Preparation for a challenging tour like SA

[vishalvirsingh]

More... India in SA Kirsten’s ‘3 000 balls’ plan 2010-12-07 19:48Email | Print Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer Cape Town – India coach Gary Kirsten wants his keynote batsmen to each face “two to three thousand balls†under South African conditions in the lead-up to the first Test against the Proteas at Centurion from December 16. That is the target he has set for them, no doubt motivated by the knowledge that his No 1-ranked side will not have the benefit of a warm-up match before the three-Test series gets under way. Cape Town-born Kirsten began the process of acclimatising his troops with a small, advance group of the squad’s more rookie players – batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and seamers Jaidev Unadkat and Umesh Yadav – at Claremont Cricket Club here on a hot, cloudless Tuesday afternoon. The venue also serves as headquarters for his Performance Zone Academy, and the former SA Test star afterwards pronounced as “excellent†the net surfaces made available. They had true and decent bounce and good carry, which ought to be at least close to what the team can expect at SuperSport Park later next week. “It’s really just about getting the players used to much bouncier surfaces than they are accustomed to back in India,†Kirsten told Sport24. He was not shy to remind the 22-year-old Pujara, as he weaved out of the way of the occasional sharp bouncer, that “this is the medicine for the next six weeks†and the coach weighed in himself with a few “chucked†short deliveries. Kirsten also whizzed down a few softer-ball missiles with the aid of a tennis racquet. “I want each of our batsmen to receive 2 000 or 3 000 balls before the Tests start,†he said. “(Pujara) has probably already ticked off close to 500 in a couple of hours today.†Kirsten confirmed that the immeasurably more experienced Rahul Dravid had left India on Tuesday and was expected at Wednesday morning’s next session – another middle-order veteran in VVS Laxman also did the long haul on Tuesday. The full Indian squad is expected to be training together by Friday. This is very likely to be the last South African enthusiasts see of Dravid on our soil: the 147-Test veteran turns 38 in January. Cavalier opener Virender Sehwag had been tipped to start with the younger players at the Constantia venue on Tuesday, but Kirsten said he had been delayed by two days by “a bit of an illnessâ€. Indian reports said Sehwag had picked up a viral infection.

Wow..Kistein is kinda great..i am sure we can achieve success if we go by what kistein tells our team to perform i can bet that india will win of our batsmen have played 1000 balls before the test match..leave aside 3000.

[Ram]

3000 balls plan... Sounds gross..:hysterical: Couldnt they have called it something else?

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Kirsten: Tough to tame South Africa Gary Kirsten says India will have to play out of their skins in order to achieve success during their tour to South Africa. More... Wednesday 8th December 2010 Kirsten: Tough to tame South Africa Gary Kirsten says India will have to play out of their skins in order to achieve success during their tour to South Africa. India coach Gary Kirsten believes his side will have to play out of their skins in order to achieve success during their tour to South Africa, which begins later this month. The Asian side, currently ranked number one in the five-day format of the game, have won just once in 12 attempts in South Africa since the Proteas returned to the international fold in 1992, with all four tours going in favour of the hosts. However, the Indians have forged some good momentum under the leadership of Kirsten, losing just two of their past 25 Tests, and the former South Africa opener wants the run to continue in his homeland. "This is a country where India haven't had much success, so winning here would be a big deal," he said. "The players are fully aware of that stat. But we are not focusing on the final outcome. "We are working towards making sure we do the right things on a daily basis. If that stacks up all right then come January 6 we'll be in with a shout. "There are two vital aspects to winning in South Africa - first, the guys have to play with huge amounts of courage and determination. "Second, they have to understand how to set up their game as bowlers and batsmen in these conditions. It's as simple as that." The first of three Tests between the sides begins in Pretoria on December 16. And Kirsten, who played 286 times for the Proteas in all formats of the game, feels that getting his batsmen into form during the early stages of the series will be one of their vital tools for success. "Test cricket is all about momentum and playing well for periods of time in a match that can turn a whole series around," he continued in The Times, a Johannesburg-based newspaper. "Both sides have strong batting line-ups. If they both bat well, it will come down to one or two sessions to decide the series. "The key for us is to get some players into good form early on in the series." India, who are still involved in a one-day series with New Zealand, have already taken steps to try and rectify their poor record in South Africa by sending some of the coaching staff, including Kirsten, and a select group of players early to the country. The group, headed by senior batsman Virender Sehwag, arrived in Cape Town on Monday and have been preparing for the first match at Kirsten's cricket academy. And the former opener has issued a strong warning to his countrymen, adding: "We'll be up for it from ball one. "To win a Test you need to capture 20 wickets and I don't believe the conditions will determine whether we can take 20 wickets or not. "Pressure will be the determining factor, but we'll be ready."

[Chandan]

"To win a Test you need to capture 20 wickets and I don't believe the conditions will determine whether we can take 20 wickets or not. "

What does he mean by this? Conditions won't determine whether we can take 20 wickets or not? So he thinks it is the sheer ability of Zaheer, Sree and Ishant which will fetch 20 wickets, whatever be the condition? I'm a bit confused!

"There are two vital aspects to winning in South Africa - first, the guys have to play with huge amounts of courage and determination. "Second, they have to understand how to set up their game as bowlers and batsmen in these conditions. It's as simple as that."

Hmm... Gambhir, Raina/Pujara, Ishant --- at least these three will be playing the test matches in SA for the first time. Has Bhajji played there before? In our last tour we had Kumble. Anyway, I don't expect anything at all from Bhajji. Wonder how will he set up his game as bowler in these conditions with a ball he hates so much! And Gambhir! He'll be reaching SA just 3 days before, luckily just enough to shed the jet lag. How will he set up his game without any acclimatisation, practice, net sessions? And we expect India to hit the straps right from the word go?

[Desi Cartman]

What does he mean by this? Conditions won't determine whether we can take 20 wickets or not? So he thinks it is the sheer ability of Zaheer, Sree and Ishant which will fetch 20 wickets, whatever be the condition? I'm a bit confused!

edit : I guess he is saying we are good enough to take 20 wickets no matter what the conditions are :dontknow:

[saneindian]

What does he mean by this? Conditions won't determine whether we can take 20 wickets or not? So he thinks it is the sheer ability of Zaheer, Sree and Ishant which will fetch 20 wickets, whatever be the condition? I'm a bit confused! Hmm... Gambhir, Raina/Pujara, Ishant --- at least these three will be playing the test matches in SA for the first time. Has Bhajji played there before? In our last tour we had Kumble. Anyway, I don't expect anything at all from Bhajji. Wonder how will he set up his game as bowler in these conditions with a ball he hates so much! And Gambhir! He'll be reaching SA just 3 days before, luckily just enough to shed the jet lag. How will he set up his game without any acclimatisation, practice, net sessions? And we expect India to hit the straps right from the word go?

The last 2 times we played a test series with the kookaburra balls, Bhajji did fairly well in those. 16 wickets in 3 tests vs Kiwis in 2009 and 16 wickets vs Lanka in 2008 (I am not counting the last series in 2010 because he clearly was unfit and should not have played the tests). So there is still some hope.

[putrevus]

Bhajji will be the key as he needs to do the holding job and pick up odd wicket, the pressure will be off him as he is not expected to win matches there.He will do well I think.

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Practice at Claremont Cricket Club : Welcome to SA, Sachin! More... India in SA Welcome to SA, Sachin! 2010-12-09 Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer Cape Town – Some evidence was served at Claremont Cricket Club here on Thursday that Sachin Tendulkar is a mere mortal after all. The most recognisable current cricketer in the world and established all-time great made Indian hearts stop collectively for a second or two on a sweltering morning at the nets as he took a meaty blow on the side of the helmet from Test-squad team-mate Umesh Yadav. He was batting on a strip which was – deliberately, apparently – slightly resembling a “fourth-day” one in a Test match in South Africa, with some challenging, up-and-down sort of bounce. A delivery from the rookie right-arm paceman, uncapped in Tests, caught the little maestro flush on the left side of the helmet as he ducked, expecting the ball to rear up higher and pass overhead. Tendulkar, a 37-year-old veteran of 174 Tests, took the very audible whack with great calmness, even as colleagues in both his and the other nets swiftly turned heads out of concern for their star batsman’s well-being. But Tendulkar simply stooped a little, removed the helmet and inspected it, while bowler Yadav was able to confirm that his head also had no special visible evidence of the blow. Tendulkar then carried on serenely as if nothing had happened and shortly afterwards the brisk Sree Sreesanth, by contrast, sent him a shortish ball that barely climbed to calf height, which caused some amusement. It was all part of coach Gary Kirsten’s intention, without the benefit of a warm-up match, to simulate as best as possible conditions his side might well experience in the three-Test series against the Proteas, starting at Centurion on Thursday week. The Indian players have been arriving in this city in batches for the “camp”, with such other stellar figures as captain MS Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh and Ishant Sharma now also fully involved. VVS Laxman is expected to be added for Friday’s session at the same venue and then the remaining Indian players taking part in the closing stages of the one-day series against New Zealand will also fly out to complete the party. “You can’t control these sorts of situations in a net environment,” said Kirsten afterwards of Tendulkar’s minor scare. “It even happens in India; guys get hit on the glove and so on. You just have to hope nothing too serious occurs. “Interestingly enough the one net here is pretty flat and low and the other is going around a bit. The guys wanted to use the one that was more (spicy) - I’m pretty excited about that; we’ll use the one that’s going around a bit again tomorrow.” Kirsten confirmed to Sport24 that the format of the practice session would be slightly different on Friday, with a greater “middle” theme. “Yes, we’re going to have a more ‘open’ session ... take the nets down and we’ll have a staggered sort of (in-field) session throughout the day – quite a long one.” Skipper Dhoni was a little more reclusive toward the media, politely refusing to answer questions when approached by saying that “the tour starts properly on Monday”, when the squad will switch to the Highveld.

[Sachinism]

Umesh :finger: Goddy go take out your anger on the Proteas

[vaibhav_delhi]

Umesh :finger: Goddy go take out your anger on the Proteas

Injuring the best batsman in the world with his bouncer. The guy must be a good bowler after all.

[Ram]

Its really funny to two sets of Indian teams preparing for completely different challenges, in completely different continents, all at the same time. I am not sure such a thing has even happened before. Eric Simons is giving press conferences in India about Yuvraj Singh, while Gary Kirsten is talking about net practice sessions in South Africa at the same time! I don’t think such a thing has ever happened before. The last time we did something similar like was probably the Commonwealth games in the 90s, when one half of the squad went to play that and the other half went to Canada to play the Sahara Cup. One thing you cannot fault with this Indian team, especially with Coach Kirsten, is the seemingly meticulous preparation. Despite being saddled with an unreasonably tough schedule by BCCI, they have tried to get in as much pre-series as possible.

[vaibhav_delhi]

Its really funny to two sets of Indian teams preparing for completely different challenges, in completely different continents, all at the same time. I am not sure such a thing has even happened before. Eric Simons is giving press conferences in India about Yuvraj Singh, while Gary Kirsten is talking about net practice sessions in South Africa at the same time! I don’t think such a thing has ever happened before. The last time we did something similar like was probably the Commonwealth games in the 90s, when one half of the squad went to play that and the other half went to Canada to play the Sahara Cup. One thing you cannot fault with this Indian team, especially with Coach Kirsten, is the seemingly meticulous preparation. Despite being saddled with an unreasonably tough schedule by BCCI, they have tried to get in as much pre-series as possible.

dhoni keeps insisting that the tour starts on Monday although its already begun:laugh:

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SA vs India test series : Is India undercooked for epic encounter? More... India undercooked for epic encounter Saturday 11-December-2010 Indian visits always conjure up fond memories for us South Africans. Not only is it a contest which the home side has dominated on four previous occasions - India have won just once in 12 Tests - but more significantly it was Mohammad Azharuddin's side, back in 1992, who featured in the first Test series on South African soil after more than 20-years of political isolation. Local cricket fans will all have their own specific memories of that first Indian visit to SA - my cricket memory begins with a bounding Anil Kumble taking six wickets at the Wanderers - which has made for a definitive feel-good factor to having Sachin Tendulkar and company in town. With a hint of nostalgia then, combined with a healthy respect for a world-class Indian side, a clutch of local fans - myself inclued - turned out to watch the tourists' middle-session at the Claremont Cricket Club in Cape Town on Friday morning. There is a tangible positive energy about the Indian team and they are clearly an outfit that gets along. For players with hero-status they are respectfully humble too - Sree Sreesanth for one was on first name terms with the schoolboys doing fielding duty. There was a quiet and awe-filled atmosphere as Gary Kirsten put his batsmen through their paces in what has generally been an unassuming build-up to what will be a massive Test series. The low-key arrival of the Indian players - slipping into the country one-by-one - the oncoming distraction of Christmas, and most notably the side-show Down Under, have all combined to catch the South African public unawares as to the cricketing treat which awaits them this festive season. With the first Test less than a week away it is now time to ramp up the excitement. There are a host of mini-battles within the war worth keeping an eye on. Tendulkar in his time at the crease on Friday was particularly aggressive against the left-arm spin of Pragyan Ojha, hinting at the Little Master preparing to get after Paul Harris. That would present an interesting duel with the South African spinner having fared surprisingly well against Tendulkar in the past. Harris is ready for the challenge too. "It's a really big thing for me to bowl at him because who would have thought a boy from Kommetjie (near Cape Town) would bowl against Tendulkar," said the Proteas left-armer earlier in the week. While India are world-class there is a concern that they have missed a trick in the preparation for the three-Test series. Kepler Wessels explained as much to the Business Day newspaper this week, giving his opinion on Kirsten's choice for acclimatisation in the idylic setting of Constantia in Cape Town: "I don't think that what they are doing is going to help them much." "You can have as many net sessions as you like with as many academy bowlers bowling at you as you like, and it isn't going to make any difference," said Wessels. On the evidence of Friday morning, it is hard to disagree with Kepler on this one. While Sachin Tendulkar will be comfortable on any track at the moment, there were tell-tale signs that India will not be as well prepared as they should be come December 16 at Supersport Park. The greatest challenge for the accomplished Indian batsmen will be adjusting to harder, bouncier tracks. The bowling attack putting the Indian batsmen through their paces during Friday morning's middle was a combination of Gary Kirsten's bowling-machine-like right arm, India's four-pronged attack and a mixture of local schoolboys. As decent as Kirsten's right arm happens to be, a throw-down is nothing like a climbing Morne Morkel delivery. The Indian quicks, Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth, were working on their own lengths as opposed to regularly banging it in short, and the 4ft5 grade 12 boy bowling at MS Dhoni, good as he was, was never going to get the ball up about the ears. A better option would have been a warm-up match against a local franchise with young bowlers looking to prove a point. Having played their last 18 months of Test cricket on the sub-continent, it's easy to believe that India will AGAIN be undercooked against the short ball from the Proteas quicks. Suresh Raina proved the point; the left-hander was solid behind everything short from Kirsten before being hit by a rare Sreesanth bouncer later on. It was a nasty blow which will have rocked his confidence and re-emphasised his vulnerability to anything short. The second worry for India's batting will be the fitness of VVS Laxman. The veteran spent a fair amount of time on the treatment table on Friday before looking extremely stiff and uncomfortable at the start of his knock. He is capable of a stand-and-deliver approach but his lack of mobility is likely to catch up with him at some stage. So with India a touch undercooked in their preparation South Africa will start as favourites on their home turf. Ultimately though only time will tell with the mouthwatering clash of the world's two best teams giving us plenty to look forward to this festive season.

[fineleg]

Suresh Raina proved the point; the left-hander was solid behind everything short from Kirsten before being hit by a rare Sreesanth bouncer later on. It was a nasty blow which will have rocked his confidence and re-emphasised his vulnerability to anything short. The second worry for India's batting will be the fitness of VVS Laxman. The veteran spent a fair amount of time on the treatment table on Friday before looking extremely stiff and uncomfortable at the start of his knock. He is capable of a stand-and-deliver approach but his lack of mobility is likely to catch up with him at some stage.

Woah! I hope Laxman is ok. He was having back problem - hope he recovers!

[saneindian]

On the brighter side, even practice matches haven't helped much in our first test blues. So who knows being undercooked for the test match may work to our own advantage.

[ravishingravi]

If we lose the first test, I don't back India in the series. A draw or win is a must.

[DomainK]

I have a feeling that even the undercooked spices will bring plenty of tears to the South Africans' eyes.

[vamos_rafa]

We will have to wait for the 1st day. Since the indians are making no noises whatsoever so maybe they are busy preparing. And I hope they just make the right noises 16th Dec onwards.

[Sachin=GOD]

By the looks of things till now, SA seem to be underestimating India. If we win/draw the 1st test then we will win this series.