[NPV]

Tomorrow’s first session is key - if New Zealand taunt us with the last wicket partnership it will impact us from morale perspective as well as additional runs which will be too precious. Also, our batting in the first session has been suspect, so that can be detrimental as well. Fingers crossed!

[harry10]

I43 is already a good score to defend on this pitch where ball is turning like anything. India may still win or lose it. Irrespective, decision making from management is absolutely clownish.

1st Test-
Batting first in those conditions decided the outcome. 2 decades of playing and still both Rohit and Gambhir can't judge the conditions.

2nd Test-
Playing Akashdeep when 4 spinners were needed to play. Akashdeep didn't even bowl a single over in 2nd innings.

3rd Test-
Playing Siraj when again 4 spinners were needed. Siraj again hasn't bowled a single over in 4th innings. Could have played Axar instead who has Stupendous record in India with the ball and keeps saving team with the bat.

Rohit is a bad test captain which is always evident but Gautam Gambhir has fast turned into a useless coach making illogical cricket decisions, like sending Siraj as a nightwatchman when you have Washington and Jadeja/Ashwin who could have easily seen out the day. Then they play Sarfraz at 8 who is the Century maker from the team this series. It was evident how low on confidence Sarfraz was when he came into bat. You do not treat a youngster who is also a specialist bat like this. People can mock Ganguly as much but he was an excellent captain who turned new players into match winners by playing them at the right place.

I have very low hopes of BGT now as this management is a joke.

[jkrishnakj]

I can't stop thinking that the team isn't a 'one' unit ever since Gambhir is at the helm. I've hardly seen any footage of him speaking with any player unlike the previous coaches. All we see is a grumpy Gambhir sitting in one position all day long.

Is he the new Greg Chappel?

[VWAllstar]

Just like how players go through domestic circuit, coaches too need to go through domestic/ Ranji team coaching. A good player cannot necessarily become a good coach. We have seen this time and time again. These losses do not really pinch hard to the current players. Soon there will be an IPL auction and everyone will talk about crores. So far Gambhir has got some wrong records to his name as a Coach however I will still hold myself from heavily criticizing him yet. Hope we come together and gather our strengths to play against the Aussies. Pujara & Rahane have been shown the door too early.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by VWAllstar

So far Gambhir has got some wrong records to his name as a Coach however I will still hold myself from heavily criticizing him yet. Hope we come together and gather our strengths to play against the Aussies. Pujara & Rahane have been shown the door too early.

Please check the average of both Pujara and Rahane for their last 2-3 playing years. They rightfully got the boot as should happen with both Rohit and Kohli but they are bigger names with bigger PR and bigger marketing stuff behind them. So, don't expect a change.

Gambhir has done zilch since his appointment. In fact he has made an invincible team at home lose to a NZ team who is missing their biggest batter (Williamson) and an average bowling line up.

Yes, coach can't make batsman bat and bowlers bowl like he wants too. But he atleast can make right selection calls about the playing 11 and toss conditions. Even a club level player like me can tell Pune pitch and especially this pitch demanded 4 spinners to play. Dropped Siraj in pune game but picked him again here when he clearly has been absolutely mediocre since last year. Unless he makes some harsh calls for BGT it will be the same as this series or even worse.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by harry10

Please check the average of both Pujara and Rahane for their last 2-3 playing years. They rightfully got the boot as should happen with both Rohit and Kohli but they are bigger names with bigger PR and bigger marketing stuff behind them. So, don't expect a change.

Gambhir has done zilch since his appointment. In fact he has made an invincible team at home lose to a NZ team who is missing their biggest batter (Williamson) and an average bowling line up.

Yes, coach can't make batsman bat and bowlers bowl like he wants too. But he atleast can make right selection calls about the playing 11 and toss conditions. Even a club level player like me can tell Pune pitch and especially this pitch demanded 4 spinners to play. Dropped Siraj in pune game but picked him again here when he clearly has been absolutely mediocre since last year. Unless he makes some harsh calls for BGT it will be the same as this series or even worse.

Selection of team is not just the Coach's prerogative. I agree that the selection and understanding of the pitch/conditions has been below par. Regarding Pujara and Rahane, their stats have been poor however not as bad as Rohit & Virat. Moreover, both have had a decent run in the recently completed domestic tournament. If PR, Media and past performances keeps a player in the playing XI then we better be doomed for good. Siraj is an utter waste of a bowler, be it Test, T20 or ODIs. Not sure why he is regarded highly by the Management. I read that India vs India A test match has also been called off to prevent injuries. So eventually we will see the same playing XI down under. Bhumrah, Akashdeep and Siraj

[how_you_doing]

Let's wait for the series to be over before making judgments. I actually will wait for the BGT and Champions trophy to be over to comment on Gambhir, Rohit, and Kohli. Let's not make reactionary decisions.

Indian bowling did alright IMO, but it was the batting that failed 4 out of 5 times. 1st inning in Pune was worse than 1st inning in Bengaluru. The current team can not play spinners. We need a spin coach and specialist batsman to play spin.

We can't ask Rohit and Kohli to step down now but it looks like their time in Test is over. Age is catching up and it is not easy to stay focused with so much cricket. I still think India can make it to the WTC final with some luck. India is still no. 1 in the points table. I think only South Africa and Sri Lanka can come close but there are good chances that they will also lose points.

India looks to be settled in the T20, and India looks good in the ODI too, it is just that in tests we lack batsmen with temperament. We need someone like Laxman, Dravid, or Pujara who is a test specialist.

[AtheK]

If Kohli and Rohit fail today and are not able to take us through the line, they should on moral grounds step down, but we all know there are no moral grounds they just want money and glory.

We got lucky with T20 WC final, where SA lost it more then we winning it, or we would have still been seeing them preparing for next iteration, seems they are thinking on same line for WTC.

While Gambhir can be called out to put some sense in captain mind, our captain himself is a non starter in test arena, he has just been kept pushing. Also a call out to BCCI, such crap pitches, today is third day of the match and it seems like it is 5th day last session pitch, so very sad.

[SoumenD]

And there goes our walking wicket. How long before management realises Rohit is not fit for tests let alone captain the side?

Originally Posted by AtheK

If Kohli and Rohit fail today and are not able to take us through the line, they should on moral grounds step down, but we all know there are no moral grounds they just want money and glory.

As expected they failed miserably but will they step down ever? Hell No.

Edit: It’s funny how our batsmen are struggling against spinners in India. And they are getting out to idiotic shots more than good balls. Sarfaraz’s shot was absolutely terrible.

Now it’s upto the usual suspects Pant, Jadeja, Ashwin & Sundar to save us.

[NPV]

18/3, looks like it’s all over for India! Rohit, Shubman, Kohli gone. Talk about Hara-Kiri and this is it

28/4, Jaiswal out!
29/5, Sarfaraz out!

Someone tell me this just a bad dream

[AtheK]

Absolutely Disgusting!! Shambolic Performance.

Originally Posted by SoumenD

As expected they failed miserably but will they step down ever? Hell No.

Edit: It’s funny how our batsmen are struggling against spinners in India.

Now it’s upto the usual suspects Jaiswal, Pant, Jadeja, Ashwin & Sundar to save us.

28/4 now, this is such a sad state of affair. 7 overs and 4 down, New Zealand has been absolutely amazing. The way Kohli walks out is like he is some Don Bradman, even Pakistan selectors dropped Babar, but our selectors wanted to announce a team much before the series ended.

Make it 29/5, sweeping a full toss to be caught, this is just madness.

[NomadSK]

Gambhir the full time politician and part time cricketer, Please continue with left right combination and Sarfaraz at no 8.

This is utter shameful for Indian cricket.

Crumbling like pack of cards - millionaires can't play spin, can't play swing, lets get flat runways to play on. 29/5, next what ?

Please change the players and specially the nincompoop coach before heading for BGT. Get Chandrakant Pandit a shrewd coach on board.

Glenn Philips and Santaner will thank India for making them stars.

Now we realize the Shastri/Kohli combination.

[Mumbaiker]

Indians are "paata wicket" players. They just cannot comprehend spin bowling. Its a disaster. If a white wash in India doesnt roll heads, nothing will.

[rajeevsulu]

This is how the cookie always crumbles!! For too long, we were beating visiting teams preparing bad wickets. Payback time!

[jkrishnakj]

What's inside the heads of our great pride of a batting line up? What's inside the head of the head coach. The support staff seem alienated. The players are indifferent. The Kohli-Gambhir saga isn't something that will ease out over a trivialised press conference. The 16cr + IPL earning
Players care two hoots. We already heard that 'it's ok if we lose a couple of matches' kind of an attitude from no-hit captain.

Pat Cummins will be grinning and eager to have a go at us in BGT. The sledging will be very hard from them this time, making sure they remind us of our shambolic show against NZ.

Pathetic, to say the least.