Sudin:

What has happened to India? What else does one team need to keep winning but a good winning momentum? Success should have fed the team to go on but we have seen an anti-climax in the last three ODIs. We not only have let the momentum slip but have driven ourselves into a hole (the one from which Ab arrives in the new Pepsi commercial).

There seems to be no pride. No strategy. Listless! This is the team that was boasting in late 2003 of taking on world champions. There is a problem with our bowlers starting from the world cup final. They have been consistently going for more than 6 an over in ODIs against most teams and over 4 an over in tests. Reckless shot makers like Afridi have been allowed to dictate terms for more than 15 overs? This is like Gully cricket. Not a single bowler with Brain in this team?

Its very easy to say Pakistan played well but the fact is that India played poorly without any basics, any strategy, pride and hunger. People like tendulkar should now be brought to reality. They are not able to use their experience to dominate young and average bowlers. Look at Inzy and Youhana and every other experienced player in the world. They mature but can't say that for sachin and Ganguly. Ganguly had predicted a 4-2 verdict, which seems a possibility but with a lateral inversion. If we want to shoot our mouth off then we should also learn to back ourselves up. What a send off for the coach! Poor John Wright [Images]! First the test now this!

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Vasu:

Hi,

This is the first time that I followed a match with your commentary and I'm really impressed. Thanks for the same!
But I have a few suggestions. It's ok to have Prem Panicker's name at the start of each comment, (even when Mr. Ashish was commenting towards the end) but wouldn't it be better if you can substitute that with that of the overs and the runs so that he need not type the scores in the text. By that way, you can actually write more about the game. I suppose it should be possible with a slight change in the program. Hope you could make this change so that it improves and helps us enjoy more of rediff's coverage!
Once again, keep the good work. Hope India turn it around in Delhi. For me personally, the cricketers are turning back to their 'old' inconsistent performances (performing only in patches, forgetting the basics etc.) - a nice parting gift to Wright! (See, we did wonders with you and when you are going now, we are the same once again!!! Thank you very much!!!)

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Sindhu Srivastava

Re: Match Fixing

This should shut up all those saying that India would win the 5th one and Pakistan would win the 6th one in front of Musharraf.

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Sudhir

Hi Prem,

Nice work.

Just some thoughts. India has at least 3 part time spinners. Sehwag, Yuvraj, Sachin and Mongia. At least for me it didn't make any sense to include both Kumble and Harbhajan in the squad even if the pitch was predicted to be a slow turner. If we are targeting world cup 2007 kumble should not even be in the side. Kartik has done wonderfully well in the chances that he has been given, I think even better than Harbhajan.

I don't understand why a player like J P Yadav (railways) who has had a wonderful season is not selected. From what I have read so far he seems to be a good hitter, bowls medium pace and is a wonderful fielder.  At least he should have been given a chance in this series to prove himself. We should be infusing fresh blood. Even Suresh Raina of UP seems to be doing pretty well. Unless these players are given the break at the right time they seem to loose confidence and fade away. AT Rayadu was once spoken of being highly talented now can't see him anywhere in the Radar.

Another thing is the inflexibility of the Indian batting order.  Why can't they send people based on the need of the situation?

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Pratyusha:

Hi Prem,

well, its all over now! at last it has been proved that 250 was not a good enough total for india to have sealed a win. But where do you exactly think we lost? was it when we didn't put up a big score or when our bowlers didn't get into the rhythm?

you know this loss has really made me wonder. do you think the indian team even bothers to evaluate and make a proper game plan???? well even if they do, they don't seem to implement it. what did you think about Rahul's CAPTAINCY?

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Nirbhay:

Mr.Panicker ,
 
Thanks for the good commentary.
 
The way we played the last game it was criminal to lose in that fashion, had we fought till the end and lost it wouldn' have hurt so much but that was downright disgraceful: leg side bowling even when the plot was lost right in front of our eyes : shows weakness .This is a game all about pressure and nothing can be created without a positive attitude , witness how the game livened up once over the wicket bowling was resumed(although Pakistan contrived to somehow take it to the wire but that's just what pressure does) - the philosophy of putting up a big total and then waiting for the opposition to make the mistakes without putting pressure of any sort is defeatist and shows lack of character: I would we rather lose than play like this : it was the most boring and excruciating match that I have seen .if I was in the States I would have probably sued them !
 
This is my message for Team India :'' TOO MUCH PAIN FOR TOO LITTLE GAIN !"
 
Shape up or ship out !
 
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Nirbhay:
 
Thanks for the good commentary.
 
Although we lost this game there are some positives: Indians finally got the message and bowled positively and aggressively ( the spinners) and the result? We get wickets !! Lo and Behold !!
 
Good to see India's premeir bowler Kumble back along with Harbahajan.I think the maxim of putting up big scores then getting by with a 3 pacers and part time spinners is going to fail : we need our top batsmen to bat and top bowlers to bowl ! Not the other way around ! Otherwise we just have flashes of brilliance like Tendulkar taking 5 wickets in one game and India contriving to lose after scoring 315 in a pressure game ! The combo of pacers and spinners could depend on the pitches but to rely on parti timers is not going to work everytime and is disastrous for consistency.
 
Balaji should not get so muddled up and for Afridi just bowl wicket to wicket : witness the last match he got him by a low , swinging, seaming yorker type bowl and that's just what he needs to do ! There's no harm being carted around off good bowling because if the batsmen misses he hits but it's criminal to give long hops and bad bowling at that level it's a test of one's mental strength.
 
I also thought Nehra should have bowled given the good performanc in the previous games.We don't seem to follow logic : Kumble does well in the Tests and is dropped from the ODI's and now the same with Nehra!
 
The bowlers need to see the Afridi factor as a challenge and bowl like Tigers to him and continue to do so : stick to the line and length that has been worked out for him in the dressing room and what has been practiced in the net and he will present his wicket ! I must say he has made the game very interesting and let's see if our bowlers can be the Tigers that they( witness Naved in this game!) are or the meek lambs that they have been in this and the last game! Interesting !

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Navin:

I think our top order should commit suicide!!!! tendulkar delivers only once a week. as for sehwag, the lesser said the better. somehow, it looks like he is in a hurry to get back to the  dressing room. ganguly should quit.

basically all these goons will perform only on TOTALLY PLACID or DEAD TRACKS. if there is a hint of bounce or
swing or humidity or anything else that can be blamed for their poor performaces, then gone!!!

our boys are too busy figuring out which product to advertise for.

they dont realize that they are playing for a country. my respects to dravid and kaif for putting a saving grace on our total today. dravid has again proved beyond doubt who is the greatest.

yest another failure accomplished. well done boys!!!

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Vishwajeet:

HI Prem,

I guess most Indians have short memory. Before they criticize Ganguly, they must check the stats as to how many did India win from 1932-2000 and then from 2000-2005. Ganguly gave so much to indian cricket in these years. His avg in Tests and ODI is high thirties to low forties which is not bad. I feel the ban will serve him well. He will get time to recover and make a come back. I would like him to lead india in 07 WC. I still doubt that we have his replacement ready yet. (Possibly because BCCI did not try to groom one)

Vishwajeet
Holmdel, NJ
 
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Krishnan:

Mr Prem, Its a lot frustrating to see India losing like this. But is there any valid reason why our bastmen couldnt make runs here. Sachin,Sehwag, Yuvaraj, what was the problem for them, is this that Rana did good bowling or Sachin was trying something like he did in bangalore test match. Is this an indication that Team India is going to pre-ganguly era, I must mention that its Ganguly because of whom we get respect in Australia, so the man today in bad times doesnt deserve that much critcism from media and fans as well.

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A S Basha:

It was quite unfortunate to sack SGanguly.

He could have made difference now when India need a good aggressive captain to utilize bowlers.

Also, I feel all bowlers shall be rested and chance to be given to freshers who can bowl better than our experienced players.

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Ateeq:
 
Again Indian will say that match is fixed,I think they should work hard.In the last match there was a guy who said that india fixed this match.

Let me remind you that first india won two matches.they weren't  fixed.heheheheheheh
 
Victory....
 
Good Luck!
 
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Vikram Prabhu:

Hi Prem,

Why is Balaji brought back into the attack.. Kumble and Harbhajan were bowling well in tandem. India needs wickets. If Pakistan plays for another 15 overs the match will be over. So there is no point in preserving Kumble and Harbhajan for the end. Rahul would have done better to have tried Mongia, as he did work wonders in 20-20 matches in UK. He can also try out Sachin or Sehwag as this is a turning track.

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Vishal:

Don't you think that Pak is going into the mode of intelligent cricket playing? I mean the last ODI they took singles constantly and hit when the bad ball came, and now the same. I think this is where the Indians lack. Please comment.

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Narasimhan Rangaswamy:

Hi Prem, again and again, throughout ur commentary, you were targeting  Balaji. Today Afridi played him well, in fact all the bowlers. Anyway, i  will not listen to your commentary anymore. This is totally a baised  commentary.

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Rajesh:

Take Care Prem...

Thanks a lot for updating us with the scores..as this is the only way we can get to know the scores..

Will miss u on Sunday..as wud b watching it on TV..

Bye...Good to have you...

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Gaurav:

hi prem
wat do u think dravid would have done as the shots which afridi played were all not of the mid of the bat he was just throwing the bat on everything and u can say that it might be his luck and power that the ball was going out of the boundry so wat is ur view on it

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Rambabu  Annamaneni:

Dear Prem Panicker,

Does it proves that Ganguly is a better captain, by seeing the initial situation handled by Dravid?

Arulanand:

I just need to ask that..why pakistan is playing slow? Are they practicing by playing slow or else the bowling has gone tight? Could you please reply me about this.

Many thanks,

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