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| Dhawan gets out a short ball, again. Image courtesy- Cricinfo, BCCI |
Rohit Sharma's test career was in similar boat as Yuvraj Singh's was, few years back. Brilliant in ODIs and floundering in tests, especially in conditions where bowlers had help. Guptill, too, would nod in agreement.
At the fag end of 2017, Rohit Sharma got another look-in in tests, after Karun Nair had been dropped from squad failing to follow up after the triple ton. Rohit grabbed his chance. At home, he hit a spate of half centuries in perfect conditions for batting, coming at a situation when India were comfortably placed, with runs on board and probably pondering over declaration on nice comfortable batting tracks. This made Kohli give Rohit a preference over Rahane in South Africa, the seasoned middle order bat and the vice-captain of Indian test team. Rahane had a brief drop in form against touring SL, but his away record in testing conditions makes him one of the first choice batsman in this squad.
And Rahane was dropped. For Rohit Sharma. In SA.
Result? 21 runs in 2 innings in Capetown. 21 runs overall in 148 balls.LBW in first innings, bowled by playing on in second. In question comes the foot movement. And he walks back to the pavillion, where Rahane is sitting.
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Shikhar Dhawan has been a lucky man. A man who knows how to grab his chances when holding by a thread. He made a late entry in the squad, in which he was initially dropped, against SL in SL, and scored a big ton to stake his claim. From being fourth choice opener in the squad, he made it to eleven and then scored a daddy ton to win confidence of his captain. He continued to do so in ODIs and tests against SL. That "earned" him a place ahead of the far talented and better technically equipped KL Rahul. Thrown into adverse conditions, he edged and tried to manufacture square of the wicket shots and eventually fell to short balls twice in Capetown.
Result? 32 runs in 2 innings- unconvincing edges and reluctant bat movements. As an opener. In SA. Cardinal sin.
Result? 32 runs in 2 innings- unconvincing edges and reluctant bat movements. As an opener. In SA. Cardinal sin.
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Both of the mistakes were made in selection.
Both were similar.
Both involved picking players based on very recent form against a weak opposition at home.
Both involved hoping to translate ODI success of a couple of players to tests.
Both batsmen failed completely.
Both were similar.
Both involved picking players based on very recent form against a weak opposition at home.
Both involved hoping to translate ODI success of a couple of players to tests.
Both batsmen failed completely.
Did Kohli learn?
Did the selectors learn to use Ranji as criteria for test selection and not ODIs?
Did the selectors learn to use Ranji as criteria for test selection and not ODIs?
Did India miss the Capetown win due to bad selection?
No one knows. But the thought process is frustrating. It will lead to a bad example setting. There are players in Ranji grinding season by season to go in tests. The selection system made us lose Capetown. It's time we wake up before too many Capetowns go away.
Completely agree with you Bhai...these decisions have something to do with India's coach also, the way Pujara was handled during his last instinct, the way he wanted to make Raina a test batsman and infact brought him back in Australia only to get the kings pair, his favouritism for RG and how he was made to play at number 3 at the expense of Pujara clearly tells how ODI performance were taken into account for test selection. During India's last leg of overseas tour in 2013-14 which also started against SAF had both Rahane and RG but overseas conditions showed us how good is Rahane. Really hope that Rahane gets into the squad for the next test.
ReplyDeleteBoth the teams struggled in those conditions, why single out individuals?
ReplyDeleteWhen Rahane can't score in perfect condition for batting what makes you thing he would have been the stand out player when going through poor form?
Oh you just hate Rohit Sharma... That's understandable.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletecan u count the no. Of wickets fallen on day 4.
ReplyDeleteThis is for those idiots who idiolise any particular player.
Stop making such mistake.
Cricket is played with mind and strategy not just with bat.
The author of this post is clearly posses no knowledge of cricket, otherwise it is clearly the pitch that was seam friendly
SA has bttr seamers than us and that's the only reason indian batsmen struggled much more than SA ones.
SA batsmen were also struggling on this pitch.
But dear author you should first have some cricket knowledge then post these things.
I am a state cricketer and that's why I understand the game.
You are the one who just enjoy the game by keeping in mind the no. Of runs scored by any player.
Buddy u need to understand that rahane's poor form didn't helped him in India where Indian batsmen scored big runs and u r expecting his form and big runs in SA and that to on that shitty pitch which ended the game in 3 playing days.
Clearly it is the wrong pitch rather than selection.
Everyone is entitled to make a point, I think its rather poor preparation and a abandoning all important practice match/es. 208 target was very gettable with our batting line. But what happened our batsmen thought accumulating runs in this bowler friendly pitches is a job of bowling allrounders!!It's too much to ask for!! Compared to SA, in both innings you were having comfortable pitch but couldn't made it count!! to sum up we expected too much from bowling all rounders rather than batsmen. our batsmen let us down rather than their seam attack!!
ReplyDeleteWill the same media accept this type of pitch in India when it starts from day one n finished in 3rd day evening..
ReplyDeleteThey will start questioning the curator. Board should allow the team to settle in these allien conditions by allowing them to early n play practice matches before tests..
I have already aired my views on a separate platform on India's dismal performance in Cape town test.The following is attributed to loss in the first test:
ReplyDelete1) Non-inclusion of Rahul,Rahane and Ishant in place of Dhawan,Rohit and Shami respectively notwithstanding the fact that Shami bowled well and
2) Lust of BCCI for earnings and thereby scheduling the programme without players'exposure and acclimatization to the conditions in South Africa.
This is probably the best of the bowling attacks India is possessing right now. They made SA batsman suffering with the line and length they bowled. So bowling is perfect. Lack of practice of playing in conditions where the bowl swings at a 140+ pace abd bounce is the main reason that the top order batters had to bite the dust. Be in lack of form or what, Rahane has been a stand out player in overseas conditions along with Murali Vijay in the recent past so he must get a go in the next test. Selection of Lokesh Rahul might need another thought as Dhawan has had only one bad outing.
ReplyDeleteBut above all possible changes, whoever might get to play in eleven must go for proper practice in order to make a mark.
Shikhar and Rohit failed as well as other class batsman. Everyone criticize only Rohit and Shikhar. Should criticize other batsman as well. No one scored more than 50 runs combined expect hardik
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