[ebonho]

This is a pathetic finish after the kind of start we had. Very frustrating to see total momentum loss in the last 10 overs.

Cheers, Doc

[NPV]

Originally Posted by saket77

In the end, I feel that India has fell short by at least 25 runs; but still this total should see us through to the Semi's.

Worrying thing is Bangladesh chased 322 against West Indies and got it easily with almost 9 overs to spare, dread that happening today
After first 3/4 wickets fall, Indian batting is pathetic and it was proved yet again today, Dhoni is now becoming a real liability and not the finisher that he was - he's actually contributing to getting us "finished" now, the last over today against Bangladesh was a perfect example of that.

[jailbird_fynix]

Originally Posted by vibbs

From a stage where it seemed we are sure to get 350+, to 315,

Originally Posted by ebonho

This is a pathetic finish after the kind of start we had.

Agreed, I was skeptical that we'd even reach 300 after that middle order collapse.

[SoumenD]

Painful to watch Dhoni struggling. This match shouldn't be a problem for India, however I am worried about semis and finals (if we are lucky to get there), since only Rohit, Kohli and Pandya (to some extent) seem to be the go-to guys when it comes to scoring the bulk of runs. Jadeja's run in this WC is all but over or maybe he will be given a shot in next match if they decide to go with 2 spinners.

P.S: Guess Dhoni will declare his retirement after the last match this WC, be it semis or final.

[rovingeye]

Originally Posted by SoumenD

P.S: Guess Dhoni will declare his retirement after the last match this WC, be it semis or final.

If he has self respect, he should retire now and not wait for the Semi or Finals. There's nothing to be ashamed of. As we age, our bodies and minds slow down.

[kavensri]

What was he smoking when he refused singles in first two balls? Worst thing is, no one in the team or management is ready to accept that Dhoni’s innings is a liability more often than not in the recent matches.
We may end up winning this match because of our bowlers, but still it is really painful to watch his innings these days.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by kavensri

What was he smoking when he refused singles in first two balls? Worst thing is, no one in the team or management is ready to accept that Dhoni’s innings is a liability more often than not in the recent matches.
We may end up winning this match because of our bowlers, but still it is really painful to watch his innings these days.

If he takes the single - 'Why take the single when you are the 'in' batsman?'
If he does not take the single - 'What was he smoking?'

Well played I must say

How many did DK score? How many did Pant score, despite being given a free license? Pandya failed, that's apparently fine. Rohit/Kohli getting out at crucial times, yeah okay. Lets not even talk about KL, always gets out when you expect the opener who has consumed so many balls to actually accelerate. Also, lets even forget who was bowling when and how many fielders can protect the boundary after 40 overs.

MS does the dirty job by looking bad, getting runs on the board for the team, taking upon himself to go big (which he couldn't today), but he accepts responsibility. I cannot say the same about others. You want an aggressive MS, bat him up the order and give him that freedom to go at it. At the position he bats, with the tail we have, he is never going to risk it. If he got out at say 15 off 10, we would not have got 300. That is the reality, like it or not.

What I must ask is; what are you smoking my friend?

[Santoshbhat]

Boy! Dhoni haters are growing by the day. I'll still give the man a chance. He is extremely shrewd and calculative. Ultimately it is the target you have in mind and the risk you are ready to take to get there.

I think he played it well in the West Indies game. He knew the pitch wasn't easy for batting and we didn't really need 300+. He batted sensibly and got us to a safe score.

I saw almost the entire England chase. England bowled really well in the first 10 overs. Jofra Archer bowled one over where almost every ball landed on the same good length, out side off tight line . They did not give any loose ball to hit. Kohli and Rohit knew that if they had any chance in this game they both had to get good scores. So they had a game plan to get set and had the confidence in their own abilities to get 10 an over for the last 15 or so. I think we hit a really good period just when Kohli got out. He was starved of the strike when Rohit was getting into his stride and ended up losing concentration. Dhoni knew the target was really beyond the Indian team at that stage and he was thinking run rate. He could have swung hard and we would have lost by a bigger margin. No bid deal in the context of the match, but with the way things are this world cup, two big losses and we may just be out of the semis.

This game I couldn't see live thus far. But going by the scorecard, no one really got going in the last 10. So why single out Dhoni? Coz he was there and faced 33 balls and got 35? All the others around him got out for single figures. Wasn't his innings crucial in that sense?

[deehunk]

MS Dhoni is reportedly not interested to bat at higher position. This was experimented in many matches from 2017.
There is no precedent of players retiring gracefully barring a few greats like Kapil, Srinath, Zaheer, Kumble and Dravid. It was Dhoni himself who targeted the seniors at his peak and now finding himself in his own trap. MS Dhoni was lucky to escape the stumping against West Indies. He hid under the cover of Pant initially but was exposed at the end.The reason for growing dissent against Dhoni is because no other player got such a long run of opportunities in Indian cricket.

[NPV]

If (and it's a big IF) India lose today to Bangladesh I don't see how they can beat the likes of Australia/New Zealand/England in the semi final

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

If he takes the single - 'Why take the single when you are the 'in' batsman?'
If he does not take the single - 'What was he smoking?'

When did i make the first statement?

Originally Posted by pratyush6

Well played I must say

That's your opinion and what i mentioned is my opinion.

Originally Posted by pratyush6

How many did DK score? How many did Pant score, despite being given a free license? Pandya failed, that's apparently fine.

If you are questioning about today's Pant's innings and Pandya's play so far in the tournament, then i can only laugh at it, ignore and move on!

Originally Posted by pratyush6

What I must ask is; what are you smoking my friend?

This was definitely unwarranted and i can also ask the same question to you my friend!

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Boy! Dhoni haters are growing by the day.

If the cricket thread is checked, Dhoni was struggling in ODIs before IPL. In IPL he became a superhuman, discovered his big hitting. That capability has deserted him after IPL.

I'll still give the man a chance. He is extremely shrewd and calculative.

Dhoni is the old owl. These days, his sage advice is more valued than his hunts.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by deehunk

It was Dhoni himself who targeted the seniors at his peak and now finding himself in his own trap.

All the 'seniors' were a liability in the field and realistically India became a far better team, results are there to prove it. MS is not a liability in the field. He is probably the best keeper in the world.

Originally Posted by deehunk

MS Dhoni was lucky to escape the stumping against West Indies. He hid under the cover of Pant initially but was exposed at the end.

Rohit has been dropped in every game he made a 100 so far. What does that mean? Things happen, so what?

Originally Posted by deehunk

The reason for growing dissent against Dhoni is because no other player got such a long run of opportunities in Indian cricket.

Long run of opportunities? I guess he must have been performing then right?

Originally Posted by kavensri

When did i make the first statement?

You did not, correct.
So he should have taken the single then and let Bhuvi take strike? Are you serious? Bhuvi was not getting anything more than a single, you do realize it right?

Originally Posted by kavensri

If you are questioning about today's Pant's innings and Pandya's play so far in the tournament, then i can only laugh at it, ignore and move on!

I never said about the tournament, I see that you've slipped it in.

Pant got 48 off 41 when he came at 4 at the 30th over and got out in the 45th. He played a gazillion shots with no care of getting out. He had 4 boundary riders as against 5 with the primary aim of the bowler not being hit at the back end. MS went after anything remotely loose, he may have got all of it, but that's fine.

Originally Posted by kavensri

This was definitely unwarranted and i can also ask the same question to you my friend!

It is as unwarranted as the first time it was used in this context. I agree and I should have been more judicious with that.

[Eddy]

What is happening with the Indian team ? Dhoni takes a break from wicket-keeping but Pant gets the gloves. Why not DK when he was the back up keeper ?

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

So he should have taken the single then and let Bhuvi take strike? Are you serious? Bhuvi was not getting anything more than a single, you do realize it right?

I hope you have seen Bhuvi's earlier innings (both ODI and Test)? He is very much capable of hitting boundaries, if not sixers. And worst case, he could easily take a single and give back the strike to Dhoni. Instead of that, what we got in the end?
If he is playing with #11 batsmen then it make sense not to take singles as it will be an end of innings if #11 gets out. But when you have #8 player like Bhuvi at the other end, it is crime not to take singles.
And yes, I am SERIOUS about what I have written above and you need not have to ask that again in your response.