This could be over very soon.
Cricket
- Thread starter EdWeatherall
- Start date
It does seem hardly fair that West Indies are having to play India, in India.
Bit of a mismatch.
Bit of a mismatch.
This doesn’t seem fair 
We toured them in 2016 and beat them although it wasn't an arse whooping. We then went last summer for an ODI series and beat them again. So, it is their time.
WI wont improve if they don't tour places like India.
Oh dear
Kohli second fastest to 24 centuries. Only Bradman quicker. Been incredible since 2016 where he averages 70 in 31 test matches and 13 100s.
Christ on a bike. I can’t believe these guys are getting paid for this tour. CWI could have sent me instead. They would get a similar level of performance but it would cost them much less 
Windies could tour India every year for the next five years and you still wouldn't see much progress. They've been disjointed and just gone through the motions for years now. Can't see them improving much until they sort out all the board issues and start playing as a team.
Yup. The entire board needs a clear out, starting with a public beheading of Cameron.
Honestly, board aside, this group of players really don’t look like they’re going anywhere. I would be at least content if the team itself showed some promise, but none of these players really inspire me or make me think they’re going develop into anything special. Combine that with all the stories of the internal politics that keep certain players down, and it’s all such a depressing picture.
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Definitely cant disagree.
Although, I wouldn't place too much importance on these performances. WI are in a bad place but even now they've got some decent players - the same set of players did OK in England last year. Touring India, with the ability we have on these pitches, is a tough ask for the best, let alone West Indies.
One match. They lost the first nearly as badly as they lost this one.
They won a game. That's an impressive achievement given the state of test matches at this moment in time. I doubt they'll pass 200 runs in this series.
How many matches have you got?
1 more.
That's a relief.
West Indies tour of Ireland would be significantly more interesting.
Pointless tournament. WI should have still toured India, but to play Afghanistan.
No doubt. But we need some stat padding series'. We play the fewest of all the top teams.
Australia looking toothless.
Good. Hopefully Pakistan will soften them up properly for us.
Exhilarating 12 run partnership in 14 overs from these two.
Instead of bumping up their averages by thrashing West Indies, Indians should go to Australia already and begin practice.
Ever heard of the FTP? The BCCI don't just simply pick and choose which teams they want to play. It's all pre-planned from years before. Moreover, the WICB have a lot to gain from a tour to India so it benefits them more than it does us - also it's our home season so we need to play someone.
What’s stopping them from “resting” Kohli, Pujara, and the pacers etc and sending them to Australia for warm up games?
Also for your information, FTP isnt set in stone. Just see how Australia has repeatedly cancelled home Test series against Bangladesh.
Umm... maybe the home fans want to watch their players?
I don't see how your second point is relevant. I didn't say we have to play them, I said that we didn't plan these series' and we're not going to cancel as its the only home series we've played in 12 months!
Yeah but this costs us in terms of away Tests. If they’d had the common sense to cancel the Sri Lanka home Tests ahead of the SA tour, we’d have performed better there. It’s mostly BCCI’s commitment to broadcasters and other boards that get in the way of sensible planning.
It doesn't. What costs us is the lack of planning immediately prior to a tour. We should be playing at least two warm up games, not cutting down the length of the only one.
Good day for Pakistan, even with the loss of a few wickets in the final session. Shame the stadium is empty.
Australia are so shit.
That’s a collapse Pakistan would be proud of
Abbas has been excellent in Tests for us.
Turning into a great final day... reckon the Aussies will just about hold on for the draw.
Not looking good for India. Aussies have applied themselves extremely well to save the Test. I'd expect them to steamroll India in the series down under. 4-0.
This Khawaja has gone from free wicket to one of their best batsmen. Sigh.
This Khawaja has gone from free wicket to one of their best batsmen. Sigh.
I can't decide if Yasir Shah is a good bowler. On his day he does bowl some incredibly long spells and gets wickets, but his career average is still around 30 and overall record not very impressive.
Fancy trying to play cricket in a country where it rains all the time.
Sri Lanka are woeful. Going back to Tharanga and constantly picking Thisara Perera is indicative of their problems. England would win this 5-0 without the rain.
I know Perera gets a lot of stick for several reasons, but he's far from the problem in this side. He's a good finisher with the bat and a handy contributor with the ball. He might get exposed when asked to be more than that, but that's not really his problem. This calendar year he averages 20 with the ball and 40 with the bat.
It's the consistent lack of top order runs that's really hurting them, but even then, that's a symptom of the generally shambolic manner in which the team is run.
Yeah, maybe I was a little harsh on Thisara. Generally agree with what you say. They're shit.
Although with Herath in the test team you'll find it significantly harder.
And we're a shit test side, especially away from home, too.
I think there is a genuine chance this Sri Lankan side could be handy, but they need to changed from the top down. I don't even really mind the axing of Mathews, he is fat and he is a run out candidate. He's too good a batsman for them to discard long term (I'm not quite sure how he has been allowed to hide at 5 for so long either), and sending a message about professionalism is fair enough, but then calling up fatty Malinga again doesn't help.
They remind me a touch of Pakistan before the Champions Trophy actually, but not without quite the same resources.
Matthews is a weird one. Not too long, you felt as if he could break into the, then, top 5 (alongside Smith, Root, Kohli, ABD and Williamson) and now, as you say, he's gained a tonne of wait and doesn't play at the same level.