Another 4-0 whitewash for India- Good or bad for cricket?

Well?

Will the BCCI pull their finger out and try and improve the Indian test team? Or will they say "sod this test cricket sh*t, let's just make some money from T20."

Like it or not, I think test cricket needs a strong Indian test team.

Boycott?

Nothing should change even if India lose 6-0.

Henry wrote:Well?

Will the BCCI pull their finger out and try and improve the Indian test team? Or will they say "sod this test cricket sh*t, let's just make some money from T20."

Like it or not, I think test cricket needs a strong Indian test team.

As I've said elsewhere, I think unscrupulous greed is endemic in Indian cricket, and probably Indian society in general. So the answer would be "sod this test cricket sh*t, let's just make some money from T20." while doing just enough to maintain a presence in Test cricket.

May the T20 cash cow dry up immediately. Laugh, I'd PMS.

A variation on 'Ban'?

Sir Geoffrey would be able to go on for hours about what the Indian batsmen are doing wrong technically. "That Sehwag lad, e ardly uses iz feet! Ya can't pler proper, controlled crikit shots with that technique. Keep ya ands warm in those slips! there's an edge coomin, there iz!

Henry wrote:A variation on 'Ban'?

Sir Geoffrey would be able to go on for hours about what the Indian batsmen are doing wrong technically. "That Sehwag lad, e ardly nowt uses iz feet! Ya can't pler proper, controlled crikit shots with that technique. Keep ya ands warm in those slips! there's an edge coomin, there iz!

Fixed.

Henry wrote:A variation on 'Ban'?

Sir Geoffrey would be able to go on for hours about what the Indian batsmen are doing wrong technically. "That Sehwag lad, e ardly uses iz feet! Ya can't pler proper, controlled crikit shots with that technique. Keep ya ands warm in those slips! there's an edge coomin, there iz!

Maybe it is now. He always states that Test crikit needs a strong India.

skully wrote:

Henry wrote:Well?

Will the BCCI pull their finger out and try and improve the Indian test team? Or will they say "sod this test cricket sh*t, let's just make some money from T20."

Like it or not, I think test cricket needs a strong Indian test team.

As I've said elsewhere, I think unscrupulous greed is endemic in Indian cricket, and probably Indian society in general. So the answer would be "sod this test cricket sh*t, let's just make some money from T20." while doing just enough to maintain a presence in Test cricket.

May the T20 cash cow dry up immediately. Laugh, I'd PMS.

If India do think that way, then there is no limit to their short sightedness

Why is Sachin Tendulkar revered as such a great player? Because he averages 56 in TEST CRICKET, that's why. Would he really be considered by many to be the next best after Bradman if he dominated ODIs and domestic T20s, but only averaged 35 in test cricket? No. He'd be considered an unfulfilled talent, and no better than Yuvraj Singh. And the Indians treasure SRT's status at next best after the Don. I wonder if they realise that test cricket created the Tendulkar legend around the World, and that what he does in ODI and T20 cricket is more of a celebration, rather than a measurement, of the great player that test cricket has made him into.....

I've often heard that many Indian fans care more about the individual achievements of players rather than the result the team achieves as a whole. But as it was 100 years ago, a player's historical standing in the game is measured by his performances in TESTS, and nothing else. That is still exactly the same.

How many Indians think that Michael Bevan is one of the best batsmen cricket has ever seen? How many of them think that Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli are s good as Tendulkar? How many think that Dhoni's captaincy achievements with the Indian ODI and T20 teams, and with the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, make him the World's best captain?

I'm guessing if they answered honestly, not many. I just hope that the BCCI realise that if test cricket dies, then so does the yardstick with which cricketing greatness is measured.

How many think Yuvraj will be the next Sobers?

And hopw does that explain the massive tissue use over Dhoni . . . a bog ordinary test cricketer?

tac wrote:And hopw does that explain the massive tissue use over Dhoni . . . a bog ordinary test cricketer?

He was the captain when India were ranked number 1 in the World in tests, so that sent the tissue sales into overdrive, never mind that Ganguly laid the foundations. It was obvious even then that India relied about 80% on their batting for success in test matches. They were by far the worst bowling team to ever be ranked number 1.

Dhoni has always looked clueless as a captain, but up until last year, if the opposition scored 500, India would score 600 and bowl the other team out on a 5th day dustbowl. The batting would also earn them some honourable draws in away tests, with wins coming when the opposition's tactic of preparing a green seamer backfired and Zaheer (the only world class Indian bowler during their time at number 1) cleaned up.

embee wrote:How many think Yuvraj will be the next Sobers?

He already is. He sobers up any happy feeling among the fans.

Henry wrote:

If India do think that way, then there is no limit to their short sightedness

Why is Sachin Tendulkar revered as such a great player? Because he averages 56 in TEST CRICKET, that's why. Would he really be considered by many to be the next best after Bradman if he dominated ODIs and domestic T20s, but only averaged 35 in test cricket? No. He'd be considered an unfulfilled talent, and no better than Yuvraj Singh. And the Indians treasure SRT's status at next best after the Don. I wonder if they realise that test cricket created the Tendulkar legend around the World, and that what he does in ODI and T20 cricket is more of a celebration, rather than a measurement, of the great player that test cricket has made him into.....

I've often heard that many Indian fans care more about the individual achievements of players rather than the result the team achieves as a whole. But as it was 100 years ago, a player's historical standing in the game is measured by his performances in TESTS, and nothing else. That is still exactly the same.

How many Indians think that Michael Bevan is one of the best batsmen cricket has ever seen? How many of them think that Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli are s good as Tendulkar? How many think that Dhoni's captaincy achievements with the Indian ODI and T20 teams, and with the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, make him the World's best captain?

I'm guessing if they answered honestly, not many. I just hope that the BCCI realise that if test cricket dies, then so does the yardstick with which cricketing greatness is measured.

Pertinent points but for the casual fan, the ones who say tests are boring and long drawn out dull fests (there are many), the test records could be wiped out and he'd still be a Demi god like person.

As for Dhoni, you'd be surprised how many times his IPL successes have been used as an example of his Midas touch in the silly media- read Times of India's tv channel.

World cricket does need a strong India.

World cricket does not need the corruption that taints everything touched by the BCCI.

I don't know whether it will be good or bad for for cricket, but I'd laugh.

It would be the perfect outcome for world cricket, and ultimately, for Indian cricket.

taipan wrote:I don't know whether it will be good or bad for for cricket, but I'd laugh.

That depends on whether your laugh is more or less excruciatingly cat-run-under-the-couch-inducing than KOK's.

Test cricket needs all the strong teams it can find ATM.

Fabulous.

Oh, and Ban India.

Fred Nerk wrote:Test cricket needs all the strong teams it can find ATM.

agree entirely....this would ensure regular floggings of the english and the bannies

Zat wrote:Fabulous.

Oh, and Ban India.

Oh get off the fence!

i dont think the rest of the test cricket world should fear india losing interest. even if only 25% of the cricket fans still love tests thats more than the combined population of the other cricketing countries. india is still only one of 2 countries that can get crowds of 50,000+ for tests, not counting the millions watching on TV. it may suffer in relative comparison to the popularity of odis and t20s, but that mostly attracts the casual fans

what really seems to be the problem (besides an incompetent bcci, but thats always been the case) is that we are for some reason still not producing great bowlers. i have no doubt that the batting will sort itself out in time with the next generation having enough raw talent to succeed. if somehow, miraculously, we can find two bowlers who will average 25 with the ball over 7-8 years i think we will be ok. if not, the middle of the table will be where india sits. much like the 90s we will win at home and struggle away

If you can find two bowlers that average mid-20s over 7-8 years, you will be unbeatable.

The One wrote:i india is still only one of 2 countries that can get crowds of 50,000+ for tests,

For one day?

i know the saffies struggle to get that many over 5, but yeah