Indian tour of South Africa, December-January 2010/11

[Dare]

All of you will be in for a surprise next month provided ZAK is fit and raring to go.

Surprise!! Whats next?

 

[relentless_rock]

@TruSachFan

No, that comment of mine was just to keep those posting in this thread realise how skewed their "rational" thinking is when they presume the only "real" tests are played on pitches outside subcontinent, and how they immediately have a fallback on Sachin Tendulkar's stats (less than 40 avg.) as a overwhelming proof to their argument! Not out of frustration mate.
The only people I am frustrated are those running the Indian cricket calender!!

 

[McLOVIN]

Just watched Sehwag get out. Lol. He got away with those shots in India, but not there. No doubt he will try that again in 2nd inn. That's his game, yes we all know that. I just wanna see if he can hold back, or can actually survive playing like that.

 

[ferg512]

Completely agree with everything you have said Mark. If India are to have any chance though I reckon that Unadkat needs to bowl well, I saw a lot of him in the U19 world cup and he really can swing the ball, could be tough to handle on this wicket.

 

[Dare]

Just watched Sehwag get out. Lol. He got away with those shots in India, but not there. No doubt he will try that again in 2nd inn. That's his game, yes we all know that. I just wanna see if he can hold back, or can actually survive playing like that.

Because on the majority of pitches in the subcontinent that ball wouldn't have moved away or bounced as much. If you lack footwork this is what happens.

Allot of these Indian batsman getting out on the back foot. Hoping back and trying to play the ball late. That works on a wicket where the ball doesn't rush on to the bat. You can do that on wickets where the ball slows down but not here.

 

[pcfan123]

Shravi what was your reasoning for India to win the 2nd test? Just wondering since you are usually spot on with these things

 

[shravi]

Shravi what was your reasoning for India to win the 2nd test? Just wondering since you are usually spot on with these things

They just usually bounce back after huge losses, like the Galle test in Lanka a few years ago (which was quite a feat because Mendis was still a mystery and Murali was still at it), the Perth test in Australia (although that was after two losses... but i won't delve too much into the second one at Sydney), South Africa's most recent tour to India (Steyn destroyed us in the first test and there was really only ever one team in it in the second test when India won), South Africa's last tour to India before the one that just happened (lost the second by an innings and won the third very comfortably), India's last tour to England (England would and should have won this test if not for shoddy umpiring at the end- 1st Test: England v India at Lord's, Jul 19-23, 2007 | Cricket Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo). I think India has an issue with acclimatising as soon as they perhaps should. Or perhaps on a greater level they need disaster to strike to motivate them. It's hard to pinpoint really but they just seem to get off on the wrong foot far too often.

EDIT: India's most recent tour to Lanka as well. Lost the first test badly (ignore the second because it was so flat that even Zimbabwe would have drawn on that one) and won the third one comfortably in the end.

 

[Adarsh]

I'm no mind reader and can't answer for Shravi, but this isn't all too surprising. India, in the past decade, have been notoriously bad starters. However, unlike past teams , they tend to show some mettle and not get bowled over. They have often come back to level the series, if not even win it.

India in Sri Lanka, 2010, drew the series. South Africa in India 2010, drew the series. In fact the previous series they lost a match was way back in 2008, in Sri Lanka where they lost the first match but won the second match. India in England almost lost the first match at Lords and so on.

EDIT: Okay Shravi already answered :-p

 

[pcfan123]

I think India has an issue with acclimatising as soon as they perhaps should. Or perhaps on a greater level they need disaster to strike to motivate them. It's hard to pinpoint really but they just seem to get off on the wrong foot far too often.

Acclimatising is the giant elephant in the room here. I think it's so ridiculous that India (the supposed #1) just expected to show up and play a test straight away without warming up in the conditions.

You can't use the 1st Test as an acclimatizing experience, that is what warm ups are for. Just look at the Ashes and how England have prepared in Aussie conditions.

It's beyond laughable that people suggested playing CL20 here a year ago is all the acclimatizing the Indians needed.

 

[shravi]

Yeah, for sure. The ODI series was not needed. Gary Kirsten and co. had evidently made it clear well in advance that they wanted to be in South Africa early, quite a few months in advance. The New Zealand ODI series should never have happened, really.

 

[Adarsh]

I don't think anyone's condoning the fact that there was no warm up. I guess people underrate the importance of the warm up matches, and feel that despite that fact the batting was still good enough to tackle whatever was thrown at them. Not the correct attitude to take of course, but I'm just playing devil's advocate here. Of course at the end of the day, the Indian supporters want the team to do well, hence would like the players to have acclamatised before the first test.

 

[shravi]

Acclimatising is the giant elephant in the room here. I think it's so ridiculous that India (the supposed #1) just expected to show up and play a test straight away without warming up in the conditions.

You can't use the 1st Test as an acclimatizing experience, that is what warm ups are for. Just look at the Ashes and how England have prepared in Aussie conditions.

It's beyond laughable that people suggested playing CL20 here a year ago is all the acclimatizing the Indians needed.

Shifting loyalties mid-post ?

 

[pcfan123]

Haha I know it has something to do with British and American English but I still don't get it

Mark added 1 Minutes and 0 Seconds later...

lol or maybe it's just a spelling error? now Im confused Shravi dammit

 

[TruSachFan]

Surprise!! Whats next?

If by surprise you mean if I was surprised that ZAK was injured then nope. No surprises there. As I said before, it's not the first time ZAKs been injured before such a important series and not the last time.

Anyways, Graeme Smith will be a happy man Zak isn't playing

TruSachFan added 2 Minutes and 25 Seconds later...

Completely agree with everything you have said Mark. If India are to have any chance though I reckon that Unadkat needs to bowl well, I saw a lot of him in the U19 world cup and he really can swing the ball, could be tough to handle on this wicket.

Actually the trumps are Ishant and Harbhajan. Ishant because of the inconsistent bounce. He thrives on pitches like that ( 2008 Kanpur vs SAF). And Harbhajan because the pitch will assist him with the bounce and dampness after the pitch dries out. This match is a long way from being over.

Anything we get from Unadkat is a bonus. And who knows which Sreesanth will show up tomorrow.

 

[shravi]

Whenever you're talking cricket, I could swear you're English but go to the Issues forum and you're Uncle Sam v2 lol. Very Jekyll and Hyde .

Man, this series was poorly scheduled. Ashes and India-South Africa at the same time is beyond impossible to stay up for 5 days in a row.