of them should be out of the team after this series.

Wonder which two, however that's for another time, lets see what happens here!

[Guest Hiten.]

How I will love them perform, but I seriously have no hopes of them bailing us out. History says our batsmen have never saved a game (barring Laxi and RD's Kolkata affair). I would love to eat the humble pie.

[DomainK]

Wonder which two' date=' however that's for another time, lets see what happens here![/quote'] Given that Sachin and Ganguly were performing excellently a few matches ago (specifically Sachin), they dont deserve the axe for just one bad series. But Dravid definitely needs break and Laxman should be dropped.

[King]

How I will love them perform, but I seriously have no hopes of them bailing us out. History says our batsmen have never saved a game (barring Laxi and RD's Kolkata affair). I would love to eat the humble pie.

You forgot Rahul and Laxman at Adelaide in 2003? Rahul and Laxman have saved many a times but both are pretty much on their last leg. We need new heroes.

[kablooee87]

I have a feeling Sril Lanka is going to get a major scare in the 4th innings.

[DomainK]

I have a feeling Sril Lanka is going to get a major scare in the 4th innings.

If only we can stretch the lead upto 150, we have a match on.

[retterimp]

i dont get it, if we drop all the four, who are the replacements?? the truth is we simply dont have anyone good enough to replace these antique pieces. but i'd love to be proven wrong

[Lurker]

..with a lead like this, a perfect time to show your experience and build up a huge score. This is what champions are made of, if you can't manage this..kindly go home to your family, cuddle your kids and cook them breakfast everyday. Thanks for everything you have done, but its now or never; no point being called FAB if you can't turn this game into a DRAW or VICTORY For those who were missing TEST cricket coz the 20/20 - here it is!!! I am prepared to see newbies come in and lose a few - but I can't see this charade anymore ..in pure mumbaiyaa... Stats, Runs, Average gaya tel lene

Dear Rajeev, Today there was an article on CricInfo. Today, August 10th, is the first time of this year that there has been NO One Day International being played. I want you to stop for a second and think that over once again. No LOI games. And most probably that happened because the biggest culprits, India, were playing a Test match. The Indian diaspora, both at home and abroad, ensures that too many matches are being played. Players dont complain because they make money hand over fist. BCCI doesnt complain because well..the same thing money. Please note that I havent pointed out countries like Australia, England because cricket is not the game that drives the pscyche in this country. I have not pointed out Pakistan and Sri Lanka because why would one want India to compare to them(from sports point of view), really? You mention Dravid, Sachin and ganguly to stand up and be counted. When was the last time that happened? You may give me one instance here and there(and most likely not within this year), but even you would agree that such instances have been the exceptions rather than the norm. And even such instances, as solitary as they might be, are enough to make the same players larger than life and proclaim in print - I dont care what people say. Are you sure you want to stand behind these players?? I am not sure when exactly I became a health conscious person but one by-product has been that I sleep early, and wake up early. For past 10-15 years I am getting up at 4:50 am and sleeping around 9ish. Havent really sat up and watch India play cricket in the longest time. Why should I? To get heart burn and a big tummy?? To go to work all depressed and half-sleepy?? To take out my anger at colleagues(and juniors) and keep opening cricket websites every 2 minutes?? Last couple of days I have sat up and watched Olympics. It has been awesome. The best of the best showcasing so many varities of sports, people fighting for every inch because they are representing their nation. All often within a matter of minutes, sometimes seconds. And when the winner gets that medal, when the flag of his/her nation goes up, when she/he bites the medal and cries....you will immediately wonder what was the point of proclaiming an Indian as a God? And even if you lose on sleep you go the next day with a strange sense of satisfaction, a feeling of supporting that Korean swimmer who at age of 18 made a false start and fell into the swimming pool, only to come back again after 4 years and decimate everyone else and win the firs gold for his country. I humbly suggest you write another letter. This time to yourself. Its high time Indians moved away from this false fascination for a game which has destroyed every other, and wherein we dont even do anything great..well most of the times. Cheers! xxx

[fineleg]

Lurker Simply the best.

[Guest Hiten.]

How I will love them perform' date=' [b']but I seriously have no hopes of them bailing us out. History says our batsmen have never saved a game (barring Laxi and RD's Kolkata affair). I would love to eat the humble pie.

:(( Good thing I slept. My day at work is gonna be so ***ed, because I will be busy ranting about these underachievers when India needed the most. This series was collective failure for MO. Except RD none of them managed more than 100 runs in 6 innings. Quite disgusting.

[bharat297]

i dont get it' date=' if we drop all the four, who are the replacements?? the truth is we simply dont have anyone good enough to replace these antique pieces. but i'd love to be proven wrong[/quote'] Thats true ... who are the replacements? * Rohit Sharma - has not yet shown he can play long innings * Yuvraj? - ur kidding ... Would you trust that guy to bail us out of a situation like this ... against spinners ... LOL * Uthappa - haha ... enough said * Kohli? With the exception of Rohit Sharma, most of the other guys are simply glorified sloggers. Id say Raina and Badrinath are looking the most likely candidates to step into the test role, given that they both have really strong domestic records. We would be banking on 2 guys who have never played a test match before, leading into the series against Australia. Thats a huge risk.