Lets see - How is an Aussie coach different?
What is certain is that Pakistan is going to set India a HUGE total to chase. What is also certain (lets say most likely) is that India will not be able to play out till day 5 by batting for a draw. So either the Indian team can make a valiant (foolhardy, some might say) bid for the target or they can go down like a bunch of wimps.
In the past, faced with such a situation (in fact, a much lesser score to contend with), the Indian team has distinguished itself by repeatedly tucking in its tail between the legs and pathetically crashing to defeat while trying to play for a draw. It has never tried to go for the target ... such has been the Indian mindset.
When Greg C became coach, the biggest happiness for me was that Indian genius would be intermixed with an Aussie mindset ... something I felt could be devastating. So now I would be looking with interest as to how the Indian team approaches the task on hand.
Will the Indians even try to chase the target or will they try to defend from ball one. I am not saying that they should go hammer and tongs coz that would be foolhardy. But assuming the Indians get 2 sessions on Wednesday and three sessions on Thursday to bat, it is reasonable to assume that all things aside (4th innings, pressure, pitch etc etc etc), making 600 odd is possible coz it would be possible if it were the first innings ... in fact, even if they don't make the target, getting bloody close is definitely poassible.
So what will be the approach be ... Who will open? If they have to make an attempt (or at least put a scare in the Pakis by looking like they r making an attempt), then Dravid should be the last person to open. The plan should be to make a good try at the start ... and make further plans on the run. If things r going well, then keep going in the same vien. If things go horribly wrong, the SRTs and Dravids will be expected to play according to their stature and save the match for India.
I remember Greg C's comments when he was not the coach ... I think this was in Australia two years back when he was talking about SRT opening ... it sounded like a lot of hot air ... but I remember I was very excited at the thought of it. Now Greg C is the coach and actually he can have his wish. And SRT opening would send the strongest possible signal to the opposition ... and he owes the Pakis big time for the bang he took on his helmet visor in the first innings.
As I said ... a foreign coach ... a rejuvenated Indian team (suupposedly) ... what will be the mindset? Will it be different from when Madan Lal or Wadekar was coach?
Remember, it is not about whether they win the match or not ... only the mindset.
Lets wait and watch.
Cheers
The Chuckster
In the past, faced with such a situation (in fact, a much lesser score to contend with), the Indian team has distinguished itself by repeatedly tucking in its tail between the legs and pathetically crashing to defeat while trying to play for a draw. It has never tried to go for the target ... such has been the Indian mindset.
When Greg C became coach, the biggest happiness for me was that Indian genius would be intermixed with an Aussie mindset ... something I felt could be devastating. So now I would be looking with interest as to how the Indian team approaches the task on hand.
Will the Indians even try to chase the target or will they try to defend from ball one. I am not saying that they should go hammer and tongs coz that would be foolhardy. But assuming the Indians get 2 sessions on Wednesday and three sessions on Thursday to bat, it is reasonable to assume that all things aside (4th innings, pressure, pitch etc etc etc), making 600 odd is possible coz it would be possible if it were the first innings ... in fact, even if they don't make the target, getting bloody close is definitely poassible.
So what will be the approach be ... Who will open? If they have to make an attempt (or at least put a scare in the Pakis by looking like they r making an attempt), then Dravid should be the last person to open. The plan should be to make a good try at the start ... and make further plans on the run. If things r going well, then keep going in the same vien. If things go horribly wrong, the SRTs and Dravids will be expected to play according to their stature and save the match for India.
I remember Greg C's comments when he was not the coach ... I think this was in Australia two years back when he was talking about SRT opening ... it sounded like a lot of hot air ... but I remember I was very excited at the thought of it. Now Greg C is the coach and actually he can have his wish. And SRT opening would send the strongest possible signal to the opposition ... and he owes the Pakis big time for the bang he took on his helmet visor in the first innings.
As I said ... a foreign coach ... a rejuvenated Indian team (suupposedly) ... what will be the mindset? Will it be different from when Madan Lal or Wadekar was coach?
Remember, it is not about whether they win the match or not ... only the mindset.
Lets wait and watch.
Cheers
The Chuckster
posted by The Chuckster @ 9:47 PM
3 Comments:
At Tuesday, January 31, 2006 11:18:00 PM,
nku said…
Sorry buddy. Back to "save match" mode. :(
At Thursday, February 02, 2006 12:38:00 AM,
Anonymous said…
Chuck
sorry - but the Aussie coach made only one difference. Earlier we used to block from ball one and end up folding for 250 odd. With an Aussie coach we folded up for the same 250 odd but scoring at 5 an over.
Tendulkar was a failure in this series (he failed even on a featherbed). Ganguly though played well for his 30s is never going to score heavily in the middle order. And Dravid opening the innings was a big mistake. Laxman should play only against Australia. He should be dropped against all other teams.
Bring in Venu Rao, Suresh Raina and Jaffer. I am sure these guys would have put up a semblance of a fight than what the seniors did.
Dhoni - what do we do with him? He is a hit or miss kind of guy and cannot complain when he fails. He is more in the Afridi mould except that Afridi off late has become pretty consistent.
S On Cricket
At Friday, February 03, 2006 6:39:00 AM,
The Chuckster said…
Friend S on Cricket
I am of the firm opinion that getting out at 5 per over is the correct direction to move in. Ok, 5 is a bit too much but I will settle for a 3.5 - 4 per over. I know we lost here but this way, most times by the time we get out, there would a pretty big score up there. Scoring 2 per over will still not get us a win ... it will not get us a score either.
Everything happens in baby steps ... scoring positively is the main step ... scoring consistently is the next step (ok it would have been ideal if it had been the other way round, but I will take this deal).
Greg C does make a difference ... not enough for us to win the series but enough to make me say - "Ok I will wait and watch".
Cheers
The Chuckster
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