[ninjatalli]

A more bullish view of how good is the current Indian team is being shown across two nations - Indians are dominating New Zealand, the ICC #3 ODI team on their home turf, on a pitch where NZ were able to run down 300+ scores just a few weeks back.

And a supposedly B-grade Australian team just won by an inning over the Sri Lankan team; a team that India just washed over literally over all the formats.

This is going to be a very interesting year as we get closer to the summer. Let's see if we do a Australia or a South Africa in the world cup.

Edit: Trivia - for the record book, apparently this is the first win by the Indian team on the Republic day.

[dailydriver]

All these wins, while appreciable, have started giving me jitters. I would have been happier to see the team lose a few close matches and in the process gained some fortitude. England is going to be tough; the players need to be tougher than they are now. Also, the whole eleven/fifteen need to peak at the right time. Anything earlier is just a confidence booster and late - a missed opportunity.

But if a nonentity like me can think of this, will the team management be far behind? Hope they have proper plans in place to attempt to bring the big trophy home.

[PPS]

Surprised how below average NZ have been in home conditions in these 2 matches, or maybe just that the Indian Team is too good for them!

Cannot predict how the English conditions will be during the World Cup, but injury management during the IPL will play a huge part.

[adi_gt]

Originally Posted by PPS

Surprised how below average NZ have been in home conditions in these 2 matches, or maybe just that the Indian Team is too good for them!

Cannot predict how the English conditions will be during the World Cup, but injury management during the IPL will play a huge part.

Why can't we just select the WC squad before the IPL, fix the maximum no of matches during IPL which each one of them can play apart (monetary loss to be compensated by BCCI) and take them relatively fresh to WC. Bumrah,Kohli,Rohit and Kuldeep needs to be preserved at all costs.

[WindRide]

Amazing to see indian spinners picking up wickets by truck loads on kiwi tracks. Who could have guessed! Where is the cloud cover, cold breeze and green tops NZ is famous for? With blazing sun, bright blue skies, flat tracks and the amazing current form of the indian batsmen, run feast is in store! Among the kiwis, only Ferguson looks happy to be on the field and appears menacing.

Also, its genuinely nice to see Windies doing well in Test cricket. Hope they eventually get back to where they were a couple of decades ago.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by adi_gt

Why can't we just select the WC squad before the IPL, fix the maximum no of matches during IPL which each one of them can play apart (monetary loss to be compensated by BCCI) and take them relatively fresh to WC. Bumrah,Kohli,Rohit and Kuldeep needs to be preserved at all costs.

Just cannot happen.

Monetary loss to players is not the reason. It is the franchises who will lose these players that will not let this happen. They want all their superstars to play for them for those 6 weeks, and rightly so. Workload management is for the BCCI to take care of throughout the year.

Basically, there is no way IPL can be de-prioritised.

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Just cannot happen.

Monetary loss to players is not the reason. It is the franchises who will lose these players that will not let this happen. They want all their superstars to play for them for those 6 weeks, and rightly so. Workload management is for the BCCI to take care of throughout the year.

Basically, there is no way IPL can be de-prioritised.

I guess the monetary aspect of the game is just too high right now. Especially the IPL. Wish there was a rest year for the franchise format, just like there used to be a rest day within a test match.

I would love the World Cup to be played in the summer holidays,( at least in India ).

Time the cricketing body prioritises the World Cup over franchise cricket once every 4 years.

[Eddy]

Well, the World Cup did preceed the IPL on all the previous occasions (2011, 2015) so wasn't a problem at all. But you can't play at this time in England so it's a venue + timing issue.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by adi_gt

fix the maximum no of matches during IPL which each one of them can play apart (monetary loss to be compensated by BCCI) and take them relatively fresh to WC.

Agree with what Eddy said. I'm expecting most players to play atleast 70% of the games.

If i remember correctly Dhoni had said, for the bowlers bowling just 4 overs in a game is not a huge workload. Its really the travelling + the constant packing,unpacking which can drain you out.

And that is the reason why the likes of Bumrah & now Kohli are being rested for International games, because the selectors know it will be difficult to convince the franchise owners to rest the main players for even half the IPL.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by Eddy

Edit 2: I follow all matches online. Now gunning for a Vidarbha Vs Saurashtra Ranji final. I would have preferred Rajasthan but they lost the QF.

And it is Vidarbha vs Saurashtra indeed. Lovely to see the "underdog" teams get the better of the likes of Mumbai, Karnataka etc.

Well done Pujara for playing key innings in the 4th innings in both QF & SF. He is being criticized for not walking after nicking one, but that is not his problem.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by Eddy

And it is Vidarbha vs Saurashtra indeed. Lovely to see the "underdog" teams get the better of the likes of Mumbai, Karnataka etc.

The term underdog is a bit of a misnomer here. Vidarbha are defending champions
Mumbai has not been strong of late, though Karnataka still is.

I agree with you about the Pujara not walking off bit. That is not his problem at all. In fact I always wonder why if a batsman waits for some time after being given out he gets a fine/ warning but if he disobeys an umpire's not out decision and walks off he gets lauded

[Eddy]

Here is Harsha Bhogale's take on the Pujara incident. Makes sense.

https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-vid...anji-semifinal

[harry10]

Originally Posted by Eddy

And it is Vidarbha vs Saurashtra indeed. Lovely to see the "underdog" teams get the better of the likes of Mumbai, Karnataka etc.

Well done Pujara for playing key innings in the 4th innings in both QF & SF. He is being criticized for not walking after nicking one, but that is not his problem.

I think it balances out when batsman is given out and he isn't. At least when I play my club matches I never walk off until given out, same way I had been given out when I wasn't. It's completely up to the player and criticising that is just stupid.
.
So, our women team defeated NZ team too and that too convincingly. Seems like NZ are having worst time both ways, Courtesy Indians

[swissknife]

The benefit of doubt should be given to the batsman. A batsman does not have another chance, in that inning, if there is a bad decision handed out. The bowler however has many chances to get a batsman out. Yes, it does hurt when someone of the calibre of Pujara is let off by a poor umpiring decision. But then, that's how the game is being played. You are hurt by a few bad ones and benefitted by a few bad ones as well.

But then, isn't it good that players who are currently playing at the highest level don't play at the lower levels so as to give opportunities to those who are coming up?

[Eddy]

SA and Pak play the decider ODI today. It's been an evenly matched series at 2-2.

However, I think SA is on a downward spiral, specially in their batting. And Pakistan is peaking at just the right time, making them very strong contenders to make the last four in the world cup, in my opinion.