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straight point
carrying on from my post here at BCC!...can you explain mr robin singh...? in which i raised this question...during second test i think...
have you ever anticipated that dravid, sachin and even laxman are not gonna carry on for ever...
being a fielding coach can you lay claim on developing a single slip fielder in all these years...?
i think his case is a clear cut example of sitting on laurels (if any)...relaxed into warming the chair...knowing the job is unchallenged and reserved till he wishes...
we were never a brilliant fielding outfit but at least we were good catchers...more than three years of robin singh at the helm as fielding coach and we can't even claim to be good catchers now...so much for his 'achievements'...
in fact everytime ball goes in the air towards a fielder my heart misses a beat with the possibility of another catch getting grassed...and less said about slip cordon the better...
he has simply failed to inculcate 'fielding' culture in the team...even the players who were good (like yuvraj) now seems to be wanting...he has allowed them to drift away thereby failing to assert himself...
since we won't be playing tests till late this year...i think it's time to say goodbye to him for his services and look for another fielding coach who will bring some fresh perspective and intensity which is clearly lacking in our players these days...
besides the chosen one will get ample time to groom players for the next world cup as well as the challenges of tests...now that we have pronounced that we want to be numero uno...
although dhoni proudly said "we have set the benchmark"... but i firmly believe that any other team with same skill set but better fitness level would have whitewashed kiwis...and that would have been the perfect benchmark...in my opinion...
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Gaurav Sethi
Zaheer Khan. Old ball. Urgency. Rain. Emergency. New Ball. Shorter run-up. Hold up. Back to your mark. Four. In the space of three balls, for the first time in 94 overs, MSD felt he could do with some extra close in fielders. 8 down for 277, MSD had read the situation perfectly: NZ cannot win the test from here. Well done Mahi.
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Gaurav Sethi
Face it if there was one guy who didn't deserve a 50, it was Franklin.
Did you know Franklin has been selected to bat as a nightwatchman for Vettori.
Basically to wear down, and bore the bowlers - so by the time Danny boy is in, it's happy hour, and he can play his third man tricks, and grab some free runs.
The players are off for a free lunch. Even though there is no such thing.
And look there's Arun Lal. His head still bigger than his blazer.
Sachin meanwhile has given us two reasons why not to play Amit Mishra.
What luck, and yet what a shame.
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straight point
"When things are going your way you should try and make it count as much as possible. I believe in that because you never know when the bad form is around the corner."
gambhir said after scoring just 167...
this new found insatiable hunger in gautam is refreshingly amazing...
we propose that his statement should be cast in stone in indian dressing room wall...for the obvious benefit of some players...
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RajaB
3rd test, India - New Zealand at Wellington, Day 4
New Zealand second innings
Score: 152 - 4
On crease: James Franklin & Ross Taylor (non striker)
Facing: Virender "Jatman" Sehwag & Simon Taufel (the umpire)
One of the 3 F's (we would come to this later) of Viru's offspinners pitches right on the middle stump of the left handed Franklin to be uncomfortably defended down.
Mahendra Dhoni "Lagega, Lagega... Paair mein lagega... Simon dega !!"
One of the most optimistic "appealing" Indian captains (wicketkeepers) one has seen in a long time.
Now to the Jatman's 3 F's. Viru's bowling is as uncomplicated as his batting. If you notice, Viru has only 3 variations of his offies (unless Arun Lal or Sanjay Manjrekar comment while he's bowling and discover the next variation for Viru... For example they might call a ball skidding wide down the leg a "Jat-ish" delivery !!).
The 3 F's are Flatish, Floated & Fastish. Correct me if you thought Viru has other variations of his offspinners.
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Gaurav Sethi
Look, his head's bigger than his blazer
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Gaurav Sethi
That's what the Indian field should be.Close in.Intimidating.Like a cluster fck.4slips,2 gullies,1fwdshortleg.Don't stop till 2-0.Nothing like a good old fashioned stifle.C'mon huddle up boys, a little tighter, a little closer, c'mon man, think he can still breathe.
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straight point
that the person who is supposed to be in the form of his life averages just 28 this series...?
yes...we are talking about our own virender sehwag...
his scores in current series read:
24, DNB, 34, 22, 48, 12...
after all we haven't named him JATMAN for nothing...
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Gaurav Sethi
After 60 overs Munaf Patel is paged to bowl his 6th over. Yuvraj bowled only two, for ten, had he been more effective, who knows? You know, it’s not as if Munaf, far away at some cold outpost, patrolling the boundaries is itching to bowl. How about some subtle hints – like a warm up drill, it is cold in Wellington, isn’t it?
That said, after being knocked for four, he bowls a yorker to that O’ Brien blogger. Now, taken for three, expect another yorker. Oh yes it is.
62.6
Patel to Martin, no run, Almost. Both Munaf and Martin tried their best.
It was the yorker but slipping just down leg,
62.5
Patel to O'Brien, 3 runs, on the off stump line, punched away through cover point.
and previously
60.4
Patel to O'Brien, no run, the yorker arrives, dug out back to the
bowler.
60.3
Patel to O'Brien, FOUR, The follow on has been saved. It was
full and outside off stump, O'Brien slashes it past gully.
And another four of Munaf, what next, another yorker?
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Gaurav Sethi
It’s part of coaching lore that each Indian batsman is assigned a bowler as his batting student. Word is that Sachin’s boy is Bhajji, and VVS’ lad is Zaks. Going by the cuts and grins today, Viru’s kid has to be Munna. Begs the question, who’s Yuvraj’s daddy?
When India bats, as they did today, you can start your TV vigil with Viru, and wrap it up with Munna. In between there will be Dravid’s shift, and the usual Bhajji pyrotechnics, but the real madness is either side of midnight. You be insane to miss it.
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Gaurav Sethi
After you make the government mules bowl 280 overs on the trot, there is a moment of enlightenment: 280 overs on the trot is nowhere enough. Good for you, you win the toss, and whip your mules into shape again: Bowl donkey, you say. Appears the difference between a mule and a donkey eludes you – but then what will you know, you’re such an ass.
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bored cricket crazy indians
by straight point + naked cricket
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Gaurav Sethi
The test match in Wellington starts in seven and a half hours. Incidentally, New Zealand is seven and a half hours ahead of India. Make that the seven and a half deadly sins.
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Gaurav Sethi
30th December 1999, Baga Beach, Goa: In between the watermelon vodka and the coconut water vodka, I swayed into a shack to watch cricket.
Many beers and days earlier, South Africa had been asked to follow on by England. Since then I had missed out on most of day 4 and 5. So when I swayed into the shack I expected reruns on tv, not coach Kirsten battling for more than two days to save the game.
That was Kingsmead, Durban, when Kirsten battled for over 200 overs, 878 minutes, scoring 275.
And it all comes together now: Just before Gambhir walked out to bat on the 3rd evening in Napier, coach Kirsten called him aside and said, “Gautam, if I could do it so can you”
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straight point
every time new zealand has suffered defeat there come voices from all directions about preparing ‘green’ pitches…the attitude suddenly becomes 'let's shove them to the greenery reminiscent of india’s last tour…and see how it goes…'
the ‘green’ pitches they are referring to are meant to test india with seaming and swinging conditions…that this is only way they fathom nz’s chances…
no problem with that…
then by the same token why they piss off when we talk about preparing spinning tracks here…
does that not test the batsmen's skill…?
why don't spinning tracks get the same respect as say these ‘green’ tracks…?
or is this written in the cricket bible that only a ‘green’ pitch tests the skills of batsmen and others are just ‘road’ or ‘dust bowl’…?
so, dear friends, next time you find then whining on ‘dust bowls’ do not forget to laugh on the hypocrisy of these morons…
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straight point
i mean, look at the end scenario...the team that scored 620...got the first innings lead of 300+ but still did all the running...
the bowlers looked jaded after a herculean effort of bowling 270 odd overs non stop...it's not rocket science that they will be praying india doesn't win the toss and elect to bat in the next test...
though the seeds were sown in kolkata 2001...
i think this draw is the last nail in "follow on's" coffin...
what say...?
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Gaurav Sethi
On 3rd April, New Zealand host India in Wellington.
Be on the back of 300 overs bowled across 7 sessions.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame will be there too, among friends – the Kiwi bowlers.
If India win the toss and elect to bat, New Zealand will bowl to Gautam Gambhir again.
Can get a tad monotonous, doing the same stuff again and again and again
As if ten hours, forty two minutes wasn’t enough.
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Gaurav Sethi
72.2
Vettori to Dravid, OUT, Caught at short leg! Vettori has broken through here. Dravid doesn't seem to be happy with the decision. And we can see why. The bat hit the pad and the ball bounded off the pad to short leg where How dives forward to take it. Dravid c How b Vettori 62 (241m 220b 6x4 1x6) SR: 28.18
Did you see Dravid's reaction? Looked like he had anger management issues. Good, as before this, he had no anger, only management. And don't we know MBAs don't quite cut it in cricket. C'mon Jammy, let it rip. If you put your mind to it, you can swear too. Who knows, maybe even slap somebody.
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Gaurav Sethi
Even better, you could watch some of them bat twice in one days.
What more could a bored cricket crazy indian ask for
Thank you Daniel Vettori
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