***Official*** India in South Africa 2017/18

[oblongballs]

Brutal wake up call for our batsmen.

Dhawan actually looks like scoring runs but the short ball weaknesses and flashiness outside off are just massive targets
Vijay needs to stop walking so far across
Pujara's probably just going to do what he did in England
Kohli's problems are in the head. Should probably bin the drive until he's played himself in
Rohit's initial half step is killing him. He lacks foot movement and relies on weight transfer, both terrible ways to bat in conditions like these

Definitely need Rahul and Rahane for the next game.

Kohli's problems are not mental. He has a technical fault which gets him out, outside of off, almost every time. He gets away with it on the low, slow wickets of India with no swing. You can't get away with it against the quality the SA line up has or the conditions rain can create. It is a problem he has clearly identified, so why has he not been able to work on it? It was just as bad against England all that time ago and it is just as bad now. Why?

 

[Burgey]

Probably spending the past two years playing at home means he hasn’t had to worry about it or had the weakness tested.

 

[GotSpin]

So when does Amla's form become a concern?

 

[SeamUp]

So when does Amla's form become a concern?

Good question.

Obviously he has loads of leeway. But I think I will possibly form a better judgement after this series with Australia in mind next.

I am wondering if his more loose-technique (waft of the wand) will lend him to more troubles the older he gets and at best we can expect for 1/2 classing innings every 5/6 innings.

There was a stage in England where I considered him to bat 4 but I think we really need AB in the top 4 in this team.

 

[GotSpin]

Good question.

Obviously he has loads of leeway. But I think I will possibly form a better judgement after this series with Australia in mind next.

I am wondering if his more loose-technique (waft of the wand) will lend him to more troubles the older he gets and at best we can expect for 1/2 classing innings every 5/6 innings.

There was a stage in England where I considered him to bat 4 but I think we really need AB in the top 4 in this team.

Both his dismissals were pretty weak for a player of his calibre.

 

[Firebreaker]

This thread alone is better than all the threads (COMBINED) in that thing called 'ASHES Sub-Forum'

Lot of credit should be given to me

 

[weldone]

So when does Amla's form become a concern?

If he can't score a fifty in this series.

 

[straw man]

What a match! Would have loved to have caught more live, but the highlights were great. SA's attack incredible, India's very good too, and top batsmen manfully trying to survive and counter-attack.

 

[cnerd123]

This match also showed why I've never believed the 5 bowler strategy will work anywhere near as well as people think. The tail is too long and Ashwin barely bowled. It was a wasted batting spot.

5 bowlers only works if it's a flat pitch (where it's very possible that you will have to spend 100+ overs in the field) and if the schedule is tight as well. Then you rather have the 5th bowler to prevent injuries and back your batsmen to do the job - plus Pandya/Ashwin/Saha/Jaddu/Bhuvi all look much better as batsmen on flat pitches.

Otherwise yea, it's a wasted slot

 

[cnerd123]

Lot of credit should be given to me

Man i hope you're sincere

 

[centurymaker]

This is the last time India has to face the South African golden generation.

Next time India tours-
No ABDV
No Faf
No Amla (who has a crazy record vs India)
No Morkel
No Philander
No Steyn ..(of course)

It'll be an almost completely different lineup led by Rabada. While India's current generation will have matured and will be in its early 30s. Put that together and I really fancy India winning next time around! This time there's still too much disparity between the two sides in both departments.

 

[Motorwada]

This is the last time India has to face the South African golden generation.

Next time India tours-
No ABDV
No Faf
No Amla (who has a crazy record vs India)
No Morkel
No Philander
No Steyn ..(of course)

It'll be an almost completely different lineup led by Rabada. While India's current generation will have matured and will be in its early 30s. Put that together and I really fancy India winning next time around! This time there's still too much disparity between the two sides in both departments.

Doesn't always work that way. New players always come up.

 

[Motorwada]

Also, Ashwin is a good bat and fine cricketer but he can’t bat six in these conditions. You need to pick six specialist batsmen and run with three quicks and Ashwin. India’s bowling wasn’t the issue here.

I was shocked Rahul was left out, Rahane too. I know the latter has been lean but he’s better suited to facing quicks than Sharma ffs. They’ve had 10 years to work that out.

Yeah but who is the sixth specialist batsman? Ashwin himself is better than all the candidates. Plus a spinner/Hardik is necessary to manage the main 3 pacers workloads by bowling filler overs.

 

[CricAddict]

Doesn't always work that way. New players always come up.

This. De Kock, Markram etc. will assume senior positions in the team by then and take charge of routing India.

 

[Rasimione]

This is the last time India has to face the South African golden generation.

Next time India tours-
No ABDV
No Faf
No Amla (who has a crazy record vs India)
No Morkel
No Philander
No Steyn ..(of course)

It'll be an almost completely different lineup led by Rabada. While India's current generation will have matured and will be in its early 30s. Put that together and I really fancy India winning next time around! This time there's still too much disparity between the two sides in both departments.

We might struggle to replace the batsmen but our bowlers will still be better and as we've seen in this conditions that's a massive advantage.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Doesn't always work that way. New players always come up.

Some of India's players will have retired too

 

[Black_Warrior]

Bumrah selection was bad as well imo. I know he did good in the second innings but he went for 70 runs picking up one wicket in the first innings when conditions were the most favourable to bowl. Umesh or Ishant would have restricted SA to 200 imo after having them 12/3.

And this is why when you consider selection, you have to really break down the match and then look at numbers. Bumrah bowled well in the 2nd innings and deserves all the credit. But if you really break down this match, South Africa only really got away when AB and Faf were batting on Day 1 after the Bhuvi spell and that was solely down to Shami, Bumrah failing to back up Bhuvi.

 

[randycricfreak]

So called No1 spot was maintained by home-bashing.

Well done for ICC and BCCI for their FTPs.

This Indian side is pretty weak. Couldn't even stop Steyn lacking, continously being injured and in and out Morne Morkel

Pandya, Bumrah were the only silver linings and who was that wall, Pujara, I'd include him as well

 

[Black_Warrior]

Kohli's problems are not mental. He has a technical fault which gets him out, outside of off, almost every time. He gets away with it on the low, slow wickets of India with no swing. You can't get away with it against the quality the SA line up has or the conditions rain can create. It is a problem he has clearly identified, so why has he not been able to work on it? It was just as bad against England all that time ago and it is just as bad now. Why?

He didn't get out because of the 'outside off' issue though. In the 1st innings, Morkel go the ball to rise and if you haven't played that kind of bounce for the last 2 years and then walk in to a test match without adequate preparation, you're not going to adjust very easily.
In the second innings, Philander drew him across by taking the ball away, and then got one to come back in. That's high quality bowling.

 

[Shri]

Definitely that for SA. They could go either way but favouring Bavuma and if for both then Morris in for Kesh.

KL Rahul definitely in and whilst Shikhar gets deserved criticism is it unjust of me to think Vijay could be the one to go ?

Rahane over Rohit in your sleep.

Ishant/Umesh for Bumrah

I also wonder if Saha is capable of helping out with runs.

Wouldn't be mad if Vijay was dropped. The adjustment he has made to his technique is ****ing terrible and makes him a candidate to nick off. Why the **** did he have to do that? My XI for the 2nd test:

Dhawan
Vijay
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Rahul +
Ashwin
Pandya
Bhuvi
Shami
Yadav

Saha is a great keeper but I think Rahul is going to have to do because it makes our batting stronger, which we badly need.