November 6-10
Feroz Shah Kotla Ground Delhi
1st Inning West Indies 304 all out - Ojha 6 wkts for ~ 72, debutant Ashwin 3 for ~ 82
Shivnarain Chanderpaul ~118
India 2nd day at lunch 39 without loss
Sehwag nearly run out, then bowled off Edwards off no ball. Gambhir dropped at 3rd slip.
(My 1st thread start - so no criticisms on format will be entertained)
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
Enjoyed Sehwag's knock - so positive. Gambhir out to a freakish run out - straight drive tipped by bowler, then Sehwag out to brillliant stumping.
Poetic justice since both lived a charmed life.
1st time top 2 scorers in Test cricket together at the crease since 1912 it seems (Dravid/Tendulkar)
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
India was ~ 120 for 4 from 100 without loss. Tendulkar out for 7, Laxman almost got bowled, then was caught behind.
Nice counter-punching by Yuvraj - off the mark after 19 balls with a six. Then another 5. India 150 for 4 at Tea. Could be an interesting match.
Ball staying low - umpteen lbws in Windies 1st inning. Sachin out lbw.
Never understood the rule that if ball is pitched outside line of stumps (off or on), you cant be given out. Gambhir should have been out but for ball pirched a hair outside the leg stumps. Rule needs to be changed.
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
209 for 9 India
Where is Misbah when you need him?
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
India 209 all out 
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
Very surprised to see India bowled out in their own backyard by WI for 209!
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
Why is Yuvraj playing? Why not Kohli? He's done much better than Yuvraj recently to deserve the test call. He is clearly going to be part of the future test team.
Raina and Yuvraj should not be playing Tests. I hate this stupid mentality of "everyone must play everything".. Need to play Kohli/Pujara instead of Yuvraj/Raina.
Regarding 209... meh.. they are just getting warmed up :D
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
^agreed re: Kohli/Pujara - both should be in - Kohli brilliant fielder, great positive fearless attitude. Pujara nice technique also
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
Even though India ended up in deficit in 1st Inning, West Indies need lead of at least 350 by mid day (b/w lunch and tea) 4th day to force any favorable result.
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
^ Hope you are right - Windies 180 all out. India need 276 to win - 40 for no loss at Tea 3rd day. Could be an interesting last session.
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
This is going to be a comfortable win for India …Cheers !!
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
124/2
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
Glad to have Sehwag back. The revolutionizer of test opening! It makes a big difference to have a guy smack a rapidfire 50-60 regularly., Easy on the guys coming in.. and demoralizing for the bowlers..
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
For the 1st time saw what Sehwag can do in Test cricket. The guy was just amazingly calm and dispatched the balls not just to boundaries, but took singles with disdain - enjoyed it.
Dravid should have been given runout - nonchalantly running without bat grounded, batand feet in air as bails dislodged.
Tendulkar played very well under pressure. Both Dravid and SRT (esp latter) played with a straight bat, and made things look easy.
Gambhir played fluently.
Great to see spirit in which the game is being palyed.
Exchange between Sastry and Laxman Siva was entertaining - esp the one re: Hidwani replacing Siva in Chennai years ago - Laxman brought it up, and Sastry saying I had nothing to do with decision (Sastry was captain). Nice friendly banter
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
At lunch 4th day, India 254 for 4. Nice start to the day by Dravid and Tendulkar. Tendulkar out at 76. In the 1st ball of that over, he declined an easy single when he swept ball to fine leg. The commentator pointed out it was strange - an easy run to be had. Then 3 balls later, he went for a risky shot and was LBW. Looks like he wanted to get to his 100 badly enough to decline a single (and give Laxman 5 balls to face). That was disappointing - lending credence to the widely held belief he plays for records. Anyway, it was still a brialliant inning.
VVS at 45 not out.
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
India wins 1st Test - 279 for 5 chasing 276. Laxman 61 not out.
Highlight - one of Laxman's boundarires, there was a physically challenged person assigned as ballboy - went after the ball after it crossed the boundary on all fours - it was cool to watch. That person clearly was the most spirited person on the field!!
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
^ I haven't seen most of the action, but I think the physically challenged ballboy is a regular. I believe he is sponsored by some players to travel around India where matches are being held. You will see him often. Just like that guy with india flag painted all over his face and body.
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
Regarding Sachin's 100th 100, bhaar main jaye. Kab se ye bakvaas sun raha hoon.. Har match main.. wtF.. Ya.. it will be an awesome record that nobody will probably break... but why should other players go out of their way to help him get there?
The vibe of "Laxman should play slower so that SRT can get his 100" was definitely there in the game when they were batting together well closing in on the target.. was evident in some cricinfo comments too.
WHY???? Why shouldn't Laxman play his natural game, get a 50.. and try to get back into form for the rest of the series and upcoming tours???? Isn't that better for India? Is this Sachin's last game? He will get plenty of chances.. and the 100th 100 will happen eventually..
Re: India vs. West Indies - 1st Test
^ Absolutey 100% agreed. Laxman being the ultimate team guy was deferring to Sachin - the latter was playing some really uncharacteristic shots too. One was a croos bat shot which if he had missed he would have been LBW in this pitch where balls kept low. And he got out to trying a similar shot - out LBW. And he declined a single off the 1st ball of the over.
I am incllined to believe Sachin himself (not just the media hype) puts his stats ahead of the team. In this wicket, nothing could be taken for granted - but he appeared to be trying to step up the pace to get to his hundred.