India still a formidable opponent at home.

South Africa won the T20 and One day International Series and India are about to clinch the Test series. It has been a mixed bag of luck for both the teams.

When everyone thought that India would put up a strong performance against the South Africans in the shorter formats of the game, the opposite happened, the talent of some of the big hitters of the South Africa team, took the games away from the hosts. 

And when everyone expected a humdinger of a Test series, the visitors were found lacking and went down for some record low scores like 79 all out on typical sub-continental pitches.

I recollect Shaun Pollock mentioning during the course of the match in the ongoing series that South Africans need to play out of their skins now, but the visitors just ran out of strategy.

Through out the series Indian spinners in Ravi Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra have probed the South African batsmen to the hilt and it proved that home team exploited the conditions very well. Imran Tahir did had good stints too.

Ajinkya Rahane was the standout batsmen in the final Test of the match, at a position when India were 200 plus runs for 7 wickets he kept the wicket at the other end and built good partnerships to steer the hosts out of trouble in the first innings that gave Team India a huge leverage against the visitors.

Though this South Africa line up looks bleak without the likes of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis both retiring from the game and Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander out due to injury, the new comers have plenty to take home from the Sub Continental tour. Rabada, Harmer, Pleidt have good memories of the series for sure.

On the final day of this memorable tour the visitors would be looking to draw, but it will be a very difficult proposition considering the final day Kotla pitch to achieve that target.

No matter what the result is, India showed that it still remains the formidable opponent at home and Skipper Virat Kohli has one more feather in his cap with this series win.

It will be a series worth remembering for the captains of both the teams who have something to take home for the new year.

Valleyz.Blog

Are the batsmen to blame in the IndvsSA Test series? Too much T20 cricket?

India faces regular seaming and bouncing tracks away from home and infact India did a splendid job in away conditions off late.

But is it the same case with the visitors Who always play with the strength of their pace bowlers ? Is it not the case that Imran Tahir did perform well in the series and the fact that South Africa batsmen were found wanting with the bat?  Indian batsmen faltered too, that indicates the mindset. And moreover Indian batsmen were found wanting and look to be more comfortable with T20 type wickets.

South Africa will have to cope up with the spin playing tracks in the sub-continent. How far India can stretch the home advantage is the question? Did India went far and presented pitches as being reported or did the batsmen of both the teams did not perform?

Narendra Hirwani in 1988 once bamboozled West Indies team and set a record on Test debut by taking 16 visitor's wickets, even so Anil Kumble took 10 wickets against Pakistan. 

Hindustan Times reports that the pitch has been referred to the committee by ICC. 

ICC says pitch for the Third Test in Nagpur was poor, Report under review - Hindustan Times

ICC should take a holistic view and strike a balance with the fact that Sub Continental teams teams too face fast and pacy tracks not best for their comfort while playing away from home. 

 Valleyz.Blog

Are the pitches in the Test series against South Africa upto the International Standards ?

There is lot of suspense over the way the pitches are being prepared in the series against South Africa.

I think it was for the first time that these type of wickets were on display in the Indian subcontinent. Even when the likes of  Anil Kumble, Raju and Bhajji bowled, the pitches were not so muddy.

Wickets used to offer considerable support for the pacers early on in the Test match, say like the morning session of first day of the Test match until the shine goes off the ball. I remember India scoring many more runs against England at the same ground if I am right.

But not so in this series I suppose, the wickets were quite muddy, ball gripped the surface eternally, turning sharply. Doosra's were simply unplayable.

I won't say that it is unfair. Because both the teams have equal opportunity to bat and bowl.

But is it acceptable according to the international standards?

Like when India travels abroad, mostly down under, the pitches at Perth and Brisbane have that pace and bounce that Indian batsmen sometimes falter at.

In the Brisbane Test when Johnson quickly removed the Indian middle order and the whole Indian batting line up came under pressure. But the pitches were up to the international standards I suppose offering nice pace and bounce.

I think it is an ethical question here more so that the matches in this series were totally lopsided, with the hosts completely dominating.

I was particularly aghast to see when some of the deliveries didn't rise even up to the knee of the batsmen



Valleyz.Blog

India outplays South Africa in the spin department

India has clearly outplayed South Africa in the spin department. Both Ravi Ashwin and R Jadeja have provided the impetus the team India needed.

Imran Tahir on the other hand performed extremely well for the Proteas, but there was little support for him from Harmer. Instead it was Morkel who provided crucial breakthroughs for the proteas.

With Dale Steyn on the sidelines South Africa were just missing the edge they needed to give a good fight back .

Batsmen of both the sides were clearly outplayed by the spinners in the match. With the top score being 40 runs by Murali Vijay after three innings in to the match.

Many are arguing that pitches prepared in the series are spinner friendly. But I think both the teams have fair chance of winning the match, those who ever win should take the title.

Bowling friendly or batsmen friendly, a pitch plays true for both the sides and better team wins in the end.

Valleyz.Blog

South Africa chasing 310 in the second innings in the Nagpur Test

India is clearly way ahead in the third Test against South Africa in Nagpur. After hosts being bowled out for 215 in the first innings.

Proteas succumbed to a very low score of 79, courtesy guile and spin of R Ashwin (5/33) and Jadeja(4) on the second day of the match.

Murali Vijay top scored in the Indian batting line up with 40 runs. While Duminy top scored for SA with 35 runs.
  
India in the second innings replied with 173 in 46.3 Overs. Imran Tahir took 5 wickets in 11.3 Overs while Morkel took 3 in 10 Overs. Shikhar Dhawan top scored with 39 runs in the second innings for India.

South Africa are left to chase 310 runs in the second innings to win the match which looks very difficult. 

In reply SA are 21/1 in the second innings.

 Valleyz.Blog