The Cricket Thread

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by NinadJoshi

The punishment meted out to these players may be a bit extreme, I agree, but it is probably more about setting an example than anything else, at the cost of not losing much in the bargain.

It may surprise us to read that a woman with a burnt tongue was awarded millions after she sued McDonalds for not writing on their cups that the coffee inside is hot (!). But if you see the big picture you realize that the punishment to McDonalds is more of a warning/learning note to the entire industry.

This is a cricket team and not a sales team. You don't discipline players for not making a presentation!! You already have a demoralised lot and then you chuck them out for outrageous reasons!!! I though such stupidity happens only with the BCCI. Glad to know we have company

[NinadJoshi]

This is a cricket team that isn't exactly playing cricket, which is why the worried coach and desperate captain are trying to find out what is preventing them from playing cricket. We Indians face the exact same trauma when we tour ...England and Australia recently whitewashed us 4-0 each, and I am sure the Indian dressing room in Melbourne looked exactly the same as the Australian one looks right now at Mohali.

There seems to be a fixation on the "presentation" part. For one moment, replace "presentation" by "communication", which is what it is. I think it is perfectly alright for a captain and coach to ask for a self assessment from the team if it is not doing well...and this applies not just to cricket, it applies to any professional undertaking, be it an IT project or a construction project. If the project is not going well, you regroup and assess where you are. Nobody asked for a POWERPOINT PRESENTATION with rich slides. The players even had the freedom of simply walking up to the coach and talk for 5 mins. If the VICE CAPTAIN of the team fails to talk to the coach for 5/6/7 days about the state of the team and his own success (or lack of it) in it, it tells the coach that his head is not in the right place. Arrogance? possibly. Disinterest? Possibly. Whatever it is, it surely adds to the despair the team management is already facing from two successive humiliating defeats. A disciplinary action is not unwarranted, but how much to reprimand for this lack of discipline is another topic. The coach chose to sit out the players who did not seem to be interested in responding to a simple request for one match, which to me sounds perfectly fine.

Brydon Coverdale puts it nicely: http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine...ry/624584.html

[NMS]

Well,
Isn't this disinterest/indifference something that has come in as a package with the despair of losses faced in the 2 Tests?
Frankly I felt that this is more about the lack of communication than anything else.
And Watson of all the guys, I would have expected to have come forward and taken up some responsibility.
Is he doing another Symmonds?

On a lighter note, Zee News today seems to have cracked Aussie Code-Word for achieving victory in the next match. And apparently it is Ghaas-Late !! And only if Dhoni decodes this, he will be able to win the next match (Oh and he always has the option of asking Zee News about it)

[manolin]

mindblowing display of strokeplay from Shikhar Dhawan. A left handed offside player is the most beautiful sight in cricket - and as a friend commented on facebook - this is Ganguly ver. 2.0 with bug fixes for running between the wickets, pull shots and onside play.

[M35]

Originally Posted by M35

Shewag dropped from the Test squad.
S.Dhawn could be opening with Vijay.

Originally Posted by Oxy

Well if Dhawan gets a game now, it would be a wasted exercise to drop Sehwag. I can't see someone getting runs at test level who struggled against the West Indies A team. He is just not test material, God only knows why he got picked at first place.
.

Originally Posted by NPV

Agree, Rahane has good talent and better than Dhawan just hope he gets that push from the selectors.

Sorry guys.Better luck next time

Hard to think of any better innings on debut by an Indian.
S.Dhawan -100 runs in just 85 balls.The fastest hundred ever by a debutant in Tests.

[NPV]

Shikhar Dhawan proved a lot of critics and people who doubted his talent & selection wrong (including me, I always considered him a good ODI/T20 player not test cricket).
Fastest hundred by a debutante in Test cricket is no mean feat and it's against the Aussies

[NPV]

Bhuvaneshwar Kumar strikes again to get his third wicket - an awesome delivery that castled Steve Smith's off stump. Aus 55-3, are we on the way to witness an exciting result oriented finish to this match ?

[anekho]

Dhawan was brilliant and Vijay complemented him nicely. Real treat to watch them both bat. Some of those reverse sweeps that Dhawan played were extremely cheeky! Good stuff.

For those who missed the first part of the onslaught (4:58 onwards):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtSETxoEeVQ

[NMS]

What do you guys think, Are we going all out for a Victory or will Dhoni Call off the chase??

[Turbokick]

Because you dont always get chance to whitewash Australia 4-0

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by NMS

will Dhoni Call off the chase??

Well, Dhoni has called of chase when 86 was required from 15 overs with 7 wickets in hand in the match against WI.

[NMS]

Originally Posted by Turbokick

Because you dont always get chance to whitewash Australia 4-0

Absolutely with you on this one Mate !! Hope we see an all out attempt to win this one.

Originally Posted by msdivy

Well, Dhoni has called of chase when 86 was required from 15 overs with 7 wickets in hand in the match against WI.

I know and thats what has prompted this question !! I am just hoping Mr. Dhoni Makes and Exception

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by msdivy

Well, Dhoni has called of chase when 86 was required from 15 overs with 7 wickets in hand in the match against WI.

Well, that's almost 6 an over with 7 wickets in hand. He must have panicked when we lost those 3 wickets upfront and hence went safety first. Pretty understandable I would say.

In an ODI you'd go for it because there's no option of a draw there, but in a situation like that in a test match, you'd look pretty stupid losing after you decide to go for it. Specially when you are 1-0 up in the series, and losing would mean sharing the series 1-1, as it was in this particular case.

[NMS]

Originally Posted by Oxy

Well, that's almost 6 an over with 7 wickets in hand. He must have panicked when we lost those 3 wickets upfront and hence went safety first. Pretty understandable I would say.

In an ODI you'd go for it because there's no option of a draw there, but in a situation like that in a test match, you'd look pretty stupid losing after you decide to go for it. Specially when you are 1-0 up in the series, and losing would mean sharing the series 1-1, as it was in this particular case.

Agreed, however, don't you think that in a Test, we can go on a defensive at a very later stage as well. Say with 10 overs to go and Ishant and Ojha left to bat (ask VVS )

[PPS]

What is happening out there in the middle? Seems our team has shut shop & playing for a draw, atleast that is what appears looking at the scorecard online!
When will our team ever be ruthless!!
Are there 12 overs remaining or play will carry on till 4:30?