***Official*** Australia in India 2012/13

[Prince EWS]

Any good reason why O'Keefe wasn't selected?

Nope.

 

[uvelocity]

well, guess I'd better be hanging myself then

this wouldn't happen if warnie was running australian cricket

and the worst we can hope for is if warner actually does miss. imagine if he missed and clarke died

 

[Cevno]

India's chance in this series: Get two of Doherty, Smith and Maxwell in the team.

A 10 man England was able to beat India, but not sure a 9 man Australia can. They possibly can, but Jeez they're making it hard for themselves by choosing these names.

Need to give suitable instructions to the players in the warmup matches.

 

[Jono]

well, guess I'd better be hanging myself then

this wouldn't happen if warnie was running australian cricket

and the worst we can hope for is if warner actually does miss. imagine if he missed and clarke died

Sheer randomness of that made me laugh

 

[Spikey]

Well a seaming allrounder really shouldn't be needed. I just don't foresee a situation where picking Henriques would make any sense at all, and that the selectors do (hopefully it doesn't mean Doherty and Lyon both playing..) worries me no end.

I don't think the situation where Doherty and Lyon plays is, sadly, that unlikely. I think it's something you had to consider when picking the squad.

I also have no idea why Smith is actually in the squad. I don't have an irrational hatred of Steve Smith like a lot of the Australian public do, but he's just taken a big long break from bowling in order to start from scratch over the winter and build it back up. So we're interrupting that to take him to India as an allrounder, backup to another player who might not even be in the starting eleven anyway, even though he hasn't actually been bowling. Or is he just straight up in the side as a specialist #6 batting option, ahead of Bailey, Doolan etc?

it's that. for whatever reason, they've totally gone off bailey (see: aus a game) so that's the obvious candidate out of the way, so doolan, smith etc. that smith hasn't gone through a massive form slump in the last 2 years and been dropped has undoubtedly helped him. but i think it's mainly playing spin bowling. i just don't see the reserve batsman playing unless we have major issues against spin bowling, so it makes sense to pick your reserve batsman - which is a pretty deadbeat group btw - based on playing spin bowling. smith being ahead of doolan based on playing spin isn't that weird is it

 

[Burgey]

Doherty is a better pick than Maxwell surely?

Well I think so, but that's not necessarily saying much. If we're stuck with that choice I'd go Doherty. It isn't like the two offies we have are Murali and Laker ffs.

 

[Prince EWS]

Something that has escaped discussion so far because of all the random bits and pieces players and Doherty in the squad is the fact that, for a four Test series in India, we've only picked one wicket keeper, and he's terrible up to the stumps.

I'd like to start with Wade in the first Test too, but I think it's way too risky to back him for the full four. If I was told I was only allowed to take one keeper I'd probably take Haddin.

 

[Jono]

The ultimate disaster is if Australia play Smith/Maxwell like they played White in 2008. Batting 8 or some ****.

 

[Spikey]

I'd like to start with Wade in the first Test too, but I think it's way too risky to back him for the full four IMO. If I was told I was only allowed to take one keeper I'd probably take Haddin.

never mind that haddin is a better reserve batsman option than smith and doolan and co anyway

 

[Prince EWS]

I don't think the situation where Doherty and Lyon plays is, sadly, that unlikely. I think it's something you had to consider when picking the squad.

And that's why I hate Henriques being picked. It confirms those fears.

it's that. for whatever reason, they've totally gone off bailey (see: aus a game) so that's the obvious candidate out of the way, so doolan, smith etc. that smith hasn't gone through a massive form slump in the last 2 years and been dropped has undoubtedly helped him. but i think it's mainly playing spin bowling. i just don't see the reserve batsman playing unless we have major issues against spin bowling, so it makes sense to pick your reserve batsman - which is a pretty deadbeat group btw - based on playing spin bowling. smith being ahead of doolan based on playing spin isn't that weird is it

I don't mind the Smith selection that much if it's just for batting. Not what I would've gone for, but understandable. I just don't reckon it is just for batting though.

 

[Cevno]

Don't worry. Indian selectors are gonna outdo this easy.

Fully expecting Raina to return along with Harbhajan and maybe even Sreesanth and a half fit Zaheer.

 

[Jono]

 

[Spikey]

And that's why I hate Henriques being picked. It confirms those fears.

tastin'

 

[Burgey]

FMD, what if Smith gets picked to bat at six and prospers against India? It's a nightmare to contemplate him batting at six in England.

Khawaja is surely ahead of him.

D00lan?
Gorgeous George?

 

[iamdavid]

I don't understand the logic behind taking Smith and Maxwell, unless one or both of them are just there for developmental purposes and not in with a serious shot of playing.

Doherty over O'Keefe is even more bizarre than it was in 2010, O'Keefe isn't going to be a world-beater but he'd do a solid containment job, nag out a few wickets and add value with bat and in the field. Which is more than Doherty's capable of at Shield level let alone in tests.

Usman is a fair enough pick given that he's been next-in-line all summer, but I don't know how suitable he is given that it's India and the only likely vacancy is at 6. The idea of him coming in at 4-80 with spin from both ends won't fill anyone with confidence.

 

[Burgey]

I don't understand the logic behind taking Smith and Maxwell, unless one or both of them are just there for developmental purposes and not in with a serious shot of playing.

Doherty over O'Keefe is even more bizarre than it was in 2010, O'Keefe isn't going to be a world-beater but he'd do a solid containment job, nag out a few wickets and add value with bat and in the field. Which is more than Doherty's capable of at Shield level let alone in tests.

Usman is a fair enough pick given that he's been next-in-line all summer, but I don't know how suitable he is given that it's India and the only likely vacancy is at 6. The idea of him coming in at 4-80 with spin from both ends won't fill anyone with confidence.

Usman might bat four and Watson six. Would make everyone feel far more confident

Oh......

 

[Prince EWS]

Well I think so, but that's not necessarily saying much. If we're stuck with that choice I'd go Doherty. It isn't like the two offies we have are Murali and Laker ffs.

Maxwell's primarily a batsman though, so picking him allows us to still go with a balance of 3 quicks + 2 spinners that doesn't involve Henriques having to play or Pattinson having to bat 7. It's not really about comparing Doherty's bowling to Maxwell's. Neither of them are anywhere close to being Test standard spinners at the moment frankly.

 

[Burgey]

Maxwell's primarily a batsman though, so picking him allows us to still go with a balance of 3 quicks + 2 spinners that doesn't involve Henriques having to play or Pattinson having to bat 7. It's not really about comparing Doherty's bowling to Maxwell's. Neither of them are anywhere close to being Test standard spinners at the moment frankly.

Yeah but that won't help if he can't take wickets

 

[Prince EWS]

Yeah but that won't help if he can't take wickets

Neither of them are going to take wickets.

 

[NUFAN]

Is D00lan known to have some serious weakness aganst spin? I don't have anything against Usman except the fact he seems unable to actually play a forward stroke, but the other bloke has been belting the ears off it this year when there hasn't been a lot of low hanging batting fruit around.

Maybe they see him as one for England, after giving Usman a chance following his being next-in-line for quite a while.

I don't think Doolan has been tested enough in spinning conditions. When I watch him though I definitely think of him as a better player against the quick bowlers, I really think if you wanted to compare him to someone it would be Martin Love so he's going to often look very good.

Looking at the squad, we've got Maxwell, Henriques, Smith all players that bits and pieces role and the big problem with that role is when they are batting, you wish we picked a specialist bat and when they are bowling you wish we picked a proper bowler so its a bit annoying given the fact that none of them deserve to bat in the top 6 and none of them are good enough to be a genuine wicket taking option as second spinner (I accept Henriques is fine as the fourth quick).

The other day in an article where Hughes was going to leave the ODI series against WI early to go to India, Arthur said a squad of 11 or so will go to India early. Which 11 will that be and who will stay on for the rest of the ODI's? It's a difficult decision.