Trent Bridge came to a disappointing end, devastating in fact. Ranklings apart, India is still a good team when it is playing full strength, though one wonders whether it will be able to do so any time in the near future. The players are not gettng younger, and every game carries with it a greater risk of injury, ipl or not.
This is a tricky situation, and unless you have the replacement players doing something brilliant to keep their place in the team, you can't really tell which way it will go. I'd like to have Pujara and Badrinath in the team in place of Raina and Yuvraj, brave men both, but they are obviously not great under English conditions. At least, Kohli could have played, though it looks like everything is not perfect about him.
The bowling is the problem area, where are the fast bowlers? Praveen is a game trier, and he will remain a trier, you need people who can do quick strikes, not one wicker per ten overs or fifteen. You need someone to give you a break and then ask serious questions about the new man in.
Obviously you can ask questions of this sort and feel good about it, India has just had a dismal performance, but if Sehwag plays and Harbhajan goes out giving way to Mishra, we might see something different. England is shaky, in spite of all those runs, you know their batting could land them in serious trouble- when your openers both can't outlast the new ball your team will get gutted one day or the next. Same as what happened to India.
England are playing at home, but with Sehwag teaming up with Gambhir, you might see a different result. A team does not go from great to worst in two days.
I agree with your points here Bas. This team might still bounce back but then the attitude of India to such an important test series deserves 0-4 drubbing. They just deserve it for the callous way they treated WI series. Valuable preparation was wasted away by important men. Too much important given to IPL that caused injuries to key players. Well, don't you deserve 0-4 drubbing?
ReplyDeleteIndia did run them close, but couldn't keep with them when they pulled away- if we had a good opening partnership, and a reasonable contribution from the lower middle order, and a fourth bowler (not the ones who are doubtful in that role even in the one days), the result could be 2-0 in favour of india.
ReplyDeleteFitness, lack of match practice, too much cricket, attitude- there are a million reasons for defeat, but i think the problem was with the composition of the team.
It was the attitude to test cricket and to an important serious that came in the way of right composition. Injuries sustained, worsened during IPL and skipping WI tour by choice didn't help the team. Had Sehwag, Zaheer and Gambhir took proper care of niggles and opted for a rest after the world cup, they may all have been fit for the WI tour and England series. Tendulkar's rest didn't help things either.
ReplyDeleteBadrinath and Pujara as they are braver... they can handle the short ball better. Or even Saha as wicket keeper and Dhoni as batsman.
ReplyDeleteSreesanth, Zaheer, Praveen as the fast bowlers.
yes it would have been better to play Saha as opener. Laxman is great with the tail. He might have nursed them to a hundred. :et's see what happens with Sehwag back in the team.
ReplyDelete