[joslicx]

Originally Posted by WindRide

Iam sure Dravid asked to be sent in again knowing fully well anyone else going in would be akin to sending lambs to the sacrifical altar. Alas, his dismissal was very controversial.

No he was sent again as he was a set batsman. I dont think there is any need for any new conspiracy theories in that regard.

In any case he is a No.3 batsman and theoretically (and also practically) can be required to bat very early in the innings (as early as ball No. 2 if your opener gets out first ball). So he is/should be quite equipped to play at the start of the innings! There is no issue with sending Dravid to open the innings! I dont understand what the fuss here is about.

Dravid is right now the flavor of the month. He was coming from a bad spell himself (coming in to the WI tour) and wasnt even sure of his place on this Eng tour. Now he has scored 3 centuries! What a turnaround of fortunes for him!!!

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by joslicx

No he was sent again as he was a set batsman. I dont think there is any need for any new conspiracy theories in that regard.

In any case he is a No.3 batsman and theoretically (and also practically) can be required to bat very early in the innings (as early as ball No. 2 if your opener gets out first ball). So he is/should be quite equipped to play at the start of the innings! There is no issue with sending Dravid to open the innings! I dont understand what the fuss here is about.

Dravid is right now the flavor of the month. He was coming from a bad spell himself (coming in to the WI tour) and wasnt even sure of his place on this Eng tour. Now he has scored 3 centuries! What a turnaround of fortunes for him!!!

Dravid has been on a roll, ever since '09.

He has managed to score one century, at least, in almost every series since '09. That is commendable, especially for someone who was not really in form for a while. He is, undoubetly, the greatest batsman of today. I'd place him, right up there with Tendulkar, Ponting and Lara.

[WindRide]

Originally Posted by joslicx

No he was sent again as he was a set batsman. I dont think there is any need for any new conspiracy theories in that regard.

You wouldn't think so if you read today's TOI ("Dravid angry at being forced to open again", or something to that effect).

But then, i have always felt TOI talks from its backside more often.

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

Dravid has been on a roll, ever since '09.

He has managed to score one century, at least, in almost every series since '09. That is commendable, especially for someone who was not really in form for a while. He is, undoubetly, the greatest batsman of today. I'd place him, right up there with Tendulkar, Ponting and Lara.

On the contrary, this is sort of first AWAY series where he has really shined since 2009. He was quite good in NZ, but failed miserably (for a No.3) in SL and SA. Here is the record taken from Cricinfo:

(Only away series):
Against NZ (Mar - Apr 2009) : 66, 8*, 83, 62, 35, 60

Against BD (Jan 2010 ) : 4, 24, 111*, DNB

Against SL (July - Aug 2010) : 18, 44, 3, -, 23, 7

Against SA (Dec'10 - Jan' 11): 14, 43, 25, 2, 5, 31

SA was the last series before WI tour. I am highlighting away performance because people here seem to believe he is too good away from home.

On the contrary his home performances have been exceptional since 2009.

If you look at Tendulkar's away performances:

Against NZ (Mar - Apr 2009) : 160, DNB, 49, 64, 62, 9

Against BD (Jan 2010 ) : 105*, 16, 143, DNB

Against SL (July - Aug 2010) : 8, 84, 203, -, 41, 54

Against SA (Dec'10 - Jan' 11): 36, 111*, 13, 6, 146, 14*


No way I am denigrating Dravid's contribution but in recent times he has struggled away from home. England, though has always been Dravid's fav hunting grounds and he has proved that again (just like Aus seems to be Laxman's).

[karty_83]

Originally Posted by joslicx

No way I am denigrating Dravid's contribution but in recent times he has struggled away from home. England, though has always been Dravid's fav hunting grounds and he has proved that again (just like Aus seems to be Laxman's).

Totally agree with you on that. Dravid had not been himself in Sri Lanka and South Africa. He had done well at home but in those two away series he was below par.
This year though he has come back strongly with hundreds in the West indies and England.

No he was sent again as he was a set batsman.
There is no issue with sending Dravid to open the innings! I dont understand what the fuss here is about.

In normal circumstances yes, but yesterday was an exceptional situation. A one down batsman was asked to open because of an injury and he carried his bat through the innings. And when asked to follow on he was supposed to be back in 10 minutes and start all over again.
The poor chap was on the field from day one. Some one should have really stepped up and opened in the 2nd innings.

[SilentEngine]

Before this series India had never lost a test to a major team when Dravid scored a hundred. There was a hundred against Zim on a lost cause, but all other 32 resulted in a win or a draw.
This series though, he has been let down by his team mates. Even the best from Dravid wasn't enough.
For me, this series was over yesterday when he got out.

[karty_83]

Originally Posted by SilentEngine

Before this series India had never lost a test to a major team when Dravid scored a hundred. There was a hundred against Zim on a lost cause, but all other 32 resulted in a win or a draw.
This series though, he has been let down by his team mates. Even the best from Dravid wasn't enough.
For me, this series was over yesterday when he got out.

+1. Make that 4 now.
It isn't an uncommon sight to see one player excel while all others under perform in a test match.
But to have one player head and shoulders above the rest for an entire series is something else. Commendable effort but a total let down from the team.

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by karty_83

In normal circumstances yes, but yesterday was an exceptional situation. A one down batsman was asked to open because of an injury and he carried his bat through the innings. And when asked to follow on he was supposed to be back in 10 minutes and start all over again.
The poor chap was on the field from day one. Some one should have really stepped up and opened in the 2nd innings.

I quite do not see the point there! Isint Dravid used to playing really long innings and score double hundreds!! His highest score I think is 270. How long would he have batted then?

Dravid was the best person to open innings. He was very well set, momentum was with him as he was effortlessly making runs. In test cricket you are expected to bat long innings. People, including Dravid have batted two days continuously. Trash like TOI can say anything but this was one correct decision in my opinion. In any case if Shehwag or the other opener had gotten out (which has a fair chance given the form of our players right now), he would anyway have come very early itself!! I wouldnt consider the innings break as nothing more than a tea break or something!

And their are previous instances of openers carrying the bat thru the innings and then coming back in the next innings straightaway (because of follow-on.)

[Daewood]

Originally Posted by SilentEngine

For me, this series was over yesterday when he got out.

Did you notice that middle aged man who carried a placard yesterday which said "England Vs Dravid(The Wall)"
An article on that in The Telegraph.
The placard said it all: ‘England vs Dravid’

[SilentEngine]

Originally Posted by Daewood

Did you notice that middle aged man who carried a placard yesterday which said "England Vs Dravid(The Wall)"
An article on that in The Telegraph.
The placard said it all: ‘England vs Dravid’

Yes, saw that. Dravid vs rest of team wouldn't have been wrong either

BTW, some miracle happened. A whole session went by without losing a wicket.

[msdivy]

Great fight shown by Sachin in 1st session. Hope he doesn't give up in the 2nd & 3rd sessions, prevent the whitewash & secure India the 2nd place.

[NPV]

We seem to have found the unlikeliest star batsman - Amit Mishra scored 84 runs and with Sachin built the biggest partnership for India on this tour !
Now mini cololapse has begun and we're again left with a chance to get a complete whitewash
EDIT: @msdivy - Sachin's out too !

[carfreak77]

Yet another wrong LBW decision against Raina. Why are so many wrong decisions being made against Indian batsmen? I think its a tactic so that BCCI agrees to use DRS.

[mkh]

Bad luck for Raina- bad decision. Looks like many things conspiring to get india out :( That said, i wonder what would be the team morale if they enter the ODI with this big defeat? Hope the captain can save some pride and salvage a draw! Sad that sachin fell just 9 short - what a great innings it would have been to score the 100th 100 and save the match too! As someone said- when will sachin have a "Lara" innings!

[amitoj]

The only question that remains now is whether it is going to be an innings defeat or not?