India's tour of Australia - December/January 2015

[lion100lion]

"I felt like a Bowling Machine." - Ryan Harris on the Aus pitches used in the Test series.

I pity our Indian bowlers who bowl on these type of pitches, a major part of their career.

 

[Aalay]

I have said this since Binny got selected for England tour that Rishi Dhawan deserved a chance before Binny because he has much better stats. Rishi Dhawan can also be the seam bowling all rounder that we are looking for because he has a decent batting average.

 

[shravi]

I have said this since Binny got selected for England tour that Rishi Dhawan deserved a chance before Binny because he has much better stats. Rishi Dhawan can also be the seam bowling all rounder that we are looking for because he has a decent batting average.

he just looks like another ronnie irani, binny, rajat bhatia type cricketer tbh.

 

[PokerAce]

he just looks like another ronnie irani, binny, rajat bhatia type cricketer tbh.

Bowling avg of 23 !! Ronnie Irani !! You r kidding right.

I get the point, 23 in domestic and 23 in Int'l are poles apart. However, an avg of 23 for a seamer on Indian Ranji pitches is no joke. I would look at it in a positive light, and give him an opportunity before dismissing him.

Also apart from Bhatia, Bumrah, aged 21, is a special talent and last year had the figures to show.

20 yr old Millind is another super super talent in the Irfan Pathan mould. Bowls slow, but swings the ball. Has only played 6 matches so far, and his numbers are not quite there yet, however, he is one to look out for.

 

[SaiSrini]

Until we have a major re-haul our domestic system, I would take all the bowler's averages in domestic cricket with a pinch of salt. Especially these days with lot of green tops prepared (Harbhajan has even famously said that these green tops make our domestic seamers look like Malcolm Marshall).

One guy I am interested to see in international cricket is Ishwar Pandey. The guy has height, he seems more "accuracy inclined". Awana promised a lot, but I am guessing that he does not really have much to show in recent times.

 

[Satan666]

Until we have a major re-haul our domestic system, I would take all the bowler's averages in domestic cricket with a pinch of salt. Especially these days with lot of green tops prepared (Harbhajan has even famously said that these green tops make our domestic seamers look like Malcolm Marshall).

Same goes for the batsman average.

 

[Aalay]

he just looks like another ronnie irani, binny, rajat bhatia type cricketer tbh.

The thing is, if we are giving chance to the likes of Binny, Rishi Dhawan definitely deserves a go. He bowls in that early 130 KMPH range, and bowls accurately around the off stump. He can bat decently as well so he definitely deserves a shot considering he has age on his side. Also we don't have anyone right now in our team who is a seam bowling all rounder so it is worth giving him a go.

Same goes for the batsman average.

Can't you read the next sentence that he wrote?

 

[lion100lion]

Kapil Dev on Dhoni's retirement :- "Dhoni’s been the type who could have quit after 99 Tests"​

Kapil Dev, who was captain when India won the World Cup for the first time (1983), spoke to The telegraph almost exclusively on Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Dhoni emulated Kapil, in 2011. Before that, in 2007, he’d led India to victory in the inaugural World T20.

The interview with Kapil, over the phone, was done on Saturday afternoon.



Q Were you shocked or surprised at Dhoni’s decision to retire from Test cricket, on Tuesday, after the draw at the MCG?

A Shocked, like everybody else.

The timing was odd... With a Test remaining in the four-match series...

Well, the timing did leave something to be desired. I accept that such decisions are deeply personal, but it’s unusual to retire while a series is on. Whatever the format, one needs to plan... From what I’ve read and heard, nobody had even an inkling. Dhoni’s ended up putting plenty on the team management’s plate... That, too, at a time the series has been lost. The new captain, Virat Kohli, will need time to settle down. That’s only natural.

Across formats (two, back then), your India innings ended without a farewell... You didn’t play after being injured in an ODI against the West Indies... How difficult is it to retire from all formats or from one?

(Emotionally) It’s not difficult if you’re a satisfied man... Not difficult if you’ve achieved what you set out to. I went out with plenty of satisfaction... I’d won a World Cup, scored thousands of runs and taken hundreds of wickets... I quit a contended man... I’d given cricket my all and I’d played with the kind of passion seen in a few. The time had come for me to move on... Many find their days in school to be the best days of their life, but they can’t remain in school forever. Similarly, nobody can keep playing all his life.

Dhoni chose to retire a mere 10 short of 100 Tests...

Look, Dhoni’s been the type who could have quit after 99 Tests... He’s never given the impression that he plays for milestones and records. That, for me, is a tremendous quality and it’s one reason why I’ve always had so much respect for him. Tell me, what else could Dhoni have achieved in 10 Tests? Is he any less a cricketer because he retired 10 matches short of a landmark? No.

So, let’s just respect Dhoni’s decision...

Definitely. Give Dhoni the space he wants.

Is there a right time to call it a day?

If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll listen to the message the body sends out... The body knows when the time is up or when the end is near... However, often, greed makes one continue playing. I haven’t spoken to Dhoni, but I assume his body said that it’s over for the five-day game.

Moreover, Dhoni is his own man... You won’t find him taking advice from too many people...

I have no issues there... You’re right... A feature of Dhoni’s personality is that he’s very much his own man. He does things which he feels are right, without being bothered about the opinion of others.

But should that be the approach at all times?

Success matters and if the moves click, who are you and I, or anybody else, to raise questions?

Dhoni may quit ODIs after the World Cup, but he’s available for both the 50-over format and T20Is at this point in time... What’s your assessment of Dhoni, the ’keeper-batsman?

Somehow, I tend to associate Dhoni more with ODIs and T20Is, not so much Test cricket. He’s helped change our approach, given the self-belief that a win is possible from any situation... Of course, he’s been India’s finest ’keeper-batsman in Test cricket as well.

What about Dhoni, the captain...

Again, very successful in the two shorter formats.

Why not in Test cricket overseas?

Because Dhoni didn’t have the ammunition, didn’t have the match-winners... In the shorter formats, he had somebody like Yuvraj Singh, possibly the finest cricketer in ODIs and T20Is... He’s had Suresh Raina, a match-winner outside Test cricket... For most of his captaincy in the shorter formats, Dhoni’s had around six match-winners in the XI. That’s a highly significant number. With the benefit of potent ammunition, he could have been very successful in Tests outside the subcontinent.

At times, you had reservations over the ‘Captain Cool’ bit...

When emotions have to be shown, they should be shown. Having said that, I’m not suggesting that Dhoni has to behave like Virat, who seems to be at quite the other extreme.

What has Dhoni taught the rest?

That runs matter, not so much the way they’re got... Indeed, Dhoni’s been a one of a kind batsman, getting runs without focusing too much on technique or the manner in which they’ve been got. That’s a feature of cricketers from the smaller centres. The ones from Mumbai and Delhi would be more conscious of technique, focus on the process.

Have you, over the years, talked cricket with Dhoni at some length?

No.

What have you made of Dhoni as a person?

The Dhoni of today is very different from the Dhoni of a decade ago... He’s grown in confidence, decides on what he feels is right, without being influenced by others... He has been known to behave with dignity... Besides, one just has to admire Dhoni’s calmness.

You will, in the near future, meet Dhoni... What would you tell him?

(Passionately) That I’m proud of him... That I’ve loved his passion and dedication... That, as a fan, I would have liked him to carry on playing Test cricket, but that I respect his decision.

Is Kohli actually ready to be India’s full-time Test captain?

Standing-in as captain and being the regular captain are different things... As a cricketer, I was myself very aggressive, but calmed down when I got the captaincy... If the captain isn’t calm, then who’ll bring things under control when it gets really hot out in the middle? I like Virat’s aggression as a batsman, but he has to draw a line when he’s leading his men on the field.

Your advice to Kohli?

Act in more mature fashion.

The last one... Your take on Sir Vivian Richards saying that Kohli's “like a bull terrier in his own right...”

I don’t think I’d be comfortable with a bull terrier-like captain.

 

[grkrama]

• India conceded more than 250 after the fall of the fifth wicket in five innings last year, having not done so since 2009. They conceded five stands of more than 130 for the seventh to tenth wickets in 2014, having suffered only four such partnerships in the previous 12 years.

Blogs: Andy Zaltzman: England's 1% chance of winning the World Cup | Cricket Blogs | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[lion100lion]

"I hope I can be as calm as him."
Virat Kohli on replacing MS Dhoni as captain.

Shortly afterwards, when Kohli caught up with Dhoni, the latter told him exactly why that is unlikely to happen: