South Africa vs India | 2nd Test | Centurion | Jan 13-17, 2018 | Day 3 | Discussion Thread

[sensible-indian-fan]

Saha is injured. He has a niggle it seems from what I read.

Lol how cute

 

[Sarwar89]

India losing this series due to poor team selection. This is so frustrating because this is the worst way to lose a series.

Due to skill only. Not due to selection. You can only play 11 players. Proteas effectively won 1st Test with 10 men only due Steyn’s injury. I know exactly what you are looking for. 1) Rank Turner 2) Win Toss 3) Jaddu and Ashwin cleaning up batsmen. 4) Excessive arm waving celebration jumps of Virat Bradman Kohli 5) Partisan crowd 6) Soft Match referee unlike Chris Broad. Dear it all happens on home soil only. You are in South Africa. That is why Misbah’s 2-2 in England was exceptional. Away tests outside Asia tests all aspects of a team.

 

[AuxiliA]

SA are ahead ATM. It will be crucial for India to get Ab early tomorrow.

I back India to chase upto 250 in the 4th inngs. The pitch has variable bounce but doesn't has as much lateral movement as cape town, also it isn't a rank turner yet.

Key for India will Kohli, Pujara & Vijay. Also Pandya should bat at no5 ahead of Rohit. Pandya is a potential game changer and should be utilized early in a chase. Also, Rohit at 6 will supposedly strengthen(lol) the lower order.

 

[Ab Fan]

Due to skill only. Not due to selection. You can only play 11 players. Proteas effectively won 1st Test with 10 men only due Steyn’s injury. I know exactly what you are looking for. 1) Rank Turner 2) Win Toss 3) Jaddu and Ashwin cleaning up batsmen. 4) Excessive arm waving celebration jumps of Virat Bradman Kohli 5) Partisan crowd 6) Soft Match referee unlike Chris Broad. Dear it all happens on home soil only. You are in South Africa. That is why Misbah’s 2-2 in England was exceptional. Away tests outside Asia tests all aspects of a team.

The skill sets are there but captaincy and team selection is very pathetic.

Sharmaji is incapable of playing in these conditions. He may give his best but he just can't survive unless it is a slow and dull pitch and there is no world class spinner and of course pattas.

Patel saheb is so poor with keeping that he left an easy catch for the first slip guy to take. His batting is slightly better but it means nothing because in these conditions he can't score a hundred anyways.

India can do much better if they didn't messed up these things.

Pakistan have never drawn a test series in SA. So don't know why bringing England.

Misbah was obviously a better leader than Kohli.

 

[Sachin136]

Due to skill only. Not due to selection. You can only play 11 players. Proteas effectively won 1st Test with 10 men only due Steyn’s injury. I know exactly what you are looking for. 1) Rank Turner 2) Win Toss 3) Jaddu and Ashwin cleaning up batsmen. 4) Excessive arm waving celebration jumps of Virat Bradman Kohli 5) Partisan crowd 6) Soft Match referee unlike Chris Broad. Dear it all happens on home soil only. You are in South Africa. That is why Misbah’s 2-2 in England was exceptional. Away tests outside Asia tests all aspects of a team.

If you aren't following the Indian team or the series, then it is best not to comment. Of course you can only play 11 players, but the point is that they're playing 3 passengers.

What do you mean by "winning the toss" only happening on home soil? Are tosses rigged so that only the home team wins?

I wouldn't bring up Pakistan if I were you. India have been competitive so far in both tests. In Pakistan's last series here, they lost a test by 211 runs and another test by an innings and 18 runs.

 

[Robert]

Barring a collapse, I expect SA to win from here.

 

[Thomaskutty]

The series is lost now with AB's excellent innings. It's time to get rid of these duds like Dhawan and Sharma from the team , blood some some promising youngsters. Also maybe fastrack those 90mph bowlers from the U19 team ?

 

[BaankeJi]

If India cannot chase 250, then they deserve to lose series.

 

[BaankeJi]

Stop blaming Parthiv for the bad situation. That was a 50-50 catch. Not easy for any wicketkeeper.
Match is not over yet - anything is possible.

 

[KingKhanWC]

India are still in this game but need the first session to go their way in the morning.

Why B Kumar is not bowling is shocking!

Imo SA will get a lead of around 275 and India will be bowled out for around 200.

 

[Sarwar89]

The skill sets are there but captaincy and team selection is very pathetic.

Sharmaji is incapable of playing in these conditions. He may give his best but he just can't survive unless it is a slow and dull pitch and there is no world class spinner and of course pattas.

Patel saheb is so poor with keeping that he left an easy catch for the first slip guy to take. His batting is slightly better but it means nothing because in these conditions he can't score a hundred anyways.

India can do much better if they didn't messed up these things.

Pakistan have never drawn a test series in SA. So don't know why bringing England.

Misbah was obviously a better leader than Kohli.

sir Pakistan was the first Asian team to draw Test Series in South Africa in 1998. 1-1.

 

[Lefthanded]

Even if India get regular wickets and bowl SA out by Tea, if ABD is there for two sessions, he'll shut the door on an India win. And a draw isn't out of question. Unless Kohli wants a draw with 'intent.' In which case, it'll be lots of aggressive faces nicking off.

Depending on the situation, if India do want intent and can win, Pandya going ahead of Rohit isn't the worst idea. Pandya has been more capable of scoring than Rohit so far. Pandya might just be the Test batsman that Rohit has long been expected to be.

No more rain is expected at Centurion for a week, so India won't look to the intermittent clouds for help.

Aside from Faf & QDK, Philander and Maharaj are more likely than not to play good supporting roles with the main batsman.

Kohli may make headlines, but this was yet again SA's day.

Similar to yesterday, I think it's 65/35 in SA's favour.

Obviously, if SA collapse tomorrow and then India don't, I'll be dancing in front the laptop.

Go India!

 

[Sarwar89]

If you aren't following the Indian team or the series, then it is best not to comment. Of course you can only play 11 players, but the point is that they're playing 3 passengers.

What do you mean by "winning the toss" only happening on home soil? Are tosses rigged so that only the home team wins?

I wouldn't bring up Pakistan if I were you. India have been competitive so far in both tests. In Pakistan's last series here, they lost a test by 211 runs and another test by an innings and 18 runs.

I will tell you few things which might assist you. I understand there are few passengers in Indian team. But what about South Africa ? Was not Steyn a passenger ? Amla is also a passenger, he was dropped in first innings. It was not his fault. This was the best opportunity to defeat Proteas. They are a declining team since most of their players are in mid 30’s.

 

[BaankeJi]

So now South Africans are a declining team just because they are not able to dominate India? Nobody said this when they were playing BD and Zimboks.
South Africans are a force in cricket and they have all the skills in their team.

 

[Lefthanded]

I will tell you few things which might assist you. I understand there are few passengers in Indian team. But what about South Africa ? Was not Steyn a passenger ? Amla is also a passenger, he was dropped in first innings. It was not his fault. This was the best opportunity to defeat Proteas. They are a declining team since most of their players are in mid 30’s.

Have you been watching cricket long? How much of Steyn and Amla have you seen over the years? Or watch him Tests in England? That was the last time they played a serious opposition. Eve there, Amla didn't have a great series, but he was still their top run scorer @ 42.

If he's a passener, what about the other 5 guys that played?

To be fair, it might have made sense to wait to play Steyn until he had built up his workload, but it's easy to say that in hindsight. Playing him was also attractive, considering he was bowling with pace and he's the greatest Test bowler to have debuted, since '92 [Murali/McGrath made their debuts then].

 

[Robert]

So now South Africans are a declining team just because they are not able to dominate India?

One-up in the series and in a strong position overnight.

 

[BaankeJi]

One-up in the series and in a strong position overnight.

Winning and dominating are two different things.

 

[Robert]

Winning and dominating are two different things.

All that matters is the scoreline at the end of the series. That's what history will remember.

 

[Matlab kuch bhi]

This game is gradually run by clowns & thugs & drunks - if this is what it takes to stop such a intriguing Test, then cricket shouldn't have been invented in England.

Or it should be played in indoor stdiums if weather forecast predicts heavy rains only.

 

[Matlab kuch bhi]

King Kohli nearly ran himself out when he got to his ton I was telling Kohli at that time "don't celebrate now!, eyes on the ball! eyes on the ball!". But we love our kaptaan for what he is!