Our man has gone MAD!!!!!!!!!!

[Hulk]

The key highlights IMO was.
He was having back problems and was off-strike most of time after Dravid came and still Managed 284. If he gets another 16 will be first one to cross 300 3 times, hope he also goes over 400.

 

[jaunty]

Dravid bhai ne pitch ki doosri ore apna tambu gaad diya hai.

Priceless comment doc..great...!!! So true.

Jai (ho) Viru ( reminds me of Sholey)

Hope he gets his third triple ton tomorrow and writes his name alongside the greats Sir Don Bradman and Brian Charles Lara. Also you never know, one more major record is there for the taking(Lara says hi again..!!!). Just wish, we are not jinxing him.

 

[Chanakyaa]

jaunty he needs only 117 Runs to Break one of The greatest world Record of test Cricket !
Im more anxious about that 400, its really a rarest of the rare event.

 

[Hulk]

jaunty he needs only 117 Runs to Break one of The greatest world Record of test Cricket !
Im more anxious about that 400, its really a rarest of the rare event.

I wish he gets 117 but 16 works for me.

 

[BlackenTheSky]

And unfortunately he got out on 293..

 

[PAFAce]

Good job, Sehwag. When he gets going, boy does he get going.

Though, I must say, the pitches have looked extremely poor for bowlers. I feel for them, I really do. Of course he's going to score the second fastest double cent, the pitch is flat, dry and baking. Not to mention it's his home turf. The only bowlers who have any assistance are spinners, and that too only on the last days. Unfortunately, that is the standard in the sub-continent, though it seems the Indian groundsmen haven't tried at all to be fair to the bowlers.

The field prep in New Zealand for the Pak vs NZ series isn't perfect, but it's a lot closer to what it should be. A pitch like that lets both sides play to their strengths. True quality comes out on these types of tracks, as is being displayed by my man, and the new prodigal son, Umar Akmal as we speak.

 

[Chanakyaa]

We're just 4 wickets away from No. 1, Spot !!!

 

[Awesome]

Good job, Sehwag. When he gets going, boy does he get going.

Though, I must say, the pitches have looked extremely poor for bowlers. I feel for them, I really do. Of course he's going to score the second fastest double cent, the pitch is flat, dry and baking. Not to mention it's his home turf. The only bowlers who have any assistance are spinners, and that too only on the last days. Unfortunately, that is the standard in the sub-continent, though it seems the Indian groundsmen haven't tried at all to be fair to the bowlers.

The field prep in New Zealand for the Pak vs NZ series isn't perfect, but it's a lot closer to what it should be. A pitch like that lets both sides play to their strengths. True quality comes out on these types of tracks, as is being displayed by my man, and the new prodigal son, Umar Akmal as we speak.

90% of Indian records and big scores are on home ground. Take out Tendulkar's home ground centuries and he's just an above average batsman.

 

[SU-57E]

well ... whatever you want to think.... but still he is the only candiadate who seems capable of scoring century of centuries and every country would kill for a batsman like him...

 

[PAFAce]

Mathematics to the Rescue!

Well a look at these figures confirms that Sachin Tendulkar is a World Class batsman, regardless of venue:

Test Matches Mat Runs HS Bat Av 100
Career 162 12970 248* 54.72 43
Away 90 7165 248* 54.28 24

Thankfully, his second lowest Batting Average is against Pakistan (lowest against South Africa), which, I guess, is testament to our bowling over the years.

However, the rest of the Indian team is a different story altogether, as Asim Aquil has pointed out above. They are kings at home, but not so much away from home. If you would like proof of this, then I invite you to use Cricinfo's Statsguru.

 

[Goodperson]

Mathematics to the Rescue!

Well a look at these figures confirms that Sachin Tendulkar is a World Class batsman, regardless of venue:

Test Matches Mat Runs HS Bat Av 100
Career 162 12970 248* 54.72 43
Away 90 7165 248* 54.28 24

Thankfully, his second lowest Batting Average is against Pakistan (lowest against South Africa), which, I guess, is testament to our bowling over the years.

However, the rest of the Indian team is a different story altogether, as Asim Aquil has pointed out above. They are kings at home, but not so much away from home. If you would like proof of this, then I invite you to use Cricinfo's Statsguru.

Common give credit where it is due. India won 2 out of 3 test matches. They defeated Sri Lanka by innings in both. Even though SriLankas Spin bowling was much better than India's. India is # 1 team in world now.

Sri Lanka 393 & 309 (100.4 ov)

India 726/9d

India won by an innings and 24 runs

 

[PAFAce]

Common give credit where it is due. India won 2 out of 3 test matches. They defeated Sri Lanka by innings in both. Even though SriLankas Spin bowling was much better than India's. India is # 1 team in world now.

Sri Lanka 393 & 309 (100.4 ov)

India 726/9d

India won by an innings and 24 runs

Yes you are. You've earned the right to be called the number 1 team in the world. Please accept my congratulations.

Though, you too must agree, these wickets are graveyards for bowlers. Of course India will win on these tracks, all you do is bat bat bat! If you caught the post-match interviews with Yousuf and Vettori in New Zealand, they both agreed with me, the track in Basin, New Zealand is the ideal test track. For the batsmen it's got true bounce, and it doesn't deteriorate too much over the 5 day period, but, if you're consistent with your line-and-length, it will reward the bowler as well.

Now, in Pakistan they try very hard to make neutral or bowler friendly wickets, not because we are "fair" or anything, but because that's where our strengths are. Our batsmen need help from the wicket, but our bowlers can rip through any line-up on a slightly helpful track (example Basin and Dunedin). Unfortunately in India, because you guys are always so good in the batting department, the track is heavily rigged to favor the batsmen. Takes all the fun out of test cricket if you ask me. It should be a contest between Bat and Ball, not Bat and Bat.

That said, I will once again give you your due credit. In a Bat vs Bat contest, you just can't beat India, at least not easily, especially in Test cricket. The rise of Indian cricket has coincided with the fact that cricket has become more-and-more batsman friendly over the years, especially over the past decade. Ask any old-time bowler, it's a nightmare for them. Every month, almost, a batting record is broken somewhere in the world. Bowling records are much rarer now. As a Pakistan, of course I will complain. Just like you guys have a factory there in India that keeps turning out technically sound batsmen, we've got a factory here that produces fast bowlers like no-body's business. The recent demands for your good have gone up, our goods are having a slightly tougher time.

 

[Goodperson]

Yes you are. You've earned the right to be called the number 1 team in the world. Please accept my congratulations.

Though, you too must agree, these wickets are graveyards for bowlers. Of course India will win on these tracks, all you do is bat bat bat! If you caught the post-match interviews with Yousuf and Vettori in New Zealand, they both agreed with me, the track in Basin, New Zealand is the ideal test track. For the batsmen it's got true bounce, and it doesn't deteriorate too much over the 5 day period, but, if you're consistent with your line-and-length, it will reward the bowler as well.

Now, in Pakistan they try very hard to make neutral or bowler friendly wickets, not because we are "fair" or anything, but because that's where our strengths are. Our batsmen need help from the wicket, but our bowlers can rip through any line-up on a slightly helpful track (example Basin and Dunedin). Unfortunately in India, because you guys are always so good in the batting department, the track is heavily rigged to favor the batsmen. Takes all the fun out of test cricket if you ask me. It should be a contest between Bat and Ball, not Bat and Bat.

That said, I will once again give you your due credit. In a Bat vs Bat contest, you just can't beat India, at least not easily, especially in Test cricket. The rise of Indian cricket has coincided with the fact that cricket has become more-and-more batsman friendly over the years, especially over the past decade. Ask any old-time bowler, it's a nightmare for them. Every month, almost, a batting record is broken somewhere in the world. Bowling records are much rarer now. As a Pakistan, of course I will complain. Just like you guys have a factory there in India that keeps turning out technically sound batsmen, we've got a factory here that produces fast bowlers like no-body's business. The recent demands for your good have gone up, our goods are having a slightly tougher time.

I agree about 1st Test match wherin both team scored good amount of runs match ended in draw.

But other two pitches offered for both Batsman and Bowlers. The team batting 1st had the advantage. India took advantage in 2nd Test. But Sri Lanka failed to capitalize in 3rd Test.

If the pitches were graveyard for Bowlers then how could India bowl out Srilanka twice to win matches ?

Sri Lankan Bowling attack was much better than Indians overall not only spin.

 

[Gin ka Pakistan]

is test cricket making a come back ?

 

[jaunty]

90% of Indian records and big scores are on home ground. Take out Tendulkar's home ground centuries and he's just an above average batsman.

I think PAFace has already answered about Tendulkar. I will try to refute the other claim here "Indian records and big scores are on home ground".

Mathematics to the Rescue!

Well a look at these figures confirms that Sachin Tendulkar is a World Class batsman, regardless of venue:

Test Matches Mat Runs HS Bat Av 100
Career 162 12970 248* 54.72 43
Away 90 7165 248* 54.28 24

Thankfully, his second lowest Batting Average is against Pakistan (lowest against South Africa), which, I guess, is testament to our bowling over the years.

Good that you actually took the pain to look at the stats rather than making superficial claims like others. Just like to point out a fact here. Yes Tendulkar's lowest averages are in SA and Pak, but exactly how low those are. He averages 40.25 in Pak with only a single century and 39.75 in SA with 3 centuries. These are not very low when you compare to other players' lowest avgs. For example ponting averages 20 in India after playing 12 tests(he otherwise has excellent avgs in every other country) and Lara's lowest is 33, again in India(Lara in fact does not have very high avg in any away country--that's something I never knew). I think we all agree that the strongest team by far in the last 15-20 years has been Aus, Sachin averages 58.53 in Aus, whereas Lara averages only 42.

However, the rest of the Indian team is a different story altogether, as Asim Aquil has pointed out above. They are kings at home, but not so much away from home. If you would like proof of this, then I invite you to use Cricinfo's Statsguru.

Now you took the same path as others. Did you look at statsguru before making this statement. Let me give you some stats. Maths to rescue...!!!

Dravid-- career avg.=53.60, away avg.=56.90

Sehwag--career avg.=52.50, away avg.=49.12

Laxman--career avg.=45.50, away avg.=44.63

Gambhir--career avg.=56.73, away avg.=71.53

Ganguly--career avg.=42.17, away avg.=41.56(never was v good player in tests. excellent player in ODIs and the man who shaped Indian cricket as a captain)

So still believe that Indian score only in India ?

I have gone through the records of some of the Pakistani players that I have seen like Inzi, Yousuf, Younis etc. Their differences between home and away averages are more than the Indian players, esp in places like Aus and SA. For example a batsman as good as Yousuf(the most technically sound Pakistani batsman I have seen) averages only 33 and 26 in Aus and SA.

So, it is entirely false that Indian batsmen score only in India. Feel free to disagree. But with stats. No vague comments please.

See buddy,the point is I truly acknowledge the fact that India was a mediocre team till 2000 with some individually brilliant players like gavaskar(averages 70 in WI, the strongest team in his time and with probably the deadliest bowlers ever in history), Kapil, Sachin etc.The team as a whole was mediocre at best.

But since 2000 after Saurav became the captain, things changed. We have started to win matches abroad. For example against Aus in this period India has played 19 test matches(home+away) and won 7, lost 7 and I daresay no other team has consistently challenged Aussies like that. I have talked to many Aussies, even they openly say this and consider India to be no 1 rival. Eng won 2 ashes at home, but also lost 5-0 in one. Now that is something.

the no-1 position that India achieved is not just by playing good at home, but we have played well in other countries too. I always acknowledge that Pakistan has produced much better fast bowlers than India. It is improving in India of late. For example Sree was the MoM in the last test and Zaheer took 5 today. So please give credit where it is due and again if anybody disagrees please come up with stats.