[harry10]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Sure can, but let us not forget our ability to apply past experience to a similar situation in the present or the future. What happened in the past is very very important - we lost a World Cup in that first over.

Moreover, it is just as important not to live in a fool's paradise - we tend to get carried away by one good performance when consistency is more important than brave words.

Nobody denies it.

Its just that our team have never been good at backing up hard talk with hard work. I would wait until the next couple of tests to comment on Zaheer's talk.

If i rem correctly Oz made 359 in that match and the first over was for 15 runs - Did the rest 344 came by magic or only Zaheer bowled in the complete match? India made around 242 while chasing inw hich only sehwag made 82, rest all failed (was that also Zaheer's fault?)

In recent time our team has been backing the hard talk with the performances as well. Check the stats for last 2 years and you will see the difference.
Moreover if anyone has read the article closely Zaheer only mentioned Oz was defensive and thats true - while batting they didnt batted as freely as they have in the past and also the run rate was below par of their usual one. Plus while India's batting they had put on defensive field right from the 3 over onwards with the deep cover and third man deployed all the time.
And a game between India and AUS without the war of words is kinda dull

[wanderlustindia]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Nobody denies it.

Its just that our team have never been good at backing up hard talk with hard work. I would wait until the next couple of tests to comment on Zaheer's talk.

Exactly my point. Someone started to comment right after Zaheer made this statement in the press. Its almost as if people are waiting to pounce upon whatever our cricketers have to say. If the Aussies say this, its aggression, if an Indian cricketer says it, he is going overboard.

I think India played with a lot of spunk to churn out a draw inspite of being overrun by the Aussies (courtesy bad bowling by the spin attack) on most occassions during the Test match. I think India has an enviable record against the Aussies to keep a war of words going on with them.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by wanderlustindia

If the Aussies say this, its aggression, if an Indian cricketer says it, he is going overboard.

No one said the Aussies are gods, did we? We dont care about the attitude of the Aussies - aggression - whoever said swearing at the opposition is aggression?

And please dont quote the press for heavens sake.

Do we need to give it back to the aussies the way they try and get on top of us? Isnt defeating them on the pitch more relevant. Actions speak louder then words.

What next pick up players who can swear better then the Aussies or better still swear in Aussie accent?

Also what he said was within the context of the match but what he implied was not the way a sportsman needs to act. We dont need to become aussies(as it is they have proved what bad losers they are), we dont need to try and match them.

[Steeroid]

This thread now seems more and more like one discussing an Aussie tour. Where were you guys all these days? It was almost boring in here!

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

This thread now seems more and more like one discussing an Aussie tour. Where were you guys all these days? It was almost boring in here!

Waiting for the Oz tour to start

Well i dont know how many people here play cricket regularly but i do (Every sunday i play matches) and this is how its been played. When the opposition swears at you then i dont see anyone bowing there head and walking away. You give them back and thats how the attitude should be and yes i agree the best way is to beat them fair and square but dont retreat when someone fires at you. After sydney Aussies know Indians had changed and will give abuses in exchange of abuses and thats why they dont abuse them much now. There so called Mental Disintegration technique has vanished!
Thats why i liked ganguly when he took off his shirt at lords and gave back to Flintoff

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by harry10

Well i dont know how many people here play cricket regularly but i do (Every sunday i play matches) and this is how its been played. When the opposition swears at you then i dont see anyone bowing there head and walking away. You give them back and thats how the attitude should be and yes i agree the best way is to beat them fair and square but dont retreat when someone fires at you.

Why stop at that? why not pull out one stump and hit on his head? Or should we wait for the Aussies to do it first and then the Indians should do it? Why do you need to swear back when the opposition is swearing at you?

I have played first class cricket for 4 years for my state, have been abused from ma to baap ki gallis from every bowler. We are the minnows of Ranji trophy but when one of us starts belting the likes of Kumble, Prasad or some of the big names down south, we have been sweared at. We never used to react - 2 reasons.

Firstly we were firmly told by our coaches that its not the part of our game and it is not part of your traning so dont get into it. A stare or long good look or just a wry smile is all we used to do.

Secondly if some of the big names we used to play against takes it personally our career is down the gutter for sure. The second point is not relevant to India - Aussie clashes.

If someone is swearing at you just pull your game a few notches more and show him who is boss without uttering a word. The swearing will stop on its own.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Why stop at that? why not pull out one stump and hit on his head? Or should we wait for the Aussies to do it first and then the Indians should do it? Why do you need to swear back when the opposition is swearing at you?

I have played first class cricket for 4 years for my state, have been abused from ma to baap ki gallis from every bowler. We are the minnows of Ranji trophy but when one of us starts belting the likes of Kumble, Prasad or some of the big names down south, we have been sweared at. We never used to react - 2 reasons.

Firstly we were firmly told by our coaches that its not the part of our game and it is not part of your traning so dont get into it. A stare or long good look or just a wry smile is all we used to do.

Secondly if some of the big names we used to play against takes it personally our career is down the gutter for sure. The second point is not relevant to India - Aussie clashes.

If someone is swearing at you just pull your game a few notches more and show him who is boss without uttering a word. The swearing will stop on its own.

I think its all about the perception and how mentally strong you are. Some people give swear in return of swear and gets out next ball and some just carry on playing better. Same way some does not reply and prefer replying by performance.
No harm in both ways as in the end only performance counts and not the aggression.

[Steeroid]

I HAVE to ask this:

Where is diabloo?

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by harry10

No harm in both ways as in the end only performance counts and not the aggression.

Both ways? there is only one way to play a sport if you actually are a sportsman. No other way.

If aggression dosent count then why bother. Get on with the game and leave the aggression to the overweight/sensationalizng writers, news broadcasters and keyboard experts.

Dont say it pumps your adrenaline by swearing at the opposition. That would be a big joke.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

I HAVE to ask this:

Where is diabloo?

Seriously. Can someone enquire about hi well being. He has been missing for quite some time now.

Bangalore guys ?

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

Both ways? there is only one way to play a sport if you actually are a sportsman. No other way.

If aggression dosent count then why bother. Get on with the game and leave the aggression to the overweight/sensationalizng writers, news broadcasters and keyboard experts.

Dont say it pumps your adrenaline by swearing at the opposition. That would be a big joke.

Read carefully i said Swear in return of swear. If you like being sweared and dont reply back your choice altogether. I dont

[harry10]

Aussie media slams Ganguly, ICC

As usual Oz media thinks there team has 11 Superman players who can take 6 wickets in 2 minutes of Ganguly's delay time. Wow!

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by harry10

Read carefully i said Swear in return of swear. If you like being sweared and dont reply back your choice altogether. I dont

On a cricketing field playing a game? Never. Its against my sportmanship, i was not taught to do that.

Dont generalise matters here we are in the Cricket Thread not arguing with some nutcase or mentally unstable person(not pointed at you but taking a parallel situation).

No one likes to be sweared at, how you react depends upon what you have learned in the course of living your life on earth. You swear back i dont.

[normally_crazy]

Lets stop talking about the off the field action for a while and talk about the complete failure of our 2 super star spin bowlers - after all this was a pitch where they were expected to crush the mighty Aussies - and what happened ?

I expected Amit Mishra to play simply because he turns the ball a long way but we played with 3 seamers and 1 spinner.

Did anyone notice Kumble bowl seam up @ 110 kmph consistently ?

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Lets stop talking about the off the field action for a while and talk about the complete failure of our 2 super star spin bowlers - after all this was a pitch where they were expected to crush the mighty Aussies - and what happened ?

I expected Amit Mishra to play simply because he turns the ball a long way but we played with 3 seamers and 1 spinner.

Did anyone notice Kumble bowl seam up @ 110 kmph consistently ?

Harbhajan did manage a bit in the Aussies 2nd innings, but not as effective. I think the Aussies have sorted him out to an extent that they read his flight very well now. Case in the point, try and see the feet movemet of Hussey and Ponting when they are facing him as against when they are facing Kumble or Sehwag. There is a wider less defensive stance.

As for Kumble - injury or no injury, Kumble is still not a spinner per se. What he is - is a tricky bowler and good at it. But now a days not sure whether its age or lack of interest but he dosent have the mind for it. He knows his limitations and tries to overcome them by being good of the seam. Surprisingly he is better on seamer friendly pitches rather then on spinner friendly pitches - yeah a very crazy thing to say, but then these are only my observations, i dont have any figures to support my claim too. Having played one Ranji game against him and being in the nets against his bowling this is totally my thoughts. Experts and folks more knowledgeable then me would know better.

I think it is more in the mind for Kumble then anything else. He has an awesome and enviable track record. He is a smart player and a good competitor. Not sure whether he is past his prime - no one can make a call on that other then the player himself, he knows best when he is past it and believe me it wont even show if he has.

PS: Above thoughts are purely mine. No offense meant to anyone. Neither do i think i am the know all of cricket. Just another passionate follower of the game which is much abused these days.