India Spin Themselves Into A Rut Again

[Dhondy]

As I write, the seamers have figures of 43-8-77-3, conceding 1.8 per over. Indian spinners aggregate 53-5-180-3, averaging 3.4 per over. If you only consider the frontline spinners, they have bowled 44 overs between them for 144 runs, @ 3.3. All England have done is keep the seamers out and milk the spinners. Except for a brief spell from Mishra at the beginning of the innings, India's spinners have looked entirely benign. It's quite obvious that England have worked out a plan to neutralise the tweakers. The seamers are not entirely blameless either. Every bowler and his dog knows that Andrew Strauss is not so flash driving, that you have to pitch it up to him and make him drive, and yet, they have allowed him to simply stay back and nurdle his way to two hundreds. At one point, Zaheer had conceded 25 runs off 20 overs. England quite clearly are wary of him after the ODIs and have simply shut up shop against him. India needed a 3rd seamer here, a third bowler like Munaf to keep a lid on things, forcing England to take some risks against the other two seamers. As I never tire of saying, over-reliance on spin will ruin India.

[Dhondy]

Make that 46-6-86-4.

[suraj]

Its ok- even if Eng win this match its a good thing for India in the big picture

[Dhondy]

47-8-87-5 England have scored 57 for 5 between lunch and tea in a match that's in the bag for all practical purposes. Oh, the irony!

[fineleg]

Its ok- even if Eng win this match its a good thing for India in the big picture

suraj, why is that? after the Test series win against Aus, we need to look at comprehensive Test series win against Eng. this "batting will be slow in Test-1" and Ind batsmen always "start after Test-2" excuses wont cut it.

[Dhondy]

50-8-97-6. Boss, has India ever batted out 5 sessions to draw a match in the 4th?

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[graphic23]

correction ..... not in the last 10 yrs .... last time they batted 100 overs in the 4th was in 1997 .... but yes we have batted 150 overs once and that was in that famous match at Oval in 1979 ... but the man who batted in that innings is in the commentary team.

That has to be ranked as one of the greatest ever innings by an Indian - potentially the greatest.

[Dhondy]

Thanks Boss. That's not a very good record. But what an innings by Sehwag! If only he had a few nerve cells in his body....he'd get a double ton ever single match.

[graphic23]

Thanks Boss. That's not a very good record. But what an innings by Sehwag! If only he had a few nerve cells in his body....he'd get a double ton ever single match.

If he had played out this session, England would have had nightmares tonight. Alas...

[Dhondy]

If he had played out this session' date=' England would have had nightmares tonight. Alas...[/quote'] Only he can get himself out...and usually does. What was the need to play that cross batted shot straight after that six? But that's Sehwag, I guess. Two triple tons, four double tons, 15 consecutive tons above 150...there's nothing that he can't achieve if he puts his mind to it. Audacious.

[Mr. Wicket]

And of course, no fear or regard for a situation where most other Indian batsmen would have started out by bogging themselves down and worrying about counting time and simply occupying the crease (and inevitably failing to do so). I just hope the other 10 learn from his approach here.

[Mr. Wicket]

re. the spinning rut, I await shwetabh's thoughts on Harbhajan's bowling this game, particularly his pace. :--D

[fineleg]

If he had played out this session' date=' England would have had nightmares tonight. Alas...[/quote'] Yes, excellent knock by Sehwag. If he had stayed till end of day, Eng would have worried over night. I remember the Pak test vs B'lore when VS and GG played very well. VS got out, and then inexplicably Rahul Dravid and Gambhir struggled suddenly. Gambhir was playing well till then. End result Pak won. In Cricinfo - one of the comments was the 4th Inn battle starts after Sehwag gets out, and then the comment said Ind will struggle after that. Hope Dravid and Gambhir can carry on the work by Sehwag and can bat well.

[Dhondy]

I'm still grieving, Thal. This was the equivalent of visiting the Louvre and gazing up at Venus de Milo, waking up and finding yourself at the Muzaffarpur Art Gallery.

[punjabi_khota]

I'm still grieving' date=' Thal. This was the equivalent of visiting the Louvre and gazing up at Venus de Milo, waking up and finding yourself at the Muzaffarpur Art Gallery.[/quote'] :hysterical::hysterical:

[fineleg]

re:: Spin bowling Graeme Swann (Ticz Swanz) bowled with a lot more control, spin and sharp turn and bounce than Bhajji. Bhajji turned himself off for this match!!! :mad: It says a lot when a debutant Swanz can bowl better and extract the sharp turn and also keep the control! Sehwag can still hit anyone, but he bowled well.

[Mr. Wicket]

Bhajji didn't turn himself off, fineleg. This is his normal state. Occasionally he turns himself on, but this wasn't one of those days.

[fineleg]

Bhajji didn't turn himself off' date=' fineleg. [b']This is his normal state. Occasionally he turns himself on, but this wasn't one of those days.

Well said :hatsoff: You are right! Typo by me (off/on) :D Bhajji basically does well once in a while, and then "cruises on" that past laurel for a while. MSD needs to put pressure on Bhajji - keep Ojha or another medium pacer even on his (bhajji's) heels