Discussing the 2nd test between India and SA at Kolkata, 2010

[Karan114]

Sree, I'm not sure who it is you want to please with your "oh so saintly" arguments about not using home advantage. You do realize the Western media and fans are going to attack India whatever we do? When we used to prepare dustbowls they used to accuse us of doctoring pitches and that we couldn't win away from home. When we stopped preparing dustbowls and now prepare these lifeless pitches at least once a series, we have people like that ***** Atherton (and others) accusing India of "killing" Test cricket even though our away record is as good as any team bar Australia over the last ten years and are no.1. As has been shown to you by Gambit and others, EVERY team uses home advantage, yet it is only India who has to constantly face this rubbish about doctoring wins (as if the pitch magically changes for us when we are bowling). No one said a word about SA preparing a greentop to save their series against England. It is only India who gets attacked for using home advantage, and pathetic Aussie fans masquerading as Indian fans like yourself think you are being somehow morally superior by not playing to our strengths.

[Sachinism]

I don't know why people are whining about conditions favoring the home side? Thats the advantage of playing at home. FFS

[Fontaine]

I don't know why people are whining about conditions favoring the home side? Thats the advantage of playing at home. FFS

And what advantage do we have with spin? Bhajji and Mishra, clearly aren't good enough to bowl out SA on a spinning track. Prepare a spinning track and Duminy/Harris would be on par with these two guys.

[EnterTheVoid]

Sree' date=' I'm not sure who it is you want to please with your "oh so saintly" arguments about not using home advantage. You do realize the Western media and fans are going to attack India whatever we do? When we used to prepare dustbowls they used to accuse us of doctoring pitches and that we couldn't win away from home. When we stopped preparing dustbowls and now prepare these lifeless pitches at least once a series, we have people like that ***** Atherton (and others) accusing India of "killing" Test cricket even though our away record is as good as any team bar Australia over the last ten years and are no.1. As has been shown to you by Gambit and others, EVERY team uses home advantage, yet it is only India who has to constantly face this rubbish about doctoring wins (as if the pitch magically changes for us when we are bowling). No one said a word about SA preparing a greentop to save their series against England. It is only India who gets attacked for using home advantage, and pathetic Aussie fans masquerading as Indian fans like yourself think you are being somehow morally superior by not playing to our strengths.[/quote'] Its a matter of principle. I stand by my convictions and would argue the same had it been South Africa, England, Australia or whoever, you may have your doubts and think otherwise but I can assure you I would do the same.

[Sachinism]

And what advantage do we have with spin? Bhajji and Mishra, clearly aren't good enough to bowl out SA on a spinning track. Prepare a spinning track and Duminy/Harris would be on par with these two guys.

Maybe it won't give us an advantage, but I'm just talking in general people are making issues. I think the home side has that advantage where they can have the pitch to suit them (as long it is not dangerous and btw turning square isn't dangerous)

[diegovegaz]

the only reason i see laxman coming at 3 is that he'd be motivated to do another eden had it been any other ground, i would have had laxman at 5

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Eden curator denies receiving BCCI instructions to prepare turning track Eden Gardens pitch curator Prabir Mukherjee on Wednesday denied reports of being under pressure from the BCCI to prepare a turning track to help India level the two-match Test series against South Africa in Kolkata. More... Eden curator denies receiving BCCI instructions to prepare turning track February 10, 2010 17:23 IST Eden Gardens pitch curator Prabir Mukherjee on Wednesday denied reports of being under pressure from the BCCI to prepare a turning track to help India level the two-match Test series against South Africa in Kolkata. "I have not received any instructions from the Board about preparation of the wicket at Eden Gardens," Mukherjee said. After India lost the opening Test by an innings and six runs on Tuesday in Nagpur, their batting left devastated by Dale Steyn's pace, Mukherjee had reportedly said that the BCCI has instructed him to prepare a turning wicket at the Eden to assist home spinners. The curator, however, said the Eden track would be a sporting one which would suit both pace and spin. "Eden Gardens is known for having a sporting wicket and this time also it won't be different. It will suit both the pacers and spinners so that good cricket could be played here. The match will last for five days," Mukherjee, who is also one of the officials at Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) said. "Moreover, wicket for a Test match is prepared a few days before the match starts," he added. The second Test will be played n Kolkata from February 14-18.

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SA's press talks after Test 1 [Compilation to be bumped] SA coach Corrie van Zyl today said a bigger challenge lies for his side in the second cricket Test in Kolkata. More...

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Indian players have optional practice Some members of the Indian team today had an optional training session which was skipped by a few senior players. More... Wednesday 10th February 2010 Indian players have optional practice Some members of the Indian team today had an optional training session which was skipped by a few senior players. Some members of the team, including skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, practiced at the VCA stadium in Jamtha on what was the scheduled fifth day of the first Test that the hosts lost by an innings and six runs on the fourth day yesterday. Apart from Dhoni, the others who took part in the net session were V V S Laxman, who missed the opener due to a finger injury, S Badrinath, M Vijay, Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra and Ishant Sharma. There was some concern over Laxman when he got hurt by a ball from left arm spinner Ojha but he came back to bat after taking a short break. Tendulkar and Zaheer, meanwhile, have gone to Mumbai en route to Kolkata for the February 14-18 second and final Test at the Eden Gardens, while Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir went to Delhi and were not available for practice, Vidarbha Cricket Association sources said. Off spinner Harbhajan Singh, who did little of note in the Test here, did not practice with the other members though he is still in the city. The net session was supervised by coach Gary Kirsten and bowling coach Eric Simmons.

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India's flat tracks don't worry pacers anymore: Smith The flat decks in India no longer worry pacers, said South Africa captain Graeme Smith as he attributed Dale Steyn's devastating form in the first cricket Test against India to a changed mindset of not letting conditions dictate bowling. More... Wednesday 10th February 2010 "India's tracks don't worry pacers" The flat decks in India no longer worry pacers, said South Africa captain Graeme Smith. The current South African pace duo of Steyn and Morne Morkel gave enough indications of their deadly intent in the first Test that ended in an Indian defeat inside four days here yesterday. Steyn was the fast swinger, in and out, as compared to Morkel who tried to hit the deck with his lanky frame and get the ball to snort at the batsmen even on a slow VCA stadium track in Jamtha. The secret to their success lay in not allowing themselves to be defeated mentally by the flat decks confronting them. Smith said the changed mindset of his fast bowlers is one of the reasons for their success. "I think mindset is crucial coming here. If you come here thinking I would bowl one spell as best as I can and (that for) the next spell?the wicket is flat and the spinners should be doing the job...(then you are will not succeed). I think it's about taking responsibility for your position. It's not always it's going to come off," he said. "I think the fast bowlers, in particular, have come here with a good and positive mindset that they can contribute on this tour," he said. "I think having just popped in playing for South Africa they look to do well. The mindset within the team is crucial. That's the mindset this current pack has and probably has had before," Smith elaborated. Steyn too had talked about the importance of having positive mindset before the commencement of the Test and said the change had come about after the spanking he, Morkel and Makhaya Ntini got from India's Virender Sehwag in Chennai on their previous visit in 2008. The Delhi dasher pulverised the Proteas attack slamming an unbelievable 42 fours and 5 sixes in his career-best knock of 319 that came off just 304 deliveries. "It was definitely not the pitches, it was the mind frame that we definitely got into. I am not giving everything away here, we still have got to play two Test matches against him. But whenever we go out to bowl in the Test match, you will obviously see what's going to be coming his way," Steyn elaborated ahead of the series opener in which he took 10 for 107, including a career-best 7 for 51 in the first innings. It contrasted sharply with his figures in Chennai when the speedster conceded 103 runs for four wickets in India's massive score of 627 built around Sehwag's masterpiece. Steyn later ended up with 15 wickets in the drawn three-Test rubber. Morkel, who gave Steyn admirable support, had stated that the strength of the Proteas lay in their ability to hit the deck hard. "We got bowlers who can bowl 145 kph. One of the strengths of our fast bowlers is to run up and bowl short. Why not use it," he said.

[Guest DeveGowda]

SA coach Corrie van Zyl today said a bigger challenge lies for his side in the second cricket Test in Kolkata. More...

Now we can give them Big surprise by providing full of Grass pitch :haha:

[Guest DeveGowda]

i think SA players are again started to TALK big...Even their X coach also giving statements.. they done same kind of talk during Champions trophy and again on England series..everyone knows the results.. Why cant people simply go on their job...they know very well media will make 1 into 100.

[Rajma Chawal]

Its gotta be VVS at 3. I'm not worried about having two novices at 5 and 6. Its more important that if we lose an early wicket, then the No. 3 stays in. I don't trust Vijay at 3, so VVS has to bat there.

[Lord]

Vijay is an pener,so if we lose an early wicket.Vijay would be best at 3.VVS can bat 5 well.there s no need to change his spot

[Karan114]

Off spinner Harbhajan Singh' date=' who did little of note in the Test here, did not practice with the other members though he is still in the city.[/quote'] No surprises there

[hatja_tau]

Srikkanth's quote: "The team is good. Laxman will definitely be back for Kolkata and that will bolster the batting. I am sure our team will fight back. Winning and losing are part and parcel of cricket," he said. So he is playing for sure...now then...why do get the picture of Laxman getting bowled through the gate by Morkel?:giggle:

[thevortex]

See, we are missing a left hander in the middle. But that does not mean we hand out a cap to Raina just like that. This is how I would play the 2nd Test, if it were upto me: Open with Sehwag and Murali Vijay. Have Laxman come in at No.3, Tendulkar at No.4, Gambhir at No.5, Badri at No.6, followed by Dhoni and the rest. That way Harris cannot stifle our middle order with his negative line. All things considered this is really the best way to go. And we are not burdening Vijay, because he is first and foremost an opener. Neither are we asking Laxman to do something he is not willing to do. That leaves us only with Gambhir who I am sure wont be happy. But this is the only combination that makes sense. So...

[Jersey #10]

Off spinner Harbhajan Singh, who did little of note in the Test here, did not practice with the other members though he is still in the city.

:nervous:

[Sachinism]

Its not so bad guys, its an optional training session. He probably attended the main one. But this is a bad time for Bhaji not to be practicing. There needs to be a thread on his place, get him working harder

[gaurav92]

Yes VVS at 3 = magic