Do you think we declared early

[Ram]

What is hindsightful about Dhoni's innings of 50 off 95 balls (three of his boundaries coming in the last over). ? Effectively prior to the last over' date=' Dhoni scored 38 off 90 balls. Thats a SR of 42.22. Compare that with his average strike rate (72.21) as test bat. It tells you it is a sub par performance from Dhoni, when scoring quickly was the ONLY thing expected of him.[/quote'] Correction, Dhoni's 50 came off 82 balls. He obviously wanted to hang around till Laxman got his century and then open up after that. Point is, how quickly that partnership made their runs, or how more quickly they could have made it, will have very little relevance or impact on the result of this match and we all know it.

[Bumper]

Correction, Dhoni's 50 came off 82 balls. He obviously wanted to hang around till Laxman got his century and then open up after that. Point is, how quickly that partnership made their runs, or how more quickly they could have made it, will have very little relevance or impact on the result of this match and we all know it.

My bad. 50 off 82 => 38 off 77, still less than a 50% SR. Very poor IMO. 616 is a good score, no doubt about it. But considering where we were, we finished atleast 50 runs short. 50 more runs would have compensated for an inevitable bad session or two, we are gonna have to endure on a pitch like this. Instead of 417 (which is just 60 runs away), imagine Pakistan having to reach 475 ? Also a lead of 260 as opposed to 190 would have likely convinced Kumblez to enforce the follow on.

[Donny]

Point is' date=' how quickly that partnership made their runs, or how more quickly they could have made it, will have very little relevance or impact on the result of this match and we all know it.[/quote'] We don't all know it, at all, mm. When Pakistan is 9 down at stumps on the last day and Bhajji & Anil have just taken 5 wickets in the last 10 overs, you tell me if 6 overs more wouldn't be desirable.

[Captain of Bhangra]

I have seen highlights of the batting, and have to say the scorecard doesn't lie. Aside from Karthik's blip, the batting can not be faulted at all... The reason we are having this discussion is because the bowlers took their foot off the gas... I have to say, I can't see us losing this match as some are suggesting (though with this team, you never know), but I can see us not winning it, and that's nothing short of a sin after the way it was poised when Balconey Mujrah artist's nephew perished...

[Ram]

. 50 more runs would have compensated for an inevitable bad session or two' date=' we are gonna have to endure on a pitch like this. Instead of 417 (which is just 60 runs away), im[b']agine Pakistan having to reach 475 ? Also a lead of 260 as opposed to 190 would have likely convinced Kumblez to enforce the follow on.

Bumps, dont you realize that what you are saying is just mere speculation ? Would we even have this discussion had Pak been dismissed for 280 odd ? ( which was very well possible, since they were 150/5) Fact of the matter is, if we go on to either draw or lose this match from here on, it wont because of the pace of the Laxman-Dhoni partnership, but some really lacklustre cricket after that ( like allowing Misbah-Akmal to string up a double century partnership)

[Cricketics]

I have seen highlights of the batting, and have to say the scorecard doesn't lie. Aside from Karthik's blip, the batting can not be faulted at all... The reason we are having this discussion is because the bowlers took their foot off the gas... I have to say, I can't see us losing this match as some are suggesting (though with this team, you never know), but I can see us not winning it, and that's nothing short of a sin after the way it was poised when Balconey Mujrah artist's nephew perished...

very negative thinking mate.. how can u see us losing this one??? we are on top.. pak are still trailing by over 250 runs.. how can u see us losing this game??

[Ram]

We don't all know it, at all, mm. When Pakistan is 9 down at stumps on the last day and Bhajji & Anil have just taken 5 wickets in the last 10 overs, you tell me if 6 overs more wouldn't be desirable.

We shall see. I shall happily bump this thread after the match got over and we shall again discuss if that 6 overs was what prevented Ind from winning. Hope you are around then to give some answers.

[Captain of Bhangra]

very negative thinking mate.. how can u see us losing this one??? we are on top.. pak are still trailing by over 250 runs.. how can u see us losing this game??

Hahaha Cricketics, you've misread my post, I said I Can't see us losing, but can see us not winning (as in drawing it)...

[Cricketics]

Hahaha Cricketics' date=' you've misread my post, I said I [b']Can't see us losing, but can see us not winning (as in drawing it)...

my bad, i read ur lne "i can't see us losing" to i can see us losing sorry

[Bumper]

Bumps, dont you realize that what you are saying is just mere speculation ? Would we even have this discussion had Pak been dismissed for 280 odd ? ( which was very well possible, since they were 150/5) Fact of the matter is, if we go on to either draw or lose this match from here on, it wont because of the pace of the Laxman-Dhoni partnership, but some really lacklustre cricket after that ( like allowing Misbah-Akmal to string up a double century partnership)

I dont know MM. When u have your foot on your opponent's throat firmly planted, time to nail him is THEN. Aussies would have done that. India made its first error of the match in that session when Laxman-Dhoni batted together. Good teams, may have still recovered from such mistakes. With our bowling attack reduced to just two men (one of which has been an under performer for quite a while now), such mistakes were likely gonna surface to haunt us. And they did!

[Captain of Bhangra]

my bad, i read ur lne "i can't see us losing" to i can see us losing sorry

No worries, it happens, but I'm not that negative, LoL!...

[Ram]

As much as i see no fault with the Indian innings at all, I do find Dhoni's initial pace inexplicable. We will soon know.