England Tour Of India Michel Vaughan Comments

Vaughan predicts a 4-0 whitewash

AP A file photo of Michael Vaughan.

 

After Ian Botham had predicted a 4-0 whitewash of the India team in the ongoing four-match Test series against England, another ex-skipper, Michael Vaughan on Monday anticipated a similar scoreline.

“4-0 England in the Test series. Zaheer coming back was India’s only hope. Big loss for them. Sorry to all my new-found Indian followers,” Vaughan tweeted.

Vaughan said that without bowling spearhead Zaheer, it will be impossible for India to take 20 English wickets.

“Indian fans seem to be very blinkered. Just accept that without Zaheer, you will struggle to get 20 wickets in English conditions,” he wrote.

England lead the four-match series 2-0 and a win in the third Test at Edgbaston will make them the No. 1 Test side in the world.

Blaming the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Indian team’s disastrous show in England so far, Vaughan tweeted: “I think the IPL will be a long-term problem for the Indian Test team. Young players will focus towards T20 cricket rather than Test.”

Another former England skipper Alec Stewart joined the chorus, saying only a miracle can save India now.

“No Zaheer Khan spells more trouble for India. Do the fantastic loyal Indian fans seriously believe they can draw the series?,” asked Stewart in his twitter account.

Cricinfo England Tour Of India 3rd test Training Session

A pitiful state of affairs before the third Test

AFP THORNY ISSUES: M.S. Dhoni's lack of runs and Suresh Raina's continued susceptibility to the short-pitched ball are a cause of concern for the struggling Indian team already hampered by injury-related withdrawals.

 

India has plenty to do in the remaining two training sessions

What is India's state of affairs before the third Test? Just what does one make of its performance in the two-day practice match here at the County Ground?

Defeats in tour games are rare. Matches played over three days seldom accommodate results; there is also often a misplaced generosity to these games — it isn't so much a competitive pursuit as a communal activity. Both sides benefit. The touring side gets to log game time. The host gets what's known in show business as the rub.

Some countries, and some teams within these countries, treat practice games seriously, as a means of hurting the touring party. But such tripwires are strung infrequently across a tourist's path.

Northamptonshire certainly didn't do it. The side was keen to do well and get noticed, but not so keen that it risked its first-team players when a second-division county championship (and promotion) was to be gained.

India was trapped to some extent by the format, which condensed the game into a one-inning shootout. Coach Duncan Fletcher didn't seem happy about it — India had a lot more to lose than Northamptonshire, and besides, it couldn't control the practice game as it wanted to get the most out of it. But one would expect a professional cricket team, certainly one that's ranked No.1, to handle such things. 

Embarrassing defeat

While the defeat (on first-innings) was embarrassing what will have bothered India more was the match's unprofitability. There wasn't a resolution to any of the worries that had consumed the team after the first two Tests. The match-fitness of Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan; the form of M.S. Dhoni; the ability of Suresh Raina against the short ball; the problem of the spinner: there were no clear answers from the game.

The state of general uncertainty played a part in the surprising inclusion of Rahul Dravid in the limited-overs side, and his subsequent announcement that he would retire from the shorter forms of international cricket after the England series. A side in trouble sends out panic signals; it's another matter that any signals they send are seen as panic.

Of all India's unresolved matters, Zaheer's was the thorniest before the announcement of his withdrawal. Unfortunate as it is, at least there's closure.

Sehwag appears a lesser risk to take. He has shown no signs of discomfort when batting, but he has batted for no more than half an hour at one go. Although the shoulder doesn't bear as much load as the hamstring, there are still risks involved. Dragging the bat into the crease when running is just one of them, for the bat can stick in the ground and jar.

Still, batsmen are better placed than bowlers to operate despite injury (should such an emergency occur). And Sehwag offers so much — just an hour of him can prove defining.

Real concern

Dhoni's lack of runs is a real concern. England, as Graeme Swann said before the first Test, was looking to target the Indian captain. He has had a wretched time of it. He rarely gives anything away, his body language is always of a man in control, but he hasn't been untouched by his failures.

Dhoni got a difficult delivery here; he wasn't allowed to find any rhythm. He has been doing remedial work in the nets, and perhaps the break from captaincy and keeping against Northamptonshire will have allowed him just the mental relaxation needed.

Raina looked to have sorted out his back-foot game against the West Indies. But he was curiously indecisive at Trent Bridge, caught between jumpy defence and imprecisely controlled attack. The problem continued here against Northamptonshire.

For a batsman there's nothing as poisonous as the dark ferment of doubt. Like his captain, Raina will have to find a solution quickly.

Amit Mishra batted spiritedly, but his bowling didn't argue an unbeatable case. The familiar debate — his wicket-taking potential versus Pragyan Ojha's control — will begin all over again. Dhoni appears to prefer Ojha's tightness, but the left-arm spinner will have only just arrived in the country.

Although the spinner chosen hasn't a tough act to follow — Harbhajan Singh has been underwhelming — the role's import hasn't reduced.

There are other issues to address as well. The out-cricket, never one of India's strengths, has been particularly bad. Small things like the slips, especially second and third, standing too close together need fixing — plenty to do in the two training sessions before the third Test in Birmingham.

England Tour Of India 3rd test Cric News

Zaheer ruled out; R.P. Singh recalled

The Hindu Medium pacer R.P. Singh has been called to replace Zaheer Khan (in picture) in the Test, ODI and the Twenty20 squads. Photo: G.P. Sampath Kumar

 

India's ambitious designs of making a comeback from 0-2 down in the four-Test series against England suffered a setback with the news that its spearhead Zaheer Khan will miss the remainder of the tour.

The injured left-armer faces 14 to 16 weeks of rehabilitation, the BCCI said in a release, and will be replaced in the squad by R.P. Singh, who last played a Test in April 2008.

Zaheer strained his hamstring on the first day of the first Test at Lord's. According to the BCCI, the 32-year-old is suffering from a right ankle impingement in addition to a recurrent right hamstring strain.

Zaheer will undergo ankle surgery before an intensive rehabilitation programme for both the hamstring and the ankle.

History of injuries

Zaheer, like several fast bowlers, has had a history of injuries. But in recent years he had developed an understanding of just what his body needed. His ability to manage his body through various niggles was instrumental in his becoming India's most vital bowling performer, both home and away.

But the ankle problem, for which he has now decided to go under the knife, prevented him from touring the West Indies and from maintaining optimal fitness. When he arrived in England, he looked less than match-fit. As is often the case with leg injuries, one leads to another because the body is trying to bear weight differently.

After walking off the field in the first Test, he has attempted to nurse his body back into bowling health. He had light training sessions, and the practice match against Northamptonshire here was seen as a test of his fitness.

He bowled three overs off a full run-up before returning to the dressing-room.

Zaheer's departure leaves the attack without its bowling leader. R.P. Singh's strike-rate of 58.2 and average of 39.10 capture his qualities as a bowler: a left-armer who can produce magic balls, but can leak runs in between.

Sreesanth is similar. In both cases, their fuller length, which allows them to swing the ball, makes them easier to score runs off if there's no movement. R.P. Singh shone here in England in 2007 and bowled magnificently in the victory against Australia in 2008. But the 25-year-old went wicket-less in the home series against South Africa in 2008 and hasn't played for India since.

Zaheer is the third cricketer — after Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh — to leave the squad because of injury. He will be missed the most.

England Tour Of India 3rd test News

Indians take on Northamptonshire in two-day game

The Hindu ALL SET: Virender Sehwag's surgically-repaired shoulder did not seem to trouble him at the nets on Thursday, but his match-fitness needs to be tested. File photo

 

Sehwag finds rhythm in practice; there is no official word about the format of the match

A little over three years ago — which, incidentally, was the last time India lost two successive Tests in a series — a besieged team travelled to Canberra.

That it turned up at all was major news: the tour of Australia was in danger, and the local journalists that had gathered were the serious sort that thought nothing of wearing their finest suits and hopping onto the Prime Minister's airplane. But despite the weight of the situation, India found release during the practice match and later went on to register a famous win at Perth.

“Going to Canberra was a good thing for us,” Anil Kumble, the then captain, said later. “It was a good opportunity to get away from the real pressures of a Test match. We focused all our efforts on the game. We needed to think positively and the kind of bonding we had was special.”

Same situation

India finds itself in not dissimilar circumstances — and at a ground Kumble knows rather well, having played for Northamptonshire in 1995 and topped the county season's bowling charts with 105 wickets. Sure, the series isn't as embittered — although it had a chance to be — but India's need for succour is just as desperate.

Virender Sehwag is a good man to welcome back in times like these. He made a 78-ball 113 in the game at Canberra and returned to the side at Perth after missing the first two Tests. He said after the innings that he got “everything back” — a statement that showed just how important lowly practice matches in the middle of a tour can sometimes be.

Steady drizzle

Sehwag had his first session of the tour on Thursday morning after arriving in England on Wednesday.

The Indians were forced indoors by a steady drizzle, and Sehwag made a dramatic entrance, parting the curtains to enter the fast-bowlers' area, separated from the adjoining synthetic wickets by what seemed like sheets of gauze.

Sehwag settled quickly. Although he was initially late on a couple of cuts — the bowlers were delivering from 18 yards — he soon found better rhythm.

He appeared to be picking up both the length and the swing early. He then switched to facing throw-downs. Short balls were interspersed with half-volleys to ensure the batsman's balance was right.

The vital signs were good: Sehwag looks batting-ready, the surgically-repaired shoulder doesn't seem to be troubling him, but his match-fitness needs testing.

Gautam Gambhir, who missed the second Test with a bruised elbow, looked ready as well. He bantered with Sehwag before requesting, as he usually does, for another batch of throw-downs. Also asking for a second set was M.S. Dhoni, who hardly laid a bat on one during his time with the fast-bowlers; he left many, but played and missed a fair few.

Zaheer Khan, another Indian cricketer over whom looms the cloud of injury, looked the closest he has to his usual bowling self since leaving the field at Lord's. It is learnt that he could test his fitness in the two-day match starting Friday, perhaps trying two spells of four overs each to see how he handles both the workload and returning for a spell.

The others at Thursday's optional session were Sachin Tendulkar, who worked with a tennis ball thrown from a spoon-like contraption that whips through, Suresh Raina, Praveen Kumar, who tried a few in-swingers from four steps, Amit Mishra, and Wriddhiman Saha. Munaf Patel and V.V.S. Laxman were at the ground, but not at nets.

Seam-friendly track

The pitch here is expected to be seam-friendly and the opposition, Northamptonshire, currently leads the second division championship.

No one is certain who the county will field, but it has among its ranks, former international cricketers in Andrew Hall and Chaminda Vaas, and current ones in South African off-spinner Johan Botha and Ireland wicketkeeper-batsman Niall O'Brien.

Critical question

The critical question for India is: who'll bowl? Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar have done enough for four men.

With Pragyan Ojha yet to arrive (on Thursday), the only other specialist bowlers in the squad are Sreesanth, Munaf, and Mishra.

Another unknown is the format. There was no official word, but the speculation is that it will be a two-innings 96-overs-a-side match.

Coach Duncan Fletcher was seen having an animated discussion with bowling coach Eric Simons during practice about the format; he appeared not to be happy about it.

The squads (from):

Northamptonshire: Andrew Hall (capt.), Niall O'Brien (wk), Gavin Baker, Johan Botha, Tom Brett, Jack Brooks, Lee Daggett, Luke Evans, Ben Howgego, Mal Loye, David Lucas, James Middlebrook, David Murphy, Rob Newton, Stephen Peters, David Sales, Chaminda Vaas, Alex Wakely, Rob White, and David Willey

Indians: M.S. Dhoni (capt.), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir (vice-capt.), Abhinav Mukund, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Suresh Raina, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Amit Mishra, and Wriddhiman Saha.

Dravid enjoys touring England

He puts his hand up in troubled times

AP ADAPTABLE: The impressive facet of Dravid's batting in the two Tests in England was the strokeplay. He's taken a few risks, staying beside the line more often than is customary for him, to harness the ball's pace.

 

Dravid enjoys touring England — his understated manner blends right in

Rahul Dravid enjoys touring England — his understated, self-deprecatory manner blends right in — but he'd have liked a less exacting time of it, at 38.

Thus far, he has been asked to keep wicket, open the innings, and face the press after the Ian Bell incident. None of these is pleasant; the risk far outweighs the reward. But it seems the only time Dravid calculates equations of risk and reward is when he subjects deliveries to austere scrutiny — during the actual act of batting.

Every time something not entirely pleasant needs doing, Dravid, to borrow one of his pet phrases, “puts his hand up”. Many great cricketers have held the view that what's good for them is good for the team; but Dravid — like V.V.S. Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, and Anil Kumble — has worn his greatness selflessly.

There's a reason middle-order batsmen, however good their technique, are loath to open. They aren't used to its many intangible demands.

There's a subtle difference between walking out at once and batting one-drop, even if you're in second ball.

“I have grown up, a middle-order batsman,” said Dravid, explaining it. “All my routines have been set for so many years. One of the things I find is when there is a 10-minute period, I am rushed. At one-down, sometimes I could be in after the first ball, but I would have had some breathing space, maybe 15-20 minutes.”

At least at Trent Bridge, unlike at Lord's, Dravid knew before the Test that he had to open. He could prepare accordingly. Once he had dealt with the particulars of opening, of stilling the rush, he could trust his natural game. It's a style fashioned from patience.

“I have been lucky with my temperament when it comes to batting,” he said. “I recognise I have to bat for a long time to score runs. I can't score boundaries like Sehwag, Sachin or Laxman. Over the years I have practised it. Every time I do it, I get better at it.”

Tight technique

The key to batting time is tight defensive technique — which, however, is nothing without the ability to leave the ball. It's this ability that has so despaired England's bowlers, who have confessed they are sick of bowling to him.

Important art

“When you come to England you know that leaving the ball is an important art,” said Dravid. “Standing in the slips, I have watched English players bat on their wickets and seen what kinds of length they leave. Then you obviously have to practise it in the nets. When you are in form and playing well, your judgement is better and confident.”

Not that he hasn't played and missed or nicked behind. He has had the fortune needed to survive, but more often than not he has allowed dangerous deliveries to spend their spite; he hasn't involved himself in the transaction.

The other impressive facet of Dravid's batting in the two Tests was the strokeplay. During his incredible run between 2000 and 2006, when he averaged nearly 62 in 72 Tests, he was denying himself less; he scored more than half his career's fours and 10 of the 19 sixes in this time. He's taken a few more risks here in England, staying beside the line more often than is customary for him, to harness the ball's pace.

A lot of it has to do with the ball staying harder for longer on the lush grounds here and bouncing higher from the pitches: it opens up Dravid's back-foot game, which has more scoring strokes — the cut, the pull, which he doesn't bring out as often these days, the flick off the hip, and the steer, which he's used to great effect here.

Boundary-hitting in India, especially when the ball softens, demands a rapid acceleration of the hands through the ball, not his strongest quality.

What will satisfy Dravid and his fans the most about the two centuries is the context: they've come against a disciplined, hostile, penetrative attack in difficult conditions. In the dark days of 2007 and 2008 (1411 run from 25 Tests at 32), such innings were rare. His subsequent renaissance was largely against lesser attacks. The centuries here brought to mind Dravid in his diligent pomp.

“I have had really high moments but also some lows, during which I have doubted myself,” said Dravid. “But I love batting. That's something that has never gone away from me. I could always find joy in going to the nets and batting. A lot of Test cricket is about balancing your emotions. Once you leave after the day's play at 7, it's how you take cricket away from your mind. Over the years I have got better at that.”

Discordant note

The lone discordant note is defeat: only one of Dravid's 32 centuries before this tour had come in a losing cause; it's now three of 34. He'll be doing everything in his power to ensure it doesn't happen again. But he'll only get by with a little help from his friends.