[vinit]

It is high time to change the rules in limited overs cricket now. Matches are getting very boring to watch day by day. Even scores like 350 are not looking like a challenge anymore. Rather than being a battle between the bat and the ball, cricket has nowadays become "Our batting" vs "Your batting". Soon bowlers will be replaced by bowling machines.

I think the following changes are the need of the hour in limited overs cricket.

1. If there is no restriction on how many overs the batsman can bat, then there should not be any restriction of how many overs a bowler can bowl. If the opening batsman can play all 50 overs, why cant a bowler bowl 25 overs straight from one end ?

2. Rule regarding leg side wide should be changed immediately. It forces the bowlers to bowl in only 50% area. A batsman can hit the ball 360 degrees but the bowler is punished an extra run as wide, if he bowls a millimeter away on the leg side. This is simply unfair. Enough room need to be there on the leg side too.

3. All 50 overs need to be bowled by a single ball only. This will bring back the reverse swing into play. Bowlers will get another weapon. Nowadays, as a standard rule, teams are scoring 100 runs in the last 10 overs. In the pre-90s, this used to be an achievement.

4. Push the boundaries back a little. They may not be as long as MCG. Its sad to see genuine edges going for sixes. Nowadays, the boundaries have become so small that its either a single run or a boundary. Even couples have become rare and three runs running has become almost extinct.

5. Let the fielding captain decide where to keep his fielders. Why to put restrictions on how many fielders should be inside the circle and outside the circle etc. Field placement is a challenge thrown at the batsman. "This is my field, now score your runs". Batsman has to think innovative. Thats the fun.

All in all, I think its high time to make run scoring a little more challenging to the batsman. Then only the game will remain interesting. The game should be fair to both the batsman and the bowler. Both should get equal opportunities to prove their skills. On a lighter note, you need Gabbar Singh against Jai and Veeru, You need Mogambo against Mr. India. Khel ka maja tab hai jab takkar kante ki ho.

[NPV]

India U-19 Vs Bangladesh U-19 world cup final is at a tense stage with India needing 3 wickets and Bangladesh needing 27 runs for a win. Hoping for an Indian win but seems quite difficult given very few runs left for Bangladesh to get, well fought nevertheless.

Edit:just 20 runs for a historic Bangladesh victory.

[hemanth.anand]

I watched almost the entire match. I was disappointed that India didn't bat the entire 50 overs. Had we batted, there was a good chance of scoring 220runs. If Atharva had gone into the dressing room in that unusual and terrible run out between him and Dhruv, Dhruv would've probably scored better. Atharva then ran out Bishnoi and he himself chopped on to the stumps soon after.
But even then, I was telling a friend that only a Bishnoi magic can win us the cup. He almost did that! Otherwise, Bangladesh were very good in all 3 departments of the game and they deserved the win yesterday.

What however they still lack is their behaviour outside their game. It was really sad to see them start a physical altercation with the Indian players after they won. They were verbally abusing Yeshaswi Jaiswal throughout his batting innings (which they got back too) which was still ok. Umpires were warning both teams to refrain. Bangladesh however crossed the limit when they got physical. Can't expect much from those boys when their senior team itself act so immature.

[Engine_Roars]

I felt bad when NZ was loosing and I felt bad when Bangladesh won, the common factor being Team India. There is something wrong with how the boys are being brought up in Bangladesh. Their behavior was obnoxious. They don't deserve to be representing their country on an international level and I hope their country men/women think the same too.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Can't expect much from those boys when their senior team itself act so immature.

Exactly what I thought! Even the senior team thinks that since they've won, they have earned the right to behave that way. In fact, the Pak team sometimes seem to be at the pinnacle of the Gentlemen code in comparison. Who can forget the Dhoni depicting placard. Almost as bad as a physical altercation. Or probably worse.

[redCherry]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Can't expect much from those boys when their senior team itself act so immature.

This kind of behavior should be nipped in the bud, whichever team it is.
It's easier mending that kind of attitude when they are still young.

[libranof1987]

Watched most of the match. Nerves got the better of the batsmen; but the bowlers (esp Bishnoi) almost got India through.

Bangladesh team's shameful behavior aside, I was surprised with the amount of chatter during the match from both teams. It is age, no doubt, but they have to get better. The umpires warned Indian fielders/bowlers almost every appeal for how aggressive they were. Rightly said, if this isn't condoned at this stage, we'll have problems when they get to the senior side.

[pratyush6]

Originally Posted by vinit

1. If there is no restriction on how many overs the batsman can bat, then there should not be any restriction of how many overs a bowler can bowl.

2. Rule regarding leg side wide should be changed immediately. It forces the bowlers to bowl in only 50% area.

3. All 50 overs need to be bowled by a single ball only.

4. Push the boundaries back a little.

5. Let the fielding captain decide where to keep his fielders.

I think this can be surely 'tried' as an experiment to see what happens and how do teams react to this.

However, the only feasible solution that I see is
1. making sporting pitches
2. Better cricket ball (using 2 new balls kills late swing and spin)
3. Bigger boundaries

350 V 350 is not a good sight at all.

Regarding the U19 Final : BD deserved the victory.

We choked in the Finals. However the behavior of both sides was a big let down. The BD team after the victory were obnoxious and animal like. It almost felt that they have massive inferiority complex. I wish there was a better example for them than the current crop of BD senior team.I hope ICC comes down hard on such stuff and such behavior is nipped in the bud. I mean Kohli has been no role model for behavior but this is getting way out of control.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by sridhu

I think India has enough resources to play a "best in class" strategy.

Why not play 5 batsmen, 1 wicketkeeper who can bat, 1 all rounder, 3 seamers & 1 spinner in LOI?

Few strategies to correct:
1. I'd say Kuldeep should get a break from LOIs, but he's now got a break from Tests
2. I don't see Shardul Thakur on that flight to NZ
3. Pnat/Samson should be back taking the gloves
4. Rahul has sealed his T20I spot and maybe the opening spot in ODIs too considering Shikhar will be 38 by the time the next 50 over WC is played.

My 11 would be:
1. Rohit
2. Rahul
3. Kohli
4. Iyer
5. Pandey/Samson
6. Pant
7. Jadeja/Pandya
8. Shami/ Bhuvi
9. Bumrah
10. Saini
11. Chahal

I'd say 5, 6, and 7 would be rotated based on conditions, form, and fitness.

Originally Posted by vinit

It is high time to change the rules in limited overs cricket now.

True, 50 over cricket has become risk free. Teams are accumulating till over 35 and then exploding. I'd say that:
1. Bat sizes (thickness) should be limited. Bats have changed a lot over the last 2 decades, balls haven't.
2. Promote risks at the beginning- over 1-20 should be powerplays with different number of outfielders for overs 1-10, 11-15, and 16-20.
3. Up to 6 fielders outside the 30 yd circle
4. Maybe have a slight tolerance for balls down the leg side (very difficult to implement)

[vibbs]

Forget what happened while batting. I am amazed to see the bowling line up.
Only 4 bowlers in a test match and the other 7 can't even roll their arms over. Nice team selection. I think they expected New Zealand batsmen to just fall over on a green top like our batsmen did!

[harry10]

Originally Posted by vibbs

Forget what happened while batting. I am amazed to see the bowling line up.
Only 4 bowlers in a test match and the other 7 can't even roll their arms over. Nice team selection. I think they expected New Zealand batsmen to just fall over on a green top like our batsmen did!

Well, I watched the highlights and ball wasn't moving that much. We simply didn't bat properly and most dismissals were of loose shots. Barring rain I dont see how NZ won't win this one. Also overseas we need 5 bowlers always. This mentality of extending the batting line up needs to stop. If 5 specialist batsman wont do the job the 6th wont create a miracle either. Rather play 5 bowlers and get opposition out cheaply.

[PPS]

None of our batsman bowl & none of the bowlers bat well (Ashwin can be handy few times/Ishant can stick around)! This has been a perennial problem in all 3 formats now. Hardik perhaps would have been handy on this pitch at no.6, similar to the job De Grandhome is doing.

Its now going to be an uphill task to save this test match since we usually struggle to get the oppositions lower order out most times while on the other hand our lower order are always looking to throw away their wickets!

[carboy]

Originally Posted by PPS

None of our batsman bowl & none of the bowlers bat well (Ashwin can be handy few times/Ishant can stick around)!

There is one bowler who is a pretty decent batsman - Jadeja. Unfortunately, he doesn't get picked outside India unless Ashwin fails for 2 matches or Ashwin gets injured. And since this is a 2 match series, one of those 2 options isn't there.

[Eddy]

Originally Posted by vibbs

Forget what happened while batting. I am amazed to see the bowling line up.
Only 4 bowlers in a test match and the other 7 can't even roll their arms over. Nice team selection. I think they expected New Zealand batsmen to just fall over on a green top like our batsmen did!

Hanuma Vihari can, and will in the second innings.

Originally Posted by harry10

Well, I watched the highlights and ball wasn't moving that much. We simply didn't bat properly and most dismissals were of loose shots. Barring rain I dont see how NZ won't win this one. Also overseas we need 5 bowlers always. This mentality of extending the batting line up needs to stop. If 5 specialist batsman wont do the job the 6th wont create a miracle either. Rather play 5 bowlers and get opposition out cheaply.

I still think that we need the insurance of a 6th batsman in this team where one opener is just one year old and the other is walking wicket in seaming conditions. And there is Pant who cannot be relied upon. Unlike the ODIs, the no 6 can contribute a lot more in a test innings. In absence of a batting all rounder, this is the best we could have done IMO.

Originally Posted by PPS

None of our batsman bowl & none of the bowlers bat well (Ashwin can be handy few times/Ishant can stick around)! This has been a perennial problem in all 3 formats now. Hardik perhaps would have been handy on this pitch at no.6, similar to the job De Grandhome is doing.

In Indian conditions, Sir Jadeja is a perfect no 6 for us. Yes, we are missing Hardik overseas. It's not helping that Bumrah's had a terrible tour by his standards.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by harry10

Also overseas we need 5 bowlers always. This mentality of extending the batting line up needs to stop. If 5 specialist batsman wont do the job the 6th wont create a miracle either. Rather play 5 bowlers and get opposition out cheaply.

I agree. I don't know when has the extra batsman made enough runs for India that we keep trying this at the expense of our bowling attack.

Originally Posted by Eddy

Hanuma Vihari can, and will in the second innings.

.

Well I was not aware of this. But if he has not been given the ball the whole day, I doubt if he had the skill or confidence of the captain to do much with the ball.
I feel test matches are won by bowlers. Batsmen can only save it.