[AtheK]

Vihari gets Axed, two players who have been given the longest possible rope, keeps getting the rope. Feel bad for Vihari, must be so demoralizing.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Vihari gets Axed, two players who have been given the longest possible rope, keeps getting the rope. Feel bad for Vihari, must be so demoralizing.

So much for all the criticism Shastri got. Dravid is continuing the same approach.

Edit:India won the toss and batting first, 6/0

[Bibendum90949]

Happy Birthday to the humble legend !


Humility Personified.



The real giving it back to the game.


Stamp of Class.


Bang in the middle of Fab Five.



Wears the heart on his sleeve always. The fighter par excellence !


What a sight !


The finest artist with the willow!


The ever affable gentleman.

[kavensri]

So, the utter failure in the first innings was completely forgotten and those two aggressive fifties from ChePu and Rahane got their places confirmed for next X matches? What kind of logic is this? They could not even score enough runs to post a winning total in the second innings and management felt that they are back to form now? We all were thinking that Shastri was saving them and now Dravid is also following the same policy? I just wonder, who is saving these two guys afterall?

[Bhalla]

So Joss Butler is out of fifth Ashes Test in Hobart. Johny Bairstow is also suffering with injury. Sam Billing is certainly going to make his Test debut in Hobart.

[RoadTiger]

Another failure (40+) for ChePu and (sub-10) for Rahane. Man, honestly, if they - particularly Rahane - arent dropped after this for the next Test (whenever we play one) I dont know what to say.

There is a fine line between giving someone a long rope based on their past laurels - and compromising meritocracy and frustrating performing upcoming talent. That line had been already been crossed much earlier than the current series

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by kavensri

So, the utter failure in the first innings was completely forgotten and those two aggressive fifties from ChePu and Rahane got their places confirmed for next X matches? What kind of logic is this? They could not even score enough runs to post a winning total in the second innings and management felt that they are back to form now? We all were thinking that Shastri was saving them and now Dravid is also following the same policy? I just wonder, who is saving these two guys afterall?

And, we are treated to another master innings by Bahane, this is beyond ridiculous. Dravid has been a complete disappointment till now as a Coach, if we just needed a puppet, we could have got Sunny Leone, atleast we would have got some Eye Candy!!

[NPV]

Originally Posted by AtheK

And, we are treated to another master innings by Bahane, this is beyond ridiculous.

Spot on - they keep finding "Bahane" (excuses) to retain him in the playing XI

Worst part is despite clearly edging the ball, he confidently went for the DRS appeal which we unnecessarily lost!

[antz.bin]

The situation is so hopeless that I sincerely hope that India loses this match and this series. I hope South Africa bats India out of the match and then bowls them out again for sub 200 and hands them an innings defeat. That should give the team management the intent to drop Rahane.

Pujara still tries to contribute despite his much limited skills, but the situation with Rahane is absolutely hopeless. If they would have backed Ravi Ashwin the batsman as much as Rahane, even he would have had comparable numbers. I hope both of them get dropped though the past evidence indicates that they wont and this charade will continue.

The 5 bowler strategy works like a charm if you have bowling allrounders like Jadeja / Washy / Axar in the team. The problem the team faces is that it is filled with opening batters brimming with confidence but no middle order bats. I have a wild idea to fix the middle order conundrum. #6 batter in a team should be able to score runs fast but he should also be able to play the new ball (#6 would be playing the 2nd new ball if 1-5 do their job well).

The solution could be to have a batting order as follows.

Rahul
Mayank / Rohit
Vihari
Virat
Shreyas
Gill / Mayank / Shaw
Pant
Then the 4 bowlers as per the pitch.

Vihari can roll his arm over if you absolutely *need* the 5th bowler.

Drop the opener at #6 if you can play Jadeja / Washy / Axar / Krunal at 7. With Pant in a rut, we are desperately missing the skills and stability offered by a fast bowling allrounder like Hardik. Hope the selectors find someone who can take his place someday.

[harry10]

Dravid's birthday so I am gonna criticize his selection process some other day.

So pleased with 2 things.

Kohli looks brilliantly in control today. Just like his old self. Don't wanna jinx him so no more.

Pant playing sensibly how he should play always. He has the defensive game only when he wants to apply it. Even if he gets out soon this is the perfect way to approach and build a test innings when you aren't batting with the tail and should be the playbook for him.

Puji looked good today until he got out.
Bahane is useless. Nothing more for him.

This pitch isn't easy to bat. Still need minimum 280-300 in first innings.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by Bhalla

So Jos Butler is out of fifth Ashes Test in Hobart. Johny Bairstow is also suffering with injury. Sam Billing is certainly going to make his Test debut in Hobart.

Wonder why Ben Foakes "keeps" getting ignored

[harry10]

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Wonder why Ben Foakes "keeps" getting ignored

Give the applause to English selectors for sending Ben foakes home instead of keeping him with the team. Although Billings is a better batter foakes is a much better keeper.

[hemanth.anand]

Really feel for Kohli. Batted so well...deserved a century. If any one of the recognized batters stayed with him, he wouldn't have played the shot that he did and got out. Rahane has just one more innings to hold on to his place.
It's high time Vihari and Shreyas get a place in the team

[antz.bin]

Had Vihari been there instead of Rahane, Kohli would have gotten his hundred. A Kohli hundred wouldn't just be a hundred for himself, it would have been 21+ more runs for the team.

I hope Kohli also realises this.

[VWAllstar]

Originally Posted by hemanth.anand

Rahane has just one more innings to hold on to his place.

We felt his last innings was 6 innings before Anyways, no point in breaking our heads here as Kohli isn't going to get under any sort of pressure to replace Rahane. Feel bad for S Iyer & Vihari. They could really make big hundreds and help the team put on competitive scores.
I wonder how we arent getting a good fast bowling all rounder. If Dravid puts his head down and works with Thakur & Pant then it would do wonders. Pant has misunderstood Gilchrist, the latter was smart to know when to attack and be defensive.