[hemanth.anand]

First two matches ended in 4 days.
This test has all the makings of ending in just 3 days.
The first time during this tour, tomorrow I get a chance to watch live on TV...and I don't think I'll watch it seeing the situation.

Indians are earning themselves the reputation of a team who bring out-of-form opposition payers back to form.

to say "I'm Sad" is just an understatement :(

[PPS]

Future of Indian cricket bleak, says David Warner - The Times of India

Let Warner come to India & face our spinners on our dustbowls. He's sounding a bit cocky!

Overseas teams have improved their game in the subcontinent by making so many trips here including the IPL. Maybe we should send our youngsters to play in the Australian domestic games, KFC T-20 bash,etc.

Originally Posted by neofromcapone

There is something wrong within the team. This is not a skill issue, this is a will issue.

Well said.

[faustus77]

Hi everybody
Manjul's cartoon in todays(13/1/2012) DNA newspaper sums up in a single sentence:
There is no rift.We unitedly perform poorly.
Regards

Moderators:If I cannot mention the cartoonist/newspaper please delete.

[carwatcher]

Originally Posted by PPS

Future of Indian cricket bleak, says David Warner - The Times of India

Let Warner come to India & face our spinners on our dustbowls. He's sounding a bit cocky!

IMO you are sounding more cockier than Warner as you are reacting on News article by none other than our great India's No.1 newspaper Times of India which is famous for sensationalising news stories. If you bother to read the news then I humbly request you to kindly also read the comments below that news, you will understand the mood of the nation. Even people writing against Warner are getting good number of "Disagree" than "Agree".

Overseas teams have improved their game in the subcontinent by making so many trips here including the IPL. Maybe we should send our youngsters to play in the Australian domestic games, KFC T-20 bash,etc.

Why I used the term "cockier" for you is due to the fact that you are counting on IPL, Big-Bash i.e. 20-20 to improve your skills, really have no words to comment.

You don't need an Einstein to tell you that what will happen to our Test team after Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman retire. What happened to the Australian team after Waugh, Gilchrist, Hayden, Langer, Warne, Martyn, retired within a short period is seen by everyone. If Dhoni says he will retire from Test after 2013, I ask why not should he. History will remember him as the captain under whom India achieved No.1 Test ranking. Who want to captain a Test team with No Sachin, Dravid and Laxman and Zaheer Khan, Sehwag and Harbhajan and Yuvraj singh at fag end of their careers. Infact he himself is not playing well so as to be relied upon in crisis. Can you even tell me names of Eleven potential players for a Test team. If you think Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh and Rohit Sharma as test ready then I think we are fooling ourselves. Our team is incapable of scoring 300 (even in last test where India scored 400, score was 288 when all recognised batsmen got out), taking 10 wickets and fielding and running between the wickets is most pathetic. Still we are confident of our dustbowls. If you want to gauge the importance of a set player in Test cricket just see the time gap between Gavaskar and next permanent opener Gambhir/Sehwag and also check the number of openers tried in between. Where is the Bench strength?
Also where is the will? Could India not saved the last Test against England in which last 5-6 wickets fell in quick succession and match was lost with only 3 - 5 overs were remaining. Either that was because of lack of will to play in insignificant matches (as series is already lost, same case in current test where series can't be won by India) or simply match-fixing as it won't make any difference if we lose 3-0 or 4-0, why not earn some quick money. Even West Indies walked with a draw. So my dear friend, even though we are all true Indian fans but as regards the future of this team I am sorry to state that "THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL IN BOLD LETTERS THIS TIME".

[Jeeper1941]

Oh dear God. It is so embarrassing to be an Indian team supporter in Australia right now.
This is going to be a 4-0 whitewash.

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by Jeeper1941

Oh dear God. It is so embarrassing to be an Indian team supporter in Australia right now.
This is going to be a 4-0 whitewash.

Seriously, my friend is onsite in Australia and he tells me that he is being teased for the Indian team performance there in the test matches.
Being a Indian team supporter is seriously getting embarrassing:(

[PPS]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

IMO you are sounding more cockier than Warner as you are reacting on News article by none other than our great India's No.1 newspaper Times of India which is famous for sensationalising news stories.

What is wrong with reacting to a news article? Which newspaper/news channel doesn't sensationalize stories nowadays! It is not some imaginary article by a journalist but words of David Warner.

Why I used the term "cockier" for you is due to the fact that you are counting on IPL, Big-Bash i.e. 20-20 to improve your skills, really have no words to comment.

How do you think the Raina's, Rohit Sharma's,etc improved their hitting skills?? By playing in the IPL! One of the reasons why Ashwin got into the team was due to his canny bowling in IPL! It wont do them any harm by playing in the Big Bash, domestic games in Australia. How often do they play on fast,bouncy pitches anyway.
Yes, i agree that it wont really benefit them in Tests but then is Test Cricket really their priority!

You don't need an Einstein to tell you that what will happen to our Test team after Dravid, Tendulkar and Laxman retire.

Before the series the sword was hanging on Ponting & Hussey. But they scored runs.

History will remember him as the captain under whom India achieved No.1 Test ranking.

No.1 test team on paper without winning in England,SA,Aus! Those stupid rankings were flawed from day 1. But then nobody was complaining & we used to celebrate/boast about our no.1 status.

Still we are confident of our dustbowls.

Do we have a choice? Those are our home conditions & our strength!

Where is the Bench strength?

We have bench strength but they are not effective enough!

as regards the future of this team I am sorry to state that "THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL IN BOLD LETTERS THIS TIME".

We complain about those same things over & over again when we are on overseas tours like how we should have fast, bouncy pitches at home, our batsmen cant tackle them,etc but then we forget them as soon as we do well back home. We might as well accept that we are not interested to do well abroad, we only want to do well at home!

[carwatcher]

Originally Posted by PPS

Yes, i agree that it wont really benefit them in Tests but then is Test Cricket really their priority!

I agree with your points but if Test cricket skills being discussed and the performance is being discussed then what is the need to drag 20-20 and ODIs at all.
The reality is that similar to pathetic movies like Housefull, Bodyguard, etc are praised just because they made money, news channel like Aaj Tak being given best channel award, Businessman like Balwa of DB realty being awarded young achievers, just same yardstick being used for 20-20. That says a lot about the current times we are living in. Why blame just cricketers where the whole world is running after quick money like never before.

[shuvc]

BCCI needs to armtwist ICC into changing the rules. India will get to bat 3 innings in each overseas test. Then .. maybe ..

... we'll get to play the 5th day !

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by _raVan_

Is anyone watching the match? Our team is getting hammered left and right by Warner. He is playing like its a 20-20 match and our bowlers are bowling like its a test match

And who gave him confidence to play like that ? No, not Mickey Arthur, but our own Sehwag. Now Sehwag needs some advice from the diminutive warner about how to play aggressive cricket.

Originally Posted by harry10

Ganguly was incorrect when he said indians have taken a step backward, IMO we have taken ten steps backward. Pathetic is the word which can summarize the effort of our players. 4-0 is inevitable now!

Ganguly was never right when he was playing beyond his time, no one took potshots at him or called for his head, but when it did happen, he did not look 5% of what he used to be, so let's leave out his banter so much as the grand daddy of selfish cricket Mr.Lord, Sir. Gavaskar who was not paid his due by the BCCI. If only BCCI had paid him his 5 Crores, he would have batted for India and made sure Sachin, Dravid, Laxman, Sehwag, Gambhir are better than all the nincompoofs in the OZ side who actually score runs and blamed the umpires, the crowds, the australian PM, President, the public, the beer etc., why the hell BCCI scrounged on a measly 5 Crores ?

Originally Posted by neofromcapone

This is not a skill issue, this is a will issue.
Dhoni is able to turn things around with the ODI team, which does not have the senior player.
This is how the pakistani teams used to implode, when they did not like their captain, and had in-camp fighting amongst themselves.
And this has gone all downhill from the day dhoni bowled a few overs in England.
And the sad part here is, it is we the fans who have to be disappointed every single time. Not Cool. play for the country not yourselves guys.

I agree with you Capone, but I also feel there is more to it than meets the eye.

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

The first time during this tour, tomorrow I get a chance to watch live on TV...and I don't think I'll watch it seeing the situation.
to say "I'm Sad" is just an understatement :(

Don't worry about that, just watch the game, there will be quite a few moments where you will feel proud, I still hope that Kohli and Dravid would do something (cannot save the match) to bring back some pride.

Originally Posted by carwatcher

If you want to gauge the importance of a set player in Test cricket just see the time gap between Gavaskar and next permanent opener Gambhir/Sehwag and also check the number of openers tried in between. Where is the Bench strength?

I agree to most of what you have said, but will never ever compare gavaskar with sehwag, it is like comparing chalk with cheese, gavaskar was very very good technically as well as being equally selfish and will never ever give up his own record for the team whereas we all know (the whole world knows) that sehwag will blast every ball he sees without bothering about his score being 99, 199 or even 299.

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Seriously, my friend is onsite in Australia and he tells me that he is being teased for the Indian team performance there in the test matches.
Being a Indian team supporter is seriously getting embarrassing:(

Maybe we should do the same when the aussies get walloped here in our conditions, only difference is that there aren't many aussies working here. LOL

[karty_83]

I have a strong feeling that Dravid and Kohli will score a hundred tomorrow Third day pitch should be the best to bat on. If they come good then anything can happen in this test.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by karty_83

I have a strong feeling that Dravid and Kohli will score a hundred tomorrow Third day pitch should be the best to bat on. If they come good then anything can happen in this test.

Eternal optimistic indian fans,arent we
I just wish this comes true tommorow though and we can atleast restore some pride.

[download2live]

Apologies in advance to people who will get offended by my post.

I am amazed at the sheer naivety of people!!!!
Guys open your eyes please.
It is what it is.
Wake up and smell what is being shoveled.

Cricket is only about money today.
BCCI, ICC and our cricketers want flat pitches, short boundaries and not so tiring short 20-20 matches.
Bowlers will bowl straight and batsmen will hit sixes and we like morons will cheer.
All the while marketing machine buzzes away merrily. And mints money for corporate masters and BCCI and ICC and of course cricketers. Fans can take a walk.

Any place where the pitch is a bit green, has bounce, carry and helps the seamers, Indians will be roasted.

And this is what is happening. I am amazed at why people are getting offended at Indian Team performance. Are we that stupid as not to see what is happening!!

I know I will be offending a lot of people but in my defense all I can say that I "used to be a fan". That was before Modi came, that was before actresses started owning cricket teams and that was before cheerleaders came.

Maybe I am politically incorrect but I say what I feel.

[carwatcher]

Originally Posted by download2live

Cricket is only about money today.

When Mr. Modi proudly said that he wanted to create (or copy) a league which will be looked upon by all the world with Envy, what were you and we all expecting.
Cricketainment is the word.
Also would like to hear how were you feeling when Mr. Dalmiya was running the show.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by download2live

Apologies in advance to people who will get offended by my post.

I am amazed at the sheer naivety of people!!!!
Guys open your eyes please.
It is what it is.
Wake up and smell what is being shoveled.

Cricket is only about money today.
BCCI, ICC and our cricketers want flat pitches, short boundaries and not so tiring short 20-20 matches.
Bowlers will bowl straight and batsmen will hit sixes and we like morons will cheer.
All the while marketing machine buzzes away merrily. And mints money for corporate masters and BCCI and ICC and of course cricketers. Fans can take a walk.

Any place where the pitch is a bit green, has bounce, carry and helps the seamers, Indians will be roasted.

And this is what is happening. I am amazed at why people are getting offended at Indian Team performance. Are we that stupid as not to see what is happening!!

I know I will be offending a lot of people but in my defense all I can say that I "used to be a fan". That was before Modi came, that was before actresses started owning cricket teams and that was before cheerleaders came.

Maybe I am politically incorrect but I say what I feel.

Apologies accepted d2l, and you are not wrong in most of what you have said, but this is not about modi or the actresses or the cheerleaders, that was IPL, surely you are not suggesting that Laxman, Dravid and Sachin got lured into that "money" and actresses and forgot their national duties ?

IMHO, whether these 3 perform or not, they are the role models for all of us Indians, especially for people like you who think that they are only thinking of making money, actually YOU sir are the typical Indian cricket fan, you let a cheater like Modi and some actresses to make your decision. Thanks.