India vs West Indies, 2nd Test Debate

The 2nd test between India and the West Indies has got underway at Kolkata.
India is going in with the same side that won at Delhi. WI bring Roach in place of the unwell Ravi Rampaul. Adrian Barath comes in for Powell.
India won the toss and are batting.

India 79-1. Sehwag the man out, slashing a drive to mid-wicket of Sammy for a typical Sehwag style innings of 38.

The Wi seamers haven't done much of note, so Sammy turns to spin from both ends. Samuels from one, and Bishoo from the other.

Dravid played a bit like Sehwag to start with, flying to 19 of 17 balls, but now he seems to be settling in, and wans to have a good look at the spinners.

India goes to lunch at 132-1. Gambhir on 57, Dravid on 33.
Comfortably placed. They have to play sensible, and build a big total, and look to bat the WI out of the match.
The WI bowlers have to lift their game big time, if they have to have any chance in this one, as the track is expected to help the spinners as the match goes on.

36th Test ton for The Great Indian Wall


Just 2 away from 50 international hundreds

Well done Dravid, 4th century in last 6 Tests, class

What would Sachin give for one of those?

am I the only one who thinks Sehwag is trying too hard to be aggressive in this series (like he sometimes does in ODIs). Sure he's got three decent knocks in, but he really should have kicked on at least once, instead of constantly getting out to ordinary shots.

im very suprised that windies chose to go in with roach. I thought rampaul's injury meant that it was a golden opportnuity for windies to in with 2 specalist spinners, with Shillingford and bishoo.

Sammy couldn't have been the 2nd seamer, so no way they could have gone in with 2 spinners without endangering the balance of the side.

Fine performance from India. Sehwag and Gambhir again missed out on starts, and so did Tendulkar. Dravid continues his fine test form, scoring his 5th hundred of the year.
Other than in the 2nd session, West Indies looked out of their depth, nd their tactics were not up to mark.
India should go on and build a big total. VVS is the key, Yuvraj and Dhoni need to bat around him. Yuvraj should certainly get among the runs to stave off the push from the youngsters.
The captain will also love to carry his ODI form to the test level.
If R Ashwin can remember some batting tips from his under 19 days, the concerns about a rather long tail can be addressed in the long run.

Not many leggies has had success against Sachin Tendulkar. But Devendra Bishoo is doing rather well in that department.

msp83 wrote:
.... the track is expected to help the spinners as the match goes on.

Msp - again sounds encouraging for the Dodger.

Meanwhile, despite the Windies taking two late wickets, a good day for India who are clearly on top.

I see that Darren Sammy opened the bowling. I don't doubt his effort and admit he's done better as a test bowler than I expected - currently over 50 wickets and an average under 29. However, I still can't imagine him in future years being spoken of in the same tones as Hall, Holding, Marshall, Ambrose and a few others ....

There are 4 players that have already scored >900 runs in this calendar year:

Dravid 952
Bell 950
Cook 927
Sangakkara 923

England is not playing any more tests in 2011.

Dravid may have 5 more opportunities left in 2011:
Up to 3 innings vs WI, and one full test match at MCG.

Sangakkara has two more test matches - both in SA.

It's highly likely then that we will have 2 players achieving 1000 runs in 2011 calendar year. Unlucky for Bell and Cook; wish they had one more opportunity.

Indian selectors are so arrogant and wont drop yuvraj and bring in kohli who is going to be a much better test player than Yuvraj

guildfordbat wrote:

msp83 wrote:
.... the track is expected to help the spinners as the match goes on.

Msp - again sounds encouraging for the Dodger.

Meanwhile, despite the Windies taking two late wickets, a good day for India who are clearly on top.

I see that Darren Sammy opened the bowling. I don't doubt his effort and admit he's done better as a test bowler than I expected - currently over 50 wickets and an average under 29. However, I still can't imagine him in future years being spoken of in the same tones as Hall, Holding, Marshall, Ambrose and a few others ....

You all know I don't have a very positive impression of Sammy being in there in the side, although I do admit his bowling record isn't terrible. But what he did today, it was beyond any aesthetic sense, a West Indies wicket keeper standing up to the stumps in the 4th over, to their opening bowler. It actually was pretty sad to watch, West Indies was everyone's favorit side for a reason afterall!.
And of course, the Surrey man has a good opportunity to nail down one of the permanent spin positions in India's squad by making use of the track. Don't think its going to be as slow and as low as it was in Delhi, but there should be enough, and it will be interesting to see how Ojha and Ashwin would go about their business.
The Mighty Harbhajan Singh should be looking over their sholders, with a mighty impressive performance of 1 wicket in 2 Ranji matches, and a huge run tally of 15 runs to add!!!.

India are gifted in the batting department, why dont they finally get rid of Yuvraj from test cricket for once and for all?!

cricketfan90 wrote:Indian selectors are so arrogant and wont drop yuvraj and bring in kohli who is going to be a much better test player than Yuvraj

Yuvraj deserved one last opportunity to crack test cricket, after his consistent all-round showing in the WC and all. In the post Ganguly days, he wasn't as terrible as he used to be at this level. A few poor performances, injuries, and a good start to Suresh Raina's test career resulted in him being sidelined. But yes, Yuvraj needs to deliver, and deliver quickly.
If India manage to win this match, the selection committee chief has promissed more experiments. If Yuvraj doesn't do justice to himself, that might include bringing both Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli in to the xi, and Yuvraj may have to make way. So even an Indian win wouldn't save Yuvraj, if he doesn't come up with a big score.

this would be the test side if i was selector

1.Sehwag/Rahane
2.Gambhir
3.Dravid
4.Tendulkar
5.Laxman/Kohli
6.Jadeja
7.Dhoni
8.Ashwin
9.Zaheer/Yadav
10.Ishant
11.Ojha

Jadeja, Ojha and Ashwin. Don't think that is needed. Besides, Ravindra Jadeja's batting, despite his recent Ranji triple is just evolving, and at the moment is not good enough for a number 6.
Virender Sehwag and Sunal Gavaskar are the 2 best openers India have produced, and therefore there is no question of him being at either end of a /. Rahane though is a fine player, who should make the test match cut with in the next 2 years.
I am sure the fab 3 have some more left in them, and the youngsters aren't as good as they are. So play them on, and give 2 youngsters an opportunity through the number 6 position, and may be resting one of the big boys for a match or 2 here and there.

I'd certainly like to see Rahane given a go sooner rather than later, he looks the most technically accomplished of all India's young players right now, and I think he could do a great job in the middle-order in test cricket. Yuvraj I remain unsold on, he had one good knock in England, then got a nasty blow in the second so can't tell too much from that. Raina looks like he still hasn't worked on his obvious frailties, Kohli was bounced out in WI last time, but maybe deserves another go off the back of some superb ODI form.

Another one to look out for is Pujara. Pretty solid with his technique, and lots of first class runs. Had a good debut series against Australia, and after a relatively tough tour to SA, got injured. But now he's back to fitness, and should be in action in the Ranji trophy from the next round.

Pujara did look quality against australia. Made 80 batting no3 a very good young talent

msp83 wrote:

You all know I don't have a very positive impression of Sammy being in there in the side, although I do admit his bowling record isn't terrible. But what he did today, it was beyond any aesthetic sense, a West Indies wicket keeper standing up to the stumps in the 4th over, to their opening bowler. It actually was pretty sad to watch, West Indies was everyone's favorit side for a reason afterall!.

Msp - I didn't know about the keeper standing up so soon

Was Baugh making a statement by doing so that his skipper was bowling medium pace? It was rather amusing that Sammy asked Baugh to wear a helmet!

Ian Bishop commented that had Dujon done so, he would risked injuries. Bishop was genuinely fast though. I suppose almost all the bowlers of Dujon's teams were genuinely fast.

It didn't make much sense that Sammy would open bowling with Roach in the side. He might have predicted swinging conditions, which are not unusual in the first morning hour at Eden.

i dont think it will be long till, Varun Aaron gets a go in test cricket.

Yuvraj's selection was baffling...especially given that he was coming from cold with ZILCH first class games behind his name

and esepcially given that Kohli is in amazing form....
and given that Rahane was alos in very good touch and rated by most as a muhc better quality long tern potential in tests....

on another discussion forum someone stated....that Yuvraj is in as a continuing reward for the MOS show in W'cup. Ridiculuous as it may sound....i don't see another reason.

Good things is that he was forced in the side in games where his inadequacy has been covered.
the good things is that he will most likely not make thre cut for Aus....unless he does well in the ODIs....and that masks his pathetic test match display.


Also amazing is how a gaint of ODIs.....MSDhoni turns into a pygmy in tests

and Dhoni making the Windies pay....heavily now

the way this pitch is playing...absloutely placid......draw seems like a very likely result if WI apply themselves.

there is spin...but slow.
there is some bounce.....if a pacer bends his back......and getting reverse is the best and most likely way to get wkts

Dhoni is stepping it up now. Are they thinking of declaring at 600? Don't think that is needed. India should bat big, and look just to bat ones.
This track is still good, and if WI batting unit bats around Chanderpaul, 400 shouldn't be so dificult. If they manage that, the point of declaring at this point would be lost. I'd say bat on, and look to bat only ones. Another hour of thrashing about should be fine.

Terrible captaincy from Sammy who is there in the team just to captain!. Can't understand the thought process if any, behind the tactics the WI are working with in the field. Dhoni and VVS are just playing the game just like they please. If they want to deal in singles they do, if they want to give it a go they do. They WI are just going through the motions. Terrible.
India 613-6 at tea. Dhoni 138, Laxman 168.

30 overs remaining in the day. Light may take out 5 of those. India should at least bat for another 12-15 overs and put the WI in for a 6-8 over crack.

Yadav strikes for India, Barath gone for 1.

Dhoni, interestingly, opened the bowling with Pragyan Ojha. Think the light situation may have influenced his call, just like it did with the declaration. Ashwin might be having a bowl soon.

Yadav touched the 90 MPH mark in his first over itself.
Just ironic to think the ones mighty West Indies, the global factory of fast bowling, had the keeper up to their opening bowler in the 4th over of the innings.

India were taken off in this sort of light yesterday...surprse, surprise, WI aren't

Double spin attack from India here, Ashwin on for Yadav. Think its the light again, that did it.

The umpires would have noted the precise reading when India got taken off, the WI will be taken off at the same point.

India's double spin attack isn't working as of now, Kirk Edwards and Brathwaite are playing Ojha and Ashwin comfortably enough.

OhOh hold on, Ashwin has got Brathwaite!. Ashwin vs Bravo, now this should be interesting.

Another poor decision...we want drs!

Unlucky Brathwaite. There wass no edge on that one.
I like this youngster. has a fabulous attitude to test cricket. His game is still developing, but he should be there in the WI test side for some time now. A shame he got a bad one there from the umpire.
Again the WI openers failed, and Chris Gayle is forced to sit at home and watch it all, when he's fit and available.

Hmmm once again the umpiring decisions seem to be favouring India. Tendulkar yesterday, Brathwaite today, they were a few in the last test that went for them as well. India massively on top, thanks to some poor bowling and captaincy from WI, and they should really push on from here. WI are useless against spin and I think it will show again, with the added pressure of the weight of runs.

Perfect day for India.

How many more chances is Yuvraj going to get though? Got half a start today, but he needs to be taking these chances to make a big score, and on a flat pitch against a fairly ordinary bowling attack once you get past 20 you really should cash in. With Rahane and Kohli waiting in the wings the end could be nigh for him.

Yuvraj should be on his absolute last chance in this series.

lol so another test match where sachin wont make the elusive 100. He must be weighing heavily on his shoulders now.

VVS Laxman says he was relieved to get a hundred. He got to a hundred after 15 months. Nobody really felt that, as he always stepped up whenever there was a crisis to be delt with, and a match to be won under pressure.
In fact, if anything it is the less challenging situations where he can't get himself going. at 100-4, you are almost asured of a fighting knock from Laxman, but at 400-4 if he comes in, we might see him pottering around, or throwing it away just like that. In that context, there was a match to be consolidated, and he did that in style, in his favorit ground with a big hundred.
Dhoni also is developing a special love for Kolkata, scoring his 2nd hundred on the row in the ground.

Yuvraj looked ill at ease even on this nice batting pitch, especially his poor defensive technique. His unfilled potential for test cricket is not well established; he doesn't have it, and he never did.

Yadav has bowled very well......pace exceeding 90mph at times....bounce off a length and reverse swing.

WI in tatters

follow-on enforced...a rather dying tradition owing to overanalysis these days.

can windies take the game into the 4th day is the only question of academic interest.

We sensed WI's only chance in series was in T1 getting lead of 100 and having inida chase in 4th inning.
once they squandered that there was little hope.

actually if you take out chanderpaul's contribution in T1....rest of WI batting has been same in all 3 innings...patehtic

Not sure about the time difference and how much is left in the day, but we could be on for another three-dayer in a matter of days.

No problem with India making West Indies follow on, as they only bowled 48 overs in the first innings (mostly by spinners) and must have fancied bowling them out again fairly cheaply.

If West Indies had have got to 300+ a/o by the end of the day then I doubt India would have enforced the follow on. Bat two sessions, get a lead of around 450 and then have 4 sessions to bowl the Windies out on a day 5 pitch.

As it is it seems the West Indian batsman just can't live with the Indian attack, and forcing the follow-on is probably the right decision, as India won't have to bat again.