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Showing posts with label MCG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MCG. Show all posts
Tired of criticism, Kohli to give all his spinners a go in Melbourne
“WHY NO JADEJA??” “Why didn’t you
pick Jadeja?” “If Jadeja was fit, why didn’t you play him?” “Do you regret not
picking Jadeja?” “Virat, any regrets on not picking Jadeja?” “In hindsight,
don’t you think Jadeja would have been a better pick than Umesh?” “Seeing that
India picked four quicks and a spinner was man of the match, don’t you think Jadeja..”
Sometimes, the noise gets too much
for a losing captain. After India’s defeat at Perth, the Jadeja-question didn’t
stop asking itself.
There was never going to be an
answer for what seemed like an obvious selection error yet again by Kohli and
his best man, Shastri.
A somewhat irate journalist even
asked Virat if his muddled selection could extend to dropping himself from the
Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
In a fit of fury, the captain
lashed out, “What do you think, I’m an idiot…it’s people like you that need to
leave Australia and go somewhere else”
Undeterred, the journalist
continued to lay siege, “Virat, that has not answered my question, will you be
resting yourself for the Melbourne Test??”
Virat had had enough. He blurted
out his secret plans. With a smirk, he let the cat out of the bag, “No…you will
see, for Melbourne…we have some very different plans in place…”
Suddenly, he had everyone’s
attention. And the entire room was eating out of his hands.
“What?” What are these plans, Virat?”
“Do tell, skipper?”
Not one to hold back, Kohli cut
loose, waking even the most jetlagged of journalists.
“We will be playing an all spin
attack in Melbourne. Happy? No more questions please. Thank you”
An all-spin attack would be
something you could expect from Afghanistan, but India? Was Kohli being
sarcastic? Appears not.
After bowling nearly 420 overs in
the first two back-to-back Tests, India’s bowlers are feeling the strain. More
so the quicks, who bowled the bulk of the 200 plus overs at Perth.
If Rohit had been fit, and played
instead of Vihari, the workload of the quicks could have been far more. But in
Vihari, the team believes they have unlocked an off spinner who will make the
cut through the series.
After Nathan Lyon’s man of the
match 8-for at Perth, India is looking to replicate his effort with Ashwin. It
is believed, Ashwin will work as a groundsman in the build-up to the third
Test. Lyon, who himself was a groundsman, was sceptical of India’s efforts,
“Next thing they’ll expect Pant to say, ‘Nice Garry!” after Ashwin bowls.”
In Ashwin and Vihari, India have
two off spinners, so even if the specialist isn’t 100% in the second innings,
the latter can give him a much needed breather. Something that India clearly
missed at Adelaide.
After going for way too many in
way too few, there’s no way India will play Umesh Yadav again. The Bhuvi option
doesn’t work either, as he, by Kohli’s own admission is way too undercooked –
hasn’t played a First Class game for longer than anyone remembers.
After seeing the folly of four No.
11s at Perth, India is looking to go all-out to have only one No. 11 or at
worst, two – that means adding another bowling option that can bat.
Who better than Jadeja. That will
shut all those hounds baying for Kohli’s blood. If he doesn’t come off, their
Perth selection will be vindicated. And they can drop him for Sydney again.
But playing Jadeja means one more
thing: not playing Ishant Sharma. The two were inseparable at Perth, exchanging
language that would’ve made their captain proud. It nearly came to push, with promises
of shove.
Seeing that the openers aren’t
doing much, India is seriously toying with the idea of playing Kuldeep Yadav
instead of one of them. Kuldeep has entered his 25th year and has a
Test bowling average of 25; this is seen as favourable – and there is every
chance he will add 6 Test wickets at Melbourne (according to the anonymous team
astrologer) to take his Test tally to 25 scalps.
And just like that, Kohli will
play Ashwin, Jadeja, Kuldeep and Vihari, which adds up to four spinners at
Melboune. If that isn’t an all-out spin attack, what is?
There is enough talk of it being a
flat wicket, and we all know how big the MCG is, so the more the merrier –
never know which spinner could turn out to be India’s trump card to push them
2-1 up in the series.
Impossible Playing XI: 1) Rahane
2) Pujara 3) Vihari 4) Kohli 5) Pant 6)
Pandya 7) Ashwin 8) Jadeja 9) Kuldeep 10) Shami 11) Bumrah
First published here
Cricket Honeymoon - Watch White Bored (5) with Mahek Vyas
Bored Members Mahek and NC chat about honeymooning at the first Test, and Adelaide as an afterthought.
Produced by Roop Khanna. Shot on location at The Bored Room, Yawn T Roads.
The minutes of the 2nd Day - Thank You Sachin! (And Pattinson)
Half a bottle of red later, signing out at 2, a 5 am start
was remote. I connected with my mobile at 8 down, knocked the last two with
twitter and TV. Sometime then, Dad and tea appeared. Followed by James
Pattinson, who after Mohammad Aamer, is a reason to chase the game.
Today was a day you drink to. Today was Absinth.
He should have ended up with many more, and possibly will tomorrow and the second innings unless India finds new counters and shake his elbow up. Players like Pattinson are the reason kids will take to fast bowling, to cricket, to tests. Privileged to watch him bowl, I just heard myself say.
Sehwag Drop (via Hussey) - With Hussey's luck, even if he had taken it, the umpire wouldn't have given it.
Warner and Haddin dropped Sehwag too, but neither of the drops will be match-defining. Viru was slow by Jatman’s standards, which explains why the three drops were strewn all over his innings.
There was a time when the Aussie subs equaled the umpires and this was inevitable - Subway installs kiosk in the Aussie dugout
Almost embarrassing for him, but Sehwag reached one of those milestones that Sachin throws at people when they throw stones at him - Earlier batsmen dealt in singles, 2s, 3s, 4s, 6s, now it's freaking 1000s#Jatman8k
You will see it in the news, but we saw it in the stars - Coming soon - Sehwag says#ThankYouSachin!
for his 8000 test runs.
OMG - Dravid started with a 4, taking the Rajasthan Royals' captaincy to heart
And the odd couple put together yet another cricketing sitcom - Scene from a courtroom -Dravid the defence, Sehwag the Prosecutor
OMG again -Good decision and Erasmus spoken simultaneously.#Ripley's
Hussey turned his arm over - Mike Hussey being brought on, possibly to demean whatever cricketing skills he has left
After 3 drops, what you will hear from Michael Clarke - Clarke post match - "rub of the green..."
Siddle knocked Dravid, but it was a no ball - Next thing you know, Siddle will knock Dravid over with a wide
Dravid was beat - When two is the call, Dravid runs one, when one is the call, Dravid runs none
Sachin arrived, with biscuit beneath helmet, Goddammit! it was nearly tea-time – he was shaky, as would anyone who has everything-to-lose (Shastri-blurb), but finally tea prevailed, and after that he bit the biscuit and the bullet.
Sachin played. Conjured the Three Non-Blondes – “OMG, WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Upper cut 6, cover drives, straight drives, sex drives, and I was 19 all over again.
That you have to give Sachin, even if you are older than him, by a year and some, he will grab you, mark the moment, and hurl you back into that gawky haircut time and way.
We all have our baggage, and much of it is to do with Sachin. Days like this, he makes it float-like-a-feather. And I can feel the whiskey and that cover drive jigging inside my head. Or was it the straight drive? Could be either, but it wasn’t the 100th 100. That didn’t even pass my mind. How we’ve grown, for a day.
Today was a day you drink to. Today was Absinth.
For Pattinson - This kid can bowl. Can this kid bowl. Bowl
this kid can.
He should have ended up with many more, and possibly will tomorrow and the second innings unless India finds new counters and shake his elbow up. Players like Pattinson are the reason kids will take to fast bowling, to cricket, to tests. Privileged to watch him bowl, I just heard myself say.
Sehwag Drop (via Hussey) - With Hussey's luck, even if he had taken it, the umpire wouldn't have given it.
Warner and Haddin dropped Sehwag too, but neither of the drops will be match-defining. Viru was slow by Jatman’s standards, which explains why the three drops were strewn all over his innings.
Gambhir is fast playing himself into if-the-team-loses, they’ll
look at me, and then you know what happens - Gambhir's new technique isn't quite compact, more like Tata
nano
Between all that - A quiche is
what you eat, a cliché is what Wasim + Shastri eat yr head with.
There was a time when the Aussie subs equaled the umpires and this was inevitable - Subway installs kiosk in the Aussie dugout
Almost embarrassing for him, but Sehwag reached one of those milestones that Sachin throws at people when they throw stones at him - Earlier batsmen dealt in singles, 2s, 3s, 4s, 6s, now it's freaking 1000s
You will see it in the news, but we saw it in the stars - Coming soon - Sehwag says
OMG - Dravid started with a 4, taking the Rajasthan Royals' captaincy to heart
And the odd couple put together yet another cricketing sitcom - Scene from a courtroom -Dravid the defence, Sehwag the Prosecutor
OMG again -Good decision and Erasmus spoken simultaneously.
Hussey turned his arm over - Mike Hussey being brought on, possibly to demean whatever cricketing skills he has left
After 3 drops, what you will hear from Michael Clarke - Clarke post match - "rub of the green..."
Siddle knocked Dravid, but it was a no ball - Next thing you know, Siddle will knock Dravid over with a wide
Dravid was beat - When two is the call, Dravid runs one, when one is the call, Dravid runs none
Sachin arrived, with biscuit beneath helmet, Goddammit! it was nearly tea-time – he was shaky, as would anyone who has everything-to-lose (Shastri-blurb), but finally tea prevailed, and after that he bit the biscuit and the bullet.
Sachin played. Conjured the Three Non-Blondes – “OMG, WHAT’S GOING ON?!” Upper cut 6, cover drives, straight drives, sex drives, and I was 19 all over again.
That you have to give Sachin, even if you are older than him, by a year and some, he will grab you, mark the moment, and hurl you back into that gawky haircut time and way.
We all have our baggage, and much of it is to do with Sachin. Days like this, he makes it float-like-a-feather. And I can feel the whiskey and that cover drive jigging inside my head. Or was it the straight drive? Could be either, but it wasn’t the 100th 100. That didn’t even pass my mind. How we’ve grown, for a day.
The minutes of the first day: Zaheer Khan is bowling within Vinay Kumar.
After two Jamesons, I turned in early at half past midnight. I refused to set an alarm. If it’s important enough, I will be the alarm. I have no stories to file, no deadlines to meet, I’m breaking into S&G there, feeling groovy.
That’s the way it was. I first woke at 3.32 am. By then I had dreamt deeply – vivid, weird cricket story.
The Boxing Day test was being played in the Junior school lawns of St Columba’s. The pitch though, was more like a side practice pitch. India was batting, Gambhir played on, Sachin retired hurt 60, Sehwag was out, not out, it was confusing.
And then I woke up again, around 4.40 am by my watch which is ten minutes ahead. I wake to assemble myself, the laptop, tracks, woolens, a quick net search on the phone – Australia will bat, there will be cricket.
I retreat to an isolated TV that will not wake sleepers. The first hour is yet another warmup for India’s seamers, they are bowling so-as-not-to breakdown.
@BoredCricket tweets (from the night before 1st day)
Indian cricketer (overheard) saying - "The real test will be when we have to prove our match fitness in the morning"
Match day -
Zaks, Ishant prepare for a net to prove fitness
Zaheer Khan is bowling within Vinay Kumar
First we wake up early. Then this bowling. Time for a wake
Someone tell the Indian bowlers that this bloke Ed Cowan is not right handed.
Vinay Kumar warming up in the nets for the 2nd test. Little does he know Mithun will play before him.
Haha cricket, Ponting. #EarlyBoredCall - Ponting makes runs today.
Oh look, this lean patch of Ponting's has made him lose hair - of-the-arms
Ponting has a new shot to fall back on - the one where you fall after the shot
Ed Cowan, Rahul Dravid conspire to take boxing day test into the 4th day
Ishant Sharma is what you call a Thoughtless Man's Bowler
Australia go past 100. That sub 100 score will have to be the 2nd innings then
Ponting is on top of India's game.
Buy-a-wicket-time, Umesh Yadav
Things that make you go UMMMMESH Yadav
OK now till our next tour down under, this Yadav over to Ponting will be spoken of as that Ishant over was.
Zaks finds his voice. And a wicket
Point to be noted: It takes Zaks 64 overs to warm up.
Aus 214/6. Bigger question, how did they let them get past 100
Dogged style departs. Well played Cowan.
Unrelated:
Good thing about Romesh Powar is, he doesn't rest on his Laurels. He rests on his Hardy's
On to some wine now, we’ll be @BoredCricket on twitter tomorrow, join us for #EarlyBoredCalls – got a few bang on today, including Ashwin dismissing Cowan and Ponting scoring runs.
Today was Australia’s day, even though they don’t know it. India, be happy they had Hussey for free. Moral: Bowl good balls, APPEAL in all caps, and Erasmus will deliver.
Where is this test going - nobody has a clue but Australia will bowl better first up than India did.
South Africa: Between then and now and the whipping post.
by Naked Cricket
Consider the ‘Bored of Cricket’ polls to your right. Now, reconsider it.
Where is South Africa? Apart from sitting on top of Oz that is.
Notice, there is no SAF in the bored stakes.
How did SAF evolve from full blooded boredom to one very engaging team?
Their most exciting player, Gibbs, gone – could that be it? And their least exciting player, McKenzie, cometh on top – can it be so?
For ages, South Africa have looked like a very good team on paper – allrounders all-over, potential match winners till the 12th man, and the general bonhomie that comes knowing the next guy will do the job.
Only the job never got done. Then came Graeme Smith; then went Lance Klusener.
Don’t mess with me couldn’t have been written any bigger even if Smith sired an aircraft to do the great gig in the sky.
Knocking Klusener off, match winner, all-rounder, almost there man, choker, Donald’s run-out partner in the World Cup knockout, and primarily, BAD INFLUENCE.
A guy who can do that will not stop at much. Selection was flawed, Smith said so.
Meanwhile Smith scored, and scored big. Fifty plus average, and before you know it, he’s not a rookie player anymore. Yet he spoke like one. And that last trip down under detained the little boy into the dark corner. Hush puppy, hush!
That was then. What happened between then and now?
Here are some hints.
Smith made his debut in 2001-02.
Six of his mates made theirs after him.
295 HM Amla India v South Africa at Kolkata, 2004/05
296 AB de Villiers South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, 2004/05
297 DW Steyn South Africa v England at Port Elizabeth, 2004/05
300 M Morkel South Africa v India at Durban, 2006/07
301 PL Harris South Africa v India at Cape Town, 2006/07
302 JP Duminy Australia v South Africa at Perth, 2008/09
Harris (2006-7) and Duminy just the other day.
They are his boys, his team.
Blokes like Boucher and Ntini are hardcore team players (both 1997-98 debuts) they’ll even play for a statue.
Kallis (1995-96) was miffed after being sidelined for the T20 WC, but in that SAF dressing room nobody is beyond a dressing down, even if you are Kallis.
Mckenzie (2000) an oddball, eccentric, what can you say about him?
And Prince (2001) in the same series as Smith vs. Australia. Another go-to guy for Smith, along with Mckenzie, the workers, the ants of the team.
That’s twelve players.
No Gibbs, No Klusener, No Pollock, no baggage. Smith in command.
And for Australia, no Warne, no McGrath, no Gilchrist, no Langer, no Hayden, no Symonds, no Lee. Looks like that way, doesn’t it?
Three years back, Aussie whipped SAF by 184 runs at Melbourne, this very day.
And now SAF lashes 183 runs in the blink of an eye.
‘Sometimes it feels like I’m tied to the whipping post.’
Thus spoke Ricky Ponting.
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