Dravid will bounce back against England, says Ganguly

[Rajiv]

I thought you said Dravid will retire after the 3rd TEST?

[Shehezaada]

I thought you said Dravid will retire after the 3rd TEST?

yup that's what I heard too from Hari Sampath. An announcement on the third day.

[graphic23]

Dravid isn't going to be dropped for the 2 tests against England' date=' if the Chief Selector Srikkanth's recent statements are anything to go by. Srikkanth has openly said " Dravid is one innings away from form"...as dumb a statement as it gets, because [b']we have said that in the past and Dravid also did get a 90 and a 100, but has been failing after that. So, its not as if he is "one innings away"...NO..his best cricket is far behind him, and he has just been producing a rare 50+ innings, this is reality, and Ranji or tests, 100 or 200 in this game isnt going to change that. But even if Srikkanth wants Dravid to play 2 more tests, in the end its Dhoni who will call the shots. If Dhoni is willing to accommodate Dravid one last time, he will play, if not Dravid will have to be dropped, irrespective of whether Srikkanth likes it or not. This will be dependent on Yuvraj's claims, already he has got a brilliant 100 in the ODI game, and if he gets another 100, or maybe a couple of 70-80 scores, there would be a huge clamour Yuvraj into the side. If Gambhir and Yuvraj have to play, then that would mean Vijay would have to be forcibly ejected to accommodate Dravid. If that happens and Dravid fails yet again in the 1st test, Sriikkanth's ar would be on fire. Add to this, a couple of more innins from Raina and Rohit in the coming days, its not going to be easy to stick with Dravid...and its Dhoni's call in the end. Dravid may get to exit gracefully, IF Dhoni allows it.

We have not said it. You have. I would've thought that I saw Krish make that statement, you would come with some concoction like "he was just trying to play it nice but he really is pressuring Dravid to retire." Maybe Srikkanth knows more about Dravid and cricket than you do? I mean this with no disrespect to you but you have really been on Dravid's case like no other. We do experience some calls for dropping someone from the team when they don't perform but no one has ever cursed and called another Indian cricketer so many names as much as you have against Dravid. While you repeatedly state that you mean Dravid no disrespect and that he was a great player, it is hard to swallow considering how irrational your statements have been against him. I am bringing this up right now because in all the past threads you kept claiming that Srikkanth wanted to drop Dravid, etc. and since I don't know and you claim to know him, I couldn't say anything. But I want to request you, consider the fact that you don't lose form overnight (and you will say that he has lost over a 2 period time) but every cricketer (former or present) has been saying that he has been putting himself under undue pressure and thats what causing him problems. I would rather trust their words than your claims (read: rants) that Dravid is hopeless, etc. Please. While you may think Vijay is ready for #3 in our Test spot, know that even Australians (along with every other knowledgeable cricketer) have said in the past that Dravid is the second best #3 batsmen to have played the game after Sir Don Bradman. This was said even when Ricky Ponting was in the thick of form. I think for all Dravid has done in the past for India, he deserves a little bit of support from the selection committee and the fans. He is not unfit. He is just under tremendous pressure because he (not you or me) knows how poor his contributions have been recently and being the team player he is, he wants to get back to form as soon as possible and unfortunately, that one Steve Waugh-type rugged innings has eluded him (no I don't consider the rather fluent 93 in Perth or the extremely slow 100+ against SA such innings). I trust Srikkanth more than you in terms of assessing a player. As a former great himself, he knows how valuable an inform Dravid is and perhaps also knows that Vijay or a lot of the youngsters you keep mentioning are not quite Dravid-class.

[fineleg]

If Cheeka indeed abides by his words, then :thumbs_up: That shows he can see true pedigree and class

[Guest HariSampath]

We have not said it. You have. I would've thought that I saw Krish make that statement, you would come with some concoction like "he was just trying to play it nice but he really is pressuring Dravid to retire." Maybe Srikkanth knows more about Dravid and cricket than you do?

By "we", I mean all those in the media, fans etc who have been saying that Dravid is just one inngs away from form, for the past 2 years and 6 months. Why should I support Srikkanth just because he makes a dumb statement ? Off the record he had been saying over several months that Dravid should be dropped, but now as Chief selector, maybe he has "other compulsions", that go beyond selction based on merit.

I mean this with no disrespect to you but you have really been on Dravid's case like no other. We do experience some calls for dropping someone from the team when they don't perform but no one has ever cursed and called another Indian cricketer so many names as much as you have against Dravid. While you repeatedly state that you mean Dravid no disrespect and that he was a great player, it is hard to swallow considering how irrational your statements have been against him.

Show me ONE irrational statement. Just read my writeup on The dilemna of Dravid and the way its impacted selection and point out ONE. Is pointing out his failures and non contribution over a staggering 30 months, irrrational ?

I am bringing this up right now because in all the past threads you kept claiming that Srikkanth wanted to drop Dravid, etc. and since I don't know and you claim to know him, I couldn't say anything. But I want to request you, consider the fact that you don't lose form overnight (and you will say that he has lost over a 2 period time) but every cricketer (former or present) has been saying that he has been putting himself under undue pressure and thats what causing him problems. I would rather trust their words than your claims (read: rants) that Dravid is hopeless, etc. Please.

Yes, I still say that on cricketing judgment alone, Srikkanth will drop him, would have done so earlier, but like I said there are plenty more things than cricket that determine selections, in India. Srikkanth is just playing to the gallery here, and going with the tide ( he does that very well :-) )....in the end although he is very powerful as a chief selector, its Dhoni who is the boss of Indian cricket and he will decide.. Whether Dravid has been putting himself under pressure, or whatever it is is causing problems should be no concern for team India...India needs runs, often enough..and Dravid hasnt delivered for 2 1/2 years. That is reality, however you spin it.

While you may think Vijay is ready for #3 in our Test spot, know that even Australians (along with every other knowledgeable cricketer) have said in the past that Dravid is the second best #3 batsmen to have played the game after Sir Don Bradman. This was said even when Ricky Ponting was in the thick of form. I think for all Dravid has done in the past for India, he deserves a little bit of support from the selection committee and the fans. He is not unfit. He is just under tremendous pressure because he (not you or me) knows how poor his contributions have been recently and being the team player he is, he wants to get back to form as soon as possible and unfortunately, that one Steve Waugh-type rugged innings has eluded him (no I don't consider the rather fluent 93 in Perth or the extremely slow 100+ against SA such innings).

Yes Vijay is ready as a #3 player. Yes, fans and captain and selection committe have indeed been supporting Dravid series after series, failure after failure...so how long is the question, and at what expense is the question...and your opinion is as good or as bad as mine...even Srikkanth's doesnt matter...he just has to sign on the dotted line if Dhoni says so.

I trust Srikkanth more than you in terms of assessing a player. As a former great himself, he knows how valuable an inform Dravid is and perhaps also knows that Vijay or a lot of the youngsters you keep mentioning are not quite Dravid-class.

Srikkanth is NOT a former great. Yes, a very good cricketer and captain who changed the way ODI cricket was played in India and contributed immensely to India winning ODIs on a world stage, but by no means great ( as in Gavaskar, kapil etc ). Srikkanth is a good judge of ability, but his decisions need not always be correct or for that matter his real preferences.

[graphic23]

You make it seem as if Dravid's failures have affected the team's performances drastically. In the tests we have lost against Australia in Australia (in Sydney, actually, he was given a terrible decision in the 2nd innings and he was on 38 IIRC and he was batting pretty well), our team collapsed as a whole. In the SA test, he played 26 deliveries (while most people didn't even do that much). Steyn himself admitted that the ball that got Dravid was a gem and he wouldn't be able to bowl it too many times again like that. In the Pakistan series, he didn't have a terrible series (he had a mediocre one). Against SL, again, he made some 60 odd in the 2nd innings of our final test and along with Laxman, was the only one who showed some sort of backbone. The recent Australian series was disastrous but because the others were able to perform tremendously well, we won the series and we didn't lose it. I think he deserves that cushion that he's getting because everyone around him is performing well. I think it will allow him some more time ( I don't know how much - I don't know whats wrong with his game or whats going on in his mind) to get back into form, and we have to push as much as we can (again, I cannot quantify that) to get him back to decent form, and hopefully he can serve test cricket a couple more series and then gracefully retire at the top (or even half-decent by his enormous standards) of his form. You have made irrational statements. I don't want to go and search through the innumerable threads and posts you have made against Dravid and post them here. I've got better things to do.

[Guest HariSampath]

The only thing irrational is the way you keep philosophizing Dravid's terrible failures..."all the others failed" doesnt work here...all the others have been getting 100s. Terrible decisions and good balls dont work either, because he has had fortunate decisions for him ( vs Pak), has played terrible shots, slogged his wicket away etc...and these things happen for all other batters too. The fact is he hasnt scored a single match impacting innings in the last 2 1/2 years, and for a top batter in the lineup , thats a telling statement

[anbuchelvan]

:hysterical:This is going to be step out stone for the wall:giggle:

[Guest HariSampath]

Rahul Dravid failed yet again got a 39 off 95 balls today LOL He is still just one game away from getting back into form , even in Ranji against Andhra :hysterical:

[Guest HariSampath]

Best of Luck RD !!! Score a double ton now !

Rahul Dravid b Kalyankrishna 39 ( 95 ) spent 34 overs in the middle, got a start but couldnt convert it :giggle: ( but this should be enough for the next 2 seasons for him, in Ranji team)

[sharma]

imagine being captained by robin.....lol

[Lord]

imagine being captained by robin.....lol

is robin capt.?

[Guest HariSampath]

Uthappa is the captain...and he has got a 100 today as well

[h4te]

Lulz! :((

[Sachinism]

Uthappa is in some good form, he's been scoring runs in quite a few games

[h4te]

might get a ODI recall at best. i don't think he is any where near the test team....

[Lord]

Uthappa is in some good form' date=' he's been scoring runs in quite a few games[/quote'] please selectors dont look at these n dont select robin for remaining odis.let him play in ipl alone.

[Guest HariSampath]

I strongly feel that Dravid must NOT be dropped from karnataka, as he still has 2 years of Ranji cricket left in him ? :hysterical:

[flamy]

So, dude for all your talk about "really being a Dravid fan", now you are laughing at his failures? Anyways, when did Dhoni become so powerful?

[CC1981]

Dravid isn't going to be dropped for the 2 tests against England' date=' if the Chief Selector Srikkanth's recent statements are anything to go by. Srikkanth has openly said " Dravid is one innings away from form"...as dumb a statement as it gets, because[i'] ...more horse manure .

Aww jeez. Now i feel bad - i guess your 'best buddy Cheeka' disagrees with you eh ? Guess he does have more brains than i gave him credit for and perhaps made the mistake of not seeing you drag him down with you. :hatsoff: