Suicide
January 2, 2008
Zaheer not playing is a terrible blow. In fact, he holds the key to any chance we have of winning a test. But it is utterly foolish and defensive to just play Ishant with the same batting line-up. If ever there was a time for 5 bowlers, this was it. They should have dropped Yuvraj, played Irfan and opened with him and let Dravid play at 6 (or 5). As Ian Chappell recommended, I would have had Sehwag replace Jaffer but that’s another matter.
Aside: Ishant looks like a villain’s side-kick in an Indian movie.
Update: I’ll be happy to eat my hat if RP gets a five-for and we get them out for 180.
January 2, 2008 at 2:38 am
RP’s just got his third right after Ponting fell to Harbhajan again. Your hat is probably safe though as 180 would be too optimistic at 119/4.
Oh and your comment on Ishant is spot on.
January 2, 2008 at 2:47 am
A soggy grey floppy hat in front of me beckons. If only someone can knock some sense into Harbhajan and get him to bowl like this every time. Dravid’s fielding deserves a word or two; he’s just about on par with Ganguly now I reckon.
January 2, 2008 at 3:01 am
Yes, Dravid seems to have undergone severe mental disintegration over the past year and a half. It’s showing up in all aspects of his game. Persisting with him as opener in this scenario is crazy.
Harbhajan’s bowling wonderfully. Spin, bounce, flight.. great to see. And what about those slip catches by Tendulkar! I haven’t seen him catching so well in a while. The Gilchrist catch was outstanding.
January 2, 2008 at 3:26 am
Hogg and Symonds are threatening to get away; it’s Kumble time.
January 2, 2008 at 3:59 am
What’s Bucknor still doing in the Elite panel? I felt that edge in real-time!
January 3, 2008 at 3:15 am
Laxman’s putting up a masterclass in front foot driving. Is he going to engineer another series fightback here?
January 3, 2008 at 3:37 am
That pull is the sexiest of all his shots. Symonds’s fielding is transcendent.
January 3, 2008 at 3:56 am
The amazing thing is that Dravid isn’t in as bad form as they’re saying. This situation is eminently correctible with a drop down the order and an inconspicuous partnership with someone like Dhoni who can run with him and get some activity going in the crease.
Getting through this return spell from Lee is going to be critical.
January 3, 2008 at 8:01 am
Dravid badly needs someone to run hard for him at the other end. If he was in the Australian team, he would’ve been “back in form” easily by now with the way he’s played up to now. Laxman didn’t help him there. However, Laxman did help him out tremendously by playing the way he did and taking the pressure of scoring away from him.