You think it was an ODI? Nope, its the 2nd Test between India and Sri Lanka.
Up until the 31st over, India were 160odd for No Loss - that's right! A century opening Stand. And then, the famed "middle order" tumbled - and how!
Even as Virendar Sehwaag proves time and again that he's the vital battering ram behind which the infantry of Sachin Tendulkar, Raahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman arrive, the seniors seem to be having quite a few, umm, "senior" moments!
As Ian Chappell noted, amongst the best things to have happened in the last year was the coming together of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwaag as an opening pair in ODIs - and Suresh Raina seems to have embossed himself in the One-Drop slot. This partnership's transition to Tests is now apparent. But why is the middle order crumbling like a cookie?
Here's what Rediff's report states:
Why would you crumble after that? Why go 4 wickets down for nothing - after a start, in Tests where the run rate is upwards of 5 runs an over?
That, is the crucial difference between an Australian side and most others - even 3rd best (by ranking) and 2nd best (according to some pundits) India.
There is also the other big problem - Rahul Dravid's loss of form. In the seasons since 2001, it has invariably been Sehwag giving a start followed by Rahul Dravid's consolidation - with the rest of the middle order, that has won India many series - and pushed it to the ranking it has, currently. Without Dravid, there's only Sehwag - and even though he's in brilliant form, he cant always score a triple hundred. Sometimes, even after he scores 195, in 2 sessions, India goes on to lose! (link)
Tag: Cricket, India, Sehwag, India - SL Tests, 2008, 2nd Test, Batting Collapse.
Up until the 31st over, India were 160odd for No Loss - that's right! A century opening Stand. And then, the famed "middle order" tumbled - and how!
Even as Virendar Sehwaag proves time and again that he's the vital battering ram behind which the infantry of Sachin Tendulkar, Raahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman arrive, the seniors seem to be having quite a few, umm, "senior" moments!
As Ian Chappell noted, amongst the best things to have happened in the last year was the coming together of Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwaag as an opening pair in ODIs - and Suresh Raina seems to have embossed himself in the One-Drop slot. This partnership's transition to Tests is now apparent. But why is the middle order crumbling like a cookie?
Here's what Rediff's report states:
The Indian openers looked determined to counter Mendis in an effective manner as Sehwag hit the mystery spinner for a huge six over long-on and a boundary through the covers in his second over.
Mendis was taken off after giving away 37 runs in his first spell of six overs
Why would you crumble after that? Why go 4 wickets down for nothing - after a start, in Tests where the run rate is upwards of 5 runs an over?
That, is the crucial difference between an Australian side and most others - even 3rd best (by ranking) and 2nd best (according to some pundits) India.
There is also the other big problem - Rahul Dravid's loss of form. In the seasons since 2001, it has invariably been Sehwag giving a start followed by Rahul Dravid's consolidation - with the rest of the middle order, that has won India many series - and pushed it to the ranking it has, currently. Without Dravid, there's only Sehwag - and even though he's in brilliant form, he cant always score a triple hundred. Sometimes, even after he scores 195, in 2 sessions, India goes on to lose! (link)
Tag: Cricket, India, Sehwag, India - SL Tests, 2008, 2nd Test, Batting Collapse.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment