Warne started supporting Chelsea as a result of a Chelsea fan threatening him with a knife asking "Who do you support?!!" ...great story..haha
India's tour of England
- Thread starter KM
- Start date
Remember as a kid watching India collapse predictably, in test matches away from home and then spending the other 2 days doing the rain dance and hoping for the match to be washed out..90% chance of rain tomorrow in Manchester.
Never seemed to work though..My word, that's a beautiful cover drive!
We've had some poor openers in the past I'm sure. He has a good county record, technical flaws are something he can work on. He needs to put some work in if he wants to stay there though.
He'll get spanked to the fence time and again as the ball gets older. Reminds me of Nantie Hayward when he hit the international scene (wayward Hayward). He's all over the chippy. Gotta watch out for the good balls though, as he is genuinely quick.
Aye he'll get a few more chances yet. He'll have to take one of them, otherwise he'll be out. He might not get to bat again this test if Eng get a 200+ lead.
Well yeah I'm not saying he's the worst ever. That would be ridiculous, just I think he's the worst of the ones we've tried post Strauss. Which isn't hugely glowing.
Compton should be playing in place of Robson. Shame that he was dropped for the silliest of reasons.
Compton definitely deserved more of a chance, what was the reason?
Scored too slowly next to Cook or something. Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense when they're willing to invest in Robson who is at best an accumulator and are so dismissive of Hales in the longer format.
Sack Fletcher, sell Kohli.
After his recent performances in all formats against all types of bowlers, ABdV is IMO easily the best batsman.
A 42 average in a batsman's world is a pretty poor return for such a hyped up player.
He'll get at that level eventually though, IMO. He's going thru a form slump, which probably started even prior to the IPL. Making him then national captain will be an utterly awful move going forward as well and we'll end up wasting a couple of years of his career, like we did with Tendulkar.
Pujara and Rahane have acquitted a lot better to test's, they're gonna get a shitload of runs I reckon. Big fan of Pujara.
personally, I would take Kohli any day. Big match player. Has performed and contributed in every big match, and has won everything whereas AVB has not. Don't get me wrong, I love AVB but Kohli just takes it for me
I have just logged in for the first time in about 3 months to say Compton is absolute tumescent cack. Should be nowhere near the test side. Personally would have stuck with Carberry.
Seen as we went with Robsoni don't think we should drop him halfway through a series.
Currently the Anderson - Kohli combo is proving decisive.
Kohli out of nick meaning India's batting looks weak, and Jimmy in his best form since the win down under making us look a better side than we are.
Seen as we went with Robsoni don't think we should drop him halfway through a series.
Currently the Anderson - Kohli combo is proving decisive.
Kohli out of nick meaning India's batting looks weak, and Jimmy in his best form since the win down under making us look a better side than we are.
Cut your losses - he'll never make up into a test batsman.
I don't know about that, I can see why England like him. He's compact, organised, and looks like a test opener. What he can't do is find his off stump, leave the ball when its missing it and play it when its hitting it. I think he's got enough shots to make it, I think he can accumulate well enough to make it, the question is whether he can solve that issue. A couple more years in county cricket would probably have been the answer.
Apparently he was very reserved and used to not take part in team get-togethers or whatever. He also apparently scored too slowly when they needed quick runs.
That has parallels to Hansen saying you'll never win anything with kids. I hope that comes back to bite yer on the ass, Pete.
So you mean AB is NOT a big match player? He is as big match player as you can get. At the moment AB is best batsman in the world, all formats combined. Winning everything doesn't depend on one player.
You might prefer Kohli but it is not true that AB is not big match player.
You say winning does not depend on one player. South Africa on paper have a very strong team that choke and that includes AvB on the biggest stage time and time again. India on paper have one of the weakest bowling attacks in the world yet players like Kohli stand up time and time again even if chasing 350+ you stand a decent chance of winning because he will step up in a big semi-final/final and carry India home. He has proven it/done it/won it so deserves that respect.
The other reason was because he looked like a deer in headlights particularly against New Zealand last summer. Had to be dropped for his own sake as he became a bit of a walking wicket.
Ummm, it is not question of not respecting Kohli. Talent wise he is probably up there with best but AB has done lot more. The 350+ chases in India vs 2nd string Australia or Sri Lanka is not something to keep banging about forever. Yes, it was great but I can show you numerous games which AB has turned on its head by special hitting. After a IPL game, Kohli had said that AB is best batsman in world by some distance. India had lost one game at world cup 2011 and AB had done some great hitting in that game.
You talk about choking, I can show you South Africa's superior test record away from home along with at home and where AB contributes a lot. Kohli has got his hundreds away but he is yet to stamp his mark on team, especially away from home. The runs accumulated in subcontinent can be taken seriously only till some stage. Had AB playing consistently on Indian pitches, you could have seen him regularly being involved in these 350 runs chases versus rank average bowling attacks on dead pitches.
I'm not denying that AB is a great hitter. 2 different types of players. The biggest stage for me is the world cup and Kohli does it for India in the big games and gets them into finals. He pretty much carried India to the last t20 finals averaging 80 odd in t20. AvB has not done that yet. Test matches, yes he still has to prove himself, as do all the India batsmen, away from India.
I think both players are amazing anyway so ye, its tight to call. Just personal preference really
Ya, as I said, there will always be personal preference but AB is one player whom you can't blame for choking. SA do well always but fail at some hurdle either through luck or choking.
In 2011 world cup, ABdV: 5 matches, 353 runs, 88.25 average, 2 centuries. Kohli 9 matches 282 runs, 35.25 average, 1 century.
I am not discrediting Kohli..He is younger to AB too but right now, Kohli can not lay claim to being best. It has to be AB. In future, who knows.
2 early wickets this morning just when England needed to build momentum ahead of the inevitable rain! Still hopeful of a lead of at least 100 and take early wickets.
Lead of just 49 at lunch.
Ali getting done by Aaron was the highlight of the morning. Want to see England come out swinging the blade next session. They'll get bowled out cheaply if they dither. Root and Buttler need to build on this partnership. Hope it's not going to turn into a 2 or 3 an over for the rest of the day though. The rain will come eventually and it would be nice to have some runs on the board before it does.
Ali getting done by Aaron was the highlight of the morning. Want to see England come out swinging the blade next session. They'll get bowled out cheaply if they dither. Root and Buttler need to build on this partnership. Hope it's not going to turn into a 2 or 3 an over for the rest of the day though. The rain will come eventually and it would be nice to have some runs on the board before it does.
India still have a chance here.
90% chance of rain tomorrow in Manchester.
You could post this on any day of the year and it would be true.
Ball is 63 overs old, it'll be getting nice and soft, and easier to send to the fence.
Misfield for 4 runs from Aaron
Root nearly done by a bottom edge there. Almost carried. 4 runs.
If England manage to add 100 more runs, it will prove decisive. With the rain forecasts, I assume it will stay cloudy for long periods even if it doesn't rain? Pitch too is offering something to bowler if pitched in right areas so handing a lead of 150+ runs and then winning the match will be tough for India.
Root upping the pace here. Great cut shot.
Root is fantastic. He has this tendency of playing game changing innings.
Rain imminent.
More overthrows
Decent recovery job by Buttler and Root. Let's hope they're not off for long.
Behave. The only thing that can save you is the rain. India's attack hardly look like bowling England out in a hurry. It's still a decent track to bat on. But it definitely will become more conducive to spin as the game goes on. For me dude, this test had effectively been decided after 2 sessions. Aaron has been less wayward today, that boy is genuinely quick. Game over though (unless it lashes down for a couple of days solid). Got a feeling India will be skittled cheaply when they bat again.