Sedate Indian batsmen & Selfish Intent
It is definitely worth comparing the two 1st day's play scores of Ind-Bang and Eng-WI games (both 2nd tests). B'desh and WI are both having horrendous bowling attacks but the weather conditions were definitely worse at Dhakka. Eng managed 360 off of 85 overs but India could muster only 320 odd off 90 and that too after 2 fresh pair of legs replacing the retired hurt Jaffer and Karthik. In my opinion, India ended up a full 100 runs short of where there should have been, considering the nature of the wicket and the regulatory 2 full tosses per over dished by Raffique.
Jaffer was so scared, after the pair in the 1st test, he had asked the make shift Karthik to take 1st strike. Jaffer's selfishness was evident all through the innings, when he refused to run for Karthik's attempts to take sharp singles. In fact, he hogged the strike for a full 4 overs, when Karthik was scoring, virtually a 4 every 4 balls. Karthik, too struggled before lunch but made amends later. But, the worst scrating around was done by Sachin - he was selfishness personified. 9 off 40 balls, when he should have hit 70 to 80 in those 40, since by then B'desh bowlers were feeling like German soldiers in WWII in Stalingrad - completely spent; they were begging for rest and were collapsing around balls while fielding but for Sachin, every record counts - he never bothered about the team's intent to push things and hence played one scratchy shot after another. Dravid was decent of all but he too should learn to score at run a ball, especially against such attacks and such pitches. One can argue that the conditions were tought but believe me - it is far, far tough to bowl and field than bat in such conditions. So, what lies ahead - well !! another painful period of endurance where there will be accumulations and a delayed declaration sometime on the 3rd day...then, it will be upto the bowlers, but I guess in this wicket, even school boys can bat out 3 days.
Jaffer was so scared, after the pair in the 1st test, he had asked the make shift Karthik to take 1st strike. Jaffer's selfishness was evident all through the innings, when he refused to run for Karthik's attempts to take sharp singles. In fact, he hogged the strike for a full 4 overs, when Karthik was scoring, virtually a 4 every 4 balls. Karthik, too struggled before lunch but made amends later. But, the worst scrating around was done by Sachin - he was selfishness personified. 9 off 40 balls, when he should have hit 70 to 80 in those 40, since by then B'desh bowlers were feeling like German soldiers in WWII in Stalingrad - completely spent; they were begging for rest and were collapsing around balls while fielding but for Sachin, every record counts - he never bothered about the team's intent to push things and hence played one scratchy shot after another. Dravid was decent of all but he too should learn to score at run a ball, especially against such attacks and such pitches. One can argue that the conditions were tought but believe me - it is far, far tough to bowl and field than bat in such conditions. So, what lies ahead - well !! another painful period of endurance where there will be accumulations and a delayed declaration sometime on the 3rd day...then, it will be upto the bowlers, but I guess in this wicket, even school boys can bat out 3 days.
posted by Crick_Love at 8:53 PM
4 Comments:
Sachin was truly taking the piss. He doesn't seem to have the same ability anymore. He accumulates and even then if the ball does even a little bit he seems to be in trouble. Getting troubled by 80 mph bouncers is just embarrassing. If he can't see that, someone else in the team should and drop him. Now will come a string of low scores but when looking at average over the year it will be healthy due to 2 pretty meaningless centuries. Drop the guy!! And him scoring a scratchy century against England won't prove me wrong.
Ram. Could not agree with you more. As I had predicted, Sachin's innings today was so painful to watch but he refused to get out since he wants all the records. He has been doing this (that is playing for himself) for well over a decade and he fails to understand that when one looks at the stats, the informed reader will certainly check, against whom the 100s were scored. Compare his innings Vs the 200 from Pieterson today and there is a mile of difference.
Just like you i too am sick of seeing this new age Sachin. Apparently our "man of records" is clearing choosing the path of consolidation, where most of us cricket lovers are screaming to him, "go for glory OR perish (read move-on)". Apparently the screams are falling on deaf years. Honestly my interest in the game is eroding thick and fast. I have a feeling i am not alone is having such a thought.
On the other subject of our forthcoming series v England in England, i am shuddering to even think about the outcome, especially with our giants reaching the land of unpredictable weather with egos sky-high, just that the sky level for them, seems well below the ground for many.
Pray that the heavens prove us wrong here, at least for the millions who are still interested in the teams fate.
vh..their sky high ego will go bust in sky sports, which is going to telecast (in Eng), the series. But, if they hv any sense of shame, these maharathis would have left long before but they didn't.
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