[carboy]

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

Also, farewell to Murali Vijay! 3900+ runs in 59 tests. You've had a good career, especially considering you've played domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu (and not Mumbai).

What a silly statement. Tell me how many cricketers from Bombay got a chance in the Indian test team in the last 20 years? Would probably be less than TN.

Non Bombay selectors are still taking their revenge for the 70s & 80s when lot of Bombay players got selected - but that's long gone. If anything, playing for Bombay is a disadvantage these days.

[dailydriver]

Could we please stay away from identifying players and ascribing their selection, success and survival to any kind of regional bias.

History might have been witness to such things, but is it the same even now? An inclusion or otherwise of a player is the result of 'n' number of factors; regionalism isn't hopefully one of them. But even if it is, let's not bandy about it until we can present some empirical evidence to prove the same.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Rahane, Rahul, Pujara and Vijay are capable of batting better in Test cricket than Kohli. I feel that this policy of constant chopping and changing has made them insecure and not able to perform well.

If BCCI cancelled this series against WI and let players have 2 four day warm-up games in Australia, I can guarantee that India would be very competitive.


I agree that WI are doing well for the past 18 months. But BCCIs planning of tours is such that we can exploit home (Asian) conditions to maintain #1 ranking instead of giving players good warm-ups to be competitive as tourists. Nothing wrong in using home conditions, but we're exploiting weaker teams.

Example:

1. Two series against SL in last half of 2017. We thrashed them comprehensively in both.
2. Widened the gap between #1 and #2 in Test rankings
3. As there wasn't time, didn't get good warm-ups in South Africa
4. Competed in South Africa. We could have won/drawn the series if our batsmen got adjusted the conditions by playing quality warm-up games
5. England series- the white ball games were considered 'warm-ups' by Kohli. He said something on the lines that English conditions will feel like home by the time the Test series starts.
6. Now- instead of playing quality warm-ups in Australia, we're sitting and thrashing WI

This team is capable of playing well(proved in many instances in SA and Eng), they need to get adjusted to the conditions.


I feel he should have been given one more chance. Nothing against Shaw though- he's a brilliant talent.

You are still of the mentality we need to win only overseas and play with only Aus/SA/Eng. Why?
Did Aussies cancel their Ashes and came to India for warm ups? Or for that matter any series against any team at their home? So, why do we need to cancel our home series and go there now. As Kohli rightly pointed out the kind of warm ups these countries now provide to opposition are worse than team practice conditions.

As for playing with SL and considering them as a weak team. Didn't SL whitewashed Aussies at home in the series after that? I can go on and on but the point remains we need to stop worshipping overseas series as the be all in cricket. What have these top sides done while coming and playing here? How many matches do they win? I don't see there fans critizing the team like we do all the time.

As for loss in SA and England it wasn't cos of lack of warm matches but sheer stupidity in team selection for which Kohli and Shastri both are to be blamed equally. We can do much better if we get a competent coach like Kirsten was rather than a yes man like Shastri but then politics rule everywhere. Kohli is a great player but a shitty captain and unfortunately we don't have any alternative. So, we may still struggle in Australia.

Got the opportunity to saw highlights of Shaw's hundred. I dare say he may fail in overseas conditions if his foot movement isn't improved. There is a huge gap between bat and pad mostly and he plays too many shots away from body. Sehwag succeded with same but he was a freak player. I doubt Shaw will in seaming conditions. But the kid has character and temperament for sure.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

I was genuinely congratulating Vijay for having played 59 tests in spite of being from Tamil Nadu. He's 34+ and I don't see him coming back into the team.

The "in-spite" is where I am disagreeing.

[msdivy]

Originally Posted by LegalEagle

This is already being challenged in the Supreme Court. If it does come under RTI, good thing is we know clearly the financial position(s). Bad thing(s) are questions about selection/non-selection of specific players will be raised under RTI, and this would make BCCI guys answer this aspect, more than focus on the game itself.

I think having RTI will improve BCCI. Benefits of open culture overweigh the negatives for an organization like BCCI.

Originally Posted by pratyush6

Watching a crappy India Vs WI Test at midnight, the only thing more disgusting than watching Rahul fail again, was to see him waste a review on hope rather than anything else . He did the same against Afganistan and it came to bite us back. It most likely won't this time because if the gulf between two teams and it being a Test Match rather than a T20.

KL Rahul will end as the eponym for wasting by opting for selfish reviews. Sample usage:

"It looks plumb. But the batman might do a KL Rahul"

"There was sound, the catch was clean. Oh the batman is doing a KL Rahul, he might be hoping DRS will have glitch"

BTW, Jadeja's runout of Hetmyer was pure amateurish! http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6uv0ei

India win by an innings and 272 runs, with 2 days and a session left in the match. Instead of enforcing the follow-on, I feel India must have batted for at least a day, to get Rahul, Rahane some match practice.

[Eddy]

Fantastic cricket by India. The openers and the lower middle order played well. The bowlers as usual were pretty good. Yes, not the ideal preparation for Australia, but you have what you have so make the best use of it.

Coming to Shaw, I saw his batting highlights. To me it seemed that the backlift and the gap between bat and pad means that he will be susceptible to incoming deliveries. But there is plenty of time for correction. I hope he does well in Australia, although I do foresee him getting out caught on the third man / point fence the way he plays.

Sehwag showed us you can score anywhere without copybook technique, let's hope Shaw follows suit.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by msdivy

I feel India must have batted for at least a day, to get Rahul, Rahane some match practice.

I thought that too. However, are these WI bowlers at that pitch in Rajkot, any fair indicator of either batting form or technique? If they fail, atleast we won't have to carry them in Australia.

I have been skeptical about Shaw, I hope he comes good though. Batting in Australia is considerably easy than batting in England or SA. You typically have true pitches with good bounce and minimal seam and swing, ideal for the current crop of Indians if you ask me. It's the mentality which is going to be crucial.

I also hate the whole, Oh, he is just 18 and so awesome, he will turn out to be a great! And for any failure such players are often given a far longer rope than most. I just hope everyone is given a fair chance, including Shaw and others like Nair, Vihari & Mayank.

[Oxy]

Ideally Kohli should give the next test a miss so that Mayank Agarwal can be tried. Also we can try someone like Shubhman Gill over Rahul. Siraj should definitely play the next test.

Wishful thinking though.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Coming to Shaw, I saw his batting highlights. To me it seemed that the backlift and the gap between bat and pad means that he will be susceptible to incoming deliveries. But there is plenty of time for correction....

Sehwag showed us you can score anywhere without copybook technique, let's hope Shaw follows suit.

I'm not sure how much of a technical correction Shaw can do at this stage. Sehwag was a freak- a really talented player who'll probably come once in a century. I hope Shaw is one of them.

Originally Posted by msdivy

Rahul, Rahane some match practice.

Rahane desperately needs some runs under his belt.

Originally Posted by Oxy

Also we can try someone like Shubhman Gill over Rahul....

I think Rahul and Shaw will get a long rope now. I think they'll not be dropped for a while.

[msdivy]

Syed Kirmani brings out an important point - Indian Selectors Can't Challenge Ravi Shastri, Virat Kohli

The five-member selection panel, comprising MSK Prasad, Sarandeep Singh, Dewang Gandhi, Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda, is low on international playing experience.
Chief selector Prasad playing six Tests and 17 ODIs. The other four – Sarandeep Singh (2 Tests, 5 ODIs), Dewang Gandhi (4 Tests, 3 ODIs), Jatin Paranjpe (4 ODIs) and Gagan Khoda (2 ODIs).

"The current selection committee, with due respect, is inexperienced to these guys (Shastri and Kohli). And they better listen to what the team management wants because they cannot debate with Shastri and Kohli, who have much more experience,"

In another news item, Chief Selector has said that the guys who were dropped - Nair, Vijay, Rohit were spoken to by the selectors and explained why they were dropped. But the players have gone on record that none of the selectors have spoken to them. Obviously one of them is telling the truth . Now BCCI likely to question Vijay, Nair for breach of central contract.

One more, the selection committee wasn't aware that Dhoni would captain against Afghanistan, which ended in a tie - Selection Unhappy Over MS Dhoni’s Captaincy Return During Asia Cup.

[AltoLXI]

Interesting battle on between Australia and Pakistan. Will Usman Khawaja rescue Australia and ensure a draw? Another 40 overs to defend.

[selfdrive]

A nice write up about one of my favorite cricketers - Carl Hooper
I remember we used to call him Cool Hooper; stupid kid memories!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/...ys-why-retired

[AltoLXI]

Originally Posted by AltoLXI

Interesting battle on between Australia and Pakistan. Will Usman Khawaja rescue Australia and ensure a draw? Another 40 overs to defend.

What an amazing match this turned out to be !! Australia have managed to eke out a draw against Pakistan in the first test. Kudos to Usman Khawaja for gritty batting display in both the innings

[NPV]

Originally Posted by AltoLXI

What an amazing match this turned out to be !! Australia have managed to eke out a draw against Pakistan in the first test.

Great test match and Australia have shown grit to save the match. After being shot out for a low score in the first essay they really came back with determination in the second inning

[landcruiser123]

I saw Aus vs Pak highlights and was amazed at how well they played. I like to see these well fought out draws- they make test cricket interesting.