***Official*** India in New Zealand 2013/14

[hendrix]

loving what Baz is saying on the radio right now.

 

[Mike5181]

<<<<<<<<-------

What's he saying, Hendrix?

 

[Zinzan]

yeah, even if (no idea if they have or haven't) the bowling/captaincy/fielding/pitch conditions have been hopeless for India, the situation NZ have come back from is pretty amazing. Has McCullum been dropped at all/ Edit Shri...?

Dropped twice early. On 8 & 36 IIRC.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Was referring to India's performance over a longer period of times, ie Eng 2011 Aus 2011-12. Performed ok last test after being in a poor position, but it looks like they'll have nothing to show for it.

And for a team as wealthy and well supported as India, merely getting to within 40 runs of winning a test overseas, against lowly ranked opposition, shouldn't be seen as any type of achievement.
Doubt Australian or South Africans would look at it like that.

Having nothing to show for it is different to "failing miserably". We've undoubtedly improved overseas with this new side. With a few changes, I'm pretty confident we'll start improving.
Doesn't help that this side is ridiculously young and inexperienced, which is why I think we've let slip golden opportunities on both these tours. Some good signs that were actually getting into winning positions, but FFS, we need to start converting some of them or their confidence will take a beating and it'll be back to 80s-90s India.

 

[nevermind]

Well, as a half aussie/half kiwi I'm considering claiming full kiwi today, that was absolutely thrilling! One of the greatest innings ever. Wow we've seen some great Test cricket of late.

 

[GingerBreadMan]

loving what Baz is saying on the radio right now.

What did he say?

 

[Blocky]

I'd not begrudge him or the NZ team to target batting another session tomorrow.... with the idea that they set a target that is basically all but ungettable, leave themselves sixty overs (12 overs for each bowler, each bowler bowling flat out for four over spells each except Wagner who bowls his in one set) to try and have a go at the Indian's.

I think ultimately, India are either going to bat comfortably for 80 overs, or they're going to get out within 45 overs... anyone else of the same mind?

 

[M0rphin3]

Wow BAZ! *bows down in awe*
Whoddathunk him playing such an ATG defensive rearguards? I'd totally lose hope once India got 400+ - but wow. Too good.
And good on ya, Neesh - great support by him today, could've really been all pointless had Neesh not hung in there.

 

[Daemon]

If NZ do miraculously get up tomorrow, the innings could well be argued to be > than Laxman (with Dravid) as the best rearguard counter-punch knock.

Not trying to put down the effort at all but it would be hard to make a case due to the difference in the quality of the bowling imo.

Definitely up there as one of the best though.

 

[Zinzan]

From cricinfo commentary with the score at 129/5, can hardly blame the bloke at the time.

Alex: "This a pathetic from New Zealand. What is it that India could do that New Zealand can't? Typical performance from New Zealand - as soon as pressure is applied in testing conditions, we fold like paper. "

 

[Slifer]

If NZ do miraculously get up tomorrow, the innings could well be argued to be > than Laxman (with Dravid) as the best rearguard counter-punch knock.

Greater innings numerically only (IMO) but not better overall. Laxman's innings obviously came against a much much better attack: McWarne+ Gillespie.

 

[straw man]

Don't have anything more to post - superlatives etc - but just sitting here buzzing from this performance.

 

[OverratedSanity]

If NZ do miraculously get up tomorrow, the innings could well be argued to be > than Laxman (with Dravid) as the best rearguard counter-punch knock.

Blasphemy. That was against McGrath/Warne/Gillespie. This is against Isgant/Zaheer/Jadeja.
In terms of situation, this was probably just as dire though . Better comparison would be greatbatch at Perth imo

 

[Contra]

Was referring to India's performance over a longer period of times, ie Eng 2011 Aus 2011-12. Performed ok last test after being in a poor position, but it looks like they'll have nothing to show for it.

And for a team as wealthy and well supported as India, merely getting to within 40 runs of winning a test overseas, against lowly ranked opposition, shouldn't be seen as any type of achievement.
Doubt Australian or South Africans would look at it like that.

Those ENG/AUS tours had a significantly different set of players, this is an improvement from those 2 tours is what is important, because we have actually been in a winning position over the course of at least 3 of the 4 tests so far (not a massive sample size obvs), which is different from not being in a winning position at all across 8 tests. Also wealthy and well supported shouldn't be major points to argue that a team should be doing better lol, it's the players who play the game ultimately and they have to go out and perform.

Those ENG/AUS tours sucked for an Indian fan because we simply weren't competing, we just kept getting rolled innings after innings, making it hard to support India and find any real positives, lets also not forget that our batting line up is massively inexperienced, in hindsight our first innings should have been of a bigger score imo.

 

[Blocky]

Not trying to put down the effort at all but it would be hard to make a case due to the difference in the quality of the bowling imo.

Definitely up there as one of the best though.

The quality of bowling in which conditions though? This is a side that bundled out 20 wickets for around 200 runs in the previous two innings.

 

[hendrix]

<<<<<<<<-------

What's he saying, Hendrix?

What did he say?

Brian Waddle
"…and push for a win?"

BazCullum
"We'll sleep on that. We need to weigh up the fact that we're 1-0 up in the series and consider how far we've come to dig ourselves out in this match with the situation we came in"

 

[Ruckus]

when on earth is india just gonna find a decent fast bowler, even one that does a serviceable job. You can have all the best young batsmen in the world in the side and it's not gonna make a difference without at least an average attack. I mean it can't be that hard to find someone better than e.g. Sharma. He averages 38 after 50+ matches for christ sake, that's awful.

 

[vicleggie]

Having nothing to show for it is different to "failing miserably". We've undoubtedly improved overseas with this new side. With a few changes, I'm pretty confident we'll start improving.
Doesn't help that this side is ridiculously young and inexperienced, which is why I think we've let slip golden opportunities on both these tours. Some good signs that were actually getting into winning positions, but FFS, we need to start converting some of them or their confidence I'll take a beating and it'll be back to 80s-90s India.

Yeah, to reiterate, I was talking more about 2011-12 when I meant 'fail misearbly', but can't help thinking the issues lie deeper. Don't think Dhoni's attitude to winning overseas is great. He seems a bit too relaxed even when India are taking a beating.
That whole "don't worry, wait till they come to India, we'll beat them there" attitude seems to be alive and well within the team.

 

[Daemon]

The quality of bowling in which conditions though? This is a side that bundled out 20 wickets for around 200 runs in the previous two innings.

The quality of our bowling attack in conditions favourable for batsmen drops faster than Jono's pants when he sees Kohli

 

[Blocky]

The quality of bowling in which conditions though? This is a side that bundled out 20 wickets for around 200 runs in the previous two innings.

And also a team that took the first five wickets for under 100.

Watling and McCullum for near on two days were in a position that getting out effectively ended NZ's chances. Dravid and Laxman came together at 4 for 232.

I'd still put Laxman ahead of this innings, but not by much and by a diminishing margin if NZ get up and take India out here.