This better not be a draw, Anil

[King Tendulkar]

I dont agree with those points. I dont think the declaration was too late. It was quite on time. I dont also think India scored too slow at any point. We batted very well. Its the defensive mindset on the field that bothers me.

agree. nothing wrong with declaration

[Fontaine]

We have been really, really unlucky. Since Kumble went off Sehwag has gotten turn, beaten batsmen continuously, both the pacemen after tea have gotten inside edges, LBW shouts, movement but not the breakthrough. I hate cricket like this when you could have gotten both batsmen out but it's only luck that has saved them!!

We've had pace, we've had bounce, we've had reverse swing, and we've had inside edges.

Australia have retreated in a shell and only scored a dozen or so runs after tea because of some great but unlucky bowling!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[Guest HariSampath]

Whats the difference between a 550 and 600 score ? Look at it this way: With 600 on the board, the idea would have to be to enforce a followon. But if Aussies were to score between 350-400, then they would have batted for 4-5 sessions at least and anyways India would not enforce the follow on, reason being bowlers would have been on the field for 4-5 sessions or more than 100 overs. And then match would be well into the 4th day with Aussies making it very difficult for India to get runs, having no hope of winning. In this scenario, the second inngs declaration of India, deciding how may runs and how may overs to bowl them out would be a huge dilemna,and we would endup having a lead of around 300 before begining of 5th day, and consequently not enough time to bowlout the Aussies on last day on this track . On the other hand,if we were aggressive enough about winning right from the start ( that includes team selection too),we would plan on getting a big score AND having Aussies down on the mat by close on second day, that is at least 2-3 wkts down. I would have any day preferred to been allout for 475 and Aussies down at even 150-3 , by stumps 2nd day. That would have given us plenty of time to get them out. Now all we did was to get those 100 extra runs, but we gave them the feeling of " 3 days and 2 full inngs"....an easy enough plan to achieve. No...I think the entire approach has been wrong. The fact that either way the fast bowlers have to strike is obvious; but getting our bowling well into their 1st inngs by end of 2nd day is absolutely essential for winning a test match on this track, and by giving them just 15 overs, we just made it all too easy for them.

[Fontaine]

Whats the difference between a 550 and 600 score ? Look at it this way: With 600 on the board, the idea would have to be to enforce a followon. But if Aussies were to score between 350-400, then they would have batted for 4-5 sessions at least and anyways India would not enforce the follow on, reason being bowlers would have been on the field for 4-5 sessions or more than 100 overs. And then match would be well into the 4th day with Aussies making it very difficult for India to get runs, having no hope of winning. In this scenario, the second inngs declaration of India, deciding how may runs and how may overs to bowl them out would be a huge dilemna,and we would endup having a lead of around 300 before begining of 5th day, and consequently not enough time to bowlout the Aussies on last day on this track . On the other hand,if we were aggressive enough about winning right from the start ( that includes team selection too),we would plan on getting a big score AND having Aussies down on the mat by close on second day, that is at least 2-3 wkts down. I would have any day preferred to been allout for 475 and Aussies down at even 150-3 , by stumps 2nd day. That would have given us plenty of time to get them out. Now all we did was to get those 100 extra runs, but we gave them the feeling of " 3 days and 2 full inngs"....an easy enough plan to achieve. No...I think the entire approach has been wrong. The fact that either way the fast bowlers have to strike is obvious; but getting our bowling well into their 1st inngs by end of 2nd day is absolutely essential for winning a test match on this track, and by giving them just 15 overs, we just made it all too easy for them.

I think you need to relax. Apart from Kumble's passive captaincy and indifferent bowling Sharma, Mishra, Khan, Sehwag have beaten the batsmen several times, enough to take half a dozen wickets already between the ball turning viciously and beating the bat, and keeper to Sharma/Khan getting close with LBWs, nicks and edges. Sometimes, that's just test cricket. In the 2nd test match we were getting inside edges knocking out stumps, edges flying to the slips and the ball just doing enough to pitch inline for the LBW. Now those same opportunities aren't going our way and it just comes down to luck sometimes. The main thing is India are clearly on top here and putting great pressure on the batsmen with all bowlers now that Kumble has gone off as his bowling wasn't great. We keep up the pressure and sooner or later the breakthroughs will come. If not today, then definitely tomorrow when the pitch breaks up even more and the bowlers get the new ball later today.

[DomainK]

Hari, I disagree with you completely.

[Fontaine]

I think you need to relax. Apart from Kumble's passive captaincy and indifferent bowling Sharma, Mishra, Khan, Sehwag have beaten the batsmen several times, enough to take half a dozen wickets already between the ball turning viciously and beating the bat, and keeper to Sharma/Khan getting close with LBWs, nicks and edges. Sometimes, that's just test cricket. In the 2nd test match we were getting inside edges knocking out stumps, edges flying to the slips and the ball just doing enough to pitch inline for the LBW. Now those same opportunities aren't going our way and it just comes down to luck sometimes. The main thing is India are clearly on top here and putting great pressure on the batsmen with all bowlers now that Kumble has gone off as his bowling wasn't great. We keep up the pressure and sooner or later the breakthroughs will come. If not today, then definitely tomorrow when the pitch breaks up even more and the bowlers get the new ball later today.

:two_thumbs_up: Like I said the breakthrough was ineviteable given how well we were bowling. Kudos to Dhoni for sticking with the old ball and showing patience and making the change to bring on Sehwag and to Veeru/Khan for forcing Ponting into a shell!!

[putrevus]

if they draw this match , mishra and kumble are main reasons, kumble is done and mishra needs to step up, he has not shown any variation needed for frontline spinner, last test they didnt know what he could do thats why he got his wickets , this match he didnt make any adjustments. Even in pakistan series we scored over 600 runs and kumble was totally ineffective he gave away too many runs and his captaincy was very bad and he let pakistan off the hook , it should have been 3-0 drubbing instead it became 1-0.

[Guest HariSampath]

Well....we got 4 wkts by close today...but this is what I am saying...Look at the scores at end of 3rd day's play... India 613-7 dec Aus 338-4 ( needing 76 more to avoid follow on ) There is a small chance we can get them under 414, but unlikely, they will probably avoid the follow on and we may end up with a lead of 160. ( even if we get the 200 lead I doubt India will enforce the follow on) Now...looking at it another way...IF we had been allout or declared for 475-500 , and so the Aussies get to bat much earlier on 2nd day, maybe 35 -40 overs there is every chance they would have been 100-130 for 2-3 wkts loss, and so we could have got them allout by now, or at least have them at 320-7/8 wkts by close on 3rd day, trailing by 150-170runs.....but importantly we could have got to this position 2 sessions in advance, by close today, instead of by post lunch session tomorrow. We have to win this test, and IF we fall short by even one session, I would squarely blame Kumble's captaincy and somewhat less aggressive intent by batters yesterday. The bottom line is ; Aus has 6 wkts left and are 276 behind....all they have to do is , with 6 wkts, last till 1 hour after lunch tomorrow, get to somewhere like 130 behind and there is no way we can win this test. I think this is an easy task. But if they could have been made to START day 4, with just 2-3 1st inngs wkts standing, then we would have had a much better chance of forcing a result, because we could still have put them back in before close on 4th day after getting around 180-200 in 2nd inngs and setting some target of 350 in 100 overs for last day 4th inngs.

[putrevus]

Well....we got 4 wkts by close today...but this is what I am saying...Look at the scores at end of 3rd day's play... India 613-7 dec Aus 338-4 ( needing 76 more to avoid follow on ) There is a small chance we can get them under 414, but unlikely, they will probably avoid the follow on and we may end up with a lead of 160. ( even if we get the 200 lead I doubt India will enforce the follow on) Now...looking at it another way...IF we had been allout or declared for 475-500 , and so the Aussies get to bat much earlier on 2nd day, maybe 35 -40 overs there is every chance they would have been 100-130 for 2-3 wkts loss, and so we could have got them allout by now, or at least have them at 320-7/8 wkts by close on 3rd day, trailing by 150-170runs.....but importantly we could have got to this position 2 sessions in advance, by close today, instead of by post lunch session tomorrow. We have to win this test, and IF we fall short by even one session, I would squarely blame Kumble's captaincy and somewhat less aggressive intent by batters yesterday.

If they had declared early then there would have been a chance of India losing this match, given the way they bowled and kumble being so bad, Aussies could be smelling a win, down 1-0 they would be more aggressive to force a result. Indians you never know, that match changing collapse in second innings is always round corner and is not new for them.We have seen those collapses in so many matches in past, by not declaring early at least they cant lose from here.

[Guest HariSampath]

If they had declared early then there would have been a chance of India losing this match, given the way they bowled and kumble being so bad, Aussies could be smelling a win, down 1-0 they would be more aggressive to force a result. Indians you never know, that match changing collapse in second innings is always round corner and is not new for them.We have seen those collapses in so many matches in past, by not declaring early at least they cant lose from here.

Declaring or getting allout for 500 wont cost us the test match. It means Aus would have to get to 650 before even dreaming of a win, and thats unlikely. Sacrificing those 100 runs for an additional 35-40 overs yesterday would have put us in a far better position by close today. Like I said earlier...take your pick...India ahead by 270 now and 6 more wkts to go.....or India ahead by, around 170 now with 2 more wkts to go...I would take the 2nd option. I think Dhoni too would do the same as he doesnt fear losing. In any case, my point was not just "declare dangerously"...but "declare sensibly and aggressively"....and I still feel IF by close of 1st day India had got to 330-3...then we would have been able to declare/allout for 500 and bowl at Aus for 40 overs and take 3 wkts ( who knows, we may have had them even 5 down last nite, but we let the chance slip as we gave only 15 overs)

[putrevus]

Declaring or getting allout for 500 wont cost us the test match. It means Aus would have to get to 650 before even dreaming of a win, and thats unlikely. Sacrificing those 100 runs for an additional 35-40 overs yesterday would have put us in a far better position by close today. Like I said earlier...take your pick...India ahead by 270 now and 6 more wkts to go.....or India ahead by, around 170 now with 2 more wkts to go...I would take the 2nd option. I think Dhoni too would do the same as he doesnt fear losing. In any case, my point was not just "declare dangerously"...but "declare sensibly and aggressively"....and I still feel IF by close of 1st day India had got to 330-3...then we would have been able to declare/allout for 500 and bowl at Aus for 40 overs and take 3 wkts ( who knows, we may have had them even 5 down last nite, but we let the chance slip as we gave only 15 overs)

I agree , they never played agressively , first sending ganguly ahead of Dhoni was so asinine, then Kumble coming ahead of Zaheer, At that point we need some one to beat the crap of aussies bowling and drop their spirits more but Kumble like an Idiot doesnt not do that, today he opening the bowling whats up with that we couldnt take any advantage or morning conditions. If we give Aussies a chance to breath they will kill you on field, the series turned on its head when Bhajji and ZK put up that partnership on Banglore and if they draw this match we better watch out they will booming with confidence in nagpur where India lost so big last time.

[Fontaine]

I agree , they never played agressively , first sending ganguly ahead of Dhoni was so asinine, then Kumble coming ahead of Zaheer, At that point we need some one to beat the crap of aussies bowling and drop their spirits more but Kumble like an Idiot doesnt not do that, today he opening the bowling whats up with that we couldnt take any advantage or morning conditions. If we give Aussies a chance to breath they will kill you on field, the series turned on its head when Bhajji and ZK put up that partnership on Banglore and if they draw this match we better watch out they will booming with confidence in nagpur where India lost so big last time.

I couldn't understand that. Why the hell was Kumble opening the bowling? We've got a young fast bowler in the form of his life and instead Kumble puts on the one bowler who's been the worst of the lot to start off the day when the batsmen have to start all over to get set in? It's like Kumble somehow thinks if he continues to bowl dozens of overs somehow he'll come back into form. That's just stupid. You can't use genuine test match conditions to try and get into form this late in the series. That should have been done ages ago and if he couldn't get back into form then he should have been dropped till got better.

[gs]

We still have 2 full days left. Hopefully dadaji Kumble will take at least 2 wickets. One wicket per day isnt too much to ask I hope.

[cochise]

Kumble to come back big time tomorrow is my prediction. If he comes back from the hospital, that is...

[putrevus]

Kumble like ponting have been exposed very badly in this series,Ponting not using Katich and his rotation of bowlers was simply horrible,When ever Aussies faced any challenge he has always come up short.He is great front runner but horrible in leading when chips are down. Kumble likewise has never given Sehwag the bowler his due, he brought him too late and then removed him before he could make any impact. It is almost as if he doesnt want Viru to shine as bowler so he could blame his lack of success on the pitch which he did all thru pakistan series.

[Fontaine]

I really hope Kumble doesn't bowl tomorrow. Watson and Clarke both nearly got out to a couple of beautifull deliveries by Mishra right before stumps. Watson especially will be weak as he probably hasn't seen anything like this pitch before. We get him out and Haddin follows soon after. Then we're into the tail. If we aren't unlucky like we were today we bowl out Australia for under 450 and then our batsmen can begin the quick onslaught to push the lead past 300 and put in Australia to bat 20 overs before stumps and all day on the fifth day where spin will be king. Really, with a bit of application and patience we should win this test match.

[cochise]

Mishra has got to use the Doosra to good effect tomorrow. And also bowl more of those beautiful ripping leg-spinners that beat the bat today with just a little more drift towards leg...he will get the edge.

[vsd2006]

Aussies are the best team in the world and the way they batted today proves that to an extent. Any other team with 600+ to chase and an uneven, viscious turner would be circumspect from ball 1, but not rh aussies, they take it as it comes and show skilled they are. To beat a team like this, you need innovation and agression in your approach as a captain, If you are even a little bit passive, slow or weak, the chance will go and you will be left with nothing but a draw or a loss. This innovation and out of the box thinking was shown by MSD when he made veeru bowl with the second new bowl and he knew that the new SG ball would offer bounce and assist the turn on this wicket. He immediately saw that this could help mishra also and brought him on. We got hussey out and we almost got clarke and watson out too. What would Kumble have done in a situation like this? Would the aussies have lost the 4 wickets they did today if Kumble was on the field and captaining?

[Nova]

This match is indeed headed for a draw. Whatever the 4th or 5th day scenario, I don't think the Indians will take 20 Aus wickets. End of story.

[cochise]

Yes, you have to give credit to the Aussies for their batting today. They batted stoically indeed. And I am sure they will continue to do so tomorrow. They had a bit of luck in their efforts, but that is the way it always goes in tests...however, I thought our field placements were wanting. There should have been much more attacking fields set and close in fielders, to make them feel the heat and pressure ...and to take the catches, of which there were many. Let's hope for better tomorrow.