Indian cricket problems

[Shiv]

Good-bye to Paksitan and that series. Good-bye to Rana Naved Ul Hasan too. I am sure that most Indian batsmen have nightmares of facing the fast bowler. After the disappointing showing in the Tests, it had hoped that this Indian team would show more resolve in the limited overs games. But that was not to be. India did go into the series as underdogs however when they won the first 2 games comfortably it all looked up again but 3 shameful displays showed why this India team cannot be seen as up there with Australia in world cricket and why they are 8th in the world in ODIs. After the 4-2 loss, it is indeed time for a serious self-examination, and that must happen within the team. The new coach and captain should sit down with the boys and analyse why and where things went wrong. The batting was inconsistent in the series with only Dravid showing that. Sachin Tendulkar had 22 runs in five innings and one hundred and the less said about Gangualy the better. As for the bowling, the fact that Zaheer Khan,Harbjahan Singh and Balaji only took 12 wickets in a combined total of 15 games and Harbjhan also was the only bowler to have an economy rate below 4. Nehra and Balaji both went for well over 6 an over during the series as well. Yuvrjaj Singh has not been able to justify his inclusion in the squad. Perhaps it could be attributed to a sense of the complacency setting in within the squad. Yuvraj, a former must in the ODI team has only 2 fifties in his last 17 games and has had several failures along the way. It is about time the selectors had a strong word with young talented players like him. Moving on, what has happened to Sourav Ganguly? He claimed he was in great form before the series but averages of 7.75 in the ODIs and 9.60 in the tests would suggest otherwise. True he has done great things for India as captain but he was a liability to the team in this series and it must be looked at whether he deserves to be in the team, let alone capatin. It is the fact that India surrendered so meekly to a very ordinary Pakistan team. In ODIs true they are a good outfit but in tests they are average and should not be drawing away in India. India’s batting performance in the 3rd test smacked of complacency and before they knew it, they were somehow letting the series slip from their grasp. Pakistan have a strong batting line up yes but should a side that kept Adam Gilchrist quite for 4 tests in Australia, let Kamran Akmal with his below 20 batting average to score a match saving hundred on a 5th day pitch? I don’t think so. Pakistan’s bowling without Akhtar is particularly weak but India’s complacency cost them dear. No one questions the talent of this Indian team. Neither do I. The only thought that refuses to leave me is: whether the team management did enough to harness the talent on offer. Not too long ago, one Indian skipper said, "The captain is as good as his team". Well, the other side of the argument is that a team is only as good as the management is. Sorry if this seems a little out of date but I thought it was neccesary.

[Zainub]

I think part India's "problem" was that Pakistan played really well.

[vvvrulz]

Pakistan had what India dearly lacks in recent times, the hunger to win.

[imaginarydiva]

And I also feel that they missed Ganguly's services as a captain (No,not as a batsmen).Ganguly is much more shrewd and imaginative and maybe even more inspiring than Dravid.

[pakindya fan]

pakistan were definately the best team. But india really need to sort themselves out. Sooner rather than later. I think they're bowling is too weak and they rely to much on sachin tendulkar

[vvvrulz]

India are capable of so much more, and its only the mental barrier and self belief they need to take them to the next level.

[Zainub]

They don't rely on Tendulkar as much now-a-days, but they do nevertheless rely on a few individuals a little more then one would have hoped for ideally, like Sehwag for instance. I don't think they're bowling is particularly weak - it's got enormous amounts of talent, but it's just not consistent at all. They probably lack an all rounder too its widely thought.

[vvvrulz]

Well i'm not sure if a genuine all-rounder is necessary, as long as the speciliasts can 'chip in' with ball or bat. India hit a winning combination of seven batsman and four bowlers at the world cup, and I believe a similar combo will set them right. Its all about attitude.

[imaginarydiva]

'Attitude'...an overdose of it or lack of it?

[vvvrulz]

Haha good point. U've got me a fair bit since ur return.

I'd say too much of the wrong attitude, and too little of the right one.