Team-BHP - The Cricket Thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oxy (Post 4459465)

. All it needed was application, staying at the crease, tiring the bowlers by leaving everything outside the off stump - some grinding old school test cricket.

This should have been a 3-2 win at the very least. Instead it's a 1-4 loss. :Frustrati

I would add today match as well. This could well have been ended at 3-1 despite all wrong doings till now. But after Pant and Rahul endured a wicket less second session, If 5 wickets can't be held for a session to save a test match, then I guess they are playing the wrong format.
Did they even try to save the match?
Team management needs to think seriously about the composition before they embark on the trip down under.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao (Post 4459348)

Doing just enough to justify the coach's 'we're very competitive' nonsense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand (Post 4459450)

. In a way it's good they couldn't save it because 1-4 may hopefully wake up the BCCI admins (unlikely IMO)

Otherwise the best visiting team in 15-20 years were not outplayed. Australia, be ready, we are coming to give a 3-1 gift (I had to end this like this) :Frustrati

Quote:

Originally Posted by NPV (Post 4459472)

I hope our team management sincerely acknowledge their squad and playing eleven selection follies, make amends and move on rather than again defending themselves and being in denial mode. Scoreline of 1-4 will hopefully shut those loud mouths if sense prevails!

At least in the presentation ceremony, our Captain continued with the nonsense of "we were competitive, we were not outplayed, scoreline doesn't suggest how well we played," nonsense :Frustrati
As much as I love him as a batsmen, this series has made me hate him as a captain. Same thing goes to RS, I like his commentary(i know many who hate that too) but not him as a coach who has only money on his mind.

Ganguly showed us how to play aggressive cricket.
Dhoni showed us how to manage a cricket team.
Kohli is showing us how not to in both aspects.

Slightly more sensible batting and this could have indeed been 4-1 in India's favor. Rahul and Pant showed that the target was perhaps achievable; Root sure must have been stressed in the post lunch session!

Feel bad for Rahul; you can't predict that sort of turn.

This is Indian cricket; all will be forgotten very soon and the stars will remain on their high pedestal.

I kind of agree with Kohli that the 4-1 scoreline does not reflect the true story of the series. India were competitive, thanks mostly to the bowlers who bowled very well. The batsmen let the team down. Poor team selection and some poor captaincy also contributed to the loss. Ashwin was another major disappointment. Also what's with Kohli and tosses? He never seems to win any toss. :Frustrati

Pant's keeping is a bit of concern. Fearless batting got him his century, but he was playing and missing a bit too much for comfort. Kind of miss Dhoni's wise head behind the stumps, esp when it comes to making DRS calls.

Batting was tough this series considering the fact both teams struggled with the seaming and swinging ball. Aussie pitches have more pace and bounce and should suit the batsmen a bit more.

My analysis of the series:
1. English bowling- excellent, except spinners. No disrespect, but Indians gifted Ali wickets.
2. English batting- Mediocre
3. Indian bowling- terrific. Except when they let the English tail get away- Kohli partly responsible for that
4. Indian batting- terrible. They just had no answers to the English bowlers. Kohlis technique has not changed much- his last dismissal showed that. He's been playing with soft hands and also been lucky to get away with drops. Rahane, Rahul, Vijay, Pujara etc should have played much better. I have no hope with Dhawan for red ball cricket.

What does Hardik Pandya do well? He would never make it to any test 11 based on one skill alone. He can't play as an all rounder. Jadeja will be better choice- he can bowl a lot of overs and also throw his bat around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand (Post 4458679)

Cook's debut match was against India and he scored a century in the 2nd innings of that match..
He is the 39th player to score a century in his last innings
He is the 5th player to score a century in his first and last match (Azharuddin has done it for India)

Cook is the only player to score a fifty and a hundred in his debut match and his last match.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddy (Post 4458947)

What's this news of a fight between Kohli & Rohit Sharma ? Unfollowing each other on social media, it seems. :D

Kaptaan Kohli may have mistaken the last name after a family spat. stupid:

I was discussing the series with someone and there were some pertinent points.

- Who will you drop from the squad (not the 11) ? Except Dhawan, who ? Everyone seems to have done just enough to retain their places. Even Dhawan could be retained.

- After a 1-4 loss, if we cannot drop even a single player - then should Ravi Shastri go ? Why ? Is it because he is a soft target ?

Anybody else think Rashid's ball to K L Rahul is the greatest delivery ever? Warney's was equally good but I think Rashid's delivery rates higher because K L Rahul was in top form and playing really well as opposed to Mike Gatting who just stepped into the crease.

Video link - https://streamable.com/2jue5

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddy (Post 4459657)

...
- After a 1-4 loss, if we cannot drop even a single player - then should Ravi Shastri go ? Why ? Is it because he is a soft target ?

It's not the players, it's the methods that need changing. The quality of players is no better or worse than possible replacements.

If I was in charge, I'd toss out Shastri and get a proper coach, put him in charge of decision-making with captain consulted and shown due respect. If Kohli doesn't like that, he's free to give up captaincy or leave altogether. Individual players being allowed to become bigger than the team is our largest perennial problem.

One man's overwhelming talent can become a liability in a team setting.

All that said, I'm obviously a nobody on the internet being an armchair expert, so I expect nothing to change and we'll all be passengers on the Kohli Express until it goes off the rails. :)

When the Kohli - Kumble relationship broke down, it was a choice between a captain and a coach - the BCCI picked the captain. I would have done the same as long as it was a one off thing.

Team selection is a strategic call, we have been getting it wrong. So whoever is making those calls needs to go first, not necessarily the coach.

Quote:

Originally Posted by determinism (Post 4459698)

I will still rate Warne's ball to Gatting higher than this because:
1. Warne was bowling over the wicket and the delivery angle was taking it down the leg side. From there to spin and hit the off stump was huge. Rashid's delivery was unplayable too but he was bowling around the wicket and the delivery angle was itself going towards the off side
2. Warne's delivery was a day 2 pitch and this was a day 5 pitch. the rough on the pitch assisted Rashid more IMO

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eddy (Post 4459720)

Problem is the attitude. Kohli and Shastri have set the standards so low that they think competing is enough, and winning is a bonus. Yet again in the presentation Kohli spouted the same nonsense that a 4-1 scoreline doesn't mean we were outplayed. :Frustrati

If losing to Pakistan in a crucial final of a world tournament, losing a series that was there for the taking in South Africa, and now this drubbing doesn't bring a reality check then I am afraid Kohli is beyond help. Us fans will continue to be taken for a ride till the world cup and beyond.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand (Post 4459725)

I concur. In addition, reason#3 it was Warne's first ashes series (pressure), first ball and that too, to Gatting (supposedly master of spin). Well, additionally I don't think we had seen such a ball before that and there was simply more charm to it given the players involved and the 'Ashes'.