[harry10]

Can't remember when was the last time we started so well in the first match of a SENA series. Hopefully we build it on today as pitch looks relatively easy to bat on.

[landcruiser123]

Seems like England might want to pack their bags and head home. Australia maintaining vice grip in all the games so far.

[selfdrive]

Marquee series, my foot. They should reduce the Ashes to a three test series at best.

It is so boring when one side keeps kicking the other into the dirt. It is also extremely boring to keep seeing the boy on the burning deck type of innings from Root.
Further one wonders what England will do when Anderson retires. They seem like back to the 90s when they were a bunch of below average players resembling rabbits caught in the headlights.

[jkrishnakj]

I wouldn’t be surprised if English bosses are seriously contemplating hiring Ravi Shastri as their Head Coach.

Jokes aside, the Ashes is too boring now and I don’t see any solution that the English will have. Looks like a 5-0 end result.

[harry10]

Ashes is just riding on tradition and nostalgia factor. Barring the 2005 ashes most have been duds since 2000. In fact the biggest rivalry in Tests since sometime is India vs Australia and that's why BGT is more interesting and fun to watch than Ashes since many years.

It's actually time for both countries to reduce Ashes to a 3 match affair and save everyone's time.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by harry10

Can't remember when was the last time we started so well in the first match of a SENA series. Hopefully we build it on today as pitch looks relatively easy to bat on.

And then a quick collapse today losing 7 wickets for 49 runs to end on 327 all out

[redCherry]

Originally Posted by NPV

And then a quick collapse today losing 7 wickets for 49 runs to end on 327 all out

Some of the batsmen should be held accountable.

It's a ground where SA has only lost 2 out of 26 tests, winning 21 of them, and in this test India had a solid base to bat out SA out of the test, and we lose 7 wickets less than 50, allowing SA kind of back into the game.

On another note, Averages of Rahane, Pujara for last 2 years is -
Rahane - 25.2
Pujara - 26.5

Based on form, one of these 2 should have made way for Vihari.
For that to happen captain has to take a bold call.
Now the problem is the captain himself is averaging just over 26 (26.4) .
So, he won't look convincing to drop either of Rahane or Pujara when he himself is short of runs, and so here we are, with the same batting line-up.
Luck can come in different forms and different ways : )

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by redCherry

Based on form, one of these 2 should have made way for Vihari.
For that to happen captain has to take a bold call.
Now the problem is the captain himself is averaging just over 26 (26.4) .
So, he won't look convincing to drop either of Rahane or Pujara when he himself is short of runs, and so here we are, with the same batting line-up.
Luck can come in different forms and different ways : )

All 3 should be dropped in rotation. The problem is whom do you start with?
And who bells the cat?

We cannot carry 3 batsmen averaging 26. England meanwhile would pray for someone with such numbers..

[PPS]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Marquee series, my foot. They should reduce the Ashes to a three test series at best.

England needs a major overhaul of their Red ball team! Just like how their white ball team was overhauled some years back. I cannot understand both Broad & Anderson being rested for the 1st Test, they don't play any white ball cricket & are adequately rested throughout the year.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by NPV

And then a quick collapse today losing 7 wickets for 49 runs to end on 327 all out

That's been our batting story since long. Still 300+ will be good enough for a first innings score here.

SA are currently at 134/6 so I expect a 100 run lead atleast. There can be still a result in our favor barring rain stuff.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by harry10

There can be still a result in our favor barring rain stuff.

Hope there's no second innings collapse, in which case the result may be there but in favour of South Africa

[kavensri]

Originally Posted by NPV

Hope there's no second innings collapse, in which case the result may be there but in favour of South Africa

As the tail wags for SA, this is what worries me. Especially after seeing the collapse in the first innings.

[landcruiser123]

What a day of cricket. Rahul started the day after being unbeaten overnight and he's batting at the end of the day. Hope he end the day unbeaten.

Originally Posted by redCherry

On another note, Averages of Rahane, Pujara for last 2 years is -
Rahane - 25.2
Pujara - 26.5
....Now the problem is the captain himself is averaging just over 26 (26.4)

You have highlighted the real issue. VK, ChePu, and Jinx are passengers averaging in in the mid-20s. Our big victories have been because of Bowlers [Bumrah + Shami + Siraj + Thakur + Ashwin], Rohit, Rahul, and Pant.

[SoumenD]

So tomorrow lord Thakur and Rahul will start the proceedings. Hope we are able to score at least a 150-170 in 2 sessions and put them to bat for 3rd with 280-300 to chase. 5th day forecast isn’t too promising but still hoping for a result to this one.

Btw I was watching this on hotstar and the viewership looks dismal. 2-6L max concurrent viewers. Is this normal for test matches ? During IPL it used to be 60L+ more so during Chennai games thanks to Dhoni

[NPV]

305 target for South Africa and it's a fair one given they have 4.5 sessions in all to get them.

Edit:South Africa just lost their first wicket, Shami strikes to get Markram