[headbanger]

Irrespective of how the test match unfolds, I am deeply disappointed with the quality of the tracks on offer. Why do you wanna prepare a pitch where there is absolutely no chance of getting to play fourth day, leave alone the fifth? The ball is dancing both vertically and laterally for all bowlers on day 1. Give some life to the balance between bat and ball guys.

[pandey.jai]

I don’t want to use the word, but this one is a poor pitch. I liked how Shreyas Iyer played here. Showed some application which a lot of others didn’t. I hope the team management sticks with him, Vihari, KL and perhaps Gill as a core group and does not go back to Rahane and Pujara, even if the former does well in Ranaji and the latter in county cricket.

[searacer932]

This Bangalore pitch is no different to any of the seaming pitches that we get in England.

Shreyas Iyer clearly showed how to bat on this pitch.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by pandey.jai

I don’t want to use the word, but this one is a poor pitch.

This is by no means a minefield/under-prepared pitch that's dangerous, yes there is the unpredictability of the odd ball bouncing + turning or keeping low. For a change, it's Even Stevens with the bowlers getting some help.
I hope this test lasts 3 days at least

[NPV]

Quite an easy win in the end for India. The Sri Lankan batting barring their captain Karunaratne completely lacked the will to bat with patience and put up a fight. In fact the pitch had eased up and wasn't doing much on day 3 and still the batting didn't last 2 full sessions and most of the batsmen threw their wickets away!

Sadly, Karunaratne, despite being the only centurion in this Test, ended up on the losing side.

[am1m]

Fantastic fightback by Pakistan. Thought the Aussies would wrap up the match yesterday, but patient Test batting means there is a slight (very slight) chance of the other two results. And at least the match is on to day 5. Credit to the Aussie quicks to adjust so quickly and give themselves every chance of winning. But whatever the result, great Test batting by the two at the crease to drag this one out. It'll eventually end in an Aussie victory I guess, but hope this doesn't end quickly today!

[landcruiser123]

Calling a pitch 'poor' is very subjective. Same has been said about the pitches in Pakistan during the ongoing series. Unless the pitch is a under prepared minefield, there shouldn't be any complaints. After all, the players are playing Test cricket, which is the highest level of the game; A true test of mind and body irrespective of the conditions of pitch, temperature, dew, wind etc.

I wonder why nobody talks about batsmen applying themselves? Dimuth Karunaratne scored a superb 4th innings 100. In the recent India vs RSA series, the South Africans came on top working hard as a team (credit to Elgar and Petersen) while chasing two 200+ targets in 4th innings to win the series.

Truth is, most batters have techniques biased towards T20 and averages have been falling in Test cricket over the last 5-10 years.

[am1m]

What a Match this is! Who would have expected the Aussies to not wrap things up much earlier after such great bowling?! But what an epic from Babar and the other Pak batsmen. Still gripping Test cricket till the last few overs on the last day. As a neutral am on edge, can't imagine what it's like for an Aussie or Pak supporter. Either way, great Test match cricket!

Originally Posted by mazda4life

...and looks like it might end in a draw ( well deserved for both).

If it ends up a draw, I fear poor Cummins will get some flak for not enforcing the follow-on or for not declaring earlier. But I think that will be unfair.

[mazda4life]

Originally Posted by am1m

What a Match this is!

agree... was following the match with my daughter and looks like it might end in a draw ( well deserved for both). 3 overs remaining for Aussies to pick 3 wickets to win the match.

[NPV]

Pak vs Aus test ends in a draw on day 5 with Pak on 443/7, but what a superb batting show by Pak, they definitely kept Aus on the edge and denied them a win which is usually a foregone conclusion in such games when a team scores below 200 in the first innings and ends up chasing 500+ in the fourth innings - hats off to Babar Azam and Rizwan

[Emvi]

Albie Morkel joins Bangladesh as power-hitting coach. This is a new terminology as far as I am concerned.

News link

[landcruiser123]

In recent times, West Indies seems find another gear when England visit. They beat the former colonial masters 2-1 last time and are putting up quite a resistance this series too.

Tough to believe that it is (mostly) the same side India beat 2-0 (in WI) in 2019.

[dailydriver]

Surprised (and sad) to find very little mention of the ongoing Women's World Cup in the thread.

We have a realistic chance of entering the last four and even an outside shot at the trophy if the players find their rhythm back. Somehow, the team isn't able to translate it's potential into onfield performance.

Anything less than the cup will be a sub par ending to the long careers of Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami.

[Eddy]

I am following the cup, but not watching. It'll be a tough fight to reach the semis, and even if we do we are likely to face the seemingly unbeatable Aussies. Not too optimistic.

And I think Mithali has overstayed her welcome.

[pandey.jai]

It’s official now - the Bangalore pitch has been rated “below average” and the venue gets 1 demerit point.

The pitch for the second India-Sri Lanka Test in Bengaluru, which finished inside three days, has been rated as "below average" by ICC match referee Javagal Srinath.

An office bearer of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) in the past, Srinath felt "the pitch offered a lot of turn on the first day itself and though it improved with every session, in my view, it was not an even contest between bat and ball," as per an ICC media release.

source:ESPNCricinfo