India tour of New Zealand 2014

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Gavaskar optimistic despite NZ horror http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/61779/gavaskar-optimistic-despite-nz-horror Sunil Gavaskar said India's poor performance in New Zealand would not affect their performance in the World Cup next year, to be held Down Under. The showpiece event in 2015 will be co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia and hence this ongoing tour was seen as vital to India's preparations. However, the reigning world champions were crushed 0-4 in the ODI series, with the bowlers failing to deliver and most batsmen, barring MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and to an extent Rohit Sharma, looking at sea. But Gasvakar reckoned India have adapted well enough, even after their senior stars retired to pave the way for young cricketers to take up their mantle. "This tour and one to Australia next summer pre-World Cup would be crucial to India's development," Gavaskar was quoted as saying by 'Fairfax News'. The former captain, who is commentating in the ongoing tour, said India have adapted well after the retirement of legends such as Sachin Tendulkar. "You can already see they're making changes and learning from the ODI series. They're starting to show they're adapting to the conditions and the bowling and I think the team is really keen to learn and improve and that's a great sign," said Gavaskar. The former batsman felt India's had become better fielders since their 2011 World Cup triumph. "In 2011 when India won, the fielding wasn't up to standard," he said. "It was some of the best Indian players of all time that helped them win the tournament, but not the fielding. The fielding is so much better now and those younger players are going to save extra runs in the field and run extra runs when they're batting. "They're talented and that increased exposure over the next 12 months [will help]," he added.

[Cricket_Hacker]

We have no chance to win the tournament with this captain,but there is one match we will win(i guess you know which one) :D

[MCcricket]

wHAT ELSE U WOULD EXPECT FROM OUR PAID bcci CHERGURLS, GAVASKAR, SHASTRI AND CO

[fineleg]

The former batsman felt India's had become better fielders since their 2011 World Cup triumph. "In 2011 when India won, the fielding wasn't up to standard," he said. "It was some of the best Indian players of all time that helped them win the tournament, but not the fielding. The fielding is so much better now and

Holding onto catches???

[G_B_]

^ he is right though, yes india have put down catches but the ground fielding has been good. Was watching the under 19 WC and even there fielding has been good. Indians need to stop being pessimistic. We got our asses handed to us in 2002/2003 when we toured Nz and then went on the make the finals of the 2003 world cup where we lost to an all time great side. The format of this tournament means India need to be 4th out of 8 teams in qualifying and beat the likes of Zim,Ireland and UAE Keep in mind (A) MSD has never lost a knockout match in any icc event in any format as captain (B) India have never failed to get to the QF when the format has been QF-SF-F So the format is very much in India's favour.

[Cricket_Hacker]

^ he is right though, yes india have put down catches but the ground fielding has been good. Was watching the under 19 WC and even there fielding has been good. Indians need to stop being pessimistic. We got our asses handed to us in 2002/2003 when we toured Nz and then went on the make the finals of the 2003 world cup where we lost to an all time great side. The format of this tournament means India need to be 4th out of 8 teams in qualifying and beat the likes of Zim,Ireland and UAE Keep in mind (A) MSD has never lost a knockout match in any icc event in any format as captain (B) India have never failed to get to the QF when the format has been QF-SF-F So the format is very much in India's favour.

those matches were decided by toss

[G_B_]

whatever those matches were still detrimental to the mental make up of a side. cant be nice to lose all those matches in a row. The point in all this is India have always done well with this format. When the format has been QF-Semi-Final we have reached the semis in 96 and won in 2011.

[Switchblade]

For big match temperament, Ajinkya Rahane turned to ex-Customs official http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/for-big-match-temperament-ajinkya-rahane-turned-to-ex-customs-official/ Abhay Poyarekar never imagined that Ajinkya Rahane would seek his help to be a better batsman. The 58-year-old retired assistant commissioner of Customs & Central Excise had donned the gloves for his college, but he wasn’t equipped to give batting tips to the cricketer. His only connection with top-level cricket was friend Pravin Amre, the former Test batsman who is now Rahane’s batting mentor. It was Amre who wanted Rahane to meet Poyarekar. Amre wanted his student to learn a few things from the former Customs officer’s inspiring story, before he left on a crucial away assignment with the Indian team. After Rahane’s maiden Test ton at Wellington on Saturday, Amre said the meeting proved fruitful. “Sometimes such small things make a big difference…. maybe, this is what has happened,†he said. On September 29, 1993, a few months after the Mumbai serial blasts, Poyarekar seized 18 detonators from a ship during a raid at the Mumbai docks. The action reportedly thwarted a plot to carry out blasts during Ganpati Visarjan. Poyarekar’s efforts won him a bravery award from the President. But with the recognition came threats, to him and his family. And later, even an alleged attempt to bribe him with Rs 5 crore. “Pravin wanted me to share my experience with the cricketer. I asked him, ‘are you sure?’ He said, ‘yes, you talk and he will listen’,†recalled Poyarekar. He said Amre also coerced him to divulge details of his encounters with the underworld. “It’s a mental thing, you can call it confidence building. After that ’93 incident, the next eight years were about overcoming fears. I used to get threatening calls daily, warning that my children would be killed. We were chased daily by unknown people,†said Poyarekar. “He (Poyarekar) faced a real life and death situation and still didn’t get distracted from his goals. Cricketers have to take quick decisions instinctively. They have so many distractions these days and the key behind such talks is to ascertain how crucial it is to not lose focus. It can have a lasting experience, like it did with Ajinkya,†said Amre. “It had a very positive effect on me,†Rahane had said before leaving for New Zealand. Batting against pacers in New Zealand is always a challenge. But Rahane held firm and made his mark, just like Poyarekar.

[fineleg]

^ he is right though, yes india have put down catches but the ground fielding has been good. .

when you say "fielding improved", catches are very vital to fielding

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We are happy with our position: Pujara http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/61778/we-are-happy-with-our-position-pujara Cheteshwar Pujara has defended the shoddy catching by the Indians after Brendon McCullum and BJ Watling inspired a New Zealand fightback on the third day of the second Test at Basin Reserve in Wellington. Reduced to 94/5 at one stage, the duo batted serenely to add an unbroken 158-run stand for the sixth wicket to deny India an innings victory. At stumps on the third day, New Zealand were 252/5, a slender lead of 6 runs. McCullum was the chief beneficiary of the Indian largesse. He was dropped by Virat Kohli at silly mid-on, a relatively straightforward opportunity on 9 and was let-off once again by Ishant Sharma off his own bowling on 36. He went on to register a battling century, his 4th against India and helped save the ignominy of an innings defeat. Pujara though defended his team-mates saying they have been outstanding for most part of the tour. "If you look at both the Test matches we have taken so many good catches. Not only on this trip, but in South Africa also, the Indian fielding has been fantastic. We have effected many run-outs and held many good catches. So you are bound to drop a few catches here and there," said Pujara, defending his mates, after the third day's play here. "It has been a fantastic game so far with many turns. But we are still in a very good position. If we can get a couple of quick wickets early on tomorrow, a lot of time is available. We are happy with the way things have shaped up. "We could have been happier with a couple of more wickets but we are in a good position and in with a good chance to win this Test match," he added. Despite the missed chances, Pujara felt his bowlers had done a wonderful job to pick up four more wickets on a surface that is increasingly flattening out. "The pitch is getting better day by day. Our bowlers did a very good job and bowled in the right areas. They didn't allow them to score many runs, which is a good sign for us. Overall looking at the wicket, they bowled really well," Pujara added. Pujara was full of praise for the efforts of the New Zealand batsmen, particularly the duo of McCullum and Watling. "We have to give credit to their batsmen. The way they batted was really good. Brendon batted well and that partnership was very crucial for them. We tried our best but they were the winners in that last session. Like I said earlier, if we can get a couple early wickets then we can go through the tail-enders," he said. With the new ball just 19 overs old and the pitch expected to offer some help in the morning session, Pujara hoped for some early breakthroughs first up tomorrow. "We don't want to chase a big target obviously, the lesser the better. But you cannot keep any targets in mind while bowling. We want to get them out as early as possible," he said. Pujara has had a couple of starts but has failed to convert them into bigger scores so far on the tour. When asked about his batting form, the middle order mainstay credited some excellent bowling for his low returns. "I have learnt from my mistakes. My only regret is the first innings' dismissal in the first Test match where I played a really bad shot. But apart from that I got a good ball in the second innings there and here also, in the first innings I got a very good ball," he signed off.

[fineleg]

Why is it that whichever doofus is sent for the press briefing, they defend even the stupidest of things they did that day - instead of saying, Yes we messed up, we would like to do better.

[Yoda-esque]

Oh,I thought SRT was mentoring him?

[Gollum]

No chance in 2015 WC with idiot Dhoni and Dhakkan Fletcher at the helm, they are fooling Indian public.

[Ultimate_Game]

No chance in 2015 WC with idiot Dhoni and Dhakkan Fletcher at the helm' date=' they are fooling Indian public.[/quote'] WC essentially boils down to a team winning 3 knockout games. Good thing is that we will play a month of useless games and be ready for the knockouts. This format suits us best and I wouldn't put it beyond us to win 3 straight in knockouts.

[Laaloo]

chup chepu saala runs to bana nahi pata press mein apna mooh chala raha hai

[Haarkarjeetgaye]

:hysterical: he was so happy when India started the tour of NZ. I hope this happiness does not end up in the same curse. Mccullum can just walk away with the game today. he has the ability. less chances but it is possible

[Midfielder]

Mr. Pujara we are not happy.

[mancalledsting]

This is how to kill your seamers Extended spells for Ishant, Zak and even Shami clocking up overs like nobody's business. And yet we wonder why our bowlers become trundlers. On the last England tour we ran Praveen Kumar into the ground and effectively ended the career of a very good test prospect. Our selectors will not be content until Shami ends up clocking 125 kph as his stock ball. I suggest we ditch Dhoni quick time from tests and replace him with a genuine batsmen wicketkeeper so we can comfortably play a 4th seamer in place of a number 6 batsmen.

[ThePhenomenal1]

u suggest we ditch dhoni? *****IN SACK THE B*STARD for all the damage he has done. he is costing us test victories, holding back quaity pacers, holding back better batsmen, holding back future captains, ruining our best and fastest bowler by under and over bowling him. Dhoni is the biggest problem in indian cricket.

[Lord]

u suggest we ditch dhoni? *****IN SACK THE B*STARD for all the damage he has done. he is costing us test victories, holding back quaity pacers, holding back better batsmen, holding back future captains, ruining our best and fastest bowler by under and over bowling him. Dhoni is the biggest problem in indian cricket.

dono?