Is the criticism of the Indian batting line up justified?

[LegionOfBrad]

While Pujara, Dawan, Kohli and Lolbhir genuinely looked like they didn't have too much of a clue. Rahane and Vijay certainly started the series well, and in fairness Vijay got some ****ing good balls. Rahane's batting seemed to fall off a cliff after a magnificent innings at Lords.

I don't know who is going around trying to motivate them either. Dhoni doesn't give anything away in the few press conferences but they way he batted and attempted to get around his obvious shortcomings should have been a lesson to them all. It must have been hurting like hell.

 

[slowfinger]

I think that the main point is that they didn't just fail, they did a Pakistan and were COMPELTELY non competent. I do agree that its a bit harsh to criticise the likes of Kohli, Pujara etc because we know they are class batsmen but how can they be completely clueless just because the ball was moving? It wasn't like they just struggled, they failed completely, and thats what I don't understand. A 3-1 series defeat is fair enough if you put up a fight, but there was no desire or hunger to stay at the crease and thats why they are getting so heavily grilled. If Buvnaresh Kumar can stay at the crease and score runs, so can Kohli. It was almost like watching Pakistan a few years ago, and I suppose thats the problem with techniques of the subcontinent.

 

[Cabinet96]

Only if one side is completely outgunned. A 5 tester between India and England shouldn't be that. India have been fairly disgraceful, loose impatient shots, no application shown at all. Many of them need some serious attention to their techniques, otherwise they're never going to live up to the reputation of the batsmen they've succeeded.

Majority of five test match series I've seen have had completely dead 5th matches. Same applies with a lot of four test series as well.

 

[NasserFan207]

Majority of five test match series I've seen have had completely dead 5th matches. Same applies with a lot of four test series as well.

By dead do you mean one side failing to turn up? Or in a dead rubber sense?

Theoretically the visiting side should be at their best in the final game.

 

[Cabinet96]

By dead do you mean one side failing to turn up? Or in a dead rubber sense?

Theoretically the visiting side should be at their best in the final game.

Dead rubbers because the visiting side never turned up.

 

[Jono]

NAH PISS OFF I AIN'T RELAXING.

s

 

[Jono]

So it was greentops 3 years ago and banana swing this time.

Can't wait till they tour again for the next excuse.

Get it right flibberty, the excuse in 2011 was injuries not pitches

 

[Jono]

The same bowlers who were big contributors to almost drawing both series? Ok.

Current India crumble as soon as you show any resistance, with the bat or with the ball. McCullum and Watling batted for a day and then had India by the balls mentally. You see the same with the current West Indian side, which is a talented line up that loses faith if you can win a session.

Yes. the issue is they cbf fighting when the other team comes back hard at them. Auckland the only exception probably when they fought back.

 

[GIMH]

Majority of five test match series I've seen have had completely dead 5th matches. Same applies with a lot of four test series as well.

Can't remember when you said you started watching cricket. Last year's Ashes (both) obviously did, but this series just passed didn't, neither did the 10-11 Ashes, or the 09 Ashes.

 

[Adders]

Nor the '05 Ashes.

Considering these are the only 5 test series that have been played in this time it is 3 5 test series that were dead for the last test and 4 that weren't........that's hardly a bad stat for 5 test series is it?

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Get it right flibberty, the excuse in 2011 was injuries not pitches

Not according to your lover before the series in India.

 

[CWB304]

"Don't be so jealous of IPL". Dhoni's words speak volumes. IPL money has totally corrupted the game in India. Its very existence means it is likely that we have seen in Dravid and Tendulkar the last Indian batting greats. When you combine the continuing fall-off in batting standards with India's traditionally iffy and non-penetrative bowling, I can see the country sliding to de facto minnow status alongside Bangladesh and Zimbabwe within a decade. The nouveaux riches would-be nabobs of IPL and BCCI will respond to this new humiliation with Dhoni-like nonchalance: "you're only criticizing our performances in the longer format [i.e. the game itself] because you're jealous of the billions we rake in from its exciting and innovative [i.e. meaningless and evanescent] spinoff".

 

[OverratedSanity]

Just saw the Dhoni press conference where he made that IPL comment. So, so disappointing. For someone who is known for remaining cool nommatter what, him getting so defensive at the mere mention of the IPL says a lot about his priorities.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Just saw the Dhoni press conference where he made that IPL comment. So, so disappointing. For someone who is known for remaining cool nommatter what, him getting so defensive at the mere mention of the IPL says a lot about his priorities.

and those of his bosses too as if it wasn't their priority he wouldn't have reacted.

 

[CricAddict]

Not to sound overly schmaltzy here but the fact that they put in this performance over an independence day weekend against their former colonial rulers says all that needs to be said. I'm not saying they played badly on purpose but there has been more than a fair dollop of spinelessness over the last three games, and never so pronounced as today.

On this day, let us remember all the Indians who struggled against the British:

Kohli, Dhawan, Gambhir, Pujara, Jadeja, Ashwin, Shami, Pankaj

 

[ankitj]

Just saw the Dhoni press conference where he made that IPL comment. So, so disappointing. For someone who is known for remaining cool nommatter what, him getting so defensive at the mere mention of the IPL says a lot about his priorities.

Link?

 

[wpdavid]

I actually can't remember a visiting team to England batting worse. Maybe Bangladesh once.

WI in 2000, despite the presence of BCL.

 

[Viscount Tom]

On this day, let us remember all the Indians who struggled against the British:

Kohli, Dhawan, Gambhir, Pujara, Jadeja, Ashwin, Shami, Pankaj

Kohli and Gambhir didn't so much as struggle as much as they stood at the wall and waited for the bullets.

 

[ImpatientLime]

WI in 2000, despite the presence of BCL.

Oh wow I just had a flashback to Adrian Griffith who's feet may as well have been set in concrete in that series.

 

[Cabinet96]

Can't remember when you said you started watching cricket. Last year's Ashes (both) obviously did, but this series just passed didn't, neither did the 10-11 Ashes, or the 09 Ashes.

Sydney in 2011 was like this one, the side that were behind were never in hell going to win and the destination of the Ashes was already decided to boot. Both the last tests in India's 4-0's were dead as were the fifth tests in the last two Ashes and the last test of Australia's last India tour. Only four or five match series since 2009 I can think of having an important fourth test was the 2012 India v England series.

So that means that in the last 8 four or five match series I've watched, there's been 5 complete dead rubbers, a couple of inevitable results and one test match I was gripped by and thought might go either way.

2005 and 2009 Ashes were great, as was the four match series in SA in 09/10, but the vast majority of long series recently have been very one sided and the series wouldn't have been poorer were the last match not there.

I still love the idea of long series don't get me wrong, and I'd never want them to crop down series like the Ashes, but short series get way too much stick and long series get overhyped given recent trends.