posted Aug 24, 2008

Kohli has had an impressive debut and looks a very determined character. In a team captained by Dhoni, he will definitely get his chances. But i still feel Uthappa should have been opening with Gambhir in this series in the absence of Tendulkar and Sehwag.

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posted Aug 24, 2008

toughvertigo, I understand that all the batsmen played Mendis well, in fact he went for 5.6 runs an over in a match where India score less than 5.0 an over in its allotted 50 overs. Mendis has been able to bowl as he wants, but lets see how he handles it when batsmen attack him. Remember Sehwag went after him and he was clueless, its the same for Murali. Also, on pitches outside SL, Mendis will not get turn by flicking a finger, so the variations in the deliveries will not happen, and he will then be really tested. He might yet prove to be a comet rather than a star, where he will only bowl well in familiar conditions. SL's ODI ranking reflects its true all-round ability and its test ranking is a touch too high because it plays too many series against Zim & Bangladesh.

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posted Aug 25, 2008

With the way Indians are playing now, Australians will have them for dinner.

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posted Aug 25, 2008

<<SL batting is full of holes because the ball was swinging and none of them have the technique to play. Jaya scored 94 but catches were dropped.>>

What a load of cr#p. Why don't you just relish this moment instead of knocking down another team every time you find an opportunity? Which Indian player from the current squad can play swing bowling? Gambir to a certain extent.. that's it. I think SL has two in Sanga and Mahela..

<<India has played to 50% of its potential on this tour and yet it lose 2-1 in the tests and is 2-1 up in the ODI's. If India had just held catches it could have been a different story, so it does not speak much about SL cricket potential; it continues to remain a one trick pony where it needs low slow pitches and depend on its spinner. This will not work all the time and especially on true pitches, so a lot of concern for SL cricket brains.>>

Another rubbish comment.. When India played to 50% of its potential, what percentage of potential did SL play to? 100%? The second test was won by two players playing out of their skin: Sehwag and Harbajan.. they played to 150% of their potential.

Has SL play to its potential in ODI? Did Jayasurya fire yet? Did Sanga fire yet? SL is better team than you're giving credit for.. They reached semis in 2003 and finals in 2007.. and their spinners didn't rely on slow pitches to win matches in England or NZ.

More concern for India. Fab four is no more fab.

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posted Aug 25, 2008

Swingbowler,

Theres no point saying India only played 50% of potential so .. so n so!!!!

Mendis and Murali gave our middle order a battering and where outplayed big time.

Sri Lanka are a talented side but like any other team apart from AUS and recently SA , have been unable to perform consistently over back to back series.
Mendis went for a few yesturday , but he still has the upper hand!! He's won all the battles so far in both test and odi except yesturday.

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posted Aug 25, 2008

Omega!
fab four is fab four and always will be!
Who told you mahela can play swing bowling?

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posted Aug 25, 2008

Of course the fab four aren't any more. Maybe thats why they arent considered for ODI's anymore (apart from Sachin).
Just take a look at Indias' average age and number of ODI and Test caps in the current ODI squad. To say we're playing at 50% of our potential maybe a bit far fetched, but this is still Dhoni's team in the making.
Oh and by the way we can actually win test matches in England Australia and South Africa

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posted Aug 26, 2008

This is cricket, players come and go like the Windies, then the Botham for England, the so called Fab four for India (Who were not much recently apart from Ganguly & Satchin occasionally), Aravinda, Ranatunga and Gurusingha for Srilanka, Aussies - No comment (They know how to bring in the right talent at right spot.). and the list goes on. We cannot keep on thinking of the Fab 4 or anyone. (They are gone and most them are gone for ever now). Murali is a class act & now looks like Ajantha Mendis’s is proving to be a force to reckon with. We will come to that when SL plays against a quality side like Australia not India. People who don't have much knowledge or people who are too engrossed in their own silly world make comments about Srilanka do not have players who could play swing. Recent stats will give you the clue where Sanga & Mahela let alone the likes of Jayasuriya (the master blaster who set the IPL alight in India, talented but under estimated Dilshan are all fantastic batters. Because they fail sometimes it does not mean they cannot play swing. (These guys scored against India, England, Australia, SA & pakistan too) Does it mean because Satchin did not score much recently and Dravid has become a snail who cannot score much they are bad?? 50% comment is total rubbish due to the fact that SL played 50% of what they could too.

2-1 Test for SL shows it and 2-1 one day for India with this silly comment is too early when there are 2 more matches left.. swing bowler , From what I see India could be a good side only if they know how to finish off a game, which is what lacking.

May be they must learn this from the Aussie’s, on the other hand SL should stop depending on Jayasuriya, if he fires SL win and if doesn’t score they tend to struggle to win or loose. He is getting on a bit now and someone has to take over his job soon. Or he will leave a massive vacuum in the opening slot. There is enough talent in SL who should take up the challenge. We’ll wait for the Wednesday’s game to make more comments.

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posted Aug 27, 2008

I am not surprised at what i am reading here. When India lost the Asia cup and the Test series hardly any arrogant words here. But the minute India get the upper hand in a normal ODI series suddenly fans come out of their holes and start the silly comments. SL are not famous for consistently winning like Australia. However neither are India. Its a case of the Pot calling the kettle black.

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posted Aug 27, 2008

All this talk of SL not being able to play on fast pitches is a load of crap. SL have been very successful on the fast seaming New Zealand pitches.
They toured England in 2006 and won the ODI series 5-0. Complete destruction on bouncy swinging pitches (compared to the subcontinent).
I remember India losing 3-2 a ODI series in England.
SL are simply an inconsistent team and thats all there is to it.

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