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India vs South Africa | 3rd Test | Johannesburg | Jan 24-28, 2018 | Day 1 | Discussion Thread

Morris a better bowler & batsman than Phehlukwayo but selected due to quota.
 
Say what you want, but this has been one fine traditional test match batting from Pujara...I doff my proverbial hat
 
SA will feel they have missed chances here and India have been gritty this 1st session.

Shared session IMO

IND's session - could have gone to lunch at 42/6. Unless couple of quick wickets after lunch, SAF'll be on back foot by tea.
 
Tbh my interest for ongoing series is long over. Im already looking forward to IPL and English series. So, we got few months to get the act together and form a balance team for overseas series. Likes of Pujara, Saha, R Sharma, and S Dhawan need to go. They all dont have the technique to survive in seaming conditions.

Who do you think is better than them in seaming conditions?
 
IND's session

If India were 70/2.

Though India are only 2 wickets down, score did not go anyway. Runs matter a lot on these kinds of pitches.

250 first innings runs is match winning score here. 175 is a bare minimum to compete.
 
Morris is not a swing bowler. He is a hit the deck bowler. Not quiet suitable here.

Still Morris is better than him

I see nothing good in Phehlukwayo, no pace at all and only moving the ball into the right handers.
 
Even stevens . May be slight edge to SA. I haven't watched this session fully. From what i see it is very very hard work just to survive here in the first session. Nobody knows how it will be for INdia from here on.
 
Still Morris is better than him

I see nothing good in Phehlukwayo, no pace at all and only moving the ball into the right handers.

Vernon is roughly about the same pace. Few yards quicker that's it. But he is the hardest to face against.
 
SA also lost 3-0 in India, so you can't make a case that their 3-0 win against India makes SA #1.

India had a chance to chase down score in both tests. India lost mostly due to their own selection policies, tactics than SA giving them no chance.
 
Vernon is roughly about the same pace. Few yards quicker that's it. But he is the hardest to face against.

Lol Vernon is moving the ball both ways, just because it's the same pace doesn't mean both have same skill set.
 
I understand that the ball is swinging and seaming with good carry, but Indian openers are really pathetic.

KL is still a good player and deserves more chances in the future. But Vijay needs to go. A pathetic player who sets the tone by playing timid cricket before getting out to a brainless shot.

Vijay was good a couple of years ago. Now he is a passenger. Not to forget his terrible fielding.

indian slip fielding may mean that despite conditions wickets wont be quick for them
 
Except Kohli entire batting unit looks out of form/ scared. At least Pujara is sticking with him instead of getting out. I hope he plays 150 balls in this innings.
 
India had a chance to chase down score in both tests. India lost mostly due to their own selection policies, tactics than SA giving them no chance.

Yeah, that's also true. In contrast SA had no hope at all playing in India.

India just needed a couple of batsmen to show more dedication in the first 2 Tests, unfortunately it did not happen. Let's hope this series defeat stings them enough to make them more disciplined in the away series in Eng and Aus.
 
Lol Vernon is moving the ball both ways, just because it's the same pace doesn't mean both have same skill set.

That is what is aid. Morris being pacy does not automatically mean he is better. Besides you don't need 5 fast bowlers at all. If 4 can't do what would 5th would do.
 
Kohli has showed really great intent in these difficult conditions and with performance in this series he is now transforming himself into the league of top 10-15 greatest batsmen ever alongwith Smith. He is already an ATG in odis and on his way to become top3 greatest odi bat.

He has a great thrive for run scoring and that can be seen by the fact that he has already got more double hundreds than some of the ATGs and looks very assured after getting set. You know when he gets himself into 30-40 zone, he will go and score a hundred and in last two years has managed to convert it into daddy ones.

Considering overall, from current era, we might have a GOAT in Smith and Kohli and an ATG in ABDV.
 
Except Kohli entire batting unit looks out of form/ scared. At least Pujara is sticking with him instead of getting out. I hope he plays 150 balls in this innings.

Pujara just doesn't want to throw it away. He takes caution to the extreme. But no choice here.
 
Wonder whether the pitch will stay this way througout the test. But bit surprising India opted to bat first here. Although that is what teams should do, but with confidence shot, it was a surprise move by India.
 
SA also lost 3-0 in India, so you can't make a case that their 3-0 win against India makes SA #1.

It is not about consoling oneself, it is about the golden chance missed to do better, win an overseas tour that too in places like South Africa/Australia. This was one such chance, like how South Africa won a series in India at their peak. Chances don't keep coming...
 
It is not about consoling oneself, it is about the golden chance missed to do better, win an overseas tour that too in places like South Africa/Australia. This was one such chance, like how South Africa won a series in India at their peak. Chances don't keep coming...

You need 2 or 3 practice matches just to identify the right XI and infuse some familiarity with conditions to the batsmen. India's under-preparedness was penalized badly.
 
Oh my god consecutive 4's from Pujara. Did a doppelganger take his place during lunch break.
 
Kohli has showed really great intent in these difficult conditions and with performance in this series he is now transforming himself into the league of top 10-15 greatest batsmen ever alongwith Smith. He is already an ATG in odis and on his way to become top3 greatest odi bat.

He has a great thrive for run scoring and that can be seen by the fact that he has already got more double hundreds than some of the ATGs and looks very assured after getting set. You know when he gets himself into 30-40 zone, he will go and score a hundred and in last two years has managed to convert it into daddy ones.

Considering overall, from current era, we might have a GOAT in Smith and Kohli and an ATG in ABDV.

Actually sane fans are not bothered about his batting (only his detractors keep searching mistakes) its his captaincy and tactics! Actually it is a big achievement to bat like this with all these distractions and confusions! He would have been at a lot of ease (batting) if he was not the captain!
 
You need 2 or 3 practice matches just to identify the right XI and infuse some familiarity with conditions to the batsmen. India's under-preparedness was penalized badly.

Yes those two tests were like practice matches it seems now!
 
Kohli constructing something useful here.
 
Any other Asian team would have been bowled out by now on this pitch against this pace attack
 
Kohli's error in judgement didn't cost him in the end. He is otherwise convincing on this very difficult pitch.
 
Rubbish from SA. They have given about 3 lives to this batting pair. Unacceptable. You can't afford to give the world's best batsman 2 lives.
 
Having said that, that drop was a result of a very weak shot. ABDV expected it to reach him quicker.
 
Kohli looks good on a difficult pitch. Even his biggest haters can't take the credit away from him if he scores big.
 
[MENTION=129948]Bilal7[/MENTION], the pitch is flat now that Kohli has scored but the pitch will become a minefield when SA bat on it :)))

I thought Kohli couldn't score on a difficult pitch? :yk2
 
[MENTION=57422]sarfi[/MENTION]BabarHarris our good friend who said Kohli has no impact in tests and doesn't score in pressure situations. Where you at? :yk2
 
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Good innings by Kohli

He should be proud!
 
Nice innings. He was in 3rd gear when he got out. As you can see just keep pitching in the right areas you will eventually get the batsman out.
 
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