Is India's period of being the most dominant side in history already over?

[Prince EWS]

If you call them quality then, well...

Sreesanth is good. He's weird, but he's good.

 

[Black_Warrior]

Firstly, as has been said by others, since there was never any dominance, the question of it being over doesn't even arise.

I think what you mean is their place at the top of the test rankings. I had talked about this a couple of months back when India reached the number 1 position. The problem is not that they didn't deserve it..they did..the problem is that by the time they got there, their best batsmen are about to end their careers. Their best spinner had already left by the time they got there.

Now, having said that, I still expect them to be somewhere in the top 3 or 4 sides in the world. I still think they can beat most sides at home...with Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman gone...they might find it difficult to beat sides like Australia or South Africa at home..but I would still back them to beat the others.

 

[Shri]

I hope you aren't assessing the likes of Rehane etc based on what you saw in IPL.

Further what exactly is a good technique? I would prefer a batsman like Dhoni if he can score runs. At the end of the day that's all what matters to quote the cliched quote. All the batsmen I have quoted have shown their ability to stay at the crease and score truckloads of runs in domestic cricket. Now, India is invariably going to play 50% of their cricket in India, and atleast 60-65% in the subcontinent, hence I would easily put a premium on their performances against our domestic bowlers on our soil ahead of their minor deficiencies like inability to play shortpitched fast bowling on pacy tracks. There aren't "perfect" batsmen if you are looking ability to play in all conditions the same way.

Further if 50% of these have the brains and the willingness to work on adapting to different surfaces, that minor deficiency could also be brought under control isn't it?

They won't be able to deal with fast bowlers. They will just drop off the radar in some years.

 

[pasag]

AWTA there was never a period of dominance.

Agree with Brumbers. They were never really dominant.

Yes, but there was a never a real dominance period tbh.

I hate it when people I know think that just because a nation is ranked No.1 in the world at the time, it doesn't mean their ' dominating '.

They were never dominant IMO, as has already been echoed by others.

To answer the question, wasn't really dominance.

Firstly, as has been said by others, since there was never any dominance, the question of it being over doesn't even arise.

Again, not really the point of the thread as such, the word dominance was more a play on a certain type of thread we have seen a lot of on here in years gone by and wasn't meant to be taken literally or be the central focus of discussion. As I said in my opening post, this really isn't about what India have accomplished to date, but where they are now, and going forward in all three formats. I probably should have been clearer though.

 

[chicane]

If you call them quality then, well...

They all looked decent before falling away. Except for VRV, but who knows if he also stayed fit?

 

[Black_Warrior]

Again, not really the point of the thread as such, the word dominance was more a play on a certain type of thread we have seen a lot of on here in years gone by and wasn't meant to be taken literally or be the central focus of discussion. As I said in my opening post, this really isn't about what India have accomplished to date, but where they are now, and going forward in all three formats. I probably should have been clearer though.

Yepp I got that...thats why I talked about how I think India will go in the test format in the next few years.

 

[G.I.Joe]

I personally think it is highly disrespectful and aptly illustrative of the current air of intolerance that's prevelant on Cricket Chat that a very valid opinion held by pasag is being sought to be supressed and even shot down mercilessly by this grouping of bigots. You hold true to your stance, pasag buddy. India most definitely are dominant.

 

[pasag]

I personally think it is highly disrespectful and aptly illustrative of the current air of intolerance that's prevelant on Cricket Chat that a very valid opinion held by pasag is being sought to be supressed and even shot down mercilessly by this grouping of bigots. You hold true to your stance, pasag buddy. India most definitely are dominant.

wac

 

[Cruxdude]

As long as our batsmen can produce the goods I don't think there will be much of a change in our performance. Our bowling has always been like this. We will never be a dominant team beecause we lack the bowler who is going to rip through teams but we won't be too bad

 

[jeevan]

As long as our batsmen can produce the goods I don't think there will be much of a change in our performance. Our bowling has always been like this. We will never be a dominant team beecause we lack the bowler who is going to rip through teams but we won't be too bad

We've seen better days in the recent past. A bowling team of Kumble-Zaheer-Harbhajan-Ishant, while it has no superstars is a fairly good bowling team.Until that clicked, the same spectacular bunch of middle order batsmen could really do nothing close to their potential.

So, glum days ahead - especially once you have to replace Tendulkar, Dravid & Laxman.

 

[Manee]

India have held their own in ODI cricket and done very well in Test cricket over recent years. The less said about T20, the better, but hopefully, the IPL will encourage the selection of a specialist squad, which may differ wildly to the other two squads - such a team might be able to field and bowl in T20.

Our ODI bowling is not that weak, itbt. We have played on a lot of flat tracks in the subcontinent, where even England's pretty well rated attack has floundered. We have skillful bowlers, Praveen swings the ball, Nehra is solid, Harbhajan is a good bowler and Ravindra has also done well. Perhaps missing one bowler in ODI cricket and with the performance of the A team, there is no obvious talent coming through. Perhaps Jadeja in at eight with Yusuf Pathan and Yuvraj to make up the overs could be the way to combat it - but that does mean an over reliance on spin bowling; with Zaheer out, I'm not sure what else we could do. Our previously hyped depth in fast bowling has been withered for ODIs, Sreesanth is injured, IKP is working hard on his fitness and pace due to reports, but looked unfit in the IPL, after injuring himself after a very promising Ranji season, RP has just lost any pace or control that he once had, Munaf loses the plot too often, etc. The batting is very strong and the batting depth, as shown in the tour of England for the A team is strong too.

For Tests, our current batting is strong. People often say, to the point that it becomes old, that we will be finished once Laxman, Tendulkar and Dravid retire. However, we have Pujara, Rahane, Mukund, Dhawan with faultless domestic records - I am optimistic we could make up for their loss in Test cricket. There is no replacing those three, but some of the names I have mentioned could do well in Test cricket. The bowling is a worry - Ishant looks done, Mithun is raw, people have too many reservations about the pace of Praveen, Vinay Kumar and Kulkarni, Munaf has a poor record, etc. The spin is good - do not underestimate it, it is strong with Harbhajan and Ojha and will serve us well.

So yeah, relatively optimistic, but not overly so.

 

[Umar_Akmal]

India have lost their last away series in Aus,SA,Pak & SL and barely managed to beat NZ & WI 1-0 when other team white wash them. India only good series win was in Eng in 07 . India reached the # 1 rankings by beating teams at home on dodgy pitches.

Indian batting is overrated. If the Fab 4 are so good why were they unable to draw the last away series in Aus,SA,SL & Pak ? This Indian team ranked # 1 is a mockery of ICC rankings.

 

[Manee]

We haven't played in Pakistan or South Africa for ages, we did very well in Australia and we played a good series in Sri Lanka, but were undone by the new mystery spinner and Murali, who bowled excellently between them.

 

[silentstriker]

Nah, it was over the day before it started apparently.

 

[morgieb]

As long as our batsmen can produce the goods I don't think there will be much of a change in our performance. Our bowling has always been like this. We will never be a dominant team beecause we lack the bowler who is going to rip through teams but we won't be too bad

Even in the 80's and 90's, you guys still had at least one big name bowler who was a match-winner (Kapil, Kumble). Can't see any in this lineup. Plus, the batting doesn't look as good post-Dravid/Tendulkar/Laxman. They'll still win but are more likely to draw a lot of games and struggle outside the sub-continent.

 

[NUFAN]

I disagree, social. Australia and SA's reserves are so far ahead of the rest of the world it isn't funny.

As far as I'm aware South Africa only have 2 quick bowlers who just happen to be in great form at the moment.

If Steyn was injured, would you really be that comfortable having Parnell and McLaren in your XI?

 

[Black_Warrior]

South Africa do not have great reserves.. They reason they failed to beat England at home is purely because Steyn was not at his fittest during the first 3 test matches..

Morkel, while imipressive is not exactly someone who can own a batting line up like Steyn.

 

[Burgey]

India hasn't had a period of dominance. They've had a period of being the best side around by a slight but not insignificant margin. They've been nothing like WI in the 80s in terms of dominance, winning everywhere and such.

I mean, if they keep on going as they are, one might look back in hindsight and say they had a period of dominance which commenced at X time, but I don't know you can say that yet.

[adds voice to chorus]

 

[Johnners]

Want me to change the title Pasag?

Do tend to agree with those saying their spell at the top will be short-lived. Their pace/seam battery looks staggeringly weak when compared to those who they're competing with to keep the top spot. Zaheer's a wondeful bowler, but he's injured more than not these days, whilst Sharma et. can't seem to produce anything of quality on a regular enough basis to worry the best international teams. Batting won't be a problem though.

 

[Pratters]

India has to show that they have the bowlers. Without that, they can't be the best test side in the world. I have said it before, and I'll say it again, the series in South Africa should be awesome. Also, it will make many things clearer.