Sehwag sees India through!

What an innings, Viru! A very un-Sehwag-ian innings, reminded me of the Test innings he played at Galle in 2008. A very sedate start and some patchy strokes gave way later to a match (and bonus point) winning innings. Strangely enough, Sehwag managed to average the innings out almost a run-a-ball.

Cheap Lankan tricks notwithstanding, that should have been a hundred!

India’s tour of SL – Test 3 – Day 3

Now this is what you call a Test. This is more exciting than adrenaline overdosed T20. The match is evenly poised now, esp, with Sehwag snatching both openers. Earlier in the day, the Indian middle order collapsed again. Raina played very well to get to his 62. I’m turning into a fan. If only he could do this well overseas. Laxman got his trademark half century, but one expected more of him. I don’t have high expectations for Dhoni the batsmen, so wasn’t exactly surprized by the proceedings. I just had a smug smile when he was dismissed for 15.

Mishra and Mithun batted brilliantly and showed more poise that the top order (minus Sehwag). I hope that SB is wrong when he says this might be the last of Mishra we see for sometime.

The first session will be crucial tomorrow. India need to pile on the pressure and get 2-3 wickets and wrap the SL innings quickly to get a result. I think this series deserves another result.

India’s tour of SL – Test 3 – Day 2

What are the chances of winning a toss 3 times in a row? Simple probability yields 12.5%. SL have managed that this time. If my memory serves me right, England won the toss 4 times in a row in 2005(?) Ashes. That a chance of 6.25%.

I would have said there needs be a built-in fairness mechanisms, but more often than not, such “fairness” mechanisms turn out to be disastrous. Given the state of affairs of cricket and the kind of folk that “administer” it, better to leave it as is.

Moving on.

Am I the only one bored of watching India playing catch up? At least the pitch isn’t dead this time. Maybe SL will get another result in their favor?

Sehwag is the only reason I’m watching the Indian batting. After Dravid, that is. If the team management is serious about its Test cricketers, they need to find ways to give their Test-only folks some match practice before heading out on tours. If not, we’re just wasting talent. But who listens to me? Pity to see Dravid go the way he did today. It was nice to see some good shots early on. The cricket is still there folks. Wonder if Laxman will do any better.

Hope Sehwag gets his 100 tomorrow. Maybe 200. Maybe even 300. Are we getting a little greedy here?

Blogging Break

Will be back in time for the second Test against SL.

Dravid, Sehwag, please save your magnum opuses for after the First Test.

KKR stun Delhi – Dada rocks the Eden

Sourav Ganguly never fails to inspire, at least for me. Delhi started the 180-plus chase fairly well, even after the early departure of David Warner. Viru and Sehwag chased in a way that is charesteristic only to them. But Gambhir’s wicket was key. After that, though there was Sehwag at one end, the others seemed jittery.

Some excellent fielding from Dada and and inspired bowling changes help turn KKR’s fortunes. After Sehwag, it was all downhill. Good to see KKR win.

Woo hoo! Rock it, Dada.