South Africa Thrash India by an Innings
By ICF Staff April 5 2008
India's South African coach Gary Kirsten looked on as his former teammates whipped his side by an innings and 90 runs to go up 1-0, one of the worst-ever losses in history for India in their own backyard. Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Dhoni were the lone defenders as India spiralled inexorably towards defeat.
India's South African coach Gary Kirsten looked on as his former teammates whipped his side by an innings and 90 runs to go up 1-0, one of the worst-ever losses in history for India in their own backyard. Sourav Ganguly and Mahendra Dhoni were the lone defenders as India spiralled inexorably towards defeat.
Gary Kirsten would do well to reflect on India's performance in this series.
Ever since the exit of controversial Greg Chappel, India had performed admirably with the help of specialist coaches and managers, the captain and seniors ruling the roost.
With the ruinous decision of batting first on a rare greentop in India having undone them, and South Africa heaping insult on injury with a massive lead in the first innings, they were on the backfoot all the way in the second innings.
For all that, the magnitude of the defeat, the worst in 50 years for India in India, was nevertheless a stinging slap in the face.
The top order -- Jaffer, Sehwag, Dravid and Laxman -- perished cheaply in both innings. Sourav Ganguly fought valiantly in the second, and his 87 would be a century if not for a poor caught-behind decision by umpire Hill, who was convinced by the South Africans that the noise of the ball hitting the ground was a nick. However it wouldn't have mattered, as nobody else was up for the fight.
Dhoni played a doughty innings that would have done Dravid proud, digging in for a slow 50 despite a dropped catch and a missed stumping. He allowed Ganguly to do most of the scoring, and his demeanour showed little of the man who shot to fame on the strength of explosive shotmaking.
Sachin Tendulkar was missing due to injury, but surely that cannot be an excuse. Nor can the pitch, because the South African seamers used it far better than Sreesanth, RP Singh and Pathan could. However it goes without saying that they would have appreciated first use of the greentop, which Kumble bafflingly gifted to the Saffies.
Irfan Pathan, unbeaten in both innings with a 21 and 43 respectively, showed the batsmen that there was no devil in the pitch. It was all in their minds.
As both teams move on to Kanpur for the third and last Test, the futures of both Anil Kumble and Gary Kirsten should be considered carefully by the selectors.
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Re: South Africa Thrash India by an Innings
Posted by: Rawalpindi Express (IP Logged)
Date: 05/04/2008 14:00
When Gangu score...india get trash..
Re: South Africa Thrash India by an Innings
Posted by: dog_ (IP Logged)
Date: 05/04/2008 14:48
Fantastic piece of satire.
Using the picture of Kirsten evidencing his showing exactly the kind of grit and determination that Indian batsman didn't is a stroke of genius.
Using the picture of Kirsten evidencing his showing exactly the kind of grit and determination that Indian batsman didn't is a stroke of genius.
Re: South Africa Thrash India by an Innings
Posted by: Anil (IP Logged)
Date: 05/04/2008 16:16
Dog: While Kirsten cannot be absolved of all blame, you are perhaps reading more into that picture than was intended.
It shows him with a black eye, reflective of his debut series, the most comfortable possible, playing the spin-phobic Saffies at home (rather than the Aussies in Oz which he avoided) and having one of the worst defeats ever inflicted upon India in India.
In a million years, such a result could not have been anticipated against the South Africans in India.
Ironically, Kirsten refused to take charge of India when they were playing in Australia, where they did so well that had he agreed to be coach, a large percentage of the Indian media would be falling over themselves trying to give him credit!
As a top member of team management who has had input into all of the important decisions, he has no choice but to cop some of the blame. He certainly would have stood up to take some of the credit, had the result been the opposite.
It shows him with a black eye, reflective of his debut series, the most comfortable possible, playing the spin-phobic Saffies at home (rather than the Aussies in Oz which he avoided) and having one of the worst defeats ever inflicted upon India in India.
In a million years, such a result could not have been anticipated against the South Africans in India.
Ironically, Kirsten refused to take charge of India when they were playing in Australia, where they did so well that had he agreed to be coach, a large percentage of the Indian media would be falling over themselves trying to give him credit!
As a top member of team management who has had input into all of the important decisions, he has no choice but to cop some of the blame. He certainly would have stood up to take some of the credit, had the result been the opposite.
Re: South Africa Thrash India by an Innings
Posted by: dog_ (IP Logged)
Date: 06/04/2008 07:07
Quote:Why not? It's the second time we've beaten you by an innings and plenty in India in the last ten years.In a million years, such a result could not have been anticipated against the South Africans in India.
Re: South Africa Thrash India by an Innings
Posted by: Anil (IP Logged)
Date: 06/04/2008 17:09
hmm I didn't remember an innings defeat in 2000 in Bangalore.
Wasn't that during the height of match-fixing when Hansie Cronje was leading South Africa and did all the things that got him ousted from cricket?
Somehow that series has faded from memory due to association due to the specter of fixing. It was an ugly time for cricket.
I believe there were all sorts of team issues, which paved the path for the entry of Ganguly as captain.
Wasn't that during the height of match-fixing when Hansie Cronje was leading South Africa and did all the things that got him ousted from cricket?
Somehow that series has faded from memory due to association due to the specter of fixing. It was an ugly time for cricket.
I believe there were all sorts of team issues, which paved the path for the entry of Ganguly as captain.
Re: South Africa Thrash India by an Innings
Posted by: dog_ (IP Logged)
Date: 06/04/2008 17:20
You think Cronje took bribes to WIN matches?
Looking at the Indian bastmen who failed in both innings in that Bangalore match, I hope they aren't match fixers given that they're all still in your current squad.
Looking at the Indian bastmen who failed in both innings in that Bangalore match, I hope they aren't match fixers given that they're all still in your current squad.
Re: South Africa Thrash India by an Innings
Posted by: thirdman (IP Logged)
Date: 06/04/2008 17:42
On the positive side:
[1] The wicket was as sporting as they get-helping pace bowlers in India. It was a result oriented wicket - a rarity in the subcontinent. Indians are petrified at the sight of grass on the wicket-especially at home. Proven.
[2] Highlights the total inadequacy of FTB's to handle batting on anything other than patta wickets like Chennai like Wussim Jafeer - and the need to bring Gautam & Rohit into the team
On the negative:
[1] Kumble put the fear of God into his team with his cowardly comments about the grass on the wicket - and his team took the cue and capitualted at 76 a.o.
[2] Dravid is finished. This gem of a player has become a shadow of his former self, utterly paralyzed & a stokeless wonder at the crease.
[1] The wicket was as sporting as they get-helping pace bowlers in India. It was a result oriented wicket - a rarity in the subcontinent. Indians are petrified at the sight of grass on the wicket-especially at home. Proven.
[2] Highlights the total inadequacy of FTB's to handle batting on anything other than patta wickets like Chennai like Wussim Jafeer - and the need to bring Gautam & Rohit into the team
On the negative:
[1] Kumble put the fear of God into his team with his cowardly comments about the grass on the wicket - and his team took the cue and capitualted at 76 a.o.
[2] Dravid is finished. This gem of a player has become a shadow of his former self, utterly paralyzed & a stokeless wonder at the crease.
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