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- PKBasu
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I seem to have become a sucker for cricket punishment...I was at Eden Gardens (in a vantage seat in the pavilion behind the bowler) yesterday as India lost yet again to Australia.
The astonishing difference in quality of fielding had to be seen to be believed. VVS Laxman himself dropped five catches, while every Australian fielder was willing to sprawl on the ground (not just dive, but use the whole body as a means of fielding -- apart from sliding after sprawling). They've taken fielding to a completely different level, and made the Indians look like amateurs by comparison. I had a flight to catch, so I left the ground with India seemingly cruising on 158 for 4 (78 to win off 114 balls). But before I could get to the airport, it was all over: India all out 198, losing the match by 37 runs. After seeing the slaughter at Jo'burg (Wanderers), I had hoped this would be payback time, but I'll need to wait for another opportunity...
The astonishing difference in quality of fielding had to be seen to be believed. VVS Laxman himself dropped five catches, while every Australian fielder was willing to sprawl on the ground (not just dive, but use the whole body as a means of fielding -- apart from sliding after sprawling). They've taken fielding to a completely different level, and made the Indians look like amateurs by comparison. I had a flight to catch, so I left the ground with India seemingly cruising on 158 for 4 (78 to win off 114 balls). But before I could get to the airport, it was all over: India all out 198, losing the match by 37 runs. After seeing the slaughter at Jo'burg (Wanderers), I had hoped this would be payback time, but I'll need to wait for another opportunity...
- Kumar
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Merged Cbitt's post with this threazd and also to point out a great article by Prem Panicker in Rediff.
This is from the article Dhurv referred to, You can see how Prem is right on target with Ramesh being the lone exception. India being the only team that picks the bowler who has dones nothing so far in Australia or in recent memory over guy who seems to have so much promise. So all aspiring cricketers, you have to be Sachin or have a God father to makeIndian cricket team (like Deep dasgupta).And so, having found sufficient justifications, you will pick Dasgupta to round off your team. You will then avoid the media while the board secretary reads out the names, and adds a pious comment that Ramesh, Balaji, Kartik and Badani were seriously considered
Dhurv we should start a separate thread to predict number of days each test match in Australia will last. I don't see any game going beyond 4th day afternoon!!!
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Indian selectores: idiots
The indian board is the worst board in the world, clearly. They have made many mistakes in the past which i have overcome the misery of. But now this has gone a bit. They have completely mis chosen the team for australia. First of all, Kartik has been the most consistent spin bowler for the past month, he's not going??? If you look at the stats, all left arm spin bowlers have the best numbers in Australia. Secondly, in the final of the tri series which I had gone late to school to watch was a disgrace. Laxman is officialy one of my least favorite players (this you would only understand if you saw the game). Why wasn't kumble playing? The, arguably, best and most experienced spinner on the team was benched. Salvi made his debut (I think it was debut, apology if i am mistaken) against australia in a final. He didn't do anything. He bowled three overs and let up 23 runes. When he batted he made a career high zero! I never understand this team, and the board. Sometimes they're genius but then again sometimes pathetic. We are going to get hammered in Australia. Believe it or not I'm still gonna watch. Fingers crossed
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to pk basu
Hey Pk basu I was watching the game and I saw someone holding up a "Pay back time" banner. Was that you by any chance??
- PKBasu
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No cibtt, I didn't have a banner. I had a flag, but it was nicked when I went to buy myself a juice (btw, Eden is a great cricket ground, but the quality of services available simply sucks in comparison with the world's other great grounds).
I agree with you that it is a huge mistake to leave out Kartik from the team to Australia. It makes absolutely no sense to pack the team with pace bowlers who will be easy meat for the Aussies. If there is one lesson that should have been learnt over the last three years of Aussie dominance of both forms of the game, it is that they are vulnerable against the best-quality spin bowling. Kartik, Bhajji and Kumble should all be playing the tests (or, if one of them isn't, Sehwag should bowl a lot). Ideally, in fact, I would have preferred to see Hirwani (the highest wicket-taker on the domestic circuit last year) in the tour party.
Deep Dasgupta has a test batting average of nearly 29 (better than Jadeja), and has shown he can bat against the best fast bowlers in the world (he got 64 opening the batting against Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and company, and was the only century-maker in India's lone test victory over England at home last year). So there is some logic to his selection as an opening batsman who can keep wickets. But I think it is silly to select him and Parthiv ahead of India's two best wicket-keeper batsmen -- Nayan Mongia and MSK Prasad.
I agree with you that it is a huge mistake to leave out Kartik from the team to Australia. It makes absolutely no sense to pack the team with pace bowlers who will be easy meat for the Aussies. If there is one lesson that should have been learnt over the last three years of Aussie dominance of both forms of the game, it is that they are vulnerable against the best-quality spin bowling. Kartik, Bhajji and Kumble should all be playing the tests (or, if one of them isn't, Sehwag should bowl a lot). Ideally, in fact, I would have preferred to see Hirwani (the highest wicket-taker on the domestic circuit last year) in the tour party.
Deep Dasgupta has a test batting average of nearly 29 (better than Jadeja), and has shown he can bat against the best fast bowlers in the world (he got 64 opening the batting against Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock and company, and was the only century-maker in India's lone test victory over England at home last year). So there is some logic to his selection as an opening batsman who can keep wickets. But I think it is silly to select him and Parthiv ahead of India's two best wicket-keeper batsmen -- Nayan Mongia and MSK Prasad.
- Kumar
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PKB, Have you seen Deep Dasgupta keep? It is a funny sight, Rahul Dravid keeps better than Deep Dasgupta. Hirwani, you gotto be kidding me. During the last tour, we had MSK Prasad who failed miserably. I agree though Nayan Mongia is our best wicketkeeper batsman, but indian cricket team has lot of politics and he couldn't keep well in the field of politics. Do you guys know one reason that Kartik is not in the team, it is becoz ganguly didn't fight for him. Tell me one player Ganguly has fought for and has not been picked. I had read somewhere how Kartik had pissed off Ganguly . Even when he was in team, Ganguly didn't show any confidence in him.
As far as I can see,I don't see anyone doing well on this tour...
As far as I can see,I don't see anyone doing well on this tour...
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Kumar, who hasn't failed last time around? Only a select few. I heard Ganguly on one of his earlier cricket show hinted that Mongia was more particular about benefit matches alloted to him than playing for India and that he didn't find that acceptable. It's ok with me if that is the case. On MSK Prasad , even though he didn't score that many but he batted for a long time like Dravid did in that series. After he came back from that injury last season , he is scoring a lot of runs and was instrumental in Andhra's success. This year also he started well and was that main man behind Andhra's victory over Baroda. I agree with Basu that Deep is a good choice as India desperately needs a keeper who can bat. He is said to have kept well last season even though he didn't dcore that many. He also kept well against NZ in a side game this season. I see nothing wrong with his selection if he improved his keeping.
- PKBasu
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MSK Prasad's only opportunities at test level came against Australia. He continues to be spectacularly successful with the bat (and as captain) for Andhra Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.
Kumar, did you see Parthiv Patel keep in the two tests against New Zealand (especially the second). Both him and Deep are better keepers than Dravid (as Deep demonstrated while keeping for India A against the Kiwis), but MSK is the best keeper-batsman of the lot. It is odd how "failures" are held against some players for a long time (MSK's supposed failures came while playing Australia in Australia; he should have been given a chance to bolster his average while playing the likes of Zimbabwe at home!).
Kumar, did you see Parthiv Patel keep in the two tests against New Zealand (especially the second). Both him and Deep are better keepers than Dravid (as Deep demonstrated while keeping for India A against the Kiwis), but MSK is the best keeper-batsman of the lot. It is odd how "failures" are held against some players for a long time (MSK's supposed failures came while playing Australia in Australia; he should have been given a chance to bolster his average while playing the likes of Zimbabwe at home!).
- BSharma
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General cricket thread
This news has nothing to do with the Indian cricket team's tour of Australia but India is trying to get cricket into the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
According to a report in Hindustan Times, "A meeting is being planned early next year between the Commonwealth Games Federation and the ICC, IOA secretary Randhir Singh said."
"The game will be of shorter version to evoke interest and be feasible for the multi-discipline event," he added.
IOA wants 6,000 crore for Games
According to a report in Hindustan Times, "A meeting is being planned early next year between the Commonwealth Games Federation and the ICC, IOA secretary Randhir Singh said."
"The game will be of shorter version to evoke interest and be feasible for the multi-discipline event," he added.
IOA wants 6,000 crore for Games
- Kumar
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First of all, Is Deep Dasgupta a good enough batsman that we can ignore his bad keeping? I don't think we can pay attn to what Ganguly says regd Mongia. I agree he is a good captain, have u ever seen a player whom he doesn't like do well? Latest example is Karthik. He never gave him a long spell before. But kartik is doing well becoz of his talent and inspite of Ganguly. Even now the only reason he is not in the team is Ganguly. I read a article where it said Ganguly wanted kumble in the team becoz he is Players' representative.
I agree parthiv patel is young and needs a little more experience to be a better keeper. But he is fiesty, which cannot be said for any other keepers. With time he could be great.
We need to have one keeper who can play and maintain his position consistently in a team. To my knowledge in last 8 years Australia had two keepers Healy and Gilschrist.. HOw many did we have in the last 4 years (Mongia, Prasad, Dahiya, Ratra, Patel, Das gupta). Some of them didn't get a fair deal and some of them shouldn't have even kept for India.
Deep Dasgupta is going to play atleast one test match in this series and we are going to see how good he is (both batting and keeping). Just becoz a player scored a century in South Africa, you cannot consider him a great batsman.
I agree parthiv patel is young and needs a little more experience to be a better keeper. But he is fiesty, which cannot be said for any other keepers. With time he could be great.
We need to have one keeper who can play and maintain his position consistently in a team. To my knowledge in last 8 years Australia had two keepers Healy and Gilschrist.. HOw many did we have in the last 4 years (Mongia, Prasad, Dahiya, Ratra, Patel, Das gupta). Some of them didn't get a fair deal and some of them shouldn't have even kept for India.
Deep Dasgupta is going to play atleast one test match in this series and we are going to see how good he is (both batting and keeping). Just becoz a player scored a century in South Africa, you cannot consider him a great batsman.
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indain keeper dilema
India hasn't had a slid keepr since Kirmani and Mongia. Unfortunately, when Mongia was in form and was a solid spoton the team along came the Match fixing Controversy. Mongia is very inncoscent person and should be allowed to be back on the team. This will be for the good of the ans, the team, and mogia himself. Anyway, what we could do now is take Dahiya or Patel. I feel that Patel is getting his batting touch back and Dahiya who played a couple of years ago played well and should be recalled. This selecting commitee is relly getting on my neves. Could they for once sto worrying about their zone and their players and focus on India? Our worst enemy is ourselves. Australia could be beaten but not with these stupid politics in the way !! We should learn to work together as a Country and not in zones.
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I agree with Basu. MSK is a very good batsmen and a decent wicketkeeper. IMHO better than Deep and Patel....
- PKBasu
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I reiterate my points about MSK. But it is interesting to note that both the selected wicket-keepers are working very hard on their game. In a side match before the first test, Deep Dasgupta's wicket-keeping was described as "brilliant" by a usually-critical Rediff reporter -- no byes, two catches and a brilliant stumping off Kumble. And Parthiv scored a fine 52 not out in a side game. The competition is paying off.
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On a completely different topic, I find the Indian media's current feeding frenzy over Abhijit Kale absolutely disgusting.
Here is man with an astounding batting average of 58.7 in first-class cricket, who topped the averages on an India A tour, made a century for India A against the full England side, and is still struggling on the peripheries of the Indian team. The guy is 30+; this is probably his last chance to make it in...and he got his mother to visit More with a fitness certificate just to remind him that Kale exists. Even if he did make the sad mistake of offering two selectors a bribe, he deserves a reprimand (and a warning never to do it again) not a ban.
Here is man with an astounding batting average of 58.7 in first-class cricket, who topped the averages on an India A tour, made a century for India A against the full England side, and is still struggling on the peripheries of the Indian team. The guy is 30+; this is probably his last chance to make it in...and he got his mother to visit More with a fitness certificate just to remind him that Kale exists. Even if he did make the sad mistake of offering two selectors a bribe, he deserves a reprimand (and a warning never to do it again) not a ban.
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Under-19 World Cup
Cricket's Junior World Cup has just begun in Dhaka, and India has an absolutely spectacular batting line-up.
They managed to make an amazing score of 426/3 in 50 overs -- albeit against the minnows from Scotland. Captain AT Rayudu (53 off 53) was actually outshone by Suresh Raina of UP (believe it or not; the only UP players to play for India in the past three decades are Gopal Sharma and Mohd Kaif!). Raina made 90 off 38 balls with 14 fours and two sixes. The top score was 156 off 138 balls by opener Shikhar Dhawan.
They managed to make an amazing score of 426/3 in 50 overs -- albeit against the minnows from Scotland. Captain AT Rayudu (53 off 53) was actually outshone by Suresh Raina of UP (believe it or not; the only UP players to play for India in the past three decades are Gopal Sharma and Mohd Kaif!). Raina made 90 off 38 balls with 14 fours and two sixes. The top score was 156 off 138 balls by opener Shikhar Dhawan.