SA vs India

[su-47]

I am glad Raina, Karthik and Sreesanth are back. Hope to see them in next test.

I just wish Dravid and Yuvi were there. Then it would be a full strength Indian team vs a full strength SA team. A true test to see who is no 1.

 

[SSGPA1]

The number one spot feels so cosmetic right now. The South Africans clearly outplayed us in every department of the game.

Putting a slow pitch is not a solution. Sure, it will give us an advantage, but thats not what India needs. What India needs is to step up their game and be able to take on any team, anywhere, anytime. Only then can we be really No 1.

You are right, number one team needs to be consistent like Austrailia and key to that is mental strength. Pakistan and India lack confidence to counter pressure.

It is good to see Raina back but I hope that one of the three new batsmen stay in team so that at least one new player has experience to play against better teams in pressure situation.

 

[Super Falcon]

india will never be number one team in the world for sure

 

[Goodperson]

india will never be number one team in the world for sure

Who ranks #1 in test team in World at Present ?

 

[Super Falcon]

SA not india if even it is india only for few days

 

[Hyde]

We Asians always had the potential to become number 1 but we lack Self-confidence and consistancy unlike Aussies. So we cannot become/stay number 1 for a period of 1 year. May be in future we can change this mentality but so far we asians always produced the best both in battings like Tendulkar, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam, Ganguly, Dravid, Sangakara etc and bowlers like Akram, Waqar, Kapil Dev, Muralitharan etc but we were never able to become number 1

 

[Choppers]

India on top after dramatic S.Africa collapse
Reuters, 14 February 2010
By Sanjay Rajan

KOLKATA (Reuters) - South Africa's bid for a first test series victory in India in almost a decade suffered a setback when top-ranked India fashioned a dramatic turnaround on the opening day of the final test.
In-form Hashim Amla (114) and debutant Alviro Petersen (100) stroked centuries to put South Africa in control before Indian spearhead Zaheer Khan triggered a sensational collapse.

The tourists, 1-0 up in the two-match series between the world's top-ranked teams, lost seven wickets in the final session to be struggling at 266 for nine at the close after being comfortably placed at 218-2 at one stage.
"As we know in test cricket, if you're not getting wickets because the ball is doing a bit then you've got to build pressure," India coach Gary Kirsten told reporters.

"Often the ball doesn't always need to be doing something. When you can create the pressure by doing creative things like we did today, batsmen play very differently when they're in a pressurised situation."
Zaheer dismissed the two century-makers caught behind in quick succession either side of tea before spinner Harbhajan Singh also grabbed three quick wickets as he reached the 350-wicket mark at one of his favourite venues.
South Africa missed out on a series victory on the previous tour two years ago when, after winning the second test in Ahmedabad, India squared the series on an unpredictable pitch at Kanpur.

Harbhajan, who destroyed South Africa's hopes in 2008 by claiming seven wickets in the final test, found the form that had eluded him for a while.
The off-spinner dismissed Jacques Kallis and then Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy lbw off successive deliveries to tear out the middle-order.
India must win this test to hold on to the number one test ranking.
Amla, who scored an unbeaten 253 in the opening-test victory, put on 209 for the second wicket with Petersen who was handed a debut after wicketkeeper Mark Boucher was ruled out with a back injury.
Petersen, only the third South African player to score a test century on debut after Andrew Hudson and Jacques Rudolph, said the tourists were still very much in the game.

"We can definitely bounce back," he told reporters. "We saw (medium pacer Ishant) Sharma bowling a decent spell of short balls, when after 40 overs the ball was still carrying through, so I'd like to see our fast bowlers on that," he said.

"It's not a normal Indian wicket from what I understand of it. It's also not that easy to bat on. There's a lot of cricket still to be played."

 

[SSGPA1]

This is the team for the second test:

V Sehwag, G Gambhir, M Vijay, SR Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, S Badrinath, MS Dhoni*†, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, A Mishra, I Sharma

Why is India so persisten with M Vijay? Where is Raina??

Lets hope that both Badri and Vijay are able to prove their selections right. This is a big gamble.

So far India has doen well to keep SA at 266/9 on a ground which has a bit more suppport for the batsmen.

It will be interesting to see how SA bowlers perform.

 

[Dawkins]

^^ Vijay looks more solid than Raina or Yuvi for that matter. Raina has a certain weakness against the short ball, Kohli seems more tighter than him.

 

[su-47]

^^ Vijay looks more solid than Raina or Yuvi for that matter. Raina has a certain weakness against the short ball, Kohli seems more tighter than him.

Today he was about as 'solid' as methane gas. He was all over the place and generally stank.

Vijay and Badri both lack the quality to play at this level. hey are too intimidated by players like Steyn and Morkel. Raina on the other hand doesn't get intimidated by the big guns in the opposition.

 

[mrwarrior006]

WE ATLEAST NEED 200+ LEAD if we wish to draw this series and remain no1

 

[su-47]

we need a good lead, and then need to bowl out SA cheaply. So though we are on top now, by no means are we home and dry. Its even possible to lose this test from here. Hope India plays well and wins.

I would love if we can give an innings defeat to SA (to repay for Nagpur), but that might be asking for too much!

 

[hembo]

^^ Vijay looks more solid than Raina or Yuvi for that matter. Raina has a certain weakness against the short ball, Kohli seems more tighter than him.

Sometimes technique isn't everything buddy, guts and cricketing intelligence plays a vital role too.

Other-wise I'm sure a Sanjay Manjerakar and a Akash Chopra has much better technique then a VIRENDER SHEHWAG!! But to win a test whom would you take in your team.

I'd have taken Virat and/ or Raina any day over players like Vijay or Badrinath. The selector had a chance to take a look at Cheteswar Pujara too as a possible successor to Dravid later when the Wall decides to retire.

I'm sure they missed some good chance to test Virat/ Raina or Pujara against some quality bowling.

We have seen how solid was Vijay and Badrinath against a good attack. Specially Badrinath was completely thought out by stein with just 6 deliveries. He set him up so nicely, I almost applauded when he got him.

Anyway, hope they don;t let SA get away with quick wickets tomorrow morning. Dhoniiiii, Kuch Jalwa dikha!!! I always have faith on Lakshman. Cheers.

 

[SSGPA1]

India has an excellent chance with Laxman batting and Dhoni to come. I think a safe lead will be 200 plus but key will be bowling and the pitch response.

What is Kaif, Wseem, Raina and Verat doing tonight? praying that Badri and Vijay repeat their performance in 2 innings.

 

[NSG_BlackCats]

Today he was about as 'solid' as methane gas. He was all over the place and generally stank.

Vijay and Badri both lack the quality to play at this level. hey are too intimidated by players like Steyn and Morkel. Raina on the other hand doesn't get intimidated by the big guns in the opposition.

How many matches have M Vijay and Badrinath has played?? Bardrinath is now playing his second test match and M Vijay may be playing his 3rd/ 4th test match.

If selectors go by your way, India might not have Sachin Tendulkar today, as he has scored a duck in his first innings. You came to conclusion that Badrinath and M Vijay lacks quality in just 2 games. This is called typical Indian spectator.

Test match is not like T20 where you score 30 runs in 15 balls. It is about occupying the crease. Badrinath has a great domestic record compared to Raina that is why he is in the playing eleven.