South Africa v India tests - Jan 2018

[meninblue]

Pappu promoted over Rohit.

Insult of highest order. Not sure who was specialist batsman when they chose the team.

[Dr Cricket]

hard to see how india getting 80, batting look impossible with ngidi bowling with the variable bounce.

[meninblue]

2 overs negotiated safely.

[yuppie]

Batting last was always going to be tough.

[Dr Cricket]

Batting last was always going to be tough.

Toss is always massive at centurian.
although saying that india didn't take their chances had SA at the ropes some sloppy running, poor shots and Ashwin not bowling well all was a far more bigger factor than the toss here as well.

[meninblue]

Batting last was always going to be tough.

Batting for us was always going to be tough in SA, be it bat first or last. It was well known weakness before even series started. Only one man from our team can bat in SA from this lineup. Others will just somehow scrape through for few runs without looking confident. Personally i expected only Virat and Chet to bat confidently, however even Chet has failed me this time.

[meninblue]

At one point of time i thought we would lose by maximum of 50 runs. Now it seems we may lose by 100 odd.

[meninblue]

The remaining batters must now look to get some practice for last test and try to show in 3rd test that we can cross SA total at least once on this tour.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Pujara has to score half the runs they need tomorrow, and hope a long batting line up can dig in.

Long shot though.

[Dr Cricket]

TBH this batting line up not that long.

[meninblue]

Awkward situation in next match. Vijay and Karthik in same team.!! They will be wondering how they handle each other more than they will worry about SA pacers.

[mikesiva]

Awkward situation in next match. Vijay and Karthik in same team.!! They will be wondering how they handle each other more than they will worry about SA pacers.

For those who might not know the story....

https://www.thebridalbox.com/articles/d ... g_0017349/

In 2007, the 21-year old Dinesh Karthik married his childhood friend Nikita Vanjara. The marriage was held in Mumbai. Nikita’s father and Dinesh’s father were friends for a long time and the kids grew fond of each other as they got older. Both the families decided to turn friendship into a relation and the youngsters were very eager too. However, things went south after 5 years when Nikita started seeing Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik’s Tamil Nadu team mate and also the current Indian test team’s opening batsman. If rumours are to be believed, the incident that lead to the break up of Karthik’s first marriage occurred during a Vijay Hazare trophy match in 2012. This was just before a crucial Ranji trophy match between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The divorce was finalised very quickly and quietly and by the end of 2012, Nikita Vanjara and Murali Vijay tied the knot. They now have a 2 year old son.

[bigfluffylemon]

Pujara has to score half the runs they need tomorrow, and hope a long batting line up can dig in.

Long shot though.

Yup. Theoretically all three results are on the cards today, but SA must be strong favourites. At least India have been competitive - they haven't disgraced themselves in either game, and still have an outside chance of winning this one, if, as you say AC, Pujara goes big.

The rest of the batting line-up isn't that strong, but can potentially hang around.

[Dr Cricket]

Batting been frustrating seems the batting gone backwards from 2013, doesn’t help having such a long gap between major away tour, thankfully this will be the last cycle like this.
Batting would be so much better if every year India were going outside Asia and not all in one go every 4 years.
Even when the likes of Dravid and tendulkar were playing away games were all in 18 months.
Not really fair on the players that.

Bowling been good though.

[Arthur Crabtree]

India doing better in SA than vice versa.

Or many sides away from home.