Seriously, how resilient are we?

[Ram]

Anybody who lived through the 90s era of Indian cricket that was mostly marred by one spineless capitulation after another will understand this feeling the best. The number of test matches that we have either managed to a)draw despite being in precarious situations or win despite massive obstacles, is simply staggering. Right from the Lords test of 2007, where the last wicket hung for dear life to eek out a draw, to this test, when most other teams would have simply thrown in their towel at 65/6, this Indian team emerging as one of the most rugged units out there. Three cheers to the mentally toughest team in international cricket!

[Hindustani]

Anybody who lived through the 90s era of Indian cricket that was mostly marred by one spineless capitulation after another will understand this feeling the best. The number of test matches that we have either managed to a)draw despite being in precarious situations or b) win despite massive obstacles, is simply staggering. Right from the Lords test of 2007, where the last wicket hung for dear life to eek out a draw, to this test, when most other teams would have simply thrown in their towel at 65/6, this Indian team emerging as one of the most rugged units out there. Three cheers to the mentally toughest team in international cricket!

I was thinking the same thing, I mean this happening once or twice the year can be called fluke and law of averages but this is happening consistently now, something we used to associate with Australia few years back.

[Shakthi]

Reall proud of this team if we get our bowling right we will be no.1 in odis too

[Sid]

dont have any words ,just :isalute:

[kabira]

well I expected it from No. 1 team. They hate to lose. You can see how disgusted Dhoni was when he got out rather unluckily. Its not easy to beat this team.

[Ram]

Its performances like these that makes you really proud of the team and are a lot more fulfilling, than massive innings victory types. It easy to ride the wave when everything is going your way, but very hard to swim against the tide, but our team has shown they are the resident experts at it. It tells you these guys are really gutsing it out there, no matter how hopeless the situation seems. Whether it was recovering from being 55/4 in Mohali or 65/6 here, warrior-like qualities of this team has come to the forefront again. Most other teams would have simply folded bamboo mats. As a fan, all you want your team is for every player to give a 100%, every single time he’s out there on the field. People can ramble over the rankings all they want, they can discredit our status as no.1 as much as they want, but I simply couldn’t care less. At the end of the day, this isn’t about rankings. Its about a tough, professional unit that simply refuses to cave under pressure.

[CSK Fan]

Its the same sort of mental toughness and aura which the Aussie team at their peak carried. It was not that they were never run close, there where quite a few occasions when they lost early wickets or gave away runs and almost lost to Bangladesh but someone, even tailenders always stood up and took the team home

[pensionplan]

Yes absolutely incredible. While we have each player contribute in different circumstances all this is made possible. The continuity of the core 6-7 players is the key here led by a skipper who is very loose and gives his players the rope needed and never one to pester. All the little things matter and that transforms into results. And by the way the core of that 7 players has 3 all-time great Test batsman - SRT, VVS, VS in form of their lifes with RD to complement them another great Test bat if one looks at his overall Test career. And when you add MSD, GG with ZK and HS to the mix this is not an accident and it shows in the results. So from the looks of it the World No.1 ranking is fully justified based on the results.

[Lord]

all down to VVS Laxman:hail:

[Ranjha]

all down to VVS Laxman:hail:

I liek how he doesnt shield the tail. Shielding tail is old fashioned and counter productive.

[pensionplan]

all down to VVS Laxman:hail:

Yes folks consider this about VVS. His scoreline starting 01-01-2009 almost a timespan of 2 years in the team 2nd innings (Match 3rd or 4th inning). 124*, 61, 51*, 69*, 69, 103*, 73*, 91. So eight second innings batted in during that span and eight scores of 50 or more. That string of above scores has two back to back great 4th inning match winning efforts and three 5th day match saving efforts where the team was in the danger of losing the game going into the 5th day but for the efforts of Laxman gutting it out with different partners to save the day. He is the real constant and the proverbial "Man for Crisis". No wonder he has the most unique initials in all of sports - VVS - Very Very Special.

[zen]

Overall, I would give credit to two folks, i.e. Sehwag and Laxman. One sets it up early on, while the other finishes it up. This test was a good example of that: Sehwag gets 173 in the first, then VVS plays with the tail and finishes it up (in the 2nd)!

[Sachinism]

We = VVS

[Ram]

If we lose, we tend to blame someone. If we win, we then turnaround and give all the credit to one guy. VVS will be the first person to acknowledge that he couldnt have done it without help from his team-mates.

[CSK Fan]

We = VVS

We have also have had resilient batting from the likes of Harbhajan, Ishant, Zaheer, etc. In fact at all points someone or the other has always stood up including the tail. The never say die attitude is great

[King Tendulkar]

Is this what MM would have called a jiginostic, chest thumping, look how patriotic thread I am. Is this not the kind of thread he would have slaughtered me for:--D I mean we only scraped a draw against 8th ranked team, yet boasting about it:giggle: However, totally agree with OP. Especially bit about performances from 90s.

[Guest Gunner]

Its performances like these that makes you really proud of the team and are a lot more fulfilling' date=' than massive innings victory types. It easy to ride the wave when everything is going your way, but very hard to swim against the tide, but our team has shown they are the resident experts at it. It tells you these guys are really gutsing it out there, no matter how hopeless the situation seems. Whether it was recovering from being 55/4 in Mohali or 65/6 here, [b']warrior-like qualities of this team has come to the forefront again. Most other teams would have simply folded bamboo mats. As a fan, all you want your team is for every player to give a 100%, every single time he’s out there on the field. People can ramble over the rankings all they want, they can discredit our status as no.1 as much as they want, but I simply couldn’t care less. At the end of the day, this isn’t about rankings. Its about a tough, professional unit that simply refuses to cave under pressure.

Ok now I am worried for you marirs, the last time I read that Kamran Abbasi was describing Afridi. What's going on mate? Anything to worry about? :nervous:

[Ram]

Ok now I am worried for you marirs' date=' the last time I read that Kamran Abbasi was describing Afridi. What's going on mate? Anything to worry about? :nervous:[/quote'] A’right you got me there :--D. I think I got a little caught up in all the beast-talk. :giggle:

[cowboysfan]

i dont blame the team for the bowling performance in the first innings.our bowlers always fail miserably on flat slow wickets.i am glad we didnt capitulate.there seems to some disconnect between the team management and pitch preparation.all the pitches should be prepared for an outright win and we failed to do this against the bottom dweller.

[f.b.m]

I still cant get over it. If someone told me a week ago that India would be 15/5 and then go on to score 266 with Bhajji top scoring with a 100, I really wouldnt know what to say. :yikes: