second test - drop harbhajan

by truthbetold Thu Jul 28, 2011 10:17 pm

I am not an anti Harbhajan guy. But his contributions are too few in recent era to treat him like Bowling Sachin. He should be rested to allow him to think. Dropping did wonders to Zaheer, Sehwag and Kohli. Why not Harbhajan? A good execuse is trent bridge is seamer friendly pitch and India could use 4 seamers. Yuv raj should be brought in for bowling in place of injured Gambhir.

India should bat first and score 400 plus to pressure on England. Near 100 lead in first innings would allow 300 plus target for England in 4th innings. Indian batting stalwarts should stand up and score in hundreds and doubles to make a statement. Between the big three, they should score close to 400 runs in two innings. If India does not win 2nd test, they will lose it because it will be a low scoring game. After that it is too much pressure.

May be Sehwag will solve allthe world's run problems.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Thu Jul 28, 2011 11:39 pm

Replace Harbhajan with Mishra (not likely), use raina as an offspinner; Dhoni open the innigs and do a Sehwag. He used to sledge the bowling in his earlier days and now at 7 plays more like a tal ender. Dhoni's aggression -if it clicks - can surprise/shock the English. Replace Zaheer with Srisant, whose aggression might bring some life into the Indian team. Hope they dont include Saha or ZeroRaj singh.

by Another Brick Fri Jul 29, 2011 5:55 am

in your dreams, suckers. harbhajanitor singh is playing. he has a lion's heart. he will take the wicket of anderson in the first innings, roar like a lion, kick the turf like a donkey and yell "balle balle! chak de phatte!!".

in the second innings, he will fool bresnan and take his wicket and celebrate. two wickets in two innings, what more do you want, you greedy fans? what's more, he will even score two boundaries off swann while batting.

go bhajji!

by truthbetold Fri Jul 29, 2011 6:00 am

Opening by Dhoni, even though unlikely, is a good idea. Not much is expected from Dhoni interms of score, so he can make a positive impression if he scores 30 or 40 and kills first 15 to 20 overs.

Yuv Raj is in. Dravid to open. I don't know why India bothers about 6 or 7 batsmen. It is always one of big three in overseas tours anyway with an occassional innings from Sehwag.

India better break english batting to have a chance. otherwise India loses the match by second day.

by Another Brick Fri Jul 29, 2011 7:23 am

IND starts well by claiming cook and trott. but then, strauss and KP are playing some aggressive cricket. 50/2 in 18.

by Another Brick Fri Jul 29, 2011 8:58 am

and there goes pietersen. good stuff from FreeSanta. let's hope ENG is restricted for a total of no more than 250. then we have a great chance to level the series.

by Another Brick Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:28 am

strauss follows. ENG will fold for less than 250. good show by our bowlers so far. dhobi's decision to bowl (despite what happened at Lord's) has worked so far.

Edit - morgan (why do they select him?) goes for a duck! now IND mustn't relax and take the rest of the wickets and then just bat, bat and bat piling up runs.

by Guest Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:30 am

Morgan gone! Praveen's among wickets again!

by Another Brick Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:45 am

and now prior! 88/6. 125 all out. my prediction.

by CroMagnon Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:59 am

Another Brick wrote:and now prior! 88/6. 125 all out. my prediction.

This is the most crucial stage of the game. Getting the last 4-5 wickets has been India's biggest weakness. I hope like umpteen times, they don't let the game slip from here.

Have just started watching - howz the pitch?

Dravid dropped a simple catch. :-(

The first ball I watch is a dropped catch!

by CroMagnon Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:26 am

CroMagnon wrote:Getting the last 4-5 wickets has been India's biggest weakness. I hope like umpteen times, they don't let the game slip from here.

There you go!

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:28 am

Leave it to Lafbhajan to make Broad and Swann into batsmen and also help England reach 250.

Lafbhajan ki Jai ho.

by Rekz Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:30 am

I hate this thread...where is sasthi?

by doofus_maximus Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:30 am

we will lose this test because of this partnership.

by FreeStyle Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:45 am

aah found the 2nd test thread.....bring on yuvi to bowl at broad ? lol

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Fri Jul 29, 2011 11:49 am

Funny how our tailenders are guaranteed to fold and at the same time incapable of removing opponent's tailenders.

BTW, is Lafbhajan faster than Praveen ? May be Lafbhajan should become a "pace bowler"

by FreeStyle Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:01 pm

chalo swann gone

by CroMagnon Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:05 pm

doofus_maximus wrote:we will lose this test because of this partnership.

I wouldn't go so far, but Indian team has given a big advantage away. Broad is batting well, but India just let him dominate and get easy runs. Now the batsmen have to put at least 350-400 to be in a comfortable position.

by doofus_maximus Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:10 pm

350-400 in this pitch..home ground for Anderson/Swanny/Broad.

you must be dreaming.. India would do well if they reach 200 and then it is a dog fight.
If they had wrapped them up under 150 India had a chance.

by CroMagnon Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:12 pm

doofus_maximus wrote:350-400 in this pitch..home ground for Anderson/Swanny/Broad.

you must be dreaming.. India would do well if they reach 200 and then it is a dog fight.
If they had wrapped them up under 150 India had a chance.

I'm not saying India will reach 350-400, though I expect them to make around 300-325. I still expect India to win this match, though it will be very difficult from here.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:25 pm

CONGRATULATIONS.....

Lafbhajan is the greatestest... he proved his greatness by taking the crucial last wicket just when England was marching towards 400...

Harbhajan Jai Ho.

P.S. Now it is upto India NOT to lose more than 2 wickets today.... Razz

by doofus_maximus Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:28 pm

Harbhajan will play for India for the next 5 year at least for taking this wicket. What a contributor.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:34 pm

hohohohho...

Faster than my computer can get back its ne4t connection...

For a second I thought Dravid and Laxman opened the innings....

by doofus_maximus Fri Jul 29, 2011 1:29 pm

Broad is putting on a clinic.. squared Dravid up 3 times..

by FreeStyle Fri Jul 29, 2011 1:59 pm

Just wait till Yuvi arrives and clobbers Broad.....wish it would happen in this test match.

by truthbetold Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:12 pm

If I was told India will bowl out eng for 221 on first day, I would have jumped. It is a good bowling effort. India did miss a trick by failing to get england out by 150. They gave away 75 to 100 runs and a little bit of psychological advantage. But in the big scheme of things, India is in with a chance in this match.

Weather: Cloudy tomorrow till lunch. Then two days of reasonable sun at trent bridge. So if India can survive morning session without additional loss, they can look forward to a nice total. Batting till sun afternoon would give them 300 to 400. Since the pitch is tricky, big three should play carefully but accumulate runs. Once India goes above 300, Dhoni, raina, yuvraj should chance their arm and add some quick runs.

India made a mistake to not include Munaf in this test.

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:20 am

Very Very special again. Laxman delivery. Dravid and Laxman played through some tough bowling and pitch conditions.

As and when sachin walks in, he will have a much easier pitch and bowling. Sachin will have a chance to take India to safety and better yet to a large score to set up Indian victory.

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 7:41 am

Laxman , once again, leaves the battle in the middle. It would have been a treat to watch him make a major score against steady and difficult bowling.

Now it is over to Sachin.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:23 am

My first ball of the morning....and there goes VVSL.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Sat Jul 30, 2011 9:41 am

Well done. Little master Blaster.

Ignore the critics. One cannot expect you to score a 100 in EVERY Match and carry the burden each time and get a win for India ewwwery time.

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 10:48 am

If runs were weighted according to their utility to the team, Dravid and Laxman's runs weigh ton more than other runs.

Soman brings the stats: "Dravid averages 74.86 in Eng, 65.69 in WI, 78.57 in Pak, 63.83 in NZ, 48.6 in Aus, 79.16 in Zim. Undoubtedly, most successful player overseas...What a player!"

Dravid's remarkable performance overseas and in clutch situations makes him one of the all time greats of the game.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:15 am

Success is measured superficial stats in India - by most. Only a few also take into account, the situation, location, time, and the need of the moment.

VVSL and DRAVID win hands down for all times and all teams.

by nevada Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:22 am

Congrats Rahul! Another superb century from Mr Dependable.

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:30 am

Dravid's strike rate is 50 impressive for test batting. He spanked Swann for 14 in one over. He probably felt sorry for Swann and will go to him after the game and console him. Best part of watching him is his classical technique that proves hard pays off.

Great Team player.

by CroMagnon Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:40 am

Nice one from cricinfo:

This, from Narayanan, made me chuckle: "tag lines for indian cricketers Ganguly: Do or die. Sehwag: Do before you die. Dravid: Do until they die. Tendulkar: Do that will never die. Laxman: Do when everyone else die. Yuvraj: Do, die, be reborn. Do, die, be reborn"

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:54 am

Yuv raj gone. That is India has a 43 run lead with Dhoni being the last recognized bat. With Dravid's cramping and injury, he may have tough time hanging out there against a new ball.

A lead above 100 is required to pressure England. India should also play for some time to get the best use of sun today and tomorrow. Monday and Tuesday are forecast to be gloomy.

Extreme thought: If India can survive till tea tomorrow, they will have enough runs and enough time to get England a second time and weather may help.

by nevada Sat Jul 30, 2011 11:59 am

After all the hard work, India has a piddly lead and a fragile tail left. Dhobi seems to have taken a vow to bat well only when wearing colored clothing.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:03 pm

Lafbhajan is in.

Indian Tail will play true to its form and expectation. The final Indian score may be around 300 or 310.

Time to drop Dhoni

by nevada Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:05 pm

Wow, Broad hat trick!

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:08 pm

Hat Trick for Broad. Harbhajan was given out despite huge inside edge. English commentators would ignore that and put broad over the top with comments like " Broad brings back england".

India could have finished the day on top with 5 wickets down and 300 score. Now they will bowling with 50 to 60 run lead.

Snatching defeat from the jaws of Victory. Dravid must be feeling lonely out there.

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:11 pm

5-267 (Yuvraj Singh, 85.4 ov), 6-273 (Dhoni, 87.3 ov), 7-273 (Harbhajan Singh, 87.4 ov), 8-273 (Kumar, 87.5 ov), 9-273 (Dravid, 88.2 ov)

That is not worthy of a test team. It certainly does not read like #1 team in the world.

by nevada Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:13 pm

Bhajji's dismissal was a disgrace. What a lame umpiring decision. We can safely say bye bye to the # 1 ranking now.

by Marathadi-Saamiyaar Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:45 pm

India must take 3 wickets by end of the day 2 to have a good chance of winning. The way Indian team is folding under 300 runs, this batting cannot be trusted to score more than 225 in the 4th inning.

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 12:52 pm

Marathadi-Saamiyaar wrote:India must take 3 wickets by end of the day 2 to have a good chance of winning. The way Indian team is folding under 300 runs, this batting cannot be trusted to score more than 225 in the 4th inning.

This Indian team batting team is highly suspect in fourth innings. As I pointed earlier, weather is good tomorrow. By giving the bat back to England, India have lost the weather support. A 300 plus by england will put them in great position.

Monday is listed as cloudy and Tuesday as light rain. Neither good for Batting or survival. Instead going into third with anticipation, India is now entering 3rd in an anxious mood hoping to do well in not so friendly weather. A 100 or 150 lead would have put India in driver's seat. Harbhajan is proving that he is not required in this test.

by MaxEntropy_Man Sat Jul 30, 2011 1:29 pm

nevada wrote:Bhajji's dismissal was a disgrace. What a lame umpiring decision. We can safely say bye bye to the # 1 ranking now.

the pan-chewing, safari suit-wearing fatsos at the BCCI are to blame. had we agreed to the UDRS for lbw decisions bhajji would have definitely had that reviewed. why cry now?

there is a case here to be made for dhoni dropping himself. his keeping is atrocious and batting skills non-existent under english conditions. india can't afford a mike brearley on the team.

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:09 pm

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/sport/cricket/dravid-%E2%80%98frustrated%E2%80%99-batting-collapse-152

Dravid clearly expressed his frustration at losing control of the match from 250 plus for 4. Is any one in Indian team listening?

by nevada Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:16 pm

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:
nevada wrote:Bhajji's dismissal was a disgrace. What a lame umpiring decision. We can safely say bye bye to the # 1 ranking now.

the pan-chewing, safari suit-wearing fatsos at the BCCI are to blame. had we agreed to the UDRS for lbw decisions bhajji would have definitely had that reviewed. why cry now?

there is a case here to be made for dhoni dropping himself. his keeping is atrocious and batting skills non-existent under english conditions. india can't afford a mike brearley on the team.

Dhobi has now become a certified tailender in tests. He should be dropped if he doesn't voluntarily step aside.

by confuzzled dude Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:23 pm

What the heck happened there, When I first checked the score it looked as though we would take 150 runs lead, last 5 wickets tumbled like a pack of cards. In contrast England's tail added ~140 runs.

by confuzzled dude Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:28 pm

nevada wrote:
Dhobi has now become a certified tailender in tests. He should be dropped if he doesn't voluntarily step aside.

He averages 29 outside the subcontinent (which is not bad for a keeper) as opposed to 43 at home. Let's hope he comes good in the 2nd innings and will lead India to victory

by truthbetold Sat Jul 30, 2011 3:28 pm

nevada,

Inside India, India tail starts after Dhoni and outside India, it starts after sachin/laxman. An occasional flourish bu Raina/Yuv Raj/Dhoni can be considered as tail ender contribution.

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