[harry10]

We should have played Saini in place of Vihari considering the green top. He would have made few runs and a 4th fast bowler who has pace would have been really handy here. Openers aside if the trio of Pujara,kohli and rahane couldn't get us to 300 then obviously a Vihari too can't do that. For a change Pant batted really responsibly this innings and was looking good for a big one when rahane sold him out with the unfortunate run out. Seems getting dropped from white ball has hurt Pant and he wants to make an impression now.

Anyways, I hope when I wake up at 6 tomorrow I see India batting again and not NZ tail enders sweating us out.

[NPV]

Though India got 2 wickets quicky including Bumrah's wicket off the first ball of day 3, they're leaking runs now and with almost 100 runs lead, New Zealand are definitely on top. From here, India will need some real magic with the bat and ball to even think of a victory.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by harry10

Anyways, I hope when I wake up at 6 tomorrow I see India batting again and not NZ tail enders sweating us out.

Well you guessed it right! Didn't you

It's game over for India. Unless the new Fab 3 can score some big centuries in the second innings and save the day.

[carboy]

Originally Posted by carboy

Sachin is the exception, not the rule. You need to study Sachin's history before he played his first test match. Almost no has done what he did right from age 11. The Sachin justification cannot be given for every kid out there.

That aside, OP suggested keeping Shaw out because he was raw & suggested replacing him with Gill who is as raw.

The Sachin justification for selecting players who have hardly played any FC cricket doesn't work. That is why Sachin was Sachin.

[NPV]

78/2, Pujara out, this test is almost a goner, I get that bad feeling already!

[vibbs]

So our extra batsman is out there. I hope I am proven wrong and he can help us save this match!

[swissknife]

An unnecessary attempted hook, with no width, from Kohli. That's got to be the start of the end of this match.

[Oxy]

The game was done and dusted once we folded for 165 in the first innings. The batsmen have lost us this match. But I don't know what changes we can make for the second test. Maybe give Shubhman Gill a chance, but largely the current batsmen need to step up.

Also, Bumrah's fitness needs to be reassessed. He looked flat on days 1 and 2, definitely not the same bowler that he was in Australia last year.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by Eddy

In Indian conditions, Sir Jadeja is a perfect no 6 for us. Yes, we are missing Hardik overseas.

In Indian conditions, Jadeja is a no-brainer as the top order gets the bulk of the runs. Right now, Indian Cricket would give an arm & a leg to have a cricketer like Colin De Grandhome in the team. And thats saying a lot considering he's just an average cricketer but very effective in such conditions.

I feel we should stick to the same team & a much better effort is needed in the 2nd Test since now we cannot win the series but just draw it. Just about everyone has been lacklustre in this test.

It's not helping that Bumrah's had a terrible tour by his standards.

What is more worrying is that he hasn't really looked like getting any wickets!

[harry10]

Pant is a certified moron. He is destroying his career himself, no one else to blame.
Same old story. Lose toss, bat first, bat crap and gift the game to opposition. Btw, kohli should be ashamed, first for that atrocious shot and second for taking a review which was clearly plumb. Just because he is captain he believes he is entitled to a review everytime he is given lbw. Also, I am waiting for him to say at the end of test that in T20 world cup year the test series loss is also unimportant

[NPV]

Originally Posted by harry10

Lose toss, bat first, bat crap and gift the game to opposition. Btw, kohli should be ashamed, first for that atrocious shot and second for taking a review which was clearly plumb. Just because he is captain he believes he is entitled to a review everytime he is given lbw.

If not for the 50's from Pujara and Vihari, this would have been a repeat of the first test!
Kohli - I just hope sometimes that he shuts his mouth or talks a lot lesser to the media. He was in denial mode after the first test, to questions about his form and now he scored just 3 runs he also ranted about the need to score more runs when batting first and today the team got < 250, let's hope this isn't another loss.

[mazda4life]

Originally Posted by NPV

and today the team got < 250, let's hope this isn't another loss.

With Kiwis starting off solidly , pretty sure this will be a difficult match for us to save. All frailties get exposed when the pitch is not dead.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by harry10

Btw, kohli should be ashamed, first for that atrocious shot

Don't think it was an atrocious shot! All deliveries before that of Southee were out-swingers & this one came back in. Have to give credit to the bowler. Its another matter that he has got out in similar fashion before. Think he's going through a bad patch which he isn't willing to admit. He's been very mild so far, agree with Gambhir when he says Kohli is at his best when he's 'riled' up.

Infact, Pujara's & Vihari's dismissals can be called atrocious. Maybe they were trying to impress their captain by showing intent.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by NPV

If not for the 50's from Pujara and Vihari, this would have been a repeat of the first test!

If NZ takes a 100 run lead it will be a repeat of first test. Unless an exceptional bowling spell from someone I do see that happening. Vihari played an absolute ridiculous shot 3 balls before break. And that started the collapse. I hope coach or captain gives him an earful for that.

Originally Posted by PPS

Don't think it was an atrocious shot! All deliveries before that of Southee were out-swingers & this one came back in. Have to give credit to the bowler. Its another matter that he has got out in similar fashion before.

Infact, Pujara's & Vihari's dismissals can be called atrocious. Maybe they were trying to impress their captain by showing intent.

I play at club level. And even I know if bowler is bowling out swingers he is setting me up for an inswinger lbw or bowled ball. So, kohli at international level with so much experience behind him definitely knew what Southee was doing. Whether it was ego or self belief of still playing that shot he knows better but it looked absolutely ridiculous from someone who was recently no.1 batsman in the world. However, I will only term this bad patch of form rather than deeply analyzing why he failed on this tour. Happens to everyone.

True, Vihari and pujara gifted their wickets when they could have made a daddy 100. All in all I am quite disappointed by our batting effort in these 2 games.

[Oxy]

Basically this test is also gone. 240 odd was never going to be enough and they have already wiped out close to 70 of the deficit with all of their 10 wickets intact.

Time to cheer for your favourite IPL team now I guess.