[srishiva]

Originally Posted by joslicx

come on! That for the guy universally recognized as the best captain in international cricket at the moment!! Doesnt 2 WCs, leader of No. 1 ranked test side, couple of IPLs and a CL as well do enough for you? How is it Dhoni's fault if India from its 1B+ people can not produce a single world class bowler???

Test matches are won by bowling, not batting. Conversely, ODIs and T20s are batsmen game. In a test match, to win, you need to take 20 wickets. No other option. Unless we can find at least 2 really world class bowlers (on all kinds of pitches) we will feel these frustrations!

Who should be the captain if not Dhoni? Dravid ? Laxman? Tendulkar? Yuvraj? Bhajji? Shreesanth!!?

what are their credentials as captains???

Well, he can still win WCs, IPLs, CLs. His batting is so awful unless the ball keeps a straight line without much bounce. We have been no.1 side in Tests mostly because of our batting. And when when its time to play on true wickets we have batsmen dancing on the pitch (except a couple)

[karanraheja]

Originally Posted by amitoj

What do you guys think of Dhoni's decision to withdraw the runout appeal? Most people in my office are of the opinion that he should not have done so. As for me, i think it was a masterstroke from Dhoni to temporarily distract critics from his flaccid captaincy.

Frankly i appreciate Dhoni & Co.'s gesture here. But if you look at it from the rules point of view , Bell was too careless at that point . Morgan had gestured him atleast 3-4 times to get back . But Bell was too interested in his tea i guess. The umpire had not given signal for a boundary for Bell to assume it was. In the end atleast everything was done in right spirit.

[normally_crazy]

LOL quote of the day came from Rahul Dravid -

"Harbhajan is injured (very conveniently) and hence he cannot bowl. We were a bowler short for the 2nd test running ! "

Bowler ????? Was Dravid serious ?

[Eddy]

Think long term. I hope it turns out to be an ultra-serious injury

[suhaas307]

So the score is 519 for 7. They lead by a comfortable 450 odd runs. We've lost this match as well. Unless Dravid, Laxman, Yuvi and Sachin string some massive partnerships, I don't see us winning or drawing this test.

[anilisanil]

Originally Posted by amitoj

What do you guys think of Dhoni's decision to withdraw the runout appeal? Most people in my office are of the opinion that he should not have done so. As for me, i think it was a masterstroke from Dhoni to temporarily distract critics from his flaccid captaincy.

It is a PR stunt.

<rant> Well there are no mistakes in sports, what does Dhoni think? all batsmen get out because they want to? Getting out is always a mistake innocent or otherwise. It was plain stunt distract people. </rant>

[srishiva]

I think Dhoni can feel good that he is a atleast a very good non-playing captain !

[joslicx]

So the target is set! 478 in 160 odd overs with 10 wickets in hand. Dravid and Lax roll on the years plz!

[suhaas307]

England: 544 all out. They lead by a massive 477.

India have around 20 minutes before lunch and then 2 sessions left after that, apart from the 3 sessions at our disposal tomorrow.

Mukund already looks tentative. Nearly dropped when he faced the first ball of India's 2nd innings.

We need at least 3 players to be aggressive and play some shots. Yuvi needs to step and and Dhoni too. They are big match players and we need them to click. Laxman and Tendulkar are expected to deliver too. Fingers crossed.

[KRRaj]

Lol.. Even after being walloped most of the 2 test matches, people here believe in miracles. I predict a 3-0 or 3-1 walloping of India. IMO, they deserve it, too much money in sport nowadays. Apart from Dravid, not a single player did well. Harbhajan is such a waste of space in the team nowadays.

[kaushik_s]

When something unsavory happens we say it's against the spirits of the game. When someone does something in the spirit of the game we say it's PR stunt or that our captain is a non-playing captain and all that. Do we (armchair critiques) actually ever played the game itself in it's spirit or just that we've entered field as everyone else were doing so. We are behind our team and it's captain with a knife to stab at the opportune moment, no matter whether this is the team which brought us the pride of becoming the World Champions.

[Mr.Beat]

There goes the No.1 Rank to a better Test Team. A fitter India would have fought but England play as a better side especially in England

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by kaushik_s

When something unsavory happens we say it's against the spirits of the game. When someone does something in the spirit of the game we say it's PR stunt or that our captain is a non-playing captain and all that. Do we (armchair critiques) actually ever played the game itself in it's spirit or just that we've entered field as everyone else were doing so. We are behind our team and it's captain with a knife to stab at the opportune moment, no matter whether this is the team which brought us the pride of becoming the World Champions.

Top Post that!

You back your team thru the think and the thin! My heart says, we might draw the game, but now that the Wall has fallen, brain says, its lost case. Whether win or lose, I want us to play without fear for just this one time.

[srishiva]

Dravid and Laxman gone. Hope we last until after lunch tomorrow :(

[suhaas307]

13/2.

India has lost their no. 1 rank. These few days will be rather sad, for all Indian fans out there.