Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

India have an interesting year ahead IMO. Of course, we should beat Bangladesh 2-0 (although weather may play spoilsport given the time of the year the series is scheduled in. After that, we play Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in August (the series was initially scheduled to be held in India in the 2015/16 season but has been shifted to SL as a part of the deal for them agreeing to come to India for the 5 ODIs last month). That could be a tricky series. Sri Lanka have, by far, the best spin attack in the world and our current batsmen aren't the greatest against spin as the likes of Moeen Ali and Nathan Lyon would testify. If Sanga doesn't retire from Tests, they'll still have more than a solid line up too.

The home series vs SA initially scheduled for Oct 2015 has apparently been shifted to March 2016 as per the new proposed FTP following the Big 3 takeover. Since both the home series scheduled during late 2015 have been either preponed (SL) or postponed (SA), there is a gap in our calendar during Oct-Nov, which the BCCI may fill by roping in another team (possibly NZ). After that, we are scheduled to tour Pak i.e. the UAE in Dec during Dec subject to Govt clearance.

Interesting times ahead.

Making_Splinters wrote:India are expected to win at home and lose to decent sides overseas. Seeing as they're only touring Bangladesh next year, they're unlikely to lose that. The South Africa tour will be tough, but if there's a side who are going to beat you at home it's the Saffers.

India again don't seem to have far to fall, a poor showing at the World Cup is unlikely.

India are touring Pakistan as well plus a home series against SA also an away tour to Sri lanka.
But england still have the toughest games this year and probably drop the most out of all the teams.

bhaveshgor wrote:

Making_Splinters wrote:India are expected to win at home and lose to decent sides overseas. Seeing as they're only touring Bangladesh next year, they're unlikely to lose that. The South Africa tour will be tough, but if there's a side who are going to beat you at home it's the Saffers.

India again don't seem to have far to fall, a poor showing at the World Cup is unlikely.

India are touring Pakistan as well plus a home series against SA also an away tour to Sri lanka.
But england still have the toughest games this year and probably drop the most out of all the teams.

The Sri Lanka series was originally a home series I believe, the FTP hadn't updated. Missed the UAE series, but India aren't really expected to win series against decent sides oveseas.

From this stage the series against Sri lanka and Pakistan are tough to call.
Bit silly to say india should expect to lose against Sri lanka/pakistan in Subcontinental conditions just because india are away from home.
India should honestly win all their test series next year with a par being one series loss or 2 drawn series or one loss and one drawn series.
Yes india are poor travellers away from home in alien conditions but then again all team apart from SA are the same.

From all the fixture next year England are the most likely to decline the most.

India have pretty much every test in subcontinental condition in the next 24 months so they really should be winning most of their games or series.

bhaveshgor wrote:From this stage the series against Sri lanka and Pakistan are tough to call.
Bit silly to say india should expect to lose against Sri lanka/pakistan in Subcontinental conditions just because india are away from home.
India should honestly win all their test series next year with a par being one series loss or 2 drawn series or one loss and one drawn series.
Yes india are poor travellers away from home in alien conditions but then again all team apart from SA are the same.

From all the fixture next year England are the most likely to decline the most.

India have pretty much every test in subcontinental condition in the next 24 months so they really should be winning most of their games or series.

India should win in Sri Lanka but based on Pakistan's performance this year it is hard to see India winning.

I said above that England are the side most likely to go downhill followed by New Zealand who have potentially difficult tours to England, South Africa and Australia.

India vs Sri lanka series will be a coin toss especially if it is over 2 or 3 test matches.
if Sangakkara is not there then india would have the better batting line up but Sri lanka would have the better spinners.

Also quite hard to read anything on Pakistan performance one minute their are brilliant and the next so crap also for some reason Pakistan always lose or struggle against Sri Lanka and for some reason Sri Lanka always struggle against India.

Eh? We haven't won a Test series in Sri Lanka since 1993. Are you getting confused with the ODIs? I really don't understand how India, the way we've been playing spin, are, in any way, favourites against Pak and SL, both strong sides in their own den (well, in Pakistan's case, in the UAE).

Didn't say their were favourites just said anyone could win it and If india want's to be a good side they really should be winning these test series and india should be looking to win all their series next year with anything more than one series loss being a failure in my eyes.
India really shouldn't lose to Sri lanka, Pakistan, South Africa in Subcontinental conditions can account for one loss but anything more than that and india would have had a bad year in my eyes.

NZ just had there best ever year, so you would think they have the best chance of doing worse.

West Indies current plight doesn't show any signs of resolving now that Gayle has publically criticised WICB for omitting Bravo and Pollard for the World Cup squad.

sri lanka will more than likely be losing jayawardena/dilshan and kumar sangakarra

there bowling is already terrible and it appears there batting is going to equal it

can see them vying with the windies as the worst proper team in international cricket

look like 31% of people were correct.
Surprised West Indies had 3 votes, how low could they drop from their positions, they could only really go in one direction.

it has only been 5 months into the year but England would surely win the title.

looks like 29% of the people were wrong, Actually thought more people voted for england but wasn't that high in the end.

Who voted Australia? Maybe if they lose to NZ, it'll be them.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:Who voted Australia? Maybe if they lose to NZ, it'll be them.

We have to beat Bangladesh first, and I can see us struggling there.