[PPS]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

The curator has to be blamed more for this. it is a pathetic pitch when it starts to turn in the first hour itself.

As soon as the ball starts turning square in the very first session, the opposition automatically comes into the game. Against England i don't think any of the pitches started turning in 1st session, most of them were flat pitches which deteriorated.
I really don't think its that bad a pitch. While Jadeja was bowling it got boring after a while to see him get so much of turn outside the off stump & beat the bat, he could have tried bowling over the wicket perhaps.

All said and done, a loss once in a while is very good or else people will start feeling invincible.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Answer 1 - Simply no place for him in the middle order. Who will you drop ? Certainly not Rahane.

I am yet to see Rahane perform at home. He has done well away from home, but somehow he seems unable to handle spin in our home conditions, which is strange for an Indian batsman.

Kohli lost the plot when they were 205/9 in the first innings and he decided to take the new ball, which leaked 50 extra runs. Then while batting, he chased the second ball he faced, a wide one, and got caught behind. I am specially peeved at Rahul for throwing away such a good start with that needless hoick, he was the one who triggered the collapse.

But still, no excuse for a dismal batting performance like that. Yes it's turning, but it's not impossible to bat in there if you dig in and apply yourself. Smith is showing us now how to bat here, and Renshaw showed us the same in their first innings.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by Oxy

I am yet to see Rahane perform at home. He has done well away from home, but somehow he seems unable to handle spin in our home conditions, which is strange for an Indian batsman.

He is among the few that can bat overseas, all the more reason that he should be a regular in the side anywhere.

That said, an average of ~42 after ten matches at home is not that bad either.

http://www.howstat.com/cricket/stati...?PlayerID=3889

[vibbs]

Hold on guys, we will be seeing a decisive innings from Rahane along with yet another double century by Kohli in the fourth innings.
This match is in our kitty. At times you do need to work hard for your wins.

[Vigkey]

It has become a habit for Indian batsmen to struggle against rookie spinners in home tests. We prepare some rank turners where our bowlers do well but all of a sudden an unheard foreign spinner wreaks havoc and the weakness of our batters are exposed. They become sudden heroes and fade into oblivion after that one series. This surrender by India to O'Keefe is no different but the collapse was something very rarely seen - Last 7 falling for 11 is not very common for India at home. Some ordinary batting and excellent catching helped the Aussies claim a decisive advantage in the first innings. Starcs exploit helped them even better - Another instance of India letting the opposition's tail wag.

Poor catching from the Tamil Nadu openers did not help India much in the second innings - both dropped two catches each. On a pitch where some of world's best players of spin - Vijay, Kohli, Rahane failed, Smith and Co are showing how to play the world's best spinners on a rank turner - Ashwin and Jadeja.

Australia might get all out in another 50 runs if the spin trio or pace duo can do some magic. But that is not it, chasing 350 is going to be no mean feat. Kohli double ton, Rahane ton are all good hopes - definitely possible - its the probability that is against India.

Australia told they will bring in only one edge of the bat into picture while batting against the Indian spinners and were pretty successful doing that. India will also have to bat with a purpose and determination against the Aussie spin duo to make it look like a contest. Let us wait to see what is in store this morning!

[Sawyer]

Yes, getting badly stung by our poor pitches isn't something new; we aren't quite the masters of spin we like to think we are.

But this also happens elsewhere, England have often lost badly on green tops.

It will be interesting to see the character of the team in the second round. I can't see us saving the match, but that doesn't mean character cannot be displayed.

But it must be said that this was a very badly prepared pitch for which there needs to be some accounting, irrespective of the result.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

But it must be said that this was a very badly prepared pitch for which there needs to be some accounting, irrespective of the result.

Yes agree fully to that. It might be tempting to say that wickets such as this give a lot to the bowlers which is good for the game. But in reality, pitches that crumble from day one make the game too much of a lottery.

That said, having looked at the highlights yesterday, Indian batsmen are themself to be blamed for the debacle except for a couple of brilliant catches (contrasting with the number of lives Indians gave to Ausies)

[NPV]

Aus just lost the 6th wicket that of Mathew Wade but he did struggle a bit before getting out and survived close calls - if only India had reviews left!

In both innings they've run out of reviews in under 50 overs, so this could be a new problem. If Virat Kohli and team do not learn to make judicious use of the DRS, they may end up losing close matches. Knowing Australians, they will mostly not walk themselves, especially when the situation is close.

And India's fielding suddenly seems to have dropped a few notches down

[NPV]

Originally Posted by vibbs

I think Australia will be all out by Tea tomorrow with a second Innings score of around 300. That would give India around 450+ to chase in the fourth Innings with two days and a session in Hand.

KL Rahul, Vijay and Pujara will get 50 odd, Kohli yet another double and Rahane will score a hundred.

So far so good with the first part of your prediction, AUS are 285/9

Waiting for the rest of your prediction to unfold, what a win that would be!

Edit:AUS 285 all out, IND need 441 to win.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by NPV

So far so good with the first part of your prediction, AUS are 285/9

Waiting for the rest of your prediction to unfurl, what a win that would be!

Edit:AUS 285 all out, IND need 441 to win.

Yeah 10 odd runs less and one more session at hand. Nice chance I would say. The pitch is not bad enough to put this game beyond Indians. I would want to believe the first innings was a flash in the pan and would bet on the batting line up to get this.

Would be a great achievement if they did so, but for all the accolades that have been heaped on the line up, I think they should.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by vibbs

Would be a great achievement if they did so, but for all the accolades that have been heaped on the line up, I think they should.

If they indeed score those runs to win, I think it will be a new record.
Highest ever fourth inning chase in a winning cause is West Indies 418/7 against Aus and for India the highest is 406/4 against West Indies

[Sawyer]

Either we will win or we will go down in another collapse. We tend to move from the sublime to the ridiculous, no half measures.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by vibbs

I think they should.

I hope that at the end of the match tomorrow, you post "I told you so, you doubters"

[vibbs]

I am surprised at the way India go about with the reviews!!

Its more like hoping they are no out, rather than knowing its a wrong decision!!

[suhaas307]

2 down with just 20 on the board, and India have exhausted their reviews. Looks like this will be a 3-day/9-session affair.