India - the great underachievers. Why?

[Shaka]

So it's a case of a little from column A and a little from column B

Chuck in the fielding and captaincy and you have a whole load of new columns..

[Rahul_Dravid_is_No.1]

Rachael you can say sehwag is an ODI player, and not for tests, but the stats may disagree

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by Rahul_Dravid_is_No.1

Rachael you can say sehwag is an ODI player, and not for tests, but the stats may disagree

You misread me:

Originally Posted by Rachael 33509

Sehwag's very much a ODI-style player... who perhaps has a place in Test cricket.. but perhaps NOT in a side like this Indian side.

If the Indian side were routinely able to take 20 cheap wickets in a Test then Sehwag would be a priceless jewel: he'd carry on getting runs, and getting them quickly.. and that would be ensuring that the side routinely had onger to bowl out the opposition.

What I was saying related to THIS Indian sde.. which routinely finds itself struggling to bowl sides out twice.. and might actually be better served by an opening pairing of Richardson and Langer.. neither of whom would necessarily massively increase the likelihood of India winning - but either of whom would help India avoid loosing so many.

[Rahul_Dravid_is_No.1]

Firstly, sorry for misintepreting what you said.

yes we sometimes struggle to take 20 wickets, but that has been improving as our bowling attack has been improving and the seam bowlers are all young. it is getting better. it took a while for england to get their combination of hoggard, harmison, freddie and jones/anderson and for it to fully click.

but if sehwag is getting all those runs at an express pace, what that does is help the batsmen get a big total on the board and leaves more time for the bowlers to get the opposition out

[vvvrulz]

But it also gives the opposition time to skittle out the Indians. Our problem lies in the bowling, without doubt for me. This young seam attack is improving, but for too long we relied on Kumble or Harbhajan to do the damage for us. Had both not been around during the Australian tours (home and away), we would have lost both, but instead won 2-1 and forced out a draw.

As for Sehwag, I think he is the most dangerous player in the Indian line-up, all we need as Rachael said, is someone like Aakash Chopra who can bat out long periods and protect the middle order. Until we address that, we have problems.

[Beny]

it took a while for england to get their combination of hoggard, harmison, freddie and jones/anderson and for it to fully click.

Who said it's clicked?

[Seamer]

Originally Posted by vvvrulz

Our problem lies in the bowling, without doubt for me. This young seam attack is improving, but for too long we relied on Kumble or Harbhajan to do the damage for us..

Which brings me back to the point that India rely on their spinners becuase they mostly prepare their test wickets to suit them. If India prepared wickets that gave oppurtunities for all types of bowlers - pace seam and spin - would that not encourage India development of pace bowlers?

[Rahul_Dravid_is_No.1]

Originally Posted by vvvrulz

But it also gives the opposition time to skittle out the Indians. Our problem lies in the bowling, without doubt for me. This young seam attack is improving, but for too long we relied on Kumble or Harbhajan to do the damage for us. Had both not been around during the Australian tours (home and away), we would have lost both, but instead won 2-1 and forced out a draw.

As for Sehwag, I think he is the most dangerous player in the Indian line-up, all we need as Rachael said, is someone like Aakash Chopra who can bat out long periods and protect the middle order. Until we address that, we have problems.

maybe gambhir is that guy.... dunno yet as he is young and we will havew to see. fingers are crossed.

well since the oace attack is improving we will have to see. with kumble and harbajan there, with two or 3 good support bowlers the bowling could become quite good. and i think we may be getting those bowlers.

[Rahul_Dravid_is_No.1]

Originally Posted by Beny

Who said it's clicked?

my bad beny. i shouldn't have made silly statements like that.

[vvvrulz]

Ghambir could be that guy, but its too soon to say just yet.
An attack with Pathan, Khan, Balaji, Harbhajan and Kumble is a good attack, with Nehra and Karthik as support. They just need experience and as Seamer said, conditions which suit every type of bowler.

I feel that the batting is good enough to sort itself out, providing the selectors don't go trigger happy and axe away.