The Test Of Love
Giving due respect to the “Steyn” gun, I present my thoughts on the past, present and future of this Test series in “bullet” points –
Nagpur
- Yeah yeah, Steyn was great..blah blah blah..line and length, and oh the pace…yada, yada, yada. Someday, I will appreciate that bowling performance more than I do right now. Ditto for Kallis and Amla. (P.S. In my last post, when I said that it would be great to see a Sehwag/Gambhir vs Morkel/Steyn, I meant I wanted to see a lovely contest where we could go all “ooh..aah..lovely bowling” for the first 20 overs, after which, normal service would resume and we would proceed to the demolition bit. Obviously, Steyn thought otherwise…)
- Mixed feelings regarding India’s injury woes. It could have been different if India wasn’t missing the middle-order mainstays. On the other hand, would it really have been any different, considering how unstoppable Steyn was? (While we are on injuries, I wonder why Harbhajan Singh never gets injured? :-/)
- The law of averages finally caught up with GG and MSD. 1st real failure for GG in approx 11 test matches. And 1st loss for Team India under MSD after 11 matches. That says something, huh! Too bad it had to happen now.
- Selection..uff…the lesser said the better!
Present
- THIS IS NOT DOOMSDAY. It’s ok. We lost. Rather badly, I agree. But it is ok. It doesn’t mean that we are suddenly not worthy of the #1 spot we hold (and hopefully will continue to hold). We lost to a very close #2 ranked team. Who, incidentally, just about managed to draw their “home” series with a team ranked #5. So if anything, this should just reinforce the fact that there is no clear “best” team right now. Just a bunch of very good ones, who will play “pass the parcel” with the coveted top rank based on who plays better when and against who. Until one of them finds the consistency synonymous with the Aussies of yore.
- I hope Laxman and Sreesanth are truly fit and not just hoping to somehow manage through the test. Playing XI – Sehwag, Gambhir, Vijay, Sachin, Laxman/Raina, Badri, Dhoni, Mishra, Bhajji, Zak, Ishant/Sreesanth? Barring any unforeseen injuries?
Kolkata
- The Test Of Love begins on Valentine’s Day. Aren’t you glad that it is going to be at Eden Gardens, a ground we hold great memories of? A ground we love? (Geddit? Test of Love…ground we love??)
- BCCI allegedly wants a dustbowl for Eden Gardens, and I say bring it on! Everyone plays to their strength right? And spin, apparently, is ours. Our batsmen can play it, and our bowlers can bowl it (er…right?).
- There is something about Eden Gardens that does something to Bhajji and makes him capable of taking more than 0 wickets. I checked.
- Just one piece of advice. India will do well to keep in check their fielding lapses. It didn’t matter that much against SL and B’desh, coz they were as awful as us. SA is a different league. (Visions of Saffers flying all over the field…suddenly appearing out of nowhere…)
- India will win this one. And it is going to be better than 2001. Think positive, be optimistic!
The Test Of Love begins on Valentine’s Day.
Hey! I didn’t realize that!
Yeah we’ll surely win this.
:p
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 10th, 2010 at 11:28 pm
yes, yes…Love will conquer all
[Reply]
leela
10 Feb 10 at 10:11 pm
Ahem,
‘It didn’t matter that much against SL and B’desh, coz they were as aweful as us’ – Aweful, or more likely AWFUL !
Oh and I think South Africa will beat India at Kolkotta as well
I somehow don’t think an Indian win is in the offing… something tells me that. Will get back to you, when I nail down what ‘ THAT’ is ..
Lastly, the present Australian team aren’t doing too bad on the consistency stakes. In the last 27 ODI’s only 3 defeats… and thus far unbeaten in their summer of cricket – ok it’s only against WI and Pak.. yet you just don’t picture any other team doing what the Aus make their trademark…
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 10:34 am
Aweful, or more likely AWFUL !
Thanks TG..
I somehow don’t think an Indian win is in the offing
shush…Think positive, be optimistic…don’t spoil all the positive energy in here with your negative thoughts
About the Aussies…a) I am talking about Tests here, so ODIs are a different story.
b) Surely, consistency means more than just a summer of wins? And mean even less when it is against WI and Pak?
[Reply]
TifosiGuy Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 5:15 pm
You are welcome miss ( or at least that what’s I think you are). Apologies in advance if you aren’t !
I’m just being realistic with the Indian team – not in any way trying to spoile the positive energy
About the Aussies – I’m not denying that their new found consistency has to last longer and against better opposition, but they’ve made a start. Guess what from memory bank they are next going to play NZ in NZ ( I think), then Pak in Eng, followed by the Ashes in Australia end of next year – as far as test’s go.
You might just be looking at a new Australian team consistently winning considering the opposition(s) ahead
How much that is worth against their predecessors ?? Well it’s all open to conjecture..
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:27 pm
Miss it is…and if you are ever in doubt, Ms. is always safe
Aus is scheduled for a lot of tests this year!! I do expect the Kiwis to do well against them…not much to think about re Pak…and I do believe England are in for a hiding in November
P.S. Are you going for any of the Aus vs Pak matches?
[Reply]
TifosiGuy Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 9:26 am
I’m not sure ‘ Ms’ is always safe
I’ve learnt that lesson the hard way a couple of times, hence always an apology first up , in the event I get it wrong 
Well after the last Ashes, I don’t want to sound too cocky – don’t know what’s worse the 2005 loss or last year’s loss. Equally wouldn’t mind a repeat of 2006/7 !
I’m still thinking of heading for the Aus * Pak test at Leeds. Only question is will the test last till the weekend
Last year I had tickets for the fourth days play, and match was over mid afternoon of the third day.. Damn now will have to wait till 2012 to have another crack at seeing an Ashes test.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
The decision is a little more difficult for me..should I spend 50 bucks to get a chance to watch Test cricket at Lords? Or is it not worth it considering that I can’t support any of these two teams
(Day 5 at Lord’s seems to be sold out already..which means if I do decide to go, it will have to be a weekday :-/ )
Tifosiguy Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 6:57 pm
It’s like me heading to Leeds to watch Eng – Pak – wouldn’t go even if I got free tickets. Plus, the whole thing about Lords is so over rated. It isn’t even the best ground in England. To me that would be Trent Bridge..
Wait till either the Indian team or S Affers head here – at least then you have a reason to go
Megha Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 11:57 pm
Cheers TG
Tifosiguy
10 Feb 10 at 11:57 pm
Win this match by hook or crook guys. Everything, after all, is fair in love…
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 10:43 am
Cheers Som!
[Reply]
Som
11 Feb 10 at 3:17 am
While we are on injuries, I wonder why Harbhajan Singh never gets injured?
i bet megha… most fans are wondering about it…
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 10:45 am
The least he can do is shut up, if he can’t do much else? No luck there either…
[Reply]
straight point
11 Feb 10 at 4:49 am
India has to win this match.. dust bowl or not! They have to win… And something tells me that due to all the criticism, Bhajji’s gonna take wickets this time. After all criticism always brings the best out of the Indian players.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 3:55 pm
There is only problem with that, Trideep. That one good performance every now and then from Bhajji always means that he gets a free pass into the side for a very long time, even if he does nothing after that.
[Reply]
Trideep Basu
11 Feb 10 at 3:44 pm
And in all probability thats what is going to happen Megha… Sad but true!
[Reply]
Trideep Basu
11 Feb 10 at 4:04 pm
The reason Harbhajan doesn’t get injured is he doesn’t put in any effort. Oh and I’m not too thrilled about this match being held at the Eden Gardens. The stadium is under renovation and CAB have decided to not sell any tickets to the public. I’d have rather had this game in Chennai or Bangalore.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Yeah that would explain the Bhajji bit.
It is the wierd rotation policy with the grounds, isnt it? I suppose Eden Gardens wasn’t unfit enough like the Green Park to warrant a shift? And who cares about the fans anyway!
[Reply]
Mahek Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Everyone kept accusing the board of not awarding games to Kolkata because of the Dalmiya-Pawar rivalry. I think even your uncle seemed to have ignored the fact that the Eden was under renovation when it didn’t get a single test in 2008. Even now the stadium isn’t ready and they’re going to play a test there after the venue staged an ODI for which the fans were shut out as the tickets didn’t go on sale. Makes you wonder if the board gives a damn about encouraging people to come to games. Mr. Manohar has been screwing everyone in the ass by getting Nagpur to stage a game every series and no one gives a fuck. Now they’re going to try to move the IPL games in Hyderabad to Mumbai or Nagpur despite the government and the protestants assuring there won’t be any trouble at the games in Uppal.
I’m sorry for the language, it’s just that I’m really pissed off with how the BCCI is nothing but an Old Boys Club.
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
It is us, the fans of cricket, who make it possible for the BCCI to hold so much power in the cricketing world, and make all those mulit-million deals and the IPL and whatnot possible. I don’t think that the BCCI honchos are stupid enough to be unaware of this fact. I suppose the day these numbers start dwindling because of their (in)actions, they would step up and take note. Perhaps become more accountable in what they do. But sadly, for the forseeable future at least, they don’t need to do anything different. So they can run cricket in this country the way they wish…
[Reply]
Mahek
11 Feb 10 at 10:32 pm
I am speaking with the benefit of hindsight, but how bad would it have been if Harbhajan had indeed gotten injured for this test?
It’s when things like this happen that I wonder how much we, the spectators, actually know about cricket, no matter how much we THINK we know. How often has it happened that we ask for a player’s head and the player comes up with a performance the very next game? It has happened umpteen times with Tendulkar, Sehwag, Ganguly, Dravid and everyone you’d care to name. Recently, I called for the head of Virat Kohli repeatedly on various blogs, only for the bugger to prove me wrong with a string of good scores.
Just goes to show how tricky a business selection is, I suppose
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 15th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
I think the following two issues are what most of us have with Bhajji
a) As one of our main strike bowlers, Bhajji has been too defensive in his approach..looking more at containment rather than attacking. (Even on supposed spin-friendly tracks)
b) He comes up with something good once in a while, only to make sure his place in the team is secure. He hasn’t shown consistency in his game.
People you named, and other good players who have been in similar situations, have come up with stellar performances when their place in the team has been questioned. And mostly, they have followed it up with more substantial knocks/great spells. That has been missing in Bhajji’s case.
[Reply]
Sharath
14 Feb 10 at 11:36 pm
Day 2: I guess we are still in the fray. It is turning out to be a rather interesting dual.
Nice Post Megha
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 15th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Thanks!
Yeah, it has been a bit of a see-saw so far, isn’t it? Hoping for a steady day tomorrow though!
[Reply]
Pranav
15 Feb 10 at 5:23 pm
I swear to God..i have never known a girl who knows so much about cricket….seriously!!
[Reply]
Megha Reply:
February 24th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Hey Adi…welcome to the blog and thanks!
[Reply]
Adi
24 Feb 10 at 5:04 pm