[y448]

Originally Posted by avingodb

On a bad pitch we had extra bowlers and on what was supposed to be a decent batting pitch we had one extra batsman. Now we are left with 4 bowlers to defend 180 odd runs now that the batting has also not clicked.
Crazy team selection.

I would have agreed with you if Murali Vijay was fit but without him and going in with just 5 batsmen is a huge risk (when one of 5 is making a comeback). Mukund proved that team's thinking was spot on.

It is a different matter that rest of the batting unit also collapsed and we need kind of a miracle to get back into this test and series.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by y448

I would have agreed with you if Murali Vijay was fit but without him and going in with just 5 batsmen is a huge risk (when one of 5 is making a comeback). Mukund proved that team's thinking was spot on.

It is a different matter that rest of the batting unit also collapsed and we need kind of a miracle to get back into this test and series.

Miracles don't happen without hard work and I don't see anyone doing that this series. The attitude and approach has been so lacklustre I wonder if they have any passion playing for the country or they have started thinking about the big bucks coming in the ipl. Barring Virat no one seems to give a damn. They deserve to lose this test and the series based on what I am seeing since first test.

[msdivy]

Among other factors, reasons why India has not been able to put up defendable scores in last 3 innings:
1) Atleast 2 in top 6 need decent hit. Atleast 2 big partnerships are missing.
2) Rear guard effort, by Ashwin & co to pull out of woods is missing.

[carwatcher]

I don't remember when I saw the last IPL match in last 3-4 years.

We have a separate IPL thread and going by the handful of posts there is no interest left in IPL.

I personally have only one interest in IPL that is to see what new big-budget ads they will come up with year after year.

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Do people sit glued to their TVs for the two months or so that it runs?

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by vibbs

Rahane really needs to think of alternate ways to get out of his shells instead of trying yo hit his way out every time going gets tough.

Rahane is talented against fast bowling but Dhoni has mentioned the same thing a few times-You need to rotate strike on this kind of pitch to be able to survive.

Karun Nair played beautifully, but came down to the wrong ball- it was very wide. Balls bowled outside the 7th stump line are spinning away sharply for O'Keefe and bouncing awkwardly for Lyon.

Except Rahul, not many Indian batsmen played on the front foot. We are bad players of spin and our batsmen aren't playing good shots.

Ishant doesn't look threatening when bowling at all. I wonder why he gets picked? We seriously need to learn to manage without Md Shami as he is injury prone.

[libranof1987]

In DRS, when is it "Umpire's Call" on the final decision.

Shouldn't Smith have been given out since the ball was hitting the stumps; instead, it was returned as umpire's call.

[akhil_007]

Why is that Indian spinners are hardly able to turn the ball? All that ooh and aah is coz of the ball keeping low..

[Sawyer]

It's down to what percentage of the ball hits/misses the stumps; the benefit of doubt sought to be captured in DRS.

This remains a controversial subject - the benefit of doubt concept is meant to address human error. Logically, it does not therefore have a place in DRS unless it is being conceded that ball tracking isn't perfect.

This doesn't apply for run outs, for example; no ball tracking there.

Ashwin is turning the ball alright - one to Renshaw was a lot like the famous Warne to Gatting ball, except that it missed.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by avingodb

Crazy team selection.

On team selection, i found Sanjay Manjrekar's tweet quite apt.

As I had feared Ind have picked a team based on what happened in last match than conditions here. Should have stuck to 5 bowlers.

[vibbs]

I wonder the logic behind holding Jadeja back. He has bowled only 4 wickets in this innings out of the 56 overs bowled so far and took one wicket. Yet not being brought on.

[carwatcher]

Let's appreciate the real top-class bowling from Indian bowlers who gave absolutely nothing for two sessions.

Rare feat where each and every bowler stood up to the challenge.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by carwatcher

Let's appreciate the real top-class bowling from Indian bowlers who gave absolutely nothing for two sessions.

Rare feat where each and every bowler stood up to the challenge.

Yes specially the pacers. Not very impressed by the number one spin bowler in the world though.

[PPS]

Credit to the Indian bowlers today for keeping things tight & not letting the Aussies run away with the game.
But i think thats not really enough to win the game. Its going to take a herculean effort in the 3rd innnings to setup the match. Our batsman should learn for Renshaw as far as application goes, the way he has occupied the crease for long periods of time.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by PPS

Credit to the Indian bowlers today for keeping things tight & not letting the Aussies run away with the game.

With 48 runs lead, I think they have. Running away with the game in test matches is like that. Grinding out long sessions not letting the bowlers carve their way in. And against a team that's bred in these conditions against the worlds best spin bowler, they managed to do just that. One of the bowlers sent down 40 odd overs and managed to pick up only one wicket. This might seem like a script of a flat pitch. However when you consider the fact that this bowler is a spinner bowling on pitch which is supposed to make things easy for him, you cannot help but wonder if the reason for this record is him being mediocre or the batsmen being great players of spin!!

[srishiva]

It was surprising that Ashwin was not getting much turn compared to the opposition spinners. If you look at how Lyon bowled, he was faster through the air and also extracting turn. Other than Warner's wicket, he didnt look that threatening.

All bowlers bowled well but not threatening or the Aussie batsmen knew what to do. Just kept playing with runs coming slowly. Something the Indian batsmen couldnt do and what opposition endured when Dravid batted! Its test cricket isn't it ?