[karanddd]

Originally Posted by harry10

I will agree with you on BCCI not managing the playing schedule well. That's a real concern. They shouldn't have conducted IPL so near to World cup.

However, Morgan isn't a test player and is never selected for it. Same goes for Finch and Maxwell now. Buttler didn't play IPL cos of a new born in family. Warner was woefully out of form in IPL and that's why SRH benched him.

Ben stokes could take a break cos he knows he is a 100% walk in back into the team whenever he wants. We didn't had a replacement for Hardik that's why he keeps getting selected, if Venky Iyer clicks or someone else then even Hardik won't get his place back easily.

I don't disagree about any of this, my point was only that the guys doing well for Australia and England in white ball cricket are more or less white ball specialists and don't overextend themselves with Test commitments. The Indian squad expected to perform in white ball tournaments has a far greater overlap with the Test squad. I think the lesson here is to have significantly different squads (and captains) for different formats, and looks like that's going to happen from here on out. England were just quicker to this realisation and have a far better white ball program as a result.

When I say BCCI sacrificed the last Test in England, I don't mean to suggest that the player concerns were overblown. They were completely legitimate. But in another world where there was a month long gap between the tests and the world cup, there would be a chance to monitor the situation and play the Test at a later date. It's the rescheduled IPL that prevented that from happening. And I suspect that this had an adverse psychological impact on the Indian side. They played so hard and achieved something historic in the Tests in England, only to have to wrap up prematurely at the end. Where they should have been lauded for their performances, they were denied the satisfaction of an uncontroversial series win and instead, amidst criticism, rushed to play the IPL. That, to me, is mismanagement.

England players besides Stokes have also asked for breaks and taken them. Buttler et al didn't come for the second leg of the IPL. Whether it's their board, themselves, or the culture around sport, there's something that allows them to take rest and recuperate, in a way that Indian players cannot. And no matter how well they're paid, this kind of punishing schedule will result in poor outcomes.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by karanddd

I think the lesson here is to have significantly different squads (and captains) for different formats, and looks like that's going to happen from here on out. England were just quicker to this realisation and have a far better white ball program as a result.

India needs a pool of 30 players with backups for each & every role! This bubble life i guess will continue for another 2yrs. Our selection is sometimes shoddy & most times inconsistent. Many were critical of England sending back in-form players back home from the India Test Series, but look now they have reaped the benefits of it.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by karanddd

I don't disagree about any of this, my point was only that the guys doing well for Australia and England in white ball cricket are more or less white ball specialists and don't overextend themselves with Test commitments. The Indian squad expected to perform in white ball tournaments has a far greater overlap with the Test squad. I think the lesson here is to have significantly different squads (and captains) for different formats, and looks like that's going to happen from here on out. England were just quicker to this realisation and have a far better white ball program as a result.

When I say BCCI sacrificed the last Test in England, I don't mean to suggest that the player concerns were overblown. They were completely legitimate. But in another world where there was a month long gap between the tests and the world cup, there would be a chance to monitor the situation and play the Test at a later date. It's the rescheduled IPL that prevented that from happening. And I suspect that this had an adverse psychological impact on the Indian side. They played so hard and achieved something historic in the Tests in England, only to have to wrap up prematurely at the end. Where they should have been lauded for their performances, they were denied the satisfaction of an uncontroversial series win and instead, amidst criticism, rushed to play the IPL. That, to me, is mismanagement.

England players besides Stokes have also asked for breaks and taken them. Buttler et al didn't come for the second leg of the IPL. Whether it's their board, themselves, or the culture around sport, there's something that allows them to take rest and recuperate, in a way that Indian players cannot. And no matter how well they're paid, this kind of punishing schedule will result in poor outcomes.

If you remember Indian team was chilling for a month in England and BCCI had asked ECB to move the test series in that month so there can be gap between tests and IPL. But, ECB wanted to host 'The Hundred' in that window and so they didn't agreed. Every board will do what's financially good for them. None of the boards are saints. ECB didn't put everyone in a bubble and were quite comfortable in everyone roaming around. So, a Covid break was inevitable. It came in last test, it could have come in first test itself and whole tour would have been cancelled.

We need 2 seperate teams and probably captains for white ball and red ball. Captaincy is already done. But, will BCCI let Kohli and Rohit rest from white ball or red ball? Don't see it happening because in cricket, Indian players brings the money.

When Kohli opted out of last 3 tests in Australia last year, the Australian broadcasters were really unhappy as Kohli draws in the viewership and rate of advertisement goes up. Same is happening this world cup. India's exit meant loss of interest by huge population and that meant loss of advertisement rates for broadcasters. Any other country and their players don't have this kind of pressure.

Also, England, Australia don't have so much upcoming talent or people queuing in to replace. They will find it extremely tough to find a replacement for Buttler or Bairstow in white ball. They are playing Bairstow and Buttler in test team when even after so many tests they are a failure because there arent many options. Where as in India there are so many players ready to replace anyone. Rest Kohli, Shreyas will play. Gaikwad, Gill, Devdutt padikkal, Mayank Agarwal, talent is endless waiting for opportunity. That's why no one opts to take a break. Look at Pant. Playing non stop since Australia last year and he didn't take the break cos he knows there is an Ishan Kishan waiting with a Sanju Samson close by. Insecurity is a big factor now.

Hopefully this world cup debacle will make BCCI look at specialist for both white and red ball game.

[harry10]

What a win.

Innings of his life by Mitchell.

Neesham is such a majestic allrounder. Match changing cameo.

NZ deserved this after that heartbreak in 2019.

[AtheK]

Great performance by New Zealand, kept cool and pulled off a heist.

But, the thing is, win toss win match.

[jkrishnakj]

And what a semi-final it was. Despite being pushed back when they started batting, NZ somehow were playing with a lot of confidence and appeared that they were reading the game very well, especially when Daryl and Conway were nudging and prodding around.

Great hitting by Neesham changed the course, followed by Daryl who let himself loose towards the end. Lovely match. Very competitive. Well done black caps.

[vibbs]

What a match. I thought England were favourites. But what an innings by Mitchel. He was not at all middling when he started the innings. But held on to play the innings of his life!

[NPV]

Lovely game, New Zealand are great fighters as always.

I did get the feeling that 166 was about 15 runs short of a winning total but it was still a fighting score and the way England bowled the first few overs, they made that total look mammoth. No one would have given New Zealand a chance the way they were batting in the middle overs. New Zealand were struggling at 14-2 having lost Guptill and their mainstay Williamson but still Conway and Mitchell slowly but surely got them back into the game by keeping wickets intact. Clearly they seemed to have a plan of getting to the situation of 50-60 runs from the last 5. All it needed was one or two big overs and Neesham did that against Jordan.

It's a mind game too - New Zealand keep giving the opposition the feeling that they're struggling and not scoring much but in reality they're chipping away with ones and twos and the odd boundary or six and then they get one or two big overs to get really close to finishing the game

Let's see if history plays any role in the second semi final - big game/knockout chokers Pak Vs Aussies who are good when it comes to the big games.

NZ Vs Pak final is also possible now!

[NPV]

Pakistan jinxed even before the Semi final game begins later today ?
Rizwan and Shoaib down with flu but tested negative for Covid.

[PPS]

NZ needed some 57 runs in last 4 overs & they won with 1 over to spare. Absolutely incredible! Major part of their innings was a mini snooze fest & I never thought they would come close forget winning but they kept chipping away & finally woke up when Neesham came in.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by NPV

Pakistan jinxed even before the Semi final game begins later today ?
Rizwan and Shoaib down with flu but tested negative for Covid.

Both passed the fitness test and were declared fit to play today, so I guess the same unchanged playing XI today as well ? This may be some sort of record if the same team plays their sixth consecutive game in the tournament!

[vibbs]

I guess we have another cracker of a match at hand.

What splendid batting by Pakistan towards the end.

Lets see what Australia manage in reply.

Shaheen Shah Afridi is breathing fire!

It's almost impossible for right handers to play him!

[AtheK]

Shaheen Shah tonked all over the park, dew doused the fire.

Win toss, win match

[mazda4life]

what an innings from Mathew Wade, Australia through to the T20 finals

[vibbs]

Wow!!!

Two absolutely stonking matches.

What a match. What an innings. And what an anti climax for Shaheen Shah Afridi.