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

Batsmen do survive a reasonable number of close calls all the time. Hence my point about SA's batting.

My point was our getting close was quite likely all the time.

And on all those occasions we were winning, so I don't see how that contradicts my point of view. That also happens in all forms of cricket. Teams have even gone from 0.01% chance to win in T20s as well (and ODIs too).

The point is our batting today hasn't been abnormally good and we have every chance to win the game.

whos responsible for that ? you pick duds like Dhawan and Rohit , this is the best we can expect .
 
The idea that we are behind even if we lead is your subjective assessment. Exactly the one I'm saying is wrong. This entire series the games have been extremely close and Indian fans suicidal because they think we are getting destroyed.

Reality, we lost a very important toss, dropped a bunch of catches and we are still close to taking a lead. We've been playing better than them, and I expect that to continue.

No sir , we are not going destroyed ..this SA side does not have in it to destroy us . Their batting is extremely weak and SA side of past would have piled up 500+ runs here . This is a series we could have easily dominated with the kind of players we had , its cos of some stupid team selections we have given SA a chance .
 
Absolutely Brilliant from India. I expect them to be in the driver's seat now. The pitch will crumble and SA will collapse to spin in the next innings.

What a blunder by SA by giving such a pitch to India. Probably wanted the match to last 5 days but this has backfired. Overconfident bunch.

SA always does this , every series their batsmen get found out in one innings and they dish out a flat pitch to negate our bowlers . They have played it smart , else there is no way their batting linup can post 300+ totals
 
No sir , we are not going destroyed ..this SA side does not have in it to destroy us . Their batting is extremely weak and SA side of past would have piled up 500+ runs here . This is a series we could have easily dominated with the kind of players we had , its cos of some stupid team selections we have given SA a chance .

The reason India are behind is because of losing two tosses. If India wins the toss they will surely win. SA were just lucky.
 
Shami :out

Pathetic tail (Shami, Ishant and Bumrah)
If there is a batsman at the other end the bowler should not be allowed to take a single of the 6th ball, down right stupidity from kohli to add to the earlier idiocy from pandya and ashwin. Though it is much better than I expected but still long way to go come back in this match, unless we get a 40-50run lead this is still SA's to lose
 
Pujara has one job and doesn't do that either. But if he is dropped the fans will be breaking their bangles like they do when rahane is dropped.

He ran himself out 0 (1). Doesn't happen every day all said and done.
 
385 would be a par score for India so well behind.

India will lose this test by that 10% again.

Kohli's selections will be called in question correctly.
 
The intensity of this test match is getting on my nerves. At stumps, I can;t wait for the next day's play to start and during the playing hours, I am too tense to watch the action live.

Wish we hadn't dropped Elgar, Amla, Faf, Rabada and gifted away Pujara and Pandya's wicket. We could have truly been in the box seat.
 
The intensity of this test match is getting on my nerves. At stumps, I can;t wait for the next day's play to start and during the playing hours, I am too tense to watch the action live.

Wish we hadn't dropped Elgar, Amla, Faf, Rabada and gifted away Pujara and Pandya's wicket. We could have truly been in the box seat.

Hahaha....true.
 
The intensity of this test match is getting on my nerves. At stumps, I can;t wait for the next day's play to start and during the playing hours, I am too tense to watch the action live.

Makes for a nice change to the Lanka yawnfests eh?
 
One thing to note is that if bowl is turning square I wouldnt be too confident of Kohli scoring in 4th innings.

However 4 of the other batsmen are bound to come good now just by law of averages lol
 
I think you are taking credit away from India bowling

Overall the attack has done well in all three innings

Yes - but we can't simply state that "Elgar is a walking wicket" etc etc.
 
Have to say that Kohli has nerves of steel. Granted he is not technically perfect, but his mentality is laudable.

Don't wanna comment on his knock now and jinx him. :))

And yet wasn't effective. Ashwin will be. That's the main reason India should be comfortable with even scores going into the 3rd and 4th.

If we get even scores, SA will be under serious pump.
 
Kohli's innings a lot like gambhir's against England, stupid singles and letting tailenders face bowlers for 4-5 balls. Very selfish from Mr. Individual records don't matter.
 
India ain't winning this but have to say kudos to virat for his fighting knock.
 
And that is that. 28 is not really a bad lead to give away but bowlers need to work hard and the fielders better tighten up this time
 
And that is that. 28 is not really a bad lead to give away but bowlers need to work hard and the fielders better tighten up this time

I'd be jittery chasing anything over 175 on this deck.
 
Well it is still 60/40. There are 56 overs left today. If Proteas are 140/4 at the end of the day then it will be 70/30 if Proteas are 140/5 then it is 50/50 at the end of the day.

Ashwin and AB De Villiers are the key here.
 
Well it is still 60/40. There are 56 overs left today. If Proteas are 140/4 at the end of the day then it will be 70/30 if Proteas are 140/5 then it is 50/50 at the end of the day.

Ashwin and AB De Villiers are the key here.

Only becoz SA don't have a good spinner.
 
What a Test match, and WHAT an innings.

I think, game is quite close now, though 28 could be a tricky lead. Hind side of that innings is that one batsman scored 1 short of 50% team total, still it's 307 & 28 runs deficit.

If I were SAF, I would have opened with Kok and asked him to go after - groomed in shallow cricket, No. 6 for such tight game isn't for T20 products. If he comes at say 153/4, he won't go for shots, won't survive long either. A T20 style 35 at the start can demoralize Indian team, who must be feeling almost jail break for that innings.
 
What a Test match, and WHAT an innings.

I think, game is quite close now, though 28 could be a tricky lead. Hind side of that innings is that one batsman scored 1 short of 50% team total, still it's 307 & 28 runs deficit.

If I were SAF, I would have opened with Kok and asked him to go after - groomed in shallow cricket, No. 6 for such tight game isn't for T20 products. If he comes at say 153/4, he won't go for shots, won't survive long either. A T20 style 35 at the start can demoralize Indian team, who must be feeling almost jail break for that innings.
Agreed totally
 
India can't let SA get more than 170 odd. Ashwin really needs to clean house today.
 
Extraordinary ATG knock by Kohli.

Take a bow. :bow:

Single handedly dragged our score to match SA score.

Gutsy sidekick performance by Ash. Could have helped Kohli better though.
 
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Don't think it's wise to open with Ash with brand new ball, rather should have come after 3/4 overs. But, I guess I know the reason - IND is short of BK with new ball.
 
I can see a poor 2nd Inns with bat from S.A here and India will get a huge chance to win game from here.
 
What a Test match, and WHAT an innings.

I think, game is quite close now, though 28 could be a tricky lead. Hind side of that innings is that one batsman scored 1 short of 50% team total, still it's 307 & 28 runs deficit.

If I were SAF, I would have opened with Kok and asked him to go after - groomed in shallow cricket, No. 6 for such tight game isn't for T20 products. If he comes at say 153/4, he won't go for shots, won't survive long either. A T20 style 35 at the start can demoralize Indian team, who must be feeling almost jail break for that innings.

Will be harsh on De Kock after keeping for so long.
 
Both teams are on the edge of their nerve - I sense more run outs in this game.
 
SA needs to just see off the new ball. Run scoring would become easy later on. However if I'm the SA captain, I'd be disgusted at the Centurion curator for handing out the advantage to India with this low, slow pitch.
 
IND won't like to chase 200 here, max. allowable score for SAF should be 170 here.
 
The frustrating thing is knowing that you could have won the series with a couple of better selections, better application in the field and generally better preparation( warm up game):facepalm:
 
Anything above 175 will be tough here. But India will drop sitters and let them set 280 or something.
 
The frustrating thing is knowing that you could have won the series with a couple of better selections, better application in the field and generally better preparation( warm up game):facepalm:

Jad for Shami would have won this Test for sure. 1st Test was different, because I felt SAF was a bit unlucky with 3rd day washed out and starting early on day 4, on a rain soaked wicket.
 
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