South Africa vs India: 6 ODI & 3 T20I; February 1-24, 2018 at South Africa

[Paddles]

I agree with Paddles that Dhoni is on thin ice.He has not done anything in batting of note, and is blocking a place.Just bcoz of keeping and captaincy input, he is in the side.That is skating on thin ice.

Oh there was a fabulous hundred with Yuvi not long ago. There was a lone stand of 65 against SL, in vain, but gave India respectability.

The guy is a good limited overs batsman.

But I don't think he finishing innings off as best as a - he either used to or b - he is still widely acclaimed for. For years now, I feel like he is far too often going slow at the death, be it in chase or setting a score. This is but yet another example. I expect more than 42(43) on that scorecard from Dhoni. Too slow.

I've read many criticisms of Dhoni, I think the glove work criticism is unwarranted, he is a master of stumpings and run outs, just naturally freakish hand eye coordination in that regard, but I think there is some validity to the batting criticisms.

[Going South]

come on. he is a wicket keeper. how many wicket keepers do you demand superb batting??? just because it’s dhoni you expect too much.

[Paddles]

come on. he is a wicket keeper. how many wicket keepers do you demand superb batting??? just because it’s dhoni you expect too much.

Tbf - a lot of them. Aus has Carey now. Eng has Buttler and Bairstow. SA has Qdk. Zimbo has Taylor. Pakistan has Sarfaraz. They're the good 'uns.

NZ has gone through 5 and debuting its 6th this week in 15 months trying to find one who bats well everywhere in t20 and odi - Watling, Ronchi, Latham, Philips, Blundell and now Seifert.

So yeah - I demand keepers in top 7 to bat well. And since Stewart, Prior, McCullum, Flower, Sanga and Gilchrist - its pretty much the norm for teams of high expectations.

[raja]

Dhoni was once a very reliable finisher in ODIs/T20s.
As a BCCI supporter, you always felt, as long as he was around, there was hope.
It's been a while since I've had that feeling about Dhoni.
He might occasionally play a good knock - but it's too occasional for my liking.
Happens to the best of players - many fade out towards the end of their careers.
Viv Richards is one of the best examples I can think of.
Kapil Dev too had a long fading-out period.

Doesn't mean Dhoni isn't a legend - just means it puts more pressure on the side.
They were used to getting runs from him at a great rate, and winning games as a result.
Now others have to step up and fill in.

[raja]

Anil Kumble himself struggled in his last few series.
Doesn't mean he isn't a legend.
Just that the magic wasn't there anymore - and that often hurts the side.
It's a team game, after all.

Dhoni might still prove me wrong - and I'd be happy to see him re-emerge from this phase.
He has the ability to do so.
But that is speculative - rather say it as I see it. :-)

[Paddles]

Sage words raja.

But I wonder if Dhoni could try harder.

To get out swinging is different to boodling it around to 40/50 or not out.

[bolero]

My 2 cents on Dhoni. He is struggling as a batsman. And is lucky that someone like Rishabh Pant has not made it to the next level as a keeper batsman.

Dhoni is struggling to get the ball away. He is fading out.

He is in the team only because of his wicket keeping and captaincy input (he still guides the bowlers and Kohli).

[raja]

Sage words raja.

But I wonder if Dhoni could try harder.

To get out swinging is different to boodling it around to 40/50 or not out.

Will be interesting to see how Dhoni goes in the T20s and in the IPL.
Especially the IPL.
Pressure from a franchise is very different from pressure playing a T20I.
Dhoni himself said as much in a post-match interview (IPL) many years ago, when CSK won a must-win game to qualify for the next stage.

[raja]

Dhoni, current stats (T20I vs IPL):
Not much to choose between the two - so far.
Let's see how this looks after this season.
T20I 86 75 38 1364 56 36.86 1091 125.02 0 0 1 94 43
IPL 159 143 49 3561 70 37.88 2604 136.75 0 0 17 251 156

[Going South]

not enough score to defend. no need to ask for rains.

[louie_db9]

Looks to be heading to a drawn series...

[Going South]

[Going South]

that target 274 is gettable all credit to BCCI Bowlers. kuldeep yadav should be man of match instead of no-hit sharma.

[bolero]

India win the ODI series 4-1 away from home in SA.That's creditable.

[bolero]

Too many dropped catches for my liking from the Indians.

Middle order which I said before is very shaky.

India always depending on Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli.

I felt the ODI series which India had with Aus and NZ were competitive. SA became better 4th ODI onwards.

[bolero]

Kuldeep and Chahal were great throughout except an aberration in 4th ODI when Chahal bowled those infamous no balls and got wicket of them.

[bolero]

Virat Kohli and Co break 25-year-old jinx, become first Indian side to win a bilateral ODI series on Proteas soil

New Delhi: History had beckoned in Johannesburg when India set foot at the Wanderers Stadium with a 3-0 lead and one hand on the silverware. However, in Pink of colours, South Africa found rain as a blessing in disguise as the hosts outclassed a dominant Indian side to register a five-wicket victory and thus derail their train to a historic junction. India returned to Port Elizabeth, the doomed land for the Men in Blue who had even tasted defeat against Kenya in a triangular series in 2001-02 tour. But India scripted a thrilling return in the fifth ODI match against South Africa to carve a piece of history for themselves. Virat Kohli-led India became the first Indian side to clinch a bilateral series in South Africa.

Mohammad Azharuddin-led India had tried their luck in 1992-93 tour of South Africa, only to lose 2-5 in the seven-match series. A shared captaincy between Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag also couldn't convince history to befriend them as India were bitterly humiliated in the 2006-07 tour with a 0-4 defeat in the five-match series. MS Dhoni too chipped in his efforts, twice, but failed both times. In fact, their closest attempt to series victory came back in 2010-11, when Dhoni-led India had claimed a 2-1 lead only to later lose the five-ODI series by 2-3. India's last tryst with defeat on Proteas soil was in the 2013-14 tour when they lost 0-2 in the three-match series.

In the Test format, India maintained their relationship with defeat as their seven attempts in the Rainbow Nation went in vain. Barring three one-off encounters in T20Is in 2007, 2011 and 2013, India have never won a series in South Africa. And all until Tuesday night in Port Elizabeth.

http://www.timesnownews.com/sports/cric ... oil/198356

[Going South]

yey. kudos to kohli team.

[bolero]

[bolero]

[Going South]

impressive batting by zondo.

do we see 280?

[Going South]

200 seems to be doubtful

[raja]

This is a poor SA side, running into a high-quality BCCI side.
5-1.

[Going South]

hahahahahaha
kohli is going to give nightmares to south africans for a looooooooong time to remember.

what a player !!!

Salute !!

[Going South]

what an ass whopping ODI series.
played at home ! 25 year record ousted.
that hurts !
expecting heads to roll?

[shourey]

5-1 ODI Series in SA , in SA ?
Are you kidding me !

[Going South]

it could have been 6-0 as no way in hell they can win 5 wicket down with rain helping with crooked D/L

target 290 to make. they were 207/5 in 25 overs. all good bats already out. noway in hell they can win.

[raja]

http://www.cricbuzz.com/live-cricket-full-commentary/19165/rsa-vs-ind-6th-odi-india-tour-of-south-africa-2017-18
Most 100s as ODI captains:
22 R Ponting (220 inngs)
*13 AB de Villiers (98)/ Virat Kohli (46)
11 S Ganguly (143)
10 S Jayasuriya (118)


Three 100s in a series for India:
Sourav Ganguly in SA, World Cup 2003

The 3 hundreds by Ganguly in SA during 2003 World Cup were:
2 against Kenya, 1 against Namibia

His other scores were
8,9, 24, 19, 0 (Pak), 19, 48 (SL), 3, 24.

[bolero]

Watched the highlights.Kohli was sublime.It was a stupid strategy by SA bowlers to bowl repeatedly short at him.It looked like a Mitchell Johnson tactic.It backfired expectedly as Kohli plays both the hook and pull shots.

[Boycs]

It almost always is. How often does bowling short work as a tactic compared to pitching it up

[Going South]

dhawan departs. good knock.

[louie_db9]

I really don't rate Manish Pandey.

India innings tails off again to 203-5

[Going South]

but they got a great start could have been 220.

[Going South]

i get irritated to see harsha bhogle nonsense antiques.

[Paddles]

i get irritated to see harsha bhogle nonsense antiques.

He's not that old

[louie_db9]

5 for Bhuvneshwar very good. And an excellent run-out by Pandya.

[bolero]

India win.1st T20.

[Boycs]

Earthquake in UK
Hope Boyces okay

Didn’t even notice! Though my other half said she thought she felt her chair judder

[Loose halo]

Watched a road being built in Kent once they layered it seven times. Gotta hand it to pommie engineers.
I assume buildings are equally solid.

[Boycs]

We built some decent bridges in our time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel

[Going South]

We built some decent bridges in our time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel

he must be a time traveling alien from another universe acting as a human.

i have always thought certain “humans” are not actually humans.

i am strong believer of MIB universe.

[Going South]

misty

[Going South]

i get irritated to see harsha bhogle nonsense antiques.

He's not that old

lol. auto correct.

he sure act like a sly used car salesman trying to con you.

[Boycs]

We built some decent bridges in our time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel

he must be a time traveling alien from another universe acting as a human.

i have always thought certain “humans” are not actually humans.

i am strong believer of MIB universe.

Andy Worhol probably fits into this category

[Going South]

30 needed from 22 balls

[Going South]

good win by team south africa.

[Going South]

4-0-64-0

WTF was that chahal? you cost the game with your shitty bowling.

[raja]

Dhoni abuses Manish Pandey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL86ToXAcQk

And here's the actual abuse. This isn't the Dhoni (Mr. Cool) w're used to.
The English translation in the above video papers over the real abuse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEDrrOXbgTQ

[bolero]

Dhoni abuses Manish Pandey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OL86ToXAcQk

And here's the actual abuse. This isn't the Dhoni (Mr. Cool) w're used to.
The English translation in the above video papers over the real abuse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEDrrOXbgTQ

Sad that Dhoni has come down to this crass level. I can expect this from Kohli, not from Dhoni. Kohli is the captain and a top performer and that's his basic nature, so will cut him some slack.

Dhoni has had an impeccable image in such matters, so it is unpardonable.

[Going South]

that’s ok. they are making an issue out of non issue. what’s wrong in saying “where the fk are you looking? concentrate “ to a junior !!!
it’s not a personal insult or anything.
sometimes certain idiots would screw entire team chances. one bad step would screw entire day’s work.
i remember laxman batting on a 5th day mine field pitch to save a game admonish tail enders in a genuine passion for cricket of saving all prior 5 days hard work yeh show them bat to hit with, shout abuses, admonish, we fans welcome it.