[NPV]

South Africa seem to be poised to score 400+ will this be a royal thrashing for India ? Hope that doesn't happen would be a bad way to lose the series

[pratyush6]

Absolute breathtaking batting from ABD. This was such a treat to watch. Our bowlers literally were sitting ducks!

[PPS]

Sad to see Bhuvneshwar Kumar has turned into Irfan Pathan! Both at their peak relied on swing to get wickets. Experts always wished they had that extra yard of pace to be more effective. Bhuvneshwar now has that extra yard of pace but he has lost his swing just like Irfan did.
He conceded more than a 100 runs today. He has also failed to pick up any wickets in the first 10 overs in this entire year. Sad he's going to fade away just like Irfan did if he continues this way!

[NPV]

South Africa unleashed terror on the Indian bowlers - 4 centurions in all, 3 batsmen and one Indian bowler Bhuvaneshwar Kumar scored centuries
At the end of the innings the expressions on the faces of Sanjay Bangar, Ravi Shastri, Dhoni and Kohli were that of shell shocked people, priceless !!
Let's see how close to that total India can get to

[adi_gt]

Loosing by 150 runs can be considered as a respectable loss. What a pathetic bowling by India. It seemed as if it was some club side bowling. Fulltoss, half trackers, long hops everything was on display.Really outplayed.

[joslicx]

Now what are the chances of Messers D/L being called into employment here? That seems to be the only way India can win this one

[carwatcher]

What is now MSD waiting for, a pre-announced farewell series like SRT.
To give an idea, India hasn't played Zimbabwe for a while but I doubt whether India could win that one too.

There was a time when even if we are chasing 438 we could count on our batting line up, but now as soon as Rohit Sharma and Kohli got out, it was all over. Not that Rohit Sharma is equal to Kohli but just by him being an opener, he can be expected to play a substantial part in chasing otherwise apart from Kohli no one has it in him including MSD.

MSD should "retire and immediately be appointed as the coach of the Indian team" just like in the accident news "the driver was arrested and was immediately released on bail."

Rahane's innings reminded me of Dravid's century in chase in Independence Cup match in Chennai where Saeed Anwar made 194.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by adi_gt

Loosing by 150 runs can be considered as a respectable loss. What a pathetic bowling by India. It seemed as if it was some club side bowling. Fulltoss, half trackers, long hops everything was on display.Really outplayed.

Was it pathetic bowling or great batting .. It was a bit of both really. I do not think India bowled badly, Yes, call me crazy but the bowlers were okay untill ABD unleashed a storm - and he can do that against anyone. Remember Steyn getting pulverized?

Originally Posted by carwatcher

What is now MSD waiting for, a pre-announced farewell series like SRT.

To give an idea, India hasn't played Zimbabwe for a while but I doubt whether India could win that one too.

There was a time when even if we are chasing 438 we could count on our batting line up, but now as soon as Rohit Sharma and Kohli got out, it was all over..

MSD should "retire and immediately...

Rahane's innings reminded me of..

There is so much cynicism in your post. I can put up arguments against all your points, but I guess, you simply read to read your post to understand it best.
And yeah - chasing 438? Seriously? You would have needed someone to get a double hundred and even that might not have been enough.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

What is now MSD waiting for, a pre-announced farewell series like SRT.

I think you are being too harsh on MSD! Just like how he decided to suddenly retire in Tests, he will bid adieu in similar fashion in ODI's. He can't do anything on a flat pitch with mediocre medium pacers who have no control over their line & length! Unfortunately the pitch did not grip much rendering our spinners ineffective. A few catches were dropped to make matters worse.
We were beaten by a far superior side! SA batsman are familiar with Indian pitches now thanks to the IPL.
400+ to chase against a very good bowling is asking for a miracle!

[harry10]

Get ready for same treatment in tests also.
The real problem lies in selection of team.

Dhawan is overrated and doesn't justifies his place as an opener.
Raina is plain rubbish. Has always been. The way he got out yesterday not even kids get out that way. He is clearly psyched about short pitch bowling.
Mohit Sharma is medium pace and can neither swing or make the batsman fear.
Bhuvi was brilliant but Shastri has ruined him by asking to bowl faster and around the wicket which makes him completely ineffective. He may become another Irfan pathan now.

The only positive has been Rahane and to an extent Rohit sharma.

I will again say Msd is way past his prime. He can still play but we need strong hitters down the order which we don't have and we won't get any cos you know trying new players is a taboo till Msd and his favirites are there.

[carwatcher]

Though my post has been partly answered by the next to next post of yours. I would add few points.
My harsh post was kind of immediate reaction to the loss, now that thing had sunk in, so I can be less harsh.
When the first time in the history of ODI cricket three centuries were scored in an innings are you aware which team did that, it was India. On Indian pitch which was flat and they did it against Australia while CHASING 350+ and they did it in around 37-38 overs IIRC.
Now I very well know that 438 can't be chased daily but if a team and it's captain is very well aware that their only strength is batting, they have to explain the reason of such atrocious batting display on such a flat track. Also Team India is very very famous for chasing and are often claim to "Chase down anything".
You may not accept but I am sure too much politics also happening behind the scenes since the BCCI is going through major administrative reshuffle otherwise why did we are getting news that different pitches being prepared than what were "ordered".

Now coming to MSD, even if he played out 50 overs yesterday my post would've been less harsh. After all he is very famous for showing common sense, doing the basics right etc.
Few years ago, there was serious problem was of Lack of Killer Instinct which is sorted out, but after T20 there is new problem of not willing to spend time on crease.

I also remember, in case few have forgotten, the same MSD on the same very ground did something maverick in the WC Final to make India win. So he is clearly past his prime.

I respect MSD for all his achievements and getting India accolades which we could only dream of but if someone likes to receive praise from the fans, he should be ready to accept criticism too sometimes.
I personally also feel that his body is giving up but he is really a MAN who gives 110% always but nothing is permanent.
In automobile parlance, we all want to drive MTs but after seeing the traffic, forced to go for ATs. Same applies to Dhoni wrt his body.

Originally Posted by pratyush6

And yeah - chasing 438? Seriously? You would have needed someone to get a double hundred and even that might not have been enough.

Originally Posted by PPS

I think you are being too harsh on MSD! Just like how he decided to suddenly retire in Tests, he will bid adieu in similar fashion in ODI's.

[msdivy]

There were 111 dot balls in South African innings. SA scored 438 in around 189 remaining balls. Though Indian bowlers bowled the dot balls, when SA scored, they scored big. This could be that Indian bowler bowled rank howlers when they were not bowling dot balls. Or there was no help from the pitch. Little help from the pitch would have desisted batman at attempting big shots at marginally off balls.

I blame the pitch and BCCI policy on pitch. There has to be some help to the bowlers from the pitch, which will put a bit of hesitation in the minds of batmen before they attempt shots.

A good ODI pitch has to produce 260~280 on average and with exceptional batting, the team would cross 300. But yesterday's Mumbai was designed to produce 350 and with some luck (dropped catches, missed run-outs, bad fielding & good hitting), the team went past 400.

Unless BCCI directs all its associations to produce competitive pitches, any team which wins toss and their batmen in form, will again belt 400+. And the match, dead after 1st half.

[hemanth.anand]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

When the first time in the history of ODI cricket three centuries were scored in an innings are you aware which team did that, it was India. On Indian pitch which was flat and they did it against Australia while CHASING 350+ and they did it in around 37-38 overs IIRC.

I got your message but factually you are wrong.

3 Centuries in an innings has only been done twice and both the times by SA.
The first time it was done in January this year against WI Amla, Rossouw and ABD(fastest 31-ball century)

The match that you are talking about, Dhawan was out for 95 and Rohit scored 141 along with Virat who scored a 100

[PPS]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

but if a team and it's captain is very well aware that their only strength is batting, they have to explain the reason of such atrocious batting display on such a flat track.

Batting wasn't our strength in this series atleast. No. 7 can't bat. Dhawan & Raina weren't getting runs which put too much pressure on the other 4. Our tail can't put up any resistance either. It was the spinners which did well in the series.

Also Team India is very very famous for chasing and are often claim to "Chase down anything".

We could on a flat track with batsman in form which isn't the case now!

I personally also feel that his body is giving up but he is really a MAN who gives 110% always but nothing is permanent.

He is still fit & can outrun some of the younger players in the team.

Originally Posted by msdivy

Unless BCCI directs all its associations to produce competitive pitches, any team which wins toss and their batmen in form, will again belt 400+. And the match, dead after 1st half.

The pitches were good in this series barring the last ODI. There was a contest between bat & ball.

[carwatcher]

Slightly disagree, the match is not dead after 1st half. Not very long ago, SL almost chased 400+ against India, the match I mentioned earlier where 'almost' 3 Indian batsmen scored 100s while chasing and the famous chase where SRT scored 175 and India lost comes to mind, there are many more. In the age of T20 it can't be said straightaway that match is dead after 1st half.
Its the team that is in complete disarray.

Originally Posted by msdivy

Unless BCCI directs all its associations to produce competitive pitches, any team which wins toss and their batmen in form, will again belt 400+. And the match, dead after 1st half.

Thanks for correcting me.

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

I got your message but factually you are wrong.