India appreciation thread.

[PlanetPakistan]

What a team they have turned themselves in to.

There was a time(not so long ago) when there was more chance of a hailstorm in Kenya than for IND to win an away test match but now they have scored some really important wins like Multan(04), Pindi(04), Adelaide, Headingly(02), Jamaica(06) etc. While they have won these away games their home record hasn't suffered much and now they are regarded as one of the top teams on the planet.

Excellent transformation in just 6-7 years

[Batman]

What a team they have turned themselves in to.

There was a time(not so long ago) when there was more chance of a hailstorm in Kenya than for IND to win an away test match but now they have scored some really important wins like Multan(04), Pindi(04), Adelaide, Headingly(02), Jamaica(06) etc. While they have won these away games their home record hasn't suffered much and now they are regarded as one of the top teams on the planet.

Excellent transformation in just 6-7 years

You forgot the wins at Sabina Park in 02, Perth last year and also against SA in the first test last year.........

[Big_Bad_Bob]

Ban India.

[Basil]

This should be a short thread

[PlanetPakistan]

What a team they have turned themselves in to.

There was a time(not so long ago) when there was more chance of a hailstorm in Kenya than for IND to win an away test match but now they have scored some really important wins like Multan(04), Pindi(04), Adelaide, Headingly(02), Jamaica(06) etc. While they have won these away games their home record hasn't suffered much and now they are regarded as one of the top teams on the planet.

Excellent transformation in just 6-7 years

You forgot the wins at Sabina Park in 02, Perth last year and also against SA in the first test last year.........

those wins weren't "important" or certainly not as important as other wins because IND lost all 3 of those series.

[Red]

Maybe Kirsten's made a difference. A cool head was perhaps needed in a volatile environment.

[Josh Carney]

India could have been there earlier. The playing fraternity had moved on but the BCCI's antiquated thinking and dinosaurial selectors of the past kept them back. The ICL gave a kick in the groin to BCCI and the resulting IPL and semi-professionalism seen in BCCI has been beneficial. Kirsten and the new selection panel are also on the right path. Also strange as it might sound there is some more maturity the newer generation of fans are not ready to settle for the bread crumbs i.e. individual glories that the previous generations used to be satiated with.

[embee]

Maybe Kirsten's made a difference. A cool head was perhaps needed in a volatile environment.

Red must have a "crew" too ....How else can you explain a positive statement from her about a South African?

[Paul Keating]

Ban India.

Seconded.

Ban India

[*Buckaroo*]

will they garland Hayden the next time he visits ?

[The One]

What a team they have turned themselves in to.

There was a time(not so long ago) when there was more chance of a hailstorm in Kenya than for IND to win an away test match but now they have scored some really important wins like Multan(04), Pindi(04), Adelaide, Headingly(02), Jamaica(06) etc. While they have won these away games their home record hasn't suffered much and now they are regarded as one of the top teams on the planet.

Excellent transformation in just 6-7 years

You forgot the wins at Sabina Park in 02, Perth last year and also against SA in the first test last year.........

those wins weren't "important" or certainly not as important as other wins because IND lost all 3 of those series.

trent bridge 07

[skully]

Ban India.

Wot he said.

[skully]

Ban India.

Seconded.

Ban India

And him.

[doremi]

Our home record has suffered, but that's not the team's fault.

[DJ_Smerk]

Ban Featherbeds!

[jim rich]

Ban Kirsten. Kirsten go home. SA in urgent need of help. England too.

[Chandan]

Ban Kirsten. Kirsten go home. SA in urgent need of help. England too.

Why? SA is doing a superb job these days and perhaps they don't need Kirsten there.

India might have had some memorable victories home and abroad but there is too much cricket and this is resulting in players being jaded after gruelling tours.

There was just 3 days' break between Australia series and England series and after they finish playing England, they have to hop to Pak and from there to NZ with hardly any breaks in between.

This is a real concern!

[PlanetPakistan]

I like how they are producing these brave cricketers like Sehwag, I Sharma, Dhoni, GG, Yuvraj. Y Pathan, Raina etc.

They all may not end up being tagged as "greats" but will certainly win a lot of games for India. Now all they need is 1 more quality pace bowler(Sreesanth could be the one) and a solid middle order batsman(possibly Rohit Sharma)

[Josh Carney]

A few great cricketers do not necessarily make a winning team. A winning team's dynamics are totally different. India is finally getting there. But more than anything else the economic and other strides has a lot of bearing on this. Basically Mendi's theory of needs at play here. The younger generation are a confident lot and do not look for approval from outside. This is not just with respect to Cricket, they feel that can script their own destiny.

[furriner]

A..............Basically Mendi's theory of needs at play here...

Maslow? McClelland?

Or do you have Mendis on the brain Josh?

The way he took us in SL, he's on mine for sure.

[Josh Carney]

Maslow Indeed Furry.

[Batman]

A few great cricketers do not necessarily make a winning team. A winning team's dynamics are totally different. India is finally getting there. But more than anything else the economic and other strides has a lot of bearing on this. Basically Mendi's theory of needs at play here. The younger generation are a confident lot and do not look for approval from outside. This is not just with respect to Cricket, they feel that can script their own destiny.

A team needs an equal measure of 'Greatness', 'Mental Toughness' and 'Commitment' in a team to really succeed for long. The Aussie teams under Tubby,Punter and Tugga when the greats in batting and bowling were there along with Clive Loydd's devils come to mind. India lacked great fast bowlers and all rounders that hindered the balance and while we had great batters over the decades, they lacked the self-confidence needed to succeed abroad.

A team with purely 'Commitment' and 'Fitness' will make a great fielding side but having players not great like Robin Singh, Moody, Jadeja, Y. Pathan, Yuvraj, Kaif, Afridi etc. will still not result in a world dominating side in tests. In fact if one looks at the examples of Dravid's young one day team and that of Hyderabad in the IPL, such a side cannot even win the shorter forms of the game consistantly.

[The One]

there is one absolutely essential ingredient for a great test team - great fast bowlers. for an all-time great team you need great batsmen and great fast bowlers and hopefully a great all-rounder

if you dont have even one great fast bowler you can forget about being number one, unless every other test team at that point is in the same boat

[PlanetPakistan]

bump

[PlanetPakistan]

Really hope they play Pakistan next month....

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