[PPS]

It was comical to see Dhamika Prasad charge behind Ishant when India wrapped up their innings. Do not know where this aggression of Ishant goes when we play Australia & South Africa. But his bowling in this match has been good to watch. Credit to the pitch curator as well for producing such a pitch!

[hemanth.anand]

Well played India!
Quoting from www.espncricinfo.com

India have an overseas series win after West Indies 2011, first series win in Sri Lanka in 22 years. And only the third time India have come back from 0-1 down in Test history! Also Virat Kohlis first series win as captain

[pratyush6]

Good pitches, fragile batsmen on both sides and some really good bowling made the series interesting.
Pujara probably played the best innings of the series. No-hit, though will still be preferred to him, after all, he has talent, Kohli, Shastri and Gavaskar backing him. Also, always felt this SL team was very very shaky; more than India.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

Good pitches, fragile batsmen on both sides and some really good bowling made the series interesting.
Pujara probably played the best innings of the series.

No-hit, though will still be preferred to him, after all, he has talent, Kohli, Shastri and Gavaskar backing him.

I was actually surprised to see that Nohit 'Talent' Sharma has scored more runs after Kohli from the Indian team in this series. And both of them were not in form (Kohli was better than the last series with a century and a 78 but still not at his best).
Centurions from India have either played only one match or played well only in that innings.
The position 1 and 2 for the most runs scored are by the losing team- Mathews and Chandimal respectively

In the bowling however, Ashwin and Mishra have succeeded in permanently closing the career of Harbhajan Singh with their good performances of 21 and 15 wickets respectively. Ishanth also did well with 13 wickets.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

I was actually surprised to see that Nohit 'Talent' Sharma has scored more runs after Kohli from the Indian team in this series. And both of them were not in form (Kohli was better than the last series with a century and a 78 but still not at his best).

Nohit scores enough runs to keep his head above water and his talent visible every time. I am amazed we still keep talking about his talent when we should be looking at cold hard statistics.

Of course you cannot question Kohli - he is the skipper now. He is too selfish a batsman to miss out for long. Yes, in England he would be found out most times as he has a very awkward technique for the seaming ball. My only concern with him would do the same things Ganguly did - keep playing his favorite players all the time, without any logic.

I was also surprised to hear that Sunny Gavaskar thought Ishant should have been the MoM - these guys will just do anything to keep Rohit in.

Really good article :
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine...ry/915851.html

Quoting this:

When he passed 50 in this innings, Sanjay Manjrekar asked Sunil Gavaskar on commentary if Pujara had done enough to regain his place in the team or whether he needed to clinch it with a hundred. Gavaskar's elaborately considered opinion was that in the current set-up, Pujara needed a 150 to be in serious contention. A century and a half? What team of titans was this? And what bastion of Bradmans was Pujara trying to breach?

[Oxy]

Pujara is 10 times the test batsman that Rohit can even dream to become. The new ball did the trick throughout this test and Pujara negotiated two new balls opening the batting in the first innings. This is no mean feat, specially when you consider he doesn't even open in domestic cricket.

I don't understand what Rohit has ever done to get this VVIP treatment. He is only living on the back of his two ODI double hundreds. Has done zilch in test cricket so far.

It's clearly the Mumbai lobby that is backing him. Manjrekar, Gavaskar and Shastri at the helm will ensure he is never dropped.

[Eddy]

Finally some action by the govt. It was long overdue

http://www.theunrealtimes.com/2015/0...-rohit-sharma/

[nkrishnap]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Finally some action by the govt. It was long overdue

http://www.theunrealtimes.com/2015/0...-rohit-sharma/

ROFL

Hillarious. The comments too are adding in their bit.

[NPV]

Good win for India, though SL seemed quite fragile on this tour (but still won the first test!).
To his credit, No-hit got a 50 in the second innings which was crucial in getting to the 250+ score.
Just hope, this "talent" doesn't cost "Che" his place in the team.

[mukul32]

And now, the team India batting coach, Sanjay Bangar, has come out in defense of the talented Rohit Sharma. Here is an extract from a Hindustan Times report of the same:

Indian cricket team's batting coach Sanjay Bangar on Monday urged Rohit Sharma's staunch critics to compare his intial Test career record with "any other cricketer" and be a bit "less harsh" on the stylish right-hander for some of his low scores. "If you look at the numbers, he has played 13 (actually 14) Test matches and scored 800-900 (870 runs) runs at an average of 40 (actually 37.82) with two centuries, four half-centuries. I think if his critics can go back and compare the first 13 Test matches of any other cricketer who has played for a while, I think they would probably be less harsh on Rohit," Bangar told ESPN Cricinfo in an interview.

"I think we are clear in our mind that we need to give enough time and opportunity for a player if we put him at a particular position before making the change. (Cheteshwar) Pujara was having a tough time, so he (Rohit) was given a fair run at No. 3. He batted very well in Sydney. He got starts in both the innings (53 & 39) but could not convert it into a big one." "After those five opportunities, we felt that moving him down the order would benefit the team more. And it also made sure that he got some time because he also had put a lot of pressure on himself to perform." "Somebody who constantly wants to contribute to the team's cause. And it worked out beautifully. In both the Test matches (P Sara and SSC), he played vital innings for the team," the dogged Railways batsman of yesteryears said.

Full article here: (http://indianexpress.com/article/spo...sanjay-bangar/)


I don't understand, what is Bangar's and the rest of the management's role here? Is it to shape Rohit's career, or to ensure the best combination on the field? They surely seem to be engaged more in the former here, the way they are putting up his numbers. It all seems an attempt to make Rohit more comfortable, to shield Rohit against the new ball, to allow Rohit to score easy runs.

And for the contrary, Pujara's numbers in his first 13-14 matches were notably better than those of Rohit. He even had a double hundred there. Rohit was never a bad batsman. Neither did anyone question his ability. But, in the test team, he is definitely not better than Pujara in the current scenario. Here, the management appear to want Rohit to succeed in all formats so desperately, that they are ready to do so at the cost of Pujara, Rahane and possibly another youngster who could be in the squad in Rohit's place.

Pujara and Rahane were fitting perfectly at number 3 and 5 respectively, and both were suddenly shifted or removed from their positions to make the talented boy Rohit comfortable. And yet, Pujara and Rahane were the ones who scored match winning hundreds to give India the series, and Rohit only had a fifty to show. Not that he batted badly, he stitched up a couple of vital partnerships too, but as Pujara would have needed 'at least a 150' to cement his place in the side, Rohit would also need 'at least a 120-ball 200' to showcase all his 'flair that he brings to the side' and to make up for displacing both Pujara and Rahane.

Actually, currently Virat Kohli, who is the skipper now, and also is in pretty good form, plays the same role in the side as Rohit would be expected to play - score quickly in the middle order and take the attack to the opposition. On top of that, there's Dhawan at the top who does a similar job as well. So now why Rohit? And now that Pujara is scoring runs, where is the room for Vijay once he will be fit? So now will another player be sacrificed in the hope that the 'talent' shows up some day?

And not that Rohit is the only one the team is carrying. Along with Rohit, there is also Rahul, who scored nothing after the hundred, the 'fifth bowler' Binny, who did nothing with the bat and hardly anything with the ball, and the wicketkeeper Saha, who repeatedly failed with the bat, save for the two good fifties. So that's FOUR underperforming players being carried in a young team at one time.

I'm not saying Rohit should not even be in the team, he can as well play, but not at 3, with five bowlers, a pure keeper and such a long tail. In fact, if five bowlers are to be played, (not Binny, please) Rohit must be the obvious player to sit out. The top five are too well set to be disturbed at all. So now it's the team management's call: either Rohit, their own favorite child, or the five-bowler lineup, their (actually only psychological) 'aggressive strategy', that they are now so fond of incorporating.

Similarly, Rahul is very promising and surely can be persisted with, but not purely as an opener, hence at the cost of Dhawan or Vijay. He has another option though. He looked so solid keeping wickets in Sri Lanka, he could play in the middle order as a keeper-batsman, and at 6 or 7 will find the going a lot easier as well. That would cover up the occasional blooper with the bat too. And being eight years younger to Saha, he could be in for a long, long run in the team.

And with Rohit in place of Binny and Rahul keeping, there becomes room for both Dhawan AND Vijay at the top, along with Pujara, Kohli and Rahane in the middle order fixed already, thus making it a seriously formidable batting order, capable of chasing down 300-350 kind of totals even against good attacks.

And that's the kind of batting they will need to outplay a side having Amla, De Villiers, Du Plessis, Duminy, Elgar, etc.

Ashwin/Mishra, Ishant, Bhuvi/Shami and Yadav/Aaron can form the bowling attack. Binny or Aaron as the 'aggressive' fifth bowler is a losing strategy.

[Eddy]

I didn't see Rahul keep, but was he good against the turning ball ?

We definitely should not be playing a makeshift keeper in test matches.

[mukul32]

Originally Posted by Eddy

I didn't see Rahul keep, but was he good against the turning ball ?

We definitely should not be playing a makeshift keeper in test matches.

He was quite good. Not near Dhoni, but hardly anyone ever is as good as Dhoni against spinners. But he took in awkward deliveries from Ishant and Yadav like it were a regulation job.

And he is quite young into his career. So he can be developed into a regular keeper. Need not be makeshift. Even deVilliers and Prior, two of the finest test keepers in the last decade were developed as keepers late on.

And I think a young player like Rahul would himself prefer to play in more games, given whatever role, rather than sit out and wait for injury or failure. And he is so good, he could be in for a very long haul in the future. That seems to be the best option for him according to me. And his Cricinfo profile says 'Fielding position: wicketkeeper' as well, even before this series. That's saying something.

Otherwise, considering Dhawan is 29 and Vijay 31, Rahul would have to live on little crumbs of matches here and there, or minnow series where seniors are rested, for at least the next 5-6 years.

[Marauder]

Originally Posted by Eddy

I didn't see Rahul keep, but was he good against the turning ball ?

We definitely should not be playing a makeshift keeper in test matches.

Originally Posted by mukul32

And I think a young player like Rahul would himself prefer to play in more games, given whatever role, rather than sit out and wait for injury or failure. And he is so good, he could be in for a very long haul in the future. That seems to be the best option for him according to me. And his Cricinfo profile says 'Fielding position: wicketkeeper' as well, even before this series. That's saying something.

He did a pretty good job and didn't make any major mistakes with the gloves but I don't think he should be looked at as a regular keeper. Being the designated keeper is different from being asked to keep as a makeshift keeper for a day.
It is similar to a lower order batsman being sent out as a nightwatchman, he may make runs but he may be found out if he is asked to bat at 6 or 7 regularly.

I think that is why Ashwin is not succeeding as a regular No. 7 even though he is quite a capable batsman.

Also, I don't think Dhawan's place is permanent as he has not made much runs outside the sub-continent.

There should only be 2 selection dilemmas ahead of the SA series IMO

-first is with the openers' slot; one out of Dhawan and Rahul. Second is the No.6 slot, where either India go with six batsmen and play Rohit Sharma, or they go with Binny and play 5 other batsmen(excluding Rohit)

[pratyush6]

We can keep debating about everything, there is only one constant - Rohit is indispensable, untouchable and the greatest batsman to walk on God's green earth!

Slightly seriously though - Don't think Rahul is good enough to be a permanent keeper, let alone in slips (he's dropped sitters). Vijay is my No.1 opener and then it depends on form - Dhawan or Rahul. I will not touch Rahane at 5. If the team is keep to play Rohit, then Kohli needs to take the mantle and go at 3, than Rahane and then Rohit.

Bhuvi is my all rounder, a hundred times better than Binny or anyone else. I wonder why haven't we played him? Maybe because he is another Pujara, keeps quiet and does his job? That is why Rahane gets pushed around too.

Kohli as a test skipper has been playing favorites from day1. Shastri along side him only makes him bolder. I really want to see him how he reacts when he is going to get a rough patch - everyone has one, remember. I hope he does not go around with his tail between his legs.

[anand_hc]

Kolhi & Shastri are acting as dictators. Nohit Sharma will be playing international cricket as long as he wants, period. With all that Bombay clout playing to their maximum on this.How quickly Pujara's 100 against Dale & Morkel in SA was forgotten and same time they forget Nohit's bad performance real fast..