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Australia vs England 3^rd Ashes Test

India vs South Africa

So, Australia comprehensively won back the Ashes and showed why the 2005 loss was a blip. And India, after a harrowing ODI series in South Africa, suddenly found their “Big 5” together again (Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Sehwag and Ganguly), and more importantly a bowling attack that made South Africa hop in their own backyard – all of which lead to an astonishing first-ever test win on South African soil.

India vs South Africa 1st Test
Australia vs England 3rd Test
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test

Two unbelievable performances in test matches in Australia and South Africa, with vastly varying results for the home teams. Australia, very overwhelmingly came close to winning the Ashes back as it pulverized an unimaginative England – with Gilchrist retaining his touch and blasting the second-fastest century of all time. And India, wonder of wonders, produced its greatest medium pace/ swing bowling performance abroad, as it blew away a dazed South Africa for 84. Both matches exemplified the irresistible drama of test cricket at its best.

I couldn’t agree more with Sanjay about the electronic eye aiding the umpire. There are too many bizarre arguments thrown up by traditionalists (and other kinds of people too) which quite simply don’t take the betterment of the game into account. One such reasoning is that part of the game’s charm is this variable of human error from the umpire. This is ridiculous, as it does not take into account the players’ careers that could be on the line, or the match that could be at a razor’s edge (like Strauss’ wicket today). It really is time to let scientific progress lead to attitudinal progress here.

Today’s Indian batting performance was a sure indicator of why Sehwag should be dropped over Tendulkar. Sehwag once again could barely survive whereas Tendulkar topscored with a battling performance and was out to a superb delivery from Kallis. Sehwag needs some time without the pressure of opening to work out the kinks in his game. I am not suggesting that he be dropped for an extended period of time, but just enough to sort his head out.

Ashes 3^rd Test, 1^st Day: Australia 244 all out; England 52-2 

Responding to Sanjay’s comments. Sehwag, despite his poor form off and on, has been so much of a comprehensive match-winner in the last few years, that he probably deserves a longer rope than Tendulkar. And Sehwag’s career has always been like this – he fails probably 8 times, succeeds 3 or 4 times, but those successes are so spectacular and so critical to India’s progress, that they justify his inclusion. Moreover, interestingly, his average usually doesn’t drop by much in those lean periods. In the last 6 test matches, which have generally constituted one of his leanest trots, he averages about 42, which is by no means poor.

I agree with Jaideep. On current form Irfan Pathan should be included in the team as a batsman-bowler, not the other way around. It opens up the options tremendously for picking bowlers. Zaheer Khan and VRV Singh are shoo-ins based on their performances and Sreesanth, despite his waywardness will come around.