CrimsonAvenger wrote: ↑Tue Jan 09, 2018 3:24 am
It would have looked much worse if not for that Hardik Pandya counter-attack in the first innings. The Indian pace bowling department is probably at its best since the days of Srinath and Zaheer Khan. So, Getting 20 wickets was the only improvement over Zim's performance in my view.
Dhavan and Rohit Sharma aren't test players by any stretch of imagination. It's a disgrace. The Kohli-Shastri (basically the yes-man) brigade have become blinded by their preferred combo. Rahul and Rahane have significantly better overseas records (better than everyone else in the squad in fact) but got benched.
And Kohli himself hasn't done very well overseas, except for that one series in Australia. they are in for a yearlong pain unless they rethink their strategies and swallow the humble pie. Unfortunately, this is where Kumble would have added immense value. But that is water under the bridge now.
Well India ran the Saffers kind of close. 70 runs isn't close but its not a blow out either. At any rate, people have said that DN Tests are like a different format almost. I like the idea, makes things more interesting so long as the bulk of Tests are played in the traditional format.
Its absolutely ridiculous to think that Rahane was dropped given his record. Idiotic move. I was dead against Pandya and Bumrah getting picked, but they ended up doing well. I still think it was probably due to the pitch more so than bowling skill. If it was skill it would mean that Bumrah and Pandya are better than Shami, Umesh, Ishant, and as good as Bhuvi.