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

[Gunner_Mania]

Where did he say we will make it 2-0 at Eden? "Can you repeat Nagpur in Kolkata? Hopefully. It will be a great achievement for us. We want to win the Test. We will not play for a draw. We will play the same sort of aggressive cricket that we played in Nagpur. We will not settle for a draw. "

Would you have read what Paul Harris has to say, if that was not the title?? As achilles says:finger: to the interviewer.

[achilles]

^ Yes. Sensationalize to sell. And KP, assuming you are from South, this must not be the case there. You have "The Hindu"... what a newspaper that is :two_thumbs_up:

[Feed]

Graeme Smith injures finger ahead of Kolkata Test South African cricket captain Graeme Smith has sustained a finger injury while fielding at the Eden Gardens here this morning, and may or may not play the second and final Test against India starting from February 14. More... Graeme Smith injures finger ahead of Kolkata Test ANI Friday, February 12, 2010 16:26 IST Email Kolkata: South African cricket captain Graeme Smith has sustained a finger injury while fielding at the Eden Gardens here this morning, and may or may not play the second and final Test against India starting from February 14. An x-ray taken at the ground cleared him of any tendon damage. Smith has gone to hospital for an MRI scan. Smith was hit on his left little finger during practice. Michael Owen-Smith, South Africa's media manager, said he had strained a ligament on the outside half of the finger. "He had an x-ray on the little finger of his left hand, it shows no fracture at all. We are having MRI scan this afternoon just to be 100 percent certain of what the injury is. It is obviously some sort of ligament damage, so it is just to establish if it is that. At this stage it has been treated as a sprained ligament," Owen-Smith said. "I'm pretty sure he would around," said AB de Villiers. "Obviously he is one of those irreplaceable players." Over the last 20 months Smith has had long-standing injury problems. He first suffered a tennis elbow injury during the IPL in India in April 2008 and that forced him to miss the last three ODIs against England the same year. He later broke his hand while facing Australia's Mitchell Johnson in the third Test in Sydney but bravely batted in the second innings to try and save the game. He missed the subsequent ODI series and decided to delay the surgery on on his injured tennis elbow until after the return series against the Australians at home last year.

[Gunner_Mania]

^ Yes. Sensationalize to sell. And KP, assuming you are from South, this must not be the case there. You have "The Hindu"... what a newspaper that is :two_thumbs_up:

Yes. the good old The Hindu, but I don't think Indian print journalism has reached the level of the tabloids here in the UK- The Sun, NoTW etc. Indian News channels..now they have moved up the ladder.

[Prudent]

Where did he say we will make it 2-0 at Eden?

In the last para Finally, what is your prediction for the series — 1-1, 1-0 or 2-0? It will be 2-0. We are hoping and trying to make it a sweep.

[Desi Cartman]

:WTF: Smith is injured, no fracture & will play then whats the story :wall:

[Gunner_Mania]

In the last para Finally, what is your prediction for the series — 1-1, 1-0 or 2-0? It will be 2-0. We are hoping and trying to make it a sweep.

This is what happens when people like me don't click the link and read the whole article.:fail:

[Feed]

We have plans for Laxman: South Africa The Eden Gardens has always been a mixed bag for Team India. More... We have plans for Laxman: South Africa Bombay News.Net Friday 12th February, 2010 (IANS) With India looking at the return of V.V.S. Laxman to strengthen their inexperienced middle order in the scond Test starting here Sunday, the confident South Africans Friday warned that they have their plans ready for the stylish Hyderabadi. Gung ho after a 1-0 lead with an innings win in the first Test at Nagpur, South African batsman A.B. de Villiers said his side was mentally prepared to face a barren track at the Eden Gardens and high on momentum after winning two back-to-back Tests. Ahead of the Nagpur Test, South Africa crushed England by an innings and 74 runs at Johannesburg last month. 'We are obviously playing good cricket at the moment. Cricket is all about momentum and confidence. We have won two Test matches in a row now. We have a very balanced side,' Villiers said after the practice session. Describing Laxman as a class player, Villiers said: 'We have got our plans and we are going to stick to that. We are focussing on our game and our strength and we are not too worried about them.' He said while India was a good side, the visitors were looking at their own strengths. Villiers, who will celebrate his 27th birthday Wednesday, said his team was not too much concerned about being the topper in the ICC world rankings. 'We are here to play good brand of cricket and our focus is to win series in India'. 'Obviously, it's nice to be the number one Test side in the world. But at the moment, we are evolving and trying to dominate world cricket. We are still working towards it,' he said. Villiers said his team would not change their gameplan, though he acknowledged that the Eden match will be a great challenge as India were bound to come back hard. 'We won two in a row now. We need not change our plan. The guys are playing pretty well and set at the momentum'. 'It's going to be great challenge here at Eden Gardens and I am sure India will fight back,' he said. Refusing to be drawn into any controversy regarding the pitch, he said there was a little bit of grass on the wicket. 'But I am pretty sure they will take off the grass in the next 48 hours. But that's up to the groundsman to decide. We have got no control over this. We are just focussing on our basics and our skills.' Villiers said new coach Corrie van Zyl was continuing the same gameplan and strategies followed during his predecessor Mickey Arthur's time. 'He has been very good in the first Test, we will see it here as well. He is a good coach.'

[Mr. Wicket]

http://www.cricinfo.com/indvrsa2010/content/current/story/448003.html John Wright agrees.

[Guest Hiten.]

Wright just can't get over our team eh (in a good way). This guys loves Indian cricket, if only we could convince him to come back in some sorts of admin job

[Mr. Wicket]

Yup. Wright loves Indian cricket, and with him you don't get the impression (as with Chappell) that it's about sucking up to the guys who can fill his bank account quickest, or boosting his own image. Anything that the BCCI can do to get him involved in Indian cricket - whether coaching youngsters, working with fringe players at the Academy or fixing things up from an admin job - will be great. John Wright

[gaurav92]

^ Absolutely, is it just a publicity stunt :dontknow: I really was happy seeing that Smithy might miss the second test, but these saffies will play even half wounded

[thevortex]

Won't make a huge deal of difference, Thal. Laxman isn't the batsman he was, but then who is? Dravid had a providential injury to spare his blushes. The injury has prolonged his career, at least until our next ritual humiliation away to SL and SA, after which, he'll hang up his gloves. We are simply not producing the cricketers to match our financial might. I told you long ago that the likes of Rohit Sharmas are journeymen. You didn't believe me. Indian cricket's outlook is inexorably gloomy. Batting, pace, spin...it doesn't matter. The cupboards are bare.

I am sorry, Dhondy, but on what basis are you prognosticating such a bleak future for India? :) When you say Laxman is not the batsman he was, I would love to know how you came to believe that. And about Dravid being spared his blushes - come now. You are surely not suggesting that Dravid too is not the batsman he was. For that matter nobody in this world can remain the batsmen that they once were a decade back. That is not the point. If the question is can Dravid/Laxman handle this SA attack, then that is a resounding yes. At least that is my opinion. And apart from spin bowling I dont think our cupboard is all that bare. Oh and lets forget fielding - we dont have a cupboard in the first place for that discipline:).

[flamy]

Yup. Wright loves Indian cricket, and with him you don't get the impression (as with Chappell) that it's about sucking up to the guys who can fill his bank account quickest, or boosting his own image. Anything that the BCCI can do to get him involved in Indian cricket - whether coaching youngsters, working with fringe players at the Academy or fixing things up from an admin job - will be great. John Wright

Is he not allowed to coach again?

[zen]

That's a good point by Wright but if Vijay is playing then he should bat at 3 and VVS at 5 If Ind wants to go in with 5 bowlers and leave out Vijay , VVS can bat a 3 with Badri at 5

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Sir john]

Saha can play for bengal or kkr,

[achilles]

Dada - honest as always. And the fact that proves it is that there are just 11 replies to this post and silently, everyone seems to agree with him and can't find anything to discount his opinion.

[Zelig]

2. Sreesanth in both the innings:isalute:

[Guest DeveGowda]

<5 (including both inns)