Do you think Australia will repeat the heroics of 2004 ?

[Salamuddin]

Will they beat India in India in the upcoming 4 test series for the Border Gavaskar trophy ?

[Salamuddin]

India have looked vulnerable at home in recent seasons but beating them in a four test series as opposed to sharing the spoils will be tough.

Things were right for Australia in 2004:
1) They came to India with a very experienced bowling attack (McGrath, Gillespie, Kasper an Warne).
2) They won the toss in the first 3 matches and batted first.
3) They had better preparation than India....Australia had gone to Sri Lanka eralier and gained experience in the conditions there. India looked rusty leading into that series and never really fired.
4) And personally I think Australia were a bit lucky in Chennai - obviously everyone's gonna have their own views on this but I'd say if the rain hadn't interfered Australia probably would have found ourselves 50-100 runs short on that final day given the way that pitch was playing.
5) They had Gilchrist - he was instrumental in Australia winning at Bangalore and whatever Ian Chappell thinks I don't feel that Haddin will quite match what Gilchrist achieved
6) John Buchanan - he was a very smart tactician who understood what needed to be done in India. He had been there before and that helped.

The Aussie bowling attack in 2008 is not as strong as in 2004 - Clark and Lee are very good although neither have played a test in India - Johnson still has a lot to prove and the 4th bowler is a real weakness.
India's preparation could be better this time considering they've actually got a tough 3 test series in Sri lanka coming up whereas the Aussies have got a lot of time off after the caribbean tour ends.


The Aussie batting is still very strong (provided everyone is fit particularly Hayden who I think is key) and I expect them to win a test and probably even draw it. I'm not sure about winning it though....the Aussies will definitely need the right breaks in terms of the tosses so they 'll avoiding batting against Kumble last.


You suspect that India's Big 5 will be be very keyed up for this series though....its their last chance to win back the Border Gavaskar trophy before they retire. India's batting will be the key and if their batsmen fire I can't see them losing the series and they may very well end up winning it.

[honestbharani]

Originally Posted by Venter

India have looked vulnerable at home in recent seasons but beating them in a four test series as opposed to sharing the spoils will be tough.

Things were right for Australia in 2004:
1) They came to India with a very experienced bowling attack (McGrath, Gillespie, Kasper an Warne).
2) They won the toss in the first 3 matches and batted first.
3) They had better preparation than India....Australia had gone to Sri Lanka eralier and gained experience in the conditions there. India looked rusty leading into that series and never really fired.
4) And personally I think Australia were a bit lucky in Chennai - obviously everyone's gonna have their own views on this but I'd say if the rain hadn't interfered Australia probably would have found ourselves 50-100 runs short on that final day given the way that pitch was playing.
5) They had Gilchrist - he was instrumental in Australia winning at Bangalore and whatever Ian Chappell thinks I don't feel that Haddin will quite match what Gilchrist achieved
6) John Buchanan - he was a very smart tactician who understood what needed to be done in India. He had been there before and that helped.

The Aussie bowling attack in 2008 is not as strong as in 2004 - Clark and Lee are very good although neither have played a test in India - Johnson still has a lot to prove and the 4th bowler is a real weakness.
India's preparation could be better this time considering they've actually got a tough 3 test series in Sri lanka coming up whereas the Aussies have got a lot of time off after the caribbean tour ends.


The Aussie batting is still very strong (provided everyone is fit particularly Hayden who I think is key) and I expect them to win a test and probably even draw it. I'm not sure about winning it though....the Aussies will definitely need the right breaks in terms of the tosses so they 'll avoiding batting against Kumble last.


You suspect that India's Big 5 will be be very keyed up for this series though....its their last chance to win back the Border Gavaskar trophy before they retire. India's batting will be the key and if their batsmen fire I can't see them losing the series and they may very well end up winning it.

summed up excellently, I think.

[biased indian]

Originally Posted by jamesryfler

Will they beat India in India in the upcoming 4 test series for the Border Gavaskar trophy ?

there is less infighting in BCCI...so chances are kumble willl get the pitch he wants ..and australia with Mcgill as the best Spin bowlers might struggle if we put up spin wicket...but ya we would have to learn how to handle M clarke(sp) by then

[Jono]

Originally Posted by Venter

India have looked vulnerable at home in recent seasons but beating them in a four test series as opposed to sharing the spoils will be tough.

Things were right for Australia in 2004:
1) They came to India with a very experienced bowling attack (McGrath, Gillespie, Kasper an Warne).
2) They won the toss in the first 3 matches and batted first.
3) They had better preparation than India....Australia had gone to Sri Lanka eralier and gained experience in the conditions there. India looked rusty leading into that series and never really fired.
4) And personally I think Australia were a bit lucky in Chennai - obviously everyone's gonna have their own views on this but I'd say if the rain hadn't interfered Australia probably would have found ourselves 50-100 runs short on that final day given the way that pitch was playing.
5) They had Gilchrist - he was instrumental in Australia winning at Bangalore and whatever Ian Chappell thinks I don't feel that Haddin will quite match what Gilchrist achieved
6) John Buchanan - he was a very smart tactician who understood what needed to be done in India. He had been there before and that helped.

The Aussie bowling attack in 2008 is not as strong as in 2004 - Clark and Lee are very good although neither have played a test in India - Johnson still has a lot to prove and the 4th bowler is a real weakness.
India's preparation could be better this time considering they've actually got a tough 3 test series in Sri lanka coming up whereas the Aussies have got a lot of time off after the caribbean tour ends.


The Aussie batting is still very strong (provided everyone is fit particularly Hayden who I think is key) and I expect them to win a test and probably even draw it. I'm not sure about winning it though....the Aussies will definitely need the right breaks in terms of the tosses so they 'll avoiding batting against Kumble last.


You suspect that India's Big 5 will be be very keyed up for this series though....its their last chance to win back the Border Gavaskar trophy before they retire. India's batting will be the key and if their batsmen fire I can't see them losing the series and they may very well end up winning it.

Yeah great post.

I think an important point will also be how Hussey bats in India.

[howardj]

I think we will lose.

Badly.

[sanga1337]

No... I reckon it will be close but our bowlers, particularly our lack of a good spinner will hurt us.

[Son Of Coco]

We're not as strong in the bowling department as last time...I think we'll get done.

[iamdavid]

Yeah we'll loose, if India play nearly as well as they should.

The batting is not as strong as in 2004, Hayden as has already been said will be the key batsman and he'll be coming off a long layoff (if fit at all).
Ponting has a poor record in India and Hussey, Jaques, Haddin and Symonds have never played a test there.
Clarke and Katich were both good in 2004 so hopefully between them and Hayden we'll have something to fall back on with the bat.

The spin bowling will pretty obviously be our biggest hurdle, unless MacGill suddenly gets his act together....(...or Warnie comes back ... ) then we'll struggle a little in the field, I spose someone like a Dan Cullen or McGain could have a reasonable impact over there because the conditions will suit them, but still bowling spin to Tendulkar, Laxman, etc in their own backyard would be a pretty colosal challenge for those guys you'd think.

[Richard]

As already said by various parties, a good few things worked against India in 2004/05:

• Injuries caused big problems - Tendulkar missed the First and Second Tests, Ganguly the Third and Fourth, Pathan the Third and Fourth, Harbhajan Singh the Third. Australia missed just 1 player all series, Ponting for the First, Second and Third Tests. Plus Warne for the Fourth but the series was already in the bag by then.
• Rain probably snatched victory from them in the Second Test.
• The infighting resulting in that disgraceful pitch at Nagpur.
• The fact a substandard wicketkeeper-batsman was established in the team at the time.
• The unsettled opening pair.

Of these, with any luck only the last will present a problem this time.

Obviously as has also been pointed-out, Australia are far weaker than they were last time. Gillespie gone, McGrath gone, Warne gone, Kasprowicz gone, Lehmann gone, Martyn gone, Gilchrist gone (though this may not have much effect as Gilchrist never did much against India). If things go as expected, it'll be a maiden Test in India for Jaques, Hussey, Symonds, Haddin, Lee, Clark and MacGill. And almost certainly one other - Johnson if he does well in West Indies. There's also Clarke whose last Tests in India were his first, and Ponting who still hasn't had any success there. So interesting times await. In essence, it's only Hayden who will enter the tour with nothing bar team success to gain from it.

[Jono]

Yeah, Parthiv Patel should have been the one to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Gilly/Ponting I reckon.

One of the worst series with the gloves in history.

[iamdavid]

Originally Posted by Jono

Yeah, Parthiv Patel should have been the one to present the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Gilly/Ponting I reckon..

He probably would've dropped it

[Perm]

No I don't.

I'm expecting big things from India's veterans, and also think Dhoni will bash around some of the bowling dished up and establish himself as a world class Test wicketkeeper-batsman.

[NUFAN]

Yeah why not.

Everyone else is thinking we'll struggle, and it is going to be tough, but I am thinking that Ponting will dominate and will be seen as easily the best batsmen in the world.

Australia 2 - 1 for mine.

[BoyBrumby]

It's the non-England series I'm looking forward to most. I think Oz are definitely starting as second favourites, but I can't help but wonder if the exposure to Indian conditions a lot of their players have had in the IPL might stand them in better stead than otherwise would've been the case. I very much doubt whether he'll be a factor, but Marsh has been the batsman of the tournament & Watson (who could well be) quite possibly the player.

Lee, Hussey & Symonds went ok too before they were called to the colours in the caribbean.