Major blunder on Day 4!

[thevortex]

A lot will be said in the coming days about India's blunders - depending on which side India emerges on. Winner or loser. If it wins, then there is going to be no criticism - as always. If they lose a lot of things are going to be talked about. Such as Dravid's lack of form, Sehwag playing a defensive shot and getting out, Mishra's poor bowling, Ishant's mediocre performance etc. etc. But there might be something that not many people are probably going to criticize. In my view, this blunder contributed as much as any of the others to the situation we are in right now - regardless of whether we go on to win or lose this Test. Day 4, After Lunch, Sri Lanka have just 2 more wickets. Samaraweera was rock like and well settled and there was Mendis with about 15 runs. Whom does Dhoni choose to start with? Ojha - which is an inarguable one - and Mishra. Seriously, Mishra!!! That man has done nothing of note in this Test match. If ever there is a case about statistics being a damn lie, Mishra's figures in the 2nd innings are absolute proof of that. What did that do? It allowed Mendis to blossom. Allowed him to get out of his shell. Result - Samaraweera abandoned shielding him totally. Against Mishra, Samaraweera was taking singles with impunity. Mendis was having a fine time as well. Only Dhoni knows why he used Mishra to start with instead of Ishant, Mithun or even Sehwag. That was a crucial move. Again, it would be too simplistic to say that this might end up costing us the game. But if we go on to do so, then this would certainly be a factor to be considered. Uninspiring captaincy by Dhoni.

[Brainfade]

A lot will be said in the coming days about India's blunders - depending on which side India emerges on. Winner or loser. If it wins, then there is going to be no criticism - as always. If they lose a lot of things are going to be talked about. Such as Dravid's lack of form, Sehwag playing a defensive shot and getting out, Mishra's poor bowling, Ishant's mediocre performance etc. etc. But there might be something that not many people are probably going to criticize. In my view, this blunder contributed as much as any of the others to the situation we are in right now - regardless of whether we go on to win or lose this Test. Day 4, After Lunch, Sri Lanka have just 2 more wickets. Samaraweera was rock like and well settled and there was Mendis with about 15 runs. Whom does Dhoni choose to start with? Ojha - which is an inarguable one - and Mishra. Seriously, Mishra!!! That man has done nothing of note in this Test match. If ever there is a case about statistics being a damn lie, Mishra's figures in the 2nd innings are absolute proof of that. What did that do? It allowed Mendis to blossom. Allowed him to get out of his shell. Result - Samaraweera abandoned shielding him totally. Against Mishra, Samaraweera was taking singles with impunity. Mendis was having a fine time as well. Only Dhoni knows why he used Mishra to start with instead of Ishant, Mithun or even Sehwag. That was a crucial move. Again, it would be too simplistic to say that this might end up costing us the game. But if we go on to do so, then this would certainly be a factor to be considered. Uninspiring captaincy by Dhoni.

I am not sure I would blame him for handing the ball to Mishra first - maybe they came up with a plan during lunch. What I *would* blame him for is not recognizing quickly (1 over ... maybe 2) that Mishra was not getting it done.

[thevortex]

There was nothing that Mishra had done in the match to warrant that move in the first place. Forget recovering from. It was a disaster of a move. Mendis just duly took the opportunity handed to him on a silver platter. We could have and should have done better.

[Brainfade]

There was nothing that Mishra had done in the match to warrant that move in the first place. Forget recovering from. It was a disaster of a move. Mendis just duly took the opportunity handed to him on a silver platter. We could have and should have done better.

You're prolly right - I am just trying to give the man some benefit of the doubt. Maybe they had some sort of innovative plan, which Mishra failed to execute.

[kabira]

thats like picking random thing and blaming on captain. You are totally wrong here. Do you know how many overs Mishra bowled and how many runs did Mendis score off him. His spell was 4 overs and given away 12 runs, out of which Samaarweera scored 7 of 8, one was no ball and rest singles by Mendis. Ojha has similar numbers. Not sure why you picked on Mishra. Hindsight is always good. If you want to blame him, blame him for his field placings. Giving away easy singles in cover and straight boundaries. Should have asked Mendis to go over the top. It was catch 22 for him. He probably wanted to save boundaries

[thevortex]

thats like picking random thing and blaming on captain. You are totally wrong here. Do you know how many overs Mishra bowled and how many runs did Mendis score off him. His spell was 4 overs and given away 12 runs, out of which Samaarweera scored 7 of 8, one was no ball and rest singles by Mendis. Ojha has similar numbers. Not sure why you picked on Mishra. Hindsight is always good. If you want to blame him, blame him for his field placings. Giving away easy singles in cover and straight boundaries. Should have asked Mendis to go over the top. It was catch 22 for him. He probably wanted to save boundaries

Hindsight? I am sorry. But I have to ask you if you watched this section of the match unfolding live. Mendis was absolutely comfortable against Mishra and as pointed out Samaraweera never even made an attempt to shield Mendis from Mishra. However, he did shield him from Ojha. Every chance he got. And forget numbers please. Mishra's figures say he got 3 wickets for 50 odd or 60 odd runs. Thats plain BS. As hazy as numbers can get. All he bowled was tripe.

[kabira]

LOL again. I am not defending Mishra bowling here. Just that you are pin pointing wrong thing. Samaarweera never shielded Mendis against spinners. He shielded only against pacers. 44.1 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, on the middle and leg, pushed back to Ojha 44.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, turns away from the off stump, pushed to point 44.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, around the off stump, pushed to short extra cover 44.4 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, on the leg and middle, quicker, on driven for a single 44.5 Ojha to Mendis, no run, around the off stump, nudged to silly point 44.6 Ojha to Mendis, no run, on the leg and middle line, dabbed to the on side 46.1 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, tried to paddle this one away - it was around off and middle line- and top edged it to his neck 46.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, around the leg stump line, leans forward to defend to the on side 46.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, stretches forward to dab it bad and pad through unmanned short-leg region 46.4 Ojha to Mendis, 1 run, on a length around off, squeezed through point 46.5 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, quicker, around off, Samaraweera dabs it with the turn through point. Very fine player of spin 46.6 Ojha to Mendis, 1 run, goes back and punches it to Tendulkar at sweeper cover 8.1 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, presses right back to push it to the on side 48.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, fuller, on the middle and leg, gets forward to drive it back to Ojha 48.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, leans across to drive to covers 48.4 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, threatens to jump out and then shoulders arms to a spinning flighted delivery 48.5 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, on the middle stump looking, for the lbw, Samaraweera gets his bat around the front pad to defend 48.6 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, fullish, on the middle, again looking for the lbw. Samaraweera almost was late in getting the bat around, managed to arrest that front-foot movement and squeeze the ball out 50.1 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, gets forward to drive to the off side 50.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, gets forward and mistimes the drive back to Ojha 50.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, leans forward and flicks it away to vacant spaces on midwicket for a single. 50.4 Ojha to Mendis, 1 run, goes for the big sweep shot and ends up dragging it to deep backward square-leg region 50.5 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, nice.. it was around off and middle and he wristed it to square-leg for a single. 150 up for Sri Lanka as Samaraweera continues to play a stand-out knock 50.6 Ojha to Mendis, no run, leans forward to push this back down the track 53.1 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, around the off stump, defended on the front foot 53.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, flighted full around middle and off, Samaraweera on drives to long-on Two slips in place 53.3 Ojha to Mendis, no run, quicker, on the middle and leg, bat and pad but there is no short-leg. Hmmm Now one slip and the second moves to short-leg 53.4 Ojha to Mendis, no run, leans forward to defend to the off side 53.5 Ojha to Mendis, no run, leans forward to defend this to the off side Dhoni goes, "Paanch lena ho toh dil lagake daalna! (If you need a five-for, you need to show some heart!" 53.6 Ojha to Mendis, no run, leans forward to defend to the off side

[thevortex]

Kabira - take a look at these numbers you posted. Samaraweera hardly exposed Mendis for more than 2 balls against Ojha. And as the overs go by, he would be exposing more and more of the balls to Mendis - owing to the confidence gained by the latter. With Mishra bowling as he did, even a No.10 batsman or a No.11 batsman would have grown in confidence. That just was an awful captaincy move. Cannot be gainsaid, I am afraid.

[ZodiaC]

Kabira - take a look at these numbers you posted. Samaraweera hardly exposed Mendis for more than 2 balls against Ojha. And as the overs go by, he would be exposing more and more of the balls to Mendis - owing to the confidence gained by the latter. With Mishra bowling as he did, even a No.10 batsman or a No.11 batsman would have grown in confidence. That just was an awful captaincy move. Cannot be gainsaid, I am afraid.

:dito:

[kabira]

LOL you are delusional. Read it, he did not get chance to get singles. Mendis was as comfortablee to Ojha and Mendis. There was nothing wrong in trying Mishra. I would done the same. He is leggie. Leggies tend to get tailenders. If you want to criticize him, I would say field placing were not good. Why were we giving away easy singles to Mendis.

[Rajiv]

Whatever it is, it's a message from Lord Ganesha for Sachin to make Century 49 and win this match Unless, Ravan has a bad hair day

[thevortex]

LOL you are delusional. Read it, he did not get chance to get singles. Mendis was as comfortablee to Ojha and Mendis. There was nothing wrong in trying Mishra. I would done the same. He is leggie. Leggies tend to get tailenders. If you want to criticize him, I would say field placing were not good. Why were we giving away easy singles to Mendis.

I am sorry - you did not answer my question. Did you watch this section of the match live? A leg spinner bowling well will get tail enders. Not Mishra. Not in this match at least. Anybody watching the match would surmise as much. And I pointed this out to you in those over lists that you posted. Samaraweera did not expose Mendis to Ojha too much. Do you want to take a similar comparison when it comes to Mishra? :)

[thevortex]

True about this being a chance for India to win. Sangakkara is even stranger with his captaincy. Fielders all out on the boundary so that a single is always available. Even to Laxman! And Mendis' around the wicket bowling with practically nobody close-in except for slip defies any sort of common sense.

[kabira]

I am sorry - you did not answer my question. Did you watch this section of the match live? A leg spinner bowling well will get tail enders. Not Mishra. Not in this match at least. Anybody watching the match would surmise as much. And I pointed this out to you in those over lists that you posted. Samaraweera did not expose Mendis to Ojha too much. Do you want to take a similar comparison when it comes to Mishra? :)

I did watch and I did not find Samaarweera ever shielding Mendis from Ojha. May be you were watching your own version of the game. As I said he never shielded him against spinners. He only shielded him against Ishant. you keep saying this was major blunder. It was not a blunder. As a captain you try to bring the bowler who will take wickets for you. Mishra was bowling well before the lunch. took 2 in 2. Bowling him for 4 over spell is not a major blunder. Majore blunder was his field placing, if you don't understand I can't help you.

[thevortex]

I did watch and I did not find Samaarweera ever shielding Mendis from Ojha. May be you were watching your own version of the game. As I said he never shielded him against spinners. He only shielded him against Ishant. you keep saying this was major blunder. It was not a blunder. As a captain you try to bring the bowler who will take wickets for you. Mishra was bowling well before the lunch. took 2 in 2. Bowling him for 4 over spell is not a major blunder. Majore blunder was his field placing, if you don't understand I can't help you.

Take a look at the match report you copy pasted. He hardly let Mendis get any mroe than 2 balls of Ojha. And remember, when it was Mishra bowling from the other side, Mendis' confidence was growing all the time. Do you want me to paste Mishra's overs - just for contrast? :) And yes - as a captain you bring on bowlers who will take wickets. Mishra was bowling tripe. All session long. All day long and throughout the match. I am not sure how much of the match you saw. That was as poor an exhibition of leg spin bowling as I have seen in a long time.

[thevortex]

As bad as this decision by Dhoni was, Sangakkara was equally if not more insipid. The fields that one saw when Laxman and Sachin were batting served no purpose at all. They were neither set to nab a catch or to stop a single. They were there to stop boundaries. Absolutely brain-dead captaincy. And Mendis coming round the wicket with just a solitary slip - I dont know what he was thinking. At least when he saw that he was not getting any to bounce awkwardly he should have changed tack. The way the Sri Lankans approached this, they were going to get the Indians only one way. If they got them clean bowled or if the Indians threw their wicket away.

[kabira]

^yes please pull out Mishras over and you will see the picture. I don't think you even watched the game. Mishra took 2 wickets before lunch. Dint He? How will Mendis confidence grew by facing 10-12 deliveries, iwill never understand. Can you read what I said in my message? Read the commentary. Samarweera was not shielding Mendis from Ojha. He did not get singles. Do you understand that?? Again 4 overs and 12 runs, of which Mendis faced 10 odd deliveries. How will it help Mendis?? He was already on 15 wasnt he?? Seriously man, you are delusional here and even lets say we agree. Its not a big blunder. Big blunder was letting Mendis get easy singles and thats where his confidence grew. Do you understand this??

[thevortex]

Lets see now if it is a case of you not understanding or not wanting to understand. Here is a section pulled out from Cricinfo scorecards - right at the start of the session I was talking about: End of over 44 (9 runs) Sri Lanka 143/8 BAW Mendis 10* (5b 2x4) I Sharma 10-2-25-0 TT Samaraweera 33* (47b 4x4) V Sehwag 7-0-26-3 Things about to start. 44.1 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, on the middle and leg, pushed back to Ojha 44.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, turns away from the off stump, pushed to point 44.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, around the off stump, pushed to short extra cover 44.4 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, on the leg and middle, quicker, on driven for a single 44.5 Ojha to Mendis, no run, around the off stump, nudged to silly point 44.6 Ojha to Mendis, no run, on the leg and middle line, dabbed to the on side End of over 45 (1 run) Sri Lanka 144/8 BAW Mendis 10* (7b 2x4) PP Ojha 18-4-59-3 TT Samaraweera 34* (51b 4x4) I Sharma 10-2-25-0 45.1 Mishra to Samaraweera, no run, leans well forward to defend to covers 45.2 Mishra to Samaraweera, 1 run, fetches it from outside off and sweeps for a single. 45.3 Mishra to Mendis, no run, slow and short, and well outside off, Mendis can't reach it with his attempted cut 45.4 Mishra to Mendis, 1 no ball, leans forward to defend to the off. 45.4 Mishra to Mendis, no run, turns well outside off stump, Mendis tries the cut but can't reach 45.5 Mishra to Mendis, no run, gets forward to defend to the on side 45.6 Mishra to Mendis, no run, full and outside off, left alone End of over 46 (2 runs) Sri Lanka 146/8 BAW Mendis 10* (12b 2x4) A Mishra 8-1-20-2 TT Samaraweera 35* (53b 4x4) PP Ojha 18-4-59-3 46.1 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, tried to paddle this one away - it was around off and middle line- and top edged it to his neck 46.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, around the leg stump line, leans forward to defend to the on side 46.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, stretches forward to dab it bad and pad through unmanned short-leg region 46.4 Ojha to Mendis, 1 run, on a length around off, squeezed through point 46.5 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, quicker, around off, Samaraweera dabs it with the turn through point. Very fine player of spin 46.6 Ojha to Mendis, 1 run, goes back and punches it to Tendulkar at sweeper cover End of over 47 (4 runs) Sri Lanka 150/8 BAW Mendis 12* (14b 2x4) PP Ojha 19-4-63-3 TT Samaraweera 37* (57b 4x4) A Mishra 8-1-20-2 47.1 Mishra to Mendis, 1 run, short, wide and slow and it turns big, Mendis reaches out to cut it to sweeper cover 47.2 Mishra to Samaraweera, FOUR, Gorgeous! Samaraweera sashays down the track, reaches forward and chips the flighted delivery neatly over the bowler. Superbly done. Ala Carl Hooper. 47.3 Mishra to Samaraweera, no run, presses right back to defend to the off 47.4 Mishra to Samaraweera, no run, quicker, doesn't turn much outside off, Samaraweera goes for the late cut but doesn't make contact 47.5 Mishra to Samaraweera, 1 run, fuller, gets forward to push it to vacant spaces in the leg side 47.6 Mishra to Mendis, no run, short in length and turning well outside off, left alone End of over 48 (6 runs) Sri Lanka 156/8 BAW Mendis 13* (16b 2x4) A Mishra 9-1-26-2 TT Samaraweera 42* (61b 5x4) PP Ojha 19-4-63-3 48.1 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, presses right back to push it to the on side 48.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, fuller, on the middle and leg, gets forward to drive it back to Ojha 48.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, leans across to drive to covers 48.4 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, threatens to jump out and then shoulders arms to a spinning flighted delivery 48.5 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, on the middle stump looking, for the lbw, Samaraweera gets his bat around the front pad to defend 48.6 Ojha to Samaraweera, no run, fullish, on the middle, again looking for the lbw. Samaraweera almost was late in getting the bat around, managed to arrest that front-foot movement and squeeze the ball out End of over 49 (maiden) Sri Lanka 156/8 TT Samaraweera 42* (67b 5x4) PP Ojha 20-5-63-3 BAW Mendis 13* (16b 2x4) A Mishra 9-1-26-2 49.1 Mishra to Mendis, 2 runs, works this away to fine-leg via a paddle shot and by the time Sehwag comes across, they complete two 49.2 Mishra to Mendis, no run, leans forward to defend to the off side 49.3 Mishra to Mendis, no run, slow, too slow on this track, left alone 49.4 Mishra to Mendis, no run, again slow and Mendis gets forward to defend to the off side 49.5 Mishra to Mendis, no run, leans across to tap to silly point 49.6 Mishra to Mendis, no run, on the middle and leg, again too slow, pushed out to the on side without much fuss -------------------------- If this does not help, nothing will. You will of course note how Mendis was never shielded against Mishra. Wherease Samaraweera faced the bulk of the deliveries from Ojha.

[kabira]

man you are delusional. If he did not get chance to take single does not mean he was shielding. If he was shielding why he got single at 46.3 against Ojha?? Any idea man?? in 53rd over he got single of second ball. As I said you make no sense at all. First you should watch the game not look at the cricinfo commentary. Again if we agree it was mistake. it was not a Big Blunder. Makes sense? Not a Big blunder. 46.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, stretches forward to dab it bad and pad through unmanned short-leg region 50.3 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, leans forward and flicks it away to vacant spaces on midwicket for a single. 53.2 Ojha to Samaraweera, 1 run, flighted full around middle and off, Samaraweera on drives to long-on Two slips in place

[diegovegaz]

much ado about nothing