Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

there's also his aggressive personality and his sharp cricketing brain, both useful attributes.

50th ODI hundred for Virat . Breaks Sachins record :bow: and more importantly in a knockout against NZ which has troubled India in major tournament many a times.

it's been a fine tournament for him and for India

The greatest white ball batsmen ever IMO

Flopped when it mattered most. Has not given good performances in crucial finals.

meninblue wrote:Flopped when it mattered most. Has not given good performances in crucial finals.

He did score a 50 amidst a few wickets falling. Not a flop!

Gingerfinch wrote:

meninblue wrote:Flopped when it mattered most. Has not given good performances in crucial finals.

He did score a 50 amidst a few wickets falling. Not a flop!

The issue with his innings which coincided with partnership with Rahul was the strike rate.

They allowed Maxwell and Mitch M to bowl at 3 runs per over and another non specialist bowler Travis to bowl cheap overs. Maybe flop is harsh word , but his slow paced innings did not help India. With two down, it wasnt reason to go into shell against non specialist bowlers. 300 was very much possible if they had rotated strike

meninblue wrote:

Gingerfinch wrote:

meninblue wrote:Flopped when it mattered most. Has not given good performances in crucial finals.

He did score a 50 amidst a few wickets falling. Not a flop!

The issue with his innings which coincided with partnership with Rahul was the strike rate.

They allowed Maxwell and Mitch M to bowl at 3 runs per over and another non specialist bowler Travis to bowl cheap overs. Maybe flop is harsh word , but his slow paced innings did not help India. With two down, it wasnt reason to go into shell against non specialist bowlers. 300 was very much possible if they had rotated strike

I agree. India needed more from him - even the same amount of runs, but at a faster rate. There seemed a notable lack of intent. I don't believe that a batsman as skilled as Kohli, in very good form, could not score more than 3 runs per over.

He had a very good WC, it seems a bit harsh to overlook that because of one flawed performance.

My takeaway from the WC is that India are the best ODI side around. Credit to the Aussies for overcoming them on the day.

Repeating what I put on the match thread, but was the performance that flawed? India lost 3 wickets in the first 10 overs, he needed to rebuild the innings, and he did that. If India lost a 4th soon after, the game was probably dead. He did the right thing, the only criticism as such is he didn't make a huge score, just a useful one.

sussexpob wrote:Repeating what I put on the match thread, but was the performance that flawed? India lost 3 wickets in the first 10 overs, he needed to rebuild the innings, and he did that. If India lost a 4th soon after, the game was probably dead. He did the right thing, the only criticism as such is he didn't make a huge score, just a useful one.

That's how I read it. I didn't see the game so really shouldn't be commenting but India looked under the cosh and were probably thinking lets get a competitive score rather than a huge one.

I have used the word "intent" deliberately - as the best illustration of intent as a batter is how they run between wickets. So much flows from that: the extra runs, the pressure on the fielding side, the mis-fields, the overthrows, and the attitude that goes into facing the next delivery.

Both Kohli and Rahul looked to be lacking in intent on Sunday. Very unlike Kohli, as he is normally very combative.


I agree, Kohli had a fantastic world cup, up to the last game. The most important one.

India's middle order need Kohli back ASAP...gill for some reason can't seem to hack test cricket and the middle order can't seem to convert starts into anything of any notable substance

andy wrote:India's middle order need Kohli back ASAP...gill for some reason can't seem to hack test cricket and the middle order can't seem to convert starts into anything of any notable substance

Timely 100 for Shubman. Yes, you're right, his place was under scrutiny and this 104 releases the pressure.

As per reports, Virat might not be available for 3rd test.

Without Kohli, they do look a bit brittle. Surprisingly so. I would have thought Rohit would dominate somewhat. The Indian batters look to have taken a leaf from Australia's book - get decent starts but not go on with things.

I don't think it is just Kohli's batting they miss, but his attitude.