Do we need an aggresive captain?

[Shehezaada]

Indian Cricket Captains have a tendency to start out as attacking options...but every single one of our captains has the same disease...especially in the one dayers. We get a few wickets, we're on top, and suddenly there's a partnership. Fielders are pushed back, singles are allowed and they think...3 or 4 singles an over doesn't matter. And it builds up and we get screwed over. What you need to do is bring the fielders up and deny them the singles, forcing them to go over the top/ In tests it's the same way. All out attack is not something you see these days and it's worrying. For god sakes at the beginning of a test match at least. Ganguly by the way is not a defensive captain as he made out to be here. I remember him declaring with just a lead of 36 against Zimbabwe in order to get time to bowl them out. We won the match and the series.

[apocalypse]

What I believe in terms of aggression is by the captain who can take risks like declaring early and give a sporting target. Saying words to other team players will hardly do anything good for you. But being the first series as a captain, Kumble wanted himself more on defensive side. Whatever he says later on that he miscalculated who will believe that. At this stage you do not make such kind of mistakes. But other captains have not been different. He did what Dravid or Ganguly would have done if they were in similar situation.

[Mr. Wicket]

Had Ganguly been an aggressive captain' date=' we'd have retuned victorious from Australia in 03-04 after having won the Sydney test. He delayed the declaration there.[/quote'] Had Ganguly been an aggressive captain, the following would have not been a regular part of Indian test matches: Tailender arrives. Field is spread for batsman at the other end. Single is taken, with the batsman playing the field for the odd two or four. Bowlers try and attack the tailender. Bowlers fail. Partnership builds, batsman and tailender laugh. Ganguly chews nails.

[Chandan]

In tests it's the same way. All out attack is not something you see these days and it's worrying. For god sakes at the beginning of a test match at least. Ganguly by the way is not a defensive captain as he made out to be here. I remember him declaring with just a lead of 36 against Zimbabwe in order to get time to bowl them out. We won the match and the series.

The reason is extremely simple--we still don't have the faith in our attack to take wickets cheaply. If we have won a test match in a series, we desperately want to cling to that victory because we know (our captains) that the bowlers might not get 20 wickets again cheaply. We have more faith in our batting than bowling, and it is quite obvious. The day we'll have an attack as good as our batting, we'll take more risks, we might declare with just 300 or even 250 ahead and have faith in our bowlers and fielders to wrap the opposition much before they reach the target. At the moment we can't take that risk. And Ganguly taking a risk against Zim in 2005? Well, we were playing against school children then. Forget that series because I don't think it should even have FC status, let alone having a test status, and show me one instance where Ganguly or for that matter any Indian captain has shown aggression through his tactics?

[MundaPakistani]

There is a big gap between being aggressive and being extremely defensive. Yesterday India played extremely defensive cricket..there shouldn't be any excuses for that.

[prabhuvrajan]

Aggressive Captain Saurav is a natural aggressive player ... he is India's best Captain ever ... the next choice on aggressive captainship would be Yuvraj Singh !!

[Shehezaada]

The reason is extremely simple--we still don't have the faith in our attack to take wickets cheaply. If we have won a test match in a series, we desperately want to cling to that victory because we know (our captains) that the bowlers might not get 20 wickets again cheaply. We have more faith in our batting than bowling, and it is quite obvious. The day we'll have an attack as good as our batting, we'll take more risks, we might declare with just 300 or even 250 ahead and have faith in our bowlers and fielders to wrap the opposition much before they reach the target. At the moment we can't take that risk. And Ganguly taking a risk against Zim in 2005? Well, we were playing against school children then. Forget that series because I don't think it should even have FC status, let alone having a test status, and show me one instance where Ganguly or for that matter any Indian captain has shown aggression through his tactics?

Well Tendulkar for example...chasing a target of 170 on a pitch made to suit spin bowling in Ahemdabad, Tendulkar gives the ball to Srinath, who promptly takes 6-21 to secure a test match win in the opening match of the SA-IND series in 96. The field? 4 slips and a gully, often with a man catching at bat pad. Match could have been over with SA 40/3 but Tendulkar brings back Srinath for a second spell before bringing on the rest of the bowlers to have a quick go at the SA batsmen. IT does the trick and SA 105 all out. In the Titan cup, Tendulkar again lead from the front top scoring with 65 on a tricky Mumbai pitch. Then comes out and attacks SA with all guns blazing with his field placings to secure the trophy. God knows what happened to this aggressive streak...but these two moments stand out in his captaincy..probably the only blemish in his career. Again in the tri series to follow...India needed to win a crunch match versus Zimbabwe (who were a good team back then), to meet SA in the final. An out of form Tendulkar first chooses to field, citing the fact that it would be best to know what u need to get into the final (ZIM made 241, IND needed 241 in 40 overs to knock out ZIM). He had been batting in the middle order in a bid to regain form, but he brings himself up the order for this crunch game. 100 off 94 and he takes India to the finals. Again Ganguly setting excellent fields in the 2001-2002 victory at Port of Spain. Similarly Rahul Dravid going in for the kill with 3 slips and 2 gullies in the 2nd test in England this year. We have had moments Chandan. We just don't seem to prolong them.

[fineleg]

Saurav is a natural aggressive player ... he is India's best Captain ever ... the next choice on aggressive captainship would be Yuvraj Singh !!

:haha:

[Ram]

^ Dont know why you are finding that humorous, but Saurav literally heralded the dawn of a new era in Indian cricket. He was our first brash captain in many years.

[beetle]

Indian Cricket Captains have a tendency to start out as attacking options...but every single one of our captains has the same disease...especially in the one dayers. We get a few wickets, we're on top, and suddenly there's a partnership. Fielders are pushed back, singles are allowed and they think...3 or 4 singles an over doesn't matter. And it builds up and we get screwed over. What you need to do is bring the fielders up and deny them the singles, forcing them to go over the top/ In tests it's the same way. All out attack is not something you see these days and it's worrying. For god sakes at the beginning of a test match at least. Ganguly by the way is not a defensive captain as he made out to be here. I remember him declaring with just a lead of 36 against Zimbabwe in order to get time to bowl them out. We won the match and the series.

Against Zim even kumble would have done that. It's different when you have good batsmen like moyo,younis and a superbly in form misbah in the opposing team with only a couple of bowlers who pose any threat to them.....

[beetle]

^ Dont know why you are finding that humorous, but Saurav literally heralded the dawn of a new era in Indian cricket. He was our first brash captain in many years.

Thaaaat he was......brash with a B:D

[Ram]

Still cant forget his celebration in the Lords Balcony, when we won Natwest Trophy. I can imagine the patrons of the MCC, sitting in the members' enclosure , going " My my my ! How outrageous of that young man to do such a distasteful thing !"... :haha:

[Chandan]

Well Tendulkar for example...chasing a target of 170 on a pitch made to suit spin bowling in Ahemdabad, Tendulkar gives the ball to Srinath, who promptly takes 6-21 to secure a test match win in the opening match of the SA-IND series in 96. The field? 4 slips and a gully, often with a man catching at bat pad. Match could have been over with SA 40/3 but Tendulkar brings back Srinath for a second spell before bringing on the rest of the bowlers to have a quick go at the SA batsmen. IT does the trick and SA 105 all out. In the Titan cup, Tendulkar again lead from the front top scoring with 65 on a tricky Mumbai pitch. Then comes out and attacks SA with all guns blazing with his field placings to secure the trophy. God knows what happened to this aggressive streak...but these two moments stand out in his captaincy..probably the only blemish in his career. Again in the tri series to follow...India needed to win a crunch match versus Zimbabwe (who were a good team back then), to meet SA in the final. An out of form Tendulkar first chooses to field, citing the fact that it would be best to know what u need to get into the final (ZIM made 241, IND needed 241 in 40 overs to knock out ZIM). He had been batting in the middle order in a bid to regain form, but he brings himself up the order for this crunch game. 100 off 94 and he takes India to the finals. Again Ganguly setting excellent fields in the 2001-2002 victory at Port of Spain. Similarly Rahul Dravid going in for the kill with 3 slips and 2 gullies in the 2nd test in England this year. We have had moments Chandan. We just don't seem to prolong them.

We're talking about tests here, and 20 wickets have to be taken in tests or the team either loses or at the most draws the match. Give me the instance of aggressive captaincy in tests, Shehzada. That is the really cricket, not just another meaningless ODI.

[Shehezaada]

We're talking about tests here, and 20 wickets have to be taken in tests or the team either loses or at the most draws the match. Give me the instance of aggressive captaincy in tests, Shehzada. That is the really cricket, not just another meaningless ODI.

Chandan, i gave you three examples of Tendulkar, Ganguly, and Dravid. If you want more I will provide the examples, but atleast acknowledge the fact that our captains have had their moments. I'm not arguing that they are very aggressive captains, but I think I can say that they are in the middle. But ya i will admit that they went on the defensive a bit too early.