The super eights are here. SA managed to not choke yesturday against NZ (allright, I’m being a bit harsh). But India have other plans.
For the teens of this age who may not have watched India in the 90s need not worry. There’s a 90-s style collapse going on. Vijay walks in hits a few, and leave. Ditto for Gambhir. Then Raina. Yuvraj gets another duck, carrying his spotless IPL (fix?) form.
I have been skeptic about this Indian batting line up for some time; which is also reason why I didn’t rave about India’s victory over SA in the first stage of the tournament. I don’t see batting stability or experience apart from Gambhir (Dhoni doesn’t count for me, neither does out-of-form Yuvi). As I write this, Dhoni has already fallen. Jadeja? Who is this Jadeja (deja vu – another 90s reminder) What is Ravindra Jadeja doing? Is he in as a fielder? After the dropped catches today, perhaps we need a new term for his place in the side.
Is the bowling better?
India are 40/5. They will need more than miracle to win this one.
Looking forward to a 90-s style excuse for loosing this one.
PS: I will eat crow (and my words) if India win this!
End of 90-s style rant.
PPS: Apparently there’s another fan of the old fashioned batsmen on cricinfo. “Umair: “It’s clear no lessons have been learned from last year’s disastrous England World Cup — the young Indian bats, weaned on the flat tracks of the IPL, cannot cope with fast, short-pitched bowling on livelier tracks. Just as SA has kept faith with Kallis and Smith; and Australia with Hussey, India should have included some older players with better technique. The fact that a Dravid isn’t going to have a 200 SR in an IPL match doesn’t mean he wouldn’t add value on pitches like the ones in England last year or this one.”
Yes, Dravid should have been there and that’s not just the Dravid-fan in me.
VM\'s Random Ramblings 
90s style eh? Those were the days of heart attacks and collapsos! Imagine what the 70s were like in LOIs! Sunny Gavaskar when to the other extreme and actually played a test innings in an ODI. Indis has always been late to learn the tricks of the trade but curiously among the earliest to bag a trophy. India is indeed a coexistence of contradictions.
There may be a case to play Dravid and Sachin, but I don’t mind youth being given a run. My problems are two – 1) who are the correct young players? Quality must not be sacrificed for age. 2) Unfortunately Indian youth quickly become atherosclerotic as soon as some success touches them and they have a season under their belt.
Sunny G put it well in the print version of today’s The Hindu (09 May 2010) in the article titled India were very disappointing. I quote –
Somehow one got the impression that India’s batsmen just did not want to face the music and looked for the easy way out with the excuse of a limited overs format requiring attacking shots.
Even that argument would have been valid if the shots attempted were proper cricketing shots, but when batsmen attempt to slog fast bowlers on a hard bouncy pitch they are not fighting but committing suicide. T20 does not allow for too many dot balls and batsmen
have to be looking to score but even here common cricketing sense requires that the front line bowlers should be seen off and then go after the second
line of attack. Any slow run rate can be made up when the second string comes onto bowl..
Unfortunately, it appears the online version of The Hindu is different from their e-paper and printed version and Sunny’s PMG doesn’t extend the convenience of publishing his articles in the online version in their contract with The Hindu. e-paper requires log-in with subscription to access the article.
There is more common sense there but he doesn’t bring up the bowling and fielding shortcomings at all…or the lack of fitness beyond a cursory few words that don’t criticize much.
SB, firstly, thanks very much for the long reply. It’s always a pleasant surprise to see a detailed comment. Great point about being ones to curiously bag a trophy early. Perhaps we are good only until the others perfect it beyond above-mediocre luck-based cricket. It is sad that the trully good young players either aren’t there, or are being mislead the moment they play in LOIs. Arteriosclerotic indeed.
Didn’t catch that SG article. On a lighter note, it isn’t too surprising that he played an innings in one of early ODIs to draw it! But some valid points.
India are ruining again vs. WI. I won’t be surprised if they don’t make it. This team doesn’t deserve to be in the semi final.
“luck-based cricket” yes…that’s a problem.
India is believeing too much that theory put out that T20 is luck based cricket and doesn’t require planning.
India finds it a problem to sustain an inspiration – it gets bored easily perhaps…or worse, satified.
Nice article.
Oh also, loving the blog design. I used to have a similar designed blog myself before I sold it on a while back.