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

[Howe_zat]

Yeah I can't stand the bloke either but he's clearly just giving some the joshing the England team received over the last 2 decades back.

He regularly trolls twitter and retweets the angry reactions

 

[honestbharani]

He first impressed me after the presser in Cape Town last year. Said his 151 was useless to him because they didn't win.

yeah. but I have actually seen such comments even earlier from other captains and players when their performances didn't help their side win. Yesterday, there was just so much honesty and plain talking without having to go too much to the other extreme of blaming his own players.. He is just a refreshing character and captain in international cricket today..

 

[ankitj]

Clarke is so much Ponting. ****y as a young cricketer, attained Godly form when made captain, plays to win, much more likable when he loses

 

[Burgey]

That downfall parody is fantastic.

Btw, it's actually an incredible movie. Well worth a look.

 

[aussie tragic]

This is the team I would select for 3rd Test

1. Cowan
2. Warner
3. Watson
4. Clarke
5. Khawaja
6. Wade
7. Henriques
8. Johnson
9. Pattinson
10. Lyon
11. Doherty

While I don't like Cowan being in the side, he's performed better than Hughes (would swap them in the Ashes though).

With the bowling, I'd be making Watson bowl or stick to ODI/T20.

If Watto doesn't bowl, I'd move Khawaja to 3, Smith at 5 and Siddle for Doherty to keep the 4 pace / 2 spin balance (although Smith bowling might be comparable to Warner?)

 

[Son Of Coco]

@ESPNcricinfo: Right now, the Australian team is having a net in the middle with Matthew Hayden overseeing. #IndvAus


Good start!!

The most impressive thing about this is it only took 2 tests and to be mid-way through a tour to come up with this idea. Would've been an even better idea a few weeks ago.

 

[Top_Cat]

Not sure of what the exact XI should be next Test but agree with Benchy that Cowan needs a spell. He wasn't picked just to score 30 and support Warner, he was picked to calmly anchor the order through any early wobbles and go onto big scores himself like he'd been doing for Tassie. Even when he gets through the new-ball burst, he looks so rat**** doing it that the confidence of the bowlers would still be sky-high. Bloke like Cowan needs to be making the oppo think "****, we're in for a long day here, hard work ahead." not "Keep at him, matter of time...."

Always seems to be playing a rearguard for his own career, fighting like mad to winkle his way to 40 in the 2nd dig i.e. exactly the opposite of what he was picked for. Guys like him need to be making 1st dig scores or they're fairly useless to the team. Need someone else in there now who'll actually put the bowling side under pressure.

 

[Tangles]

A guy picked to be dependable needs to be a rock once set. Like Taylor was once he was in. He would leave you outside off all day and pick you off his legs. Bowlers knew once he was set he wasn't making a mistake to get himself out. How does someone with limited shot selection and hence limited risks look that crap when he is set? Defend, pick off singles, rotate strike ... The end.

 

[uvelocity]

this series could be a major **** up for us though. what if say they retain maxwell for example, or give smith a start and he looks in the top 2 of our side due to the conditions, and then we get stuck with them for the ashes?

 

[GotSpin]

Good to see Ponting averaging over 100 in domestic cricket

 

[outbreak]

this series could be a major **** up for us though. what if say they retain maxwell for example, or give smith a start and he looks in the top 2 of our side due to the conditions, and then we get stuck with them for the ashes?

This thought keeps me up at night

 

[silentstriker]

I'd substitute Ojha for Harby and drop Sehwag (maybe give Rahane a try).

 

[GotSpin]

This is the best possible 11 Australia could quite possibly field:

1.Warner
2.Khawaja
3.Hughes
4.Clarke
5.Watson
6.Bailey
7.Wade
8.Pattinson
9 Starc ( Bird)
10.Siddle
11.Lyon

For the third test given the nature of the squad I'd pick
1.Warner 2.Khawaja 3.Clarke 4.Hughes 5.Watson 6.Smith 7.Wade 8.Johnson 9.Starc 10. Lyon 11.Doherty

We need a keeper though?

 

[GotSpin]

I'd be looking at Hazlewood and Cummins as being on the fringes. Cummins ,Hazlewood, Pattinson and Starc as a potential seam attack in the next few years seem pretty devastating.

We sound like ****ing West Indies fans. Hoping beyond hope for a hypothetical attack that more than likely will never play a couple tests together.

 

[Nate]

Nnanden to come in and post hopeless cricketers that should be playing and tantrum it up if they don't get a game then when they do get a game and fail go missing for six months.

Haha, touched a nerve?

You constantly rubbish everyone else's opinion, as if yours is undoubtedly correct. I'm sure you make many valid points regarding selection and such, but it's hard to take them seriously when it's just Dictator M00phy stating the law.

Since you bring it up, I'm no longer an Australian Cricket fan, just a casual observer. I know little about the current domestic/grade scene anymore, which I would've thought my posts (or lack thereof) would reflect.

 

[Spikey]

Harris international days are over.With his age, the strength of the Aussies young seam attack and the fact he can"t stay on the park to save his life, there is no way selectors will consider Harris.I do rate him highly as a bowler but imo it's time to look past him.

if harris is fit, as he is right now, he will be in the ashes squad. there's no two ways about it.

 

[Valer]

if harris is fit, as he is right now, he will be in the ashes squad. there's no two ways about it.

As in he should be in the squad or will be in the squad? The latter seems questionable.

 

[benchmark00]

Haha, touched a nerve?

You constantly rubbish everyone else's opinion, as if yours is undoubtedly correct. I'm sure you make many valid points regarding selection and such, but it's hard to take them seriously when it's just Dictator M00phy stating the law.

Since you bring it up, I'm no longer an Australian Cricket fan, just a casual observer. I know little about the current domestic/grade scene anymore, which I would've thought my posts (or lack thereof) would reflect.

Your post implies you once did know something about Australian cricket which I find to be totally misleading.

 

[Nate]

Your post implies you once did know something about Australian cricket which I find to be totally misleading.

Touché.

 

[Spikey]

As in he should be in the squad or will be in the squad? The latter seems questionable.

The best bowler in Australian cricket will be in the Ashes squad. It's that simple. It would be totally insane to not pick him. Just pick your 17 or 18 players and then add Harris.