If Dravid can't play first test match

[Dhondy]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match That three of those are from the subcontinent, who cannot win a match outside their shores to save their life, only illustrates my point.

[Bumper]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match ^Why is it that we crucify subcontinental players, when they fail outside & not viceversa ? I cant recall SA, NZ or Eng win anything noteworthy in the subcontinent either. Until they won the BG trophy, it was the most coveted trophy Aussies wanted to lay their hands on to (more so than Ashes). That said, a balanced attack that can perform everywhere must have a match winning spinner, which is why even the Ashes winning English team (unless Panesar proves to be one), always look so ordinary & beatable in the subcontinent.

[Dhondy]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match SA beat us 2-0 in '99. Australia beat us 2-1 in 2004/5, England drew 1-1 with us, NZ drew 0-0. We haven't won in any of these countries in living memory, other than the '84/5 win in England.

[The Outsider]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match

SA beat us 2-0 in '99. Australia beat us 2-1 in 2004/5, England drew 1-1 with us, NZ drew 0-0. We haven't won in any of these countries in living memory, other than the '84/5 win in England.

We drew in England so that knocks off point number 3. Also, add the win in WI while they lost to us in India. Moreover, all these losses have come when pitches in India have become more sporting. Look at the 90s during the times of the turners. No team stood a chance of beating us. Not saying that the was the ideal approach but on most wickets in the world 4th and 5th day wickets will always provide assistance for spinners, and good ones will never be obsolete.

[Dhondy]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Why is Pakistan's overseas record better than India and Sri Lanka's, Shwetabh?

[The Outsider]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match

Why is Pakistan's overseas record better than India and Sri Lanka's' date=' Shwetabh?[/quote'] Imran, Akram, and Waqar. In general, better fast bowlers. But on the same note they have also had very good spinners in Qadir, Mushtaq, and Saqlain to exploit the 4th-5th day wickets.

[King]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match If Rahul cannot play the first test then the chances of winning in the first test for Inida goes down by about 40% in my opinion. I wish he does play but if he is suffering from injury he better sit out than endure pain and play. In the long run it may cause more damage to his chances on this tour. I would rather see him play 2 tests later on than play the first one and miss out the next two. As for the choice of team in the unfortunate event of Rahul not being available, India should go with Gambhir as Rahul's replacement. Gambhir is among runs and he can handle fast bowling no worries there. I would go with Sehwag, Jaffer, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Laxman, Ganguly, Dhoni, Pathan, Kumble, Zaheer and Munaf.

[King]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match

Why is Pakistan's overseas record better than India and Sri Lanka's' date=' Shwetabh?[/quote'] Since about 5-6 years Pakistan's record outside am sure is as dismal or even worse than India's. I can only remember Pakistan winning the test series in New Zealand a while ago. Even against WI they couldn't win the test series.

[Bumper]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match

SA beat us 2-0 in '99. Australia beat us 2-1 in 2004/5, England drew 1-1 with us, NZ drew 0-0. We haven't won in any of these countries in living memory, other than the '84/5 win in England.

We drew in Eng & Australia in the recent tours. If u agree that SA quickies are good, why is it that they havent won anything in the subcontinent since 99 ? (They lost the test series to Pak, Ind & SL, some of them were highly one sided contests). My point is that unless u have a match winning spinner, u cannot consistently compete against subcontinental teams, in their home soil. IMO, subcontinental teams struggle outside, more because of their batting than bowling. If we score 400 every innings we play vs SA, I'd expect us to win this test series 3-0, with our current pace attack.

[King]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match

SA beat us 2-0 in '99. Australia beat us 2-1 in 2004/5, England drew 1-1 with us, NZ drew 0-0. We haven't won in any of these countries in living memory, other than the '84/5 win in England.

We drew in Eng & Australia in the recent tours. If u agree that SA quickies are good, why is it that they havent won anything in the subcontinent since 99 ? (They lost the test series to Pak, Ind & SL, some of them werent even close contests). My point is that unless u have a match winning spinner, u cannot consistently compete against subcontinental teams, in their home soil. IMO, subcontinental teams struggle outside, more because of their batting than bowling. If we score 400 every innings we play vs SA, I'd expect us to win this test series 3-0, with our current pace attack.

You are right on the money there. Our bowlers have not been as bad as we show up but our batters don't put enough runs as a matter of fact. Anything around 350 or over would be a score India's current bowling can defend or win a test. Mostly when India has scored big in the first essay they have ended up winning the game.

[Raj]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Gambhir is a good shout for the middle order. My concern with having both Laxman and Ganguly in the side is that they have yet to have any match practice in SA. (However you could say that even with practice the rest of the team have looked poor). Sehwag, Jaffer, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Laxman, Ganguly, Dhoni, Pathan, Kumble, Zaheer and Munaf. Good looking team Ravi...

[King Tendulkar]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Thats a terrible team. Ganguly and Crapthan should not be anywere near the team. Ganguly won't have a clue on these tracks, especially at 34 and Crapthan is basically cr#p!

[Raj]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match dsr i don't think it's going to make much difference, we are on a hiding to nothing, regardless who plays and who sits out...

[King Tendulkar]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match

dsr i don't think it's going to make much difference' date=' we are on a hiding to nothing, regardless who plays and who sits out...[/quote'] Doesn't mean you do not play your strongest team. I actually think we can do ok in tests. They are very diff to odi's. Why play crapthan? How can anyone justify this. His bowling is awful.

[Raj]

Re: If Dravid can't play first test match Hey, we have even given Smith a confidence boost today by gifting him some much needed runs. We Indians really are an obliging lot...