[rovingeye]

Originally Posted by Eddy

However, I think SA is on a downward spiral, specially in their batting.

Yup agree!! Some people also call it "choking". Sad that it's already started for SA.

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by 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.

As you mentioned SA team is definitely on the downward trend, since de villiers retirement. Amla is not the same player who used to be, de kock is highly inconsistent and except for du plessis, rest of the batsmen are highly inexperienced! Even their bowling is not that great except for Rabada. And to make matter worse, for the reason only known to them, they are not playing talented players like chris morris!

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by 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.

Happy to have jinxed Pakistan

SA score an easy win to take the series 3-2.

[pratyush6]

All the talk around Gill in the Indian XI, I can understand the adjectives get way over the top in India, I would have loved to see him given a long rope before the WC. I don't like the way he is being hyped up; the guy is too young and God forbid, failures can demoralize him alot.

I'd however hope that, if we are intent on playing Raydu at 4 at WC (and he seems most suited in the current setup), lets give him more game time.

[libranof1987]

The openers are gone, there's no Kohli or Dhoni and we're at 30/2. "Exactly what the doctor ordered" to test India's capability without a couple of key players, and more specifically, the middle order.

[WindRide]

Ball is moving around and we are 4 down for almost nothing. Hint of things to come in WC? Excited to see young Shubman Gill in action.

Edit - 5 down now for 33. Debutant goes. Kohli on next flight back to NZ?

[dailydriver]

There's bound be a discussion on whether this low scoring match is going to be a new low as far as Indian team is concerned. To help put things into perspective, here's the list of five lowest ODI scores for India, courtesy crickbuzz.com.



The lowest ODI scores overall, as per cricwaves.com are as follows:

[rovingeye]

Preview of things to come in England? Ball swings around a bit and we're falling like a pack of cards. I doubt things would have been much different had Kohli and Dhoni been around.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Just picking up some of the views that represent a majority of the posts on this thread on the Indian team. Before the Australian series, the rule of the thread was we can not survive overseas. During and after the Australian series, it was a B-grade team that let us win (/draw) all the three formats; let alone forget the fact that we dominated them like no other team has down under over the last two decades.

Today's performance is probably why. How can we go from our performance in the first three matches to today.

[hemanth.anand]

I started from home before the match started, reached office and finished breakfast. checked score and I see 40/7 in 17. This is more like the scoreline I was used to see in NZ. But not to worry...With 4 boundaries already, the superman All rounder Hardik Pandya will save us from this mayhem! Kohli and MSD absence felt and how!

Edit: Pandya gone and it's 55/8 in 20. Someone please tell them that it's not IPL or T20 but an ODI

[ninjatalli]

Amazing fight back from the Black Caps! They read the home pitch well, understood the importance of swing and used the conditions of the moving ball perfectly. You have to give credit to them; they gracefully accepted that the Indian team had played better across all 3 formats during the first three matches and they have now shown their true merit.

I loved the emotions shown by the wrist spinners - (ironically) smiling as if they were batting on a 300+ score; and surprisingly playing quite sensibly; but it probably would have been different if Boult was bowling to them. The spinners finally got to them after a while though.

If we get to a 3 digit figure, the bowlers might have something to fight for. But very low probability of that happening either way.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Today's performance is probably why. How can we go from our performance in the first three matches to today.

Multiple reasons - Overconfidence, opposition fight back, lack of planning by the second tier (since VK/MSD are out), getting the rug pulled under their feet. Also it's the middle order failing again in a situation where the top order have finally been taken to order by a sound bowling plan.

Btw we are reacting to a single match bad performance against the clinical performance over the last few weeks if not months. I guess we'll see more such posts with similar views on this thread as we head towards a potential loss

Also we need such bad performances; else we'd be seeing this in the WC and not before it. Good to get out those chinks in the armor or atleast know them better so that planning and expectations are set accordingly.

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Also we need such bad performances; else we'd be seeing this in the WC and not before it. Good to get out those chinks in the armor or atleast know them better so that planning and expectations are set accordingly.

I agree that every team will have a 'bad day'. But the issue for me is, what if this bad day happens to be knockout match in a major tournament? I think that's where the Aussie team were too good when they won 3 WCs from 99 to 2007. They had covered all the slots from #1 to #7. And for me, #4 to #6 is still open (assuming that Jadav/Pandya will be #7) and I am not convinced about Rayadu or Dhoni when we are chasing 350+ score.

[NPV]

An eye opener I guess, but a good experience to learn from especially since it leads up to the World Cup. When the pitch helps the bowlers and you don't have the likes of Kohli and Dhoni, the inexperience is bound to show and it did show and how This was a great opportunity for Karthik, Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav and Hardik Pandya, but it was Kuldeep & Chahal (again!), this time with the bat who helped get to 92!

*I hope the praises and hype for Shubman Gill will stop now, he is young & talented and will hopefully be a star in the future. I hope all this talk about him and heavy expectations do not affect his game.

[srishiva]

I hope my statements about not having a good middle order earlier is wrong ! Rayudu, Karthiks, Jadhavs will not help us if we are chasing high totals in pressure situation. Our batting stops at Kohli. Its not inexperience, they are not good enough and no point in investing in them. Gill should have been in the team for the entire series to see how he shapes up. I really think Mayank Agarwal should have been in the 15.

[rovingeye]

Today's failure should deeply worry team management and selectors. Not because Indian team is not allowed to fail, but because of the nature of the batting collapse. I think it's fair to assume that the pitches and conditions for the world cup matches will be similar. Question is, will our response also be similar?