***Official India in New Zealand***

[Zinzan]

Huh? India had this 2-0 if the weather didn't interrupt. How did we let them get away? On what was still a decent pitch, our bowling and overall effort was pretty good. If you're talking about the declaration, Dhoni can't bank on the weather forecast - it's been wrong before in this series and if he had really followed that, it could've brought NZ back in the game.

Lol, so a lead of 500 as opposed to 600 in the 4th innings on this pitch with this NZ batting line-up against Harby & co could've brought NZ back in the game?

What planet are you on?

Dhoni well & truly screwed himself (regardless of the weather) simply because in the final equation they got so close

 

[Craig]

Thanks Athlai, I put money on it being a draw, and it did.

 

[SJS]

I will take 1-0 but it's disappointing that we can't seem to go in the for kill against weaker sides. This is the third 1-0 away series win in the last few years and in each series we had the opportunity to win 2-0. The same against Pakistan when they last came to India. The thing is if we get in the habit of letting weaker sides get away, that will carry over to the games against the top sides that we need to win in order to become no.1.

Historically India has struggled to do better than 1-0 in its away tours. That was the result in the two 71 series wins as well. We did manage to beat Pakistan 2-1 in 2004 but again the margin was just one. Just about the only away wins with a greater margin that I can remember are 2-0 against England in 86 and the 3-1(?) against New Zealand in 68.

Completely agree.

It was well known that there was a high probability of rain on Tuesday. It was also clear that, with the stupid regulation regarding the refusal to advance playing time when the DST came into effect just after two days into the game, time would be last on all days and of course you cant make up what is lost of the fifth day. The Indian commentators take nationalistic jingoism to the limit talking about rubbing it in to justify Dhoni's batting on, on the fourth day. It was absolutely un-necessary. Criticism is also valid for the way India took "time off" from serious cricket right in the middle of the Kiwi innings in the second ha;f of the fourth day as if they (the Indians) were playing for a draw and not the other way around.

Where are all those people who came to Dravid's rescue when the controvery arose over the declaration in pakistan with Sachin at 194. Why does winning a match matter less just because you have won the series and a draw will do.

This morning a TV chanell asked Prasanna to compare Pataudi and Dhoni as captains. Prasanna gave a tongue in cheek reply about Pataudi having the attitude of a Prince while Dhoni is obviously not a prince and left it at that. I wish he had gone ahead and nailed it. Pataudi would never have batted on the fourth day and he would have attacked the Kiwis with everything for every single ball that India bowled.

Prasanna got it right in one aspect though when he said, there was a vast difference in the two teams (India and NZL) 41 years ago and there is a vast difference today too.

 

[Zinzan]

In the end, a series win is a series win. I don't blame him for taking the safe option, when otherwise you may have left the door ajar for NZ to chase down a still large total of 400 or so.

True, I suppose it depends on what their ambitions were as a team. IMO, there was an easy opportunity to win 2-0 against what was clearly a weaker side. And I wasn't suggesting a 400 lead btw, I was suggesting 500 which was more than sufficient IMO.

Do you really think a lead of 500 on that pitch against the NZ batting lineup was leaving the door ajar ?

 

[adharcric]

Lol, so a lead of 500 as opposed to 600 in the 4th innings on this pitch with this NZ batting line-up against Harby & co could've brought NZ back in the game?

What planet are you on?

Dhoni well & truly screwed himself (regardless of the weather) simply because in the final equation they got so close

The pitch was still decent for batting, certainly not a typical fifth-day track that Harbhajan would wreck havoc on. NZ chasing 500 over two days may have been a record, but it was still conceivable IMO with this pitch and the on-and-off nature of their batting lineup. Oh yeah, winning the series is certainly more important than winning the match.

 

[Prad100w]

yes! we Keralites post once a year
.

Contrary to this belief i posted 40odd in 3 years..

 

[SJS]

Because for Vettori to increase the threat that he provides, he needs to start trying to get more sidespin on the ball. Which takes away from his one-day prowess.

I dont know if you recall I had written a couple of years ago that Vettori's grip on the ball is such that he is unable to give it a real 'tweak'. Thats exactly what you want him to do. I dont see how he will be able to do it with this grip.

PS : I got quite some flack for saying that

 

[social]

Very good performance by India

They dominated 2/3 tests and drew the other very comfortably

One real cause for concern is Ishant - the guy appears to have stagnated.

Whether it's second season blues or whatever, he seems to have lost the edge that he had previously and his test record is now looking decidedly ordinary

For India's sake, I hope he gets back on the improvement trail as, at present, there are really only 2 Indian bowlers that pose a consistent threat to quality batsmen outside the subcontinent

 

[social]

I dont know if you recall I had written a couple of years ago that Vettori's grip on the ball is such that he is unable to give it a real 'tweak'. Thats exactly what you want him to do. I dont see how he will be able to do it with this grip.

PS : I got quite some flack for saying that

Looking at his action and movement in the field, it's obvious that his back/hip is not right and hasnt been for some time

He simply cannot/does not pivot strongly enough around the front leg to get lots of rotations on the ball

 

[Athlai]

Thanks Athlai, I put money on it being a draw, and it did.

Happpy to see CWers get money though a few marginal calls had me worried.

 

[biased indian]

India don't play any test cricket till Nov 2009

 

[duffer]

India don't play any test cricket till Nov 2009

We've had more than our fair share recently. 7 months is a tad long though.

 

[honestbharani]

wow.. that is amazingly bad scheduling..

 

[Days of Grace]

NZ chasing 500 over two days may have been a record, but it was still conceivable IMO with this pitch and the on-and-off nature of their batting lineup. Oh yeah, winning the series is certainly more important than winning the match.

No, it wasn't.

Never been done before, and there was no way that this NZ lineup would have done it. No way, IMO.

In conclusion, Dhoni messed up. Pure and simple.

 

[biased indian]

No, it wasn't.

Never been done before, and there was no way that this NZ lineup would have done it. No way, IMO.

In conclusion, Dhoni messed up. Pure and simple.

i agree with you

but the thing is that we still had enough time..if ishant had held on to the catch we could have still won it

 

[Zinzan]

No, it wasn't.

Never been done before, and there was no way that this NZ lineup would have done it. No way, IMO.

In conclusion, Dhoni messed up. Pure and simple.

Totally agree, ridiculous to have thought otherwise

 

[Bijuvnair]

why ppl blame only weather & Dhoni?
No one saw how Sharma dropped O'brien on 5 (4 balls)?
At the end he reamained not out on 15 from 14 deliveries!

 

[Xuhaib]

Have to say Sharma underperformed in this series it seem the heavy workload is doing more harm then good.

 

[Craig]

Happpy to see CWers get money though a few marginal calls had me worried.

My shout next time I'm in Wellington.

 

[Manee]

Have to say Sharma underperformed in this series it seem the heavy workload is doing more harm then good.

The IPL won't help this for Ishant. Hopefully, KKR will step in and give him some rest throughout the tournament.