India vs England

[fishfingers15]

He's ignorant, I'd say...he's touched upon a point though. How many actually care that India lost a Test series at home? How many care that we lost 8 tests away in Ozland and England before this? How many are angry for the sake of being angry, for the consumption of social media and for a topic of conversation? how many actually watched even a ball of this series, and didn't rely on media reportage and word of mouth to influence their opinion.

How many will go and scream their lungs out, post pictures, buy jerseys and have a blast when Delhi Daredevils play Mumbai Indians next?

There was a time when as an 11 year old, it would hurt for days on end knowing that the Saffers had beaten us on our own ground, or as an 8 year old, seeing Derbyshire humiliate a full strength Indian team, or even waking up at 4-5 am to watch us in Australia right through the terrible 90s and promising 2000s.

I've lost that feeling, and I have a feeling a lot of my peers have as well. The new generation couldn't give a tuppenny feck about Test cricket, it's just about updating scorelines every couple of hours and abusing the non-performers, who don't disappoint nowadays.

On the other hand, do you know many actually watched and feel let down by it? You've grown out of your 11 year old self and you have stuff to do now, and there are other younger guys out there who will watch cricket like you do. It's always a cycle. Casual fans will like T20 better because it ends quickly. Cricket fans will always mop up any form of cricket. I have mates who see Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe test match for 5 days.

You've grown up and you have stuff to do. Soon, there will be another Elevendulkar who will inspire a nation.

 

[Proud_Lyon]

Don't think that's specific to India. The majority of the new generation of fans prefer 20-20 cricket to test cricket all over the world. It's only natural; 20-20's far more suited to young people with low attention spans. You would have been the same if you had the option of watching the IPL back when you were 10 years old. It's a big worry.

It is simply a cash cow, nothing more and nothing less. Years ago, we had the likes of Gavaskar, Border, Hadlee, Beefy, Imran Khan, Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh, Atherton, Pollock et al. These were proper characters of the game, plus I can add a few more. However, nowadays, the cricketers simply don't care about the public and simply want to line their own pockets first, and entertain the public second, or simply put, quick and easy money. As I said, the 20-20 and IPL have spoilt cricket so much that I don't even follow it anymore, even though I was an addict of cricket in the 1980s.

 

[crappycraperson]

He's ignorant, I'd say...he's touched upon a point though. How many actually care that India lost a Test series at home? How many care that we lost 8 tests away in Ozland and England before this? How many are angry for the sake of being angry, for the consumption of social media and for a topic of conversation? how many actually watched even a ball of this series, and didn't rely on media reportage and word of mouth to influence their opinion.

How many will go and scream their lungs out, post pictures, buy jerseys and have a blast when Delhi Daredevils play Mumbai Indians next?

There was a time when as an 11 year old, it would hurt for days on end knowing that the Saffers had beaten us on our own ground, or as an 8 year old, seeing Derbyshire humiliate a full strength Indian team, or even waking up at 4-5 am to watch us in Australia right through the terrible 90s and promising 2000s.

I've lost that feeling, and I have a feeling a lot of my peers have as well. The new generation couldn't give a tuppenny feck about Test cricket, it's just about updating scorelines every couple of hours and abusing the non-performers, who don't disappoint nowadays.

I lost that feeling a long time ago. I am not sure IPL persay is to blame for that though. It is and remains an easy excuse for everyone to latch on to for all the ills surrounding Indian cricket. The ills are getting way exaggerated as well, we are after all the reigning world champions. Regardless of the state of 50 over cricket, WC remains the biggest prize in cricketing world. We had a brief stint as number 1 test team as well and were always going to drop a level or two after our own golden generation of cricket started to disappear. Likes of Eng themselves have lost countless home tours in recent past, even to India, when they went through similar blips. Our defeat looks worse in shadow of that 8-0 and boasting from two players about revenge. Otherwise losing to this English given our current weakness is very much along expected lines.

Now coming to the future of cricket in India. Two aspects being- supporters enthusiasm for the game and upcoming cricketers.

For the latter, IPL is a good thing given now a number of players can gain from popularity of cricket in India rather than languish in Ranji. Regardless of what ever effect it may have on T20/Test dilemma, long term it will enhance the sport culture in India since more people will now be willing to let their offspring consider cricket as a serious career option.

If you don't want the IPL to affect Indian test cricket. One simple and sensible solution is to separate both T20 and test teams. Likes of Pujara, Rahane and Badrinath should be given a go in test teams rather than Raina, Yuvi etc. Pick test teams solely on domestic performances. And prepare more sporting wickets for Ranji matches, not ones where likes of Jadeja can bludgeon gazillion runs.

Supporter's enthusisam issue is directly linked to the lack of a distinct sporting culture in India. Essentially we stumbled on to cricket as our national sport as glory hunters after the 83 win. Magic of that win has well and truly eroded now after the repeat win in 2011. For people losses and wins don't matter that much now, it being a case of been there and done that, and we will probably do it again in a different cycle. Same thing is not true for supporters in US and UK for their respective sports' teams because support of a team there is more of a part of ritual. Regardless of a win or loss, English supporters cherish away trips as a different entity to be experienced while cheering on for their team. I don't think at any stage any such notion or exercise entered Indian fan's mentality towards cricket.

Also on some level I think this moaning resembles that of older generation of football fans in England. Dawn of internet and 24/7 media was always going to be a game changer. Unfortunately for India, sporting culture had not matured to any level before these issues seeped in. It was important for us to get people passionate about domestic cricket itself before we lost children to PlayStations and Xboxes. I collected a bunch of 10th standard kids in my locality a few months back and bar one no one could roll their arm over for a proper ball. They all bowled 'bhatta'.

 

[mightberight]

It is simply a cash cow, nothing more and nothing less. Years ago, we had the likes of Gavaskar, Border, Hadlee, Beefy, Imran Khan, Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh, Atherton, Pollock et al. These were proper characters of the game, plus I can add a few more. However, nowadays, the cricketers simply don't care about the public and simply want to line their own pockets first, and entertain the public second, or simply put, quick and easy money. As I said, the 20-20 and IPL have spoilt cricket so much that I don't even follow it anymore, even though I was an addict of cricket in the 1980s.

You've just grown out of it. Players have always wanted to make money, remember Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket? The romanticism of youth has gone, that's all. I don't see how an extra format has spoilt cricket, either but maybe that's just me - I don't feel it's dominating the game whatsoever.

 

[zing]

Perhaps the IPL is to blame after all then. Offering big cash incentives to any decent player to play limited overs cricket is not my idea of fun and to be honest, when it first appeared on tv, I wasn't impressed by it one bit. For me, limited 50 over games decided by D/L if it rains is a great deal better and makes a long journey worth it. Again, watching a 5 day test match is a great deal better than watching IPL too as so many things can happen. As long as the IPL is still there, less and less people will be interested to watch it or even play at test level because there is better money to be had in the IPL.[/QUOTE]

If you haven't played 60% of your domestic team's Ranji(first class cricket here) matches, you are not eligible to be a part of the IPL auction, unless you have appeared for the national team.

Great rule by the BCCI, imo. Ensures people don't pick up the bat and swish it around hoping to make big money.

 

[fishfingers15]

You've just grown out of it. Players have always wanted to make money, remember Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket? The romanticism of youth has gone, that's all. I don't see how an extra format has spoilt cricket, either but maybe that's just me - I don't feel it's dominating the game whatsoever.

Exactly. I can only imagine how the 'cricket purists' wondered if the ODI's will be the death of cricket as they had known it. Most of you sounding like a Nostradamus on a bad day most probably took to cricket because of the ODI's and then picked up Test Cricket. At least, that's how I did it.

ODI's breathed new life into test cricket. Gone were the days when teams were just gently knocking it about and calling it a draw with a rest day in between.

 

[KM]

I don't blame the IPL at all. The cricket players were being ridiculously unpaid for years(domestic and non-indians). I see nothing wrong in them giving extra money.

Our problem is poor retarded team selection and lack of proper pitches in ranji.

 

[zing]

I wouldn't go that far.

We'll know the effect of the IPL only after a few years.

We don't have enough data now to say anything concrete.

 

[Donaldo]

I don't blame the IPL at all. The cricket players were being ridiculously unpaid for years(domestic and non-indians). I see nothing wrong in them giving extra money.

Our problem is poor retarded team selection and lack of proper pitches in ranji.

fecking hell...

Is this some new way of thinking about this? I've noticed a few people 'not blaming the IPL'. Open your eyes.

Get this into your head. No-one gives a feck about Ranji cricket. Noone has given a feck about Ranji cricket for some time now. The pitches are abysmal, the players sub-standard, the coaches below par, the crowds absent.

Look at the viewership ratings for the Test and the attendance over the past 4 years.

How deluded can you get?

 

[Donaldo]

On the other hand, do you know many actually watched and feel let down by it? You've grown out of your 11 year old self and you have stuff to do now, and there are other younger guys out there who will watch cricket like you do. It's always a cycle. Casual fans will like T20 better because it ends quickly. Cricket fans will always mop up any form of cricket. I have mates who see Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe test match for 5 days. .

I work freelance for a cricket website, and unfortunately even amongst what I would imagine to be a core group of cricket enthusiasts, not too many.

Go and speak to the 'younger folk' and see how much they care. Like it or not, Test match cricket hasn't been able to sustain itself in India. It's not a cycle anymore, it's a downward spiral, more so because as yu said, people don't have the time or energy to deal with 5 days of cricket now that there are slam bang alternatives.

Elevendulkar

That's terrible.

 

[fishfingers15]

fecking hell...

Is this some new way of thinking about this? I've noticed a few people 'not blaming the IPL'. Open your eyes.

Get this into your head. No-one gives a feck about Ranji cricket. Noone has given a feck about Ranji cricket for some time now. The pitches are abysmal, the players sub-standard, the coaches below par, the crowds absent.

Look at the viewership ratings for the Test and the attendance over the past 4 years.

How deluded can you get?

Nobody gave a feck about Ranji cricket and substandard pitches, before or after IPL. I was 14 years old, when I went for my district selections, as a wicket keeper.

I played in the same league where R.Satish played. He studied in a school like a mile away from me. I was told the selections were a sham, and the names for the districts have been sent two months in advance.

I don't know how you can blame everything on IPL.

 

[Cevno]

Actually the crowds for the last 2 test series in India have been pretty good. On Sunday Nagpur stadium was nearly 75 to 80% full and it is located like a hour outside the city.

And Ranji trophy was neglected before the IPL. So, what's new ? Ranji players get paid more due to the IPL now and these stadium and infrastructure has improved.

To watch a match in Delhi for example was pathetic. But when the stadium was renovated due to the IPL, it has become much better now. You can get Dominos Pizza, Decent food and cleaner toilets.

It is freaking simplistic to blame the IPL and bullshit at the same time.

 

[Sassy Colin]

He's ignorant, I'd say...he's touched upon a point though. How many actually care that India lost a Test series at home? How many care that we lost 8 tests away in Ozland and England before this? How many are angry for the sake of being angry, for the consumption of social media and for a topic of conversation? how many actually watched even a ball of this series, and didn't rely on media reportage and word of mouth to influence their opinion.

How many will go and scream their lungs out, post pictures, buy jerseys and have a blast when Delhi Daredevils play Mumbai Indians next?

There was a time when as an 11 year old, it would hurt for days on end knowing that the Saffers had beaten us on our own ground, or as an 8 year old, seeing Derbyshire humiliate a full strength Indian team, or even waking up at 4-5 am to watch us in Australia right through the terrible 90s and promising 2000s.

I've lost that feeling, and I have a feeling a lot of my peers have as well. The new generation couldn't give a tuppenny feck about Test cricket, it's just about updating scorelines every couple of hours and abusing the non-performers, who don't disappoint nowadays.

No I was being deliberately facetious, but thanks for picking up on the serious issue I was highlighting.

I know a lot of posters would prefer to have a go at another poster rather than engage in a debate, but the fact that only a few years ago Indians took Test cricket so seriously that they would get so angry as to burn effigies but now the are more interested in this 'hit & giggle' nonsense is a real shame.

Are you expecting Indian Test cricket to go into a West Indies like doldrums or is there sufficient talent coming through at the highest level to count this a minor blip?

 

[fishfingers15]

I work freelance for a cricket website, and unfortunately even amongst what I would imagine to be a core group of cricket enthusiasts, not too many.

Go and speak to the 'younger folk' and see how much they care. Like it or not, Test match cricket hasn't been able to sustain itself in India. It's not a cycle anymore, it's a downward spiral, more so because as yu said, people don't have the time or energy to deal with 5 days of cricket now that there are slam bang alternatives.



That's terrible.

The fact that I know a lot of fans who take test cricket very seriously and follow it well should balance your view a bit? I like how you speak with the authority that you know for sure that the test cricket is in decline and so it must be true.

For what it's worth, I think you are painting a rather bleak picture than it's necessary and finding an unsavoury candidate to pin the blame on (IPL)

 

[Cevno]

I don't blame the IPL at all. The cricket players were being ridiculously unpaid for years(domestic and non-indians). I see nothing wrong in them giving extra money.

Our problem is poor retarded team selection and lack of proper pitches in ranji.

Completely agree.

Look at someone like Parwinder Awana for example, and from where he comes from. IPL money and increased Ranji trophy money is crucial to even keep him in the game.

Only 11 players can play for India, but what about the rest ?

Due to IPL not only they get fame and money from playing it, the money given to Ranji players has increased manifold too.

BCCI needs to improve Ranji and domestic competitions and also structure of it, even though stadiums have now improved and so has infrastructure. But that was needed before the IPL too.

Maybe need to create different teams like England for tests and other sports too, and increase the remuneration for tests.

 

[Donaldo]

Actually the crowds for the last 2 test series in India have been pretty good. On Sunday Nagpur stadium was nearly 75 to 80% full and it is located like a hour outside the city.

And Ranji trophy was neglected before the IPL. So, what's new ? Ranji players get paid more due to the IPL now and these stadium and infrastructure has improved.

To watch a match in Delhi for example was pathetic. But when the stadium was renovated due to the IPL, it has become much better now. You can get Dominos Pizza, Decent food and cleaner toilets.

It is freaking simplistic to blame the IPL and bullshit at the same time.

When is the last time you went to watch a Test in Delhi?

Tier 2 will get 70% crowds, which is the reason they're scheduled to host the matches in the first place.

If you're trying to tell me the IPL has been good overall for Indian cricket, I'd love to hear why.

 

[Cevno]

When is the last time you went to watch a Test in Delhi?

Tier 2 will get 70% crowds, which is the reason they're scheduled to host the matches in the first place.

Vs West Indies last year.

And don't get your point with respect to the second sentence. If tier 2 cities are getting 70% crowds, then how do you say nobody cares about test cricket ? Some of the grounds in India are huge compared to England/South Africa etc...

And besides, new grounds get less crowds because they are mostly located outside the city. Even Nagpur and Ahmedabad did before this series, in which crowds were good.

Even in Eden Gardens the crowd was pretty good. Same in the series against Newzealand.

Plus let alone the grounds, news channels give full coverage to tests these days more so than in the past as they are agenda setters now. You are just being over dramatic.

 

[Donaldo]

Vs West Indies last year.

And don't get your point with respect to the second sentence. If tier 2 cities are getting 70% crowds, then how do you say nobody cares about test cricket ? Some of the grounds in India are huge compared to England/South Africa etc...

And besides, new grounds get less crowds because they are mostly located outside the city. Even Nagpur and Ahmedabad did before this series, in which crowds were good.

Even in Eden Gardens the crowd was pretty good. Same in the series against Newzealand.

Plus let alone the grounds, news channels give full coverage to tests these days more so than in the past as they are agenda setters now. You are just being over dramatic.

I was at that match. The Kotla seats 45 odd thousand. The average attendance was approx 9500 per day.

You evidently have no idea what you're talking about. Still want to know why you think the IPL has been good overall for Indian cricket.

 

[Cevno]

If you're trying to tell me the IPL has been good overall for Indian cricket, I'd love to hear why.

Have listed some reasons above in the 2 posts. Will list more when i get home with articles and quotes if i cbf'd.

Blaming the IPL is like blaming cricketers doing advertising before it. Many used to say they are busy doing ads and hence the loss. Earned too much so can't be bothered now etc....

On the other hand How many attributed the WC win and the number 1 rank before to the IPL for example ?


The problem is not the IPL at all. A small problem may be adapting to the IPL, and how the selectors/BCCI deal with it, but to blame it for this loss alone is too simplistic.

 

[Cevno]

I was at that match. The Kotla seats 45 odd thousand. The average attendance was approx 9500 per day.

You evidently have no idea what you're talking about. Still want to know why you think the IPL has been good overall for Indian cricket.

So ? It's not like Kotla was getting massive attendances for test matches before the IPL either. Don't get how the 2 are linked.

Delhi more than other places (Say Chennai, Kolkata) gets better crowds for ODI's than tests for a long while now.

Plus it was against the west Indies and when i went there were at least 15 people at the ground on that day, while in the ODI that was also held last year against England there were 20,000 people there.



And as for the second part, i have listed some reasons already. Will give you point by point later if you want later.

Why don't you give some as to why IPL is bad, except listing out things which have nothing to do with the IPL ?

 

[fishfingers15]

So ? It's not like Kotla was getting massive attendances for test matches before the IPL either. Don't get how the 2 are linked.

Delhi more than other places (Say Chennai, Kolkata) gets better crowds for ODI's than tests for a long while now.

Plus it was against the west Indies and when i went there were at least 15 people at the ground on that day, while in the ODI that was also held last year against England there were 20,000 people there.



And as for the second part, i have listed some reasons already. Will give you point by point later if you want later.

Why don't you give some as to why IPL is bad, except listing out things which have nothing to do with the IPL ?

You have to take his posts with a pinch of salt.

 

[KM]

fecking hell...

Is this some new way of thinking about this? I've noticed a few people 'not blaming the IPL'. Open your eyes.

Get this into your head. No-one gives a feck about Ranji cricket. Noone has given a feck about Ranji cricket for some time now. The pitches are abysmal, the players sub-standard, the coaches below par, the crowds absent.

Look at the viewership ratings for the Test and the attendance over the past 4 years.

How deluded can you get?

IPL hasn't affected Ranji Trophy at all. The grounds at the Ranji Trophy matches were still empty even before the IPL.

If there's good test cricket, people'll go and watch it. I remember going to a Ferozshah Kotla match against Zimbabwe many years ago(Dravid scored a double century If I'm not wrong) and the stadium was empty. I remember watching India Pak test match at Delhi and the stadium was half full during Pakistan's batting.

So this isn't exclusive to IPL.

 

[Cevno]

You have to take his posts with a pinch of salt.

Is he Bishen Singh Bedi ?

 

[Fiskey]

Don't think that's specific to India. The majority of the new generation of fans prefer 20-20 cricket to test cricket all over the world. It's only natural; 20-20's far more suited to young people with low attention spans. You would have been the same if you had the option of watching the IPL back when you were 10 years old. It's a big worry.

Not sure, 20/20 came in to England in 2004 when I was 13, I still way prefer Test cricket, culture perhaps? Or maybe by that time I'd watched enough Test cricket to appreciate it, I remember Fraser and Croft batting it out in 1998, but it might be different for those who have always been exposed to 20/20. My nephew is 7 and loves Test cricket though.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Not sure, 20/20 came in to England in 2004 when I was 13, I still way prefer Test cricket, culture perhaps? Or maybe by that time I'd watched enough Test cricket to appreciate it, I remember Fraser and Croft batting it out in 1998, but it might be different for those who have always been exposed to 20/20. My nephew is 7 and loves Test cricket though.

We've had a good test team in the past few years. Albeit not a great one but still fairly better than what we have had in the past. Most other teams have gone backwards in the test arena. That may have had some impact.

We also haven't commercialised T20 in the ways other countries have so there is low interest in the county sport

 

[FlawlessThaw]

IPL hasn't affected Ranji Trophy at all. The grounds at the Ranji Trophy matches were still empty even before the IPL.

If there's good test cricket, people'll go and watch it. I remember going to a Ferozshah Kotla match against Zimbabwe many years ago(Dravid scored a double century If I'm not wrong) and the stadium was empty. I remember watching India Pak test match at Delhi and the stadium was half full during Pakistan's batting.

So this isn't exclusive to IPL.

According to Dravid on TMS (great pundit, love to hear from him more) there aren't that many spinners coming through in the Ranji trophy. That just sounds insane if true!

 

[KM]

According to Dravid on TMS (great pundit, love to hear from him more) there aren't that many spinners coming through in the Ranji trophy. That just sounds insane if true!

No there isn't. The pitches are horribly flat in Ranji. There's one good prospect in our left spinner in U19 but the rest are nowt special.

Could anyone've ever imagined that English Spinners would outbowl on Indian Spinners on Indian Pitches?

 

[crappycraperson]

fecking hell...

Is this some new way of thinking about this? I've noticed a few people 'not blaming the IPL'. Open your eyes.

Get this into your head. No-one gives a feck about Ranji cricket. Noone has given a feck about Ranji cricket for some time now. The pitches are abysmal, the players sub-standard, the coaches below par, the crowds absent.

Look at the viewership ratings for the Test and the attendance over the past 4 years.

How deluded can you get?

State of Ranji was the same before IPL.

Besides test attendances in India were falling for quite some time. I don't think IPL had much to do with it. ODIs always used to get full houses while tests used to be full only on weekends when India was batting or last day of a close test was on. It is just that a lot of casual fans who used to prefer to watch cricket on TV had a viable option to go to watch IPL matches in stadium.

 

[crappycraperson]

I was at that match. The Kotla seats 45 odd thousand. The average attendance was approx 9500 per day.

You evidently have no idea what you're talking about. Still want to know why you think the IPL has been good overall for Indian cricket.

IPL can be good for Indian cricket. It is important to spread the money generated via cricket. That was the reason why a lot of cricketers about a decade ago lobbied BBCI for the contract system where rather than just the 15 Indian NT players, other could get some form of monetary commitment for BCCI. A lot of fight also went to get some respectable salary for domestic players. My cousin was on the fringes of Delhi Ranji team in mid 90s and told me of a lot of talented players who had to give up on their cricket dream because they simply had to start earning a decent amount and could not gamble their future an off chance of getting selected. He himself at least could have become a regular domestic player but gave up early on.

With IPL you basically will ensure that a pool of 100+ domestic players (possibly more in future) will get a handsome compensation. Other than that there is still a need to invest heaving in cricket infrastructures at lower levels. If BCCI does use the IPL money wisely (they did give sizable amount to ex cricketers this year which was commendable) then India should be able to have a grass-root coaching system to rival that of Australia.

Of course it does have the potential to harm Indian cricket. As zing pointed out that 60% rule is much needed. You don't want chancers looking for a solitary IPL contract to be set for life, such cases should be at best an anomaly. Then it is important that IPL windows don't up test cricket time. That time should be taken out of someone pointless limited overs tournament rather than a test series. There will also be players who will model themselves for T20 cricket. But that was already there with 50 overs. You had likes of Bevan who never made an impact on test cricket despite being part of a WC winning team.

Then the sporting culture bit I touched in previous posts. I am not sure how one can call state of Indian cricket good before IPL with only dogs coming to witness any kind of domestic matches. If BCCI stops fecking about with IPL and trying to ape it on existing american franchise model, it is possible to develop it wisely.

Having said all that, I don't have much interest in most T20 matches due to them being severely monotonous. Something needs to be done about T20 pitches and shorter boundaries. It still needs to be a proper contest between batsmen and bowlers otherwise it is akin to Hong Kong sixes or something.

 

[fishfingers15]

Good post, well reasoned and well written.

Damn sight better than 'I know, so it must be true', 'IPL is the Beezlebub' posts of Donaldo.

 

[fishfingers15]

It's the dreaded T20 match between Ingurland and Bharath today.

 

[zing]

I enjoy international T20.

Not particularly looking forward to this match, though. Feel a little burnt out from cricket.

 

[kps88]

I agree. Too much cricket, especially for India.

Was just having a look at the upcoming season, it's ridiculous the way they squeezed in the Pakistan series. We're going to be playing virtually non stop all the way through January. England, of course, get a sensible 2 weeks off.

When you take into account our players have never exactly been fighting fit, the amount of cricket we play is definitely a disadvantage.

 

[anver]

Is he Bishen Singh Bedi ?

Bedi has an agenda. He has to sing for his supper. So, when his masters ask him to bark, he barks.

Donaldo is only giving his opinion, whether right or wrong.

 

[KM]

Bedi has an agenda. He has to sing for his supper. So, when his masters ask him to bark, he barks.

Donaldo is only giving his opinion, whether right or wrong.

Bedi has no agenda. He hates the BCCI.

Ashwin just looked more threatening in one over than he did in whole of the series.

 

[Red Pavan]

Bedi has no agenda. He hates the BCCI.

Ashwin just looked more threatening in one over than he did in whole of the series.

Probably because this guy Lumb played like a 1 legged lamb.

 

[NinjaFletch]

Dernbach is such an ordinary bowler.

All his variations mean nowt when he sprays it around as much as he does.

 

[Red Pavan]

Morgan

 

[Utd heap]

Hales looks a talent.

Confused tactics and selection by England in that game though, we picked 5 bowlers to the detriment of the batting line up - then bowled Wright for 3 overs...

India actually looked arsed, and a big crowd turned up.
That is weirdly sad to see after the test series just gone.

Obvious where the enjoyment for Indian cricketers and supporters lie.

 

[Sassy Colin]

You know, I don't even care.