Indian and Australian changes for Melbourne

[Salamuddin]

What a ripper of a test!!

Now we have a small break before the Melbourne test.
India have a tour game against a strong Australia A while most of the Aussies will play in a Pura cup game before Christmas.

What changes (if any) should the two teams make for Melbourne ?

Australia
Obviously Lee will come in given India's traditional weakness against extreme pace.
Gillespie and Williams should be fit for Melbpourne.
What about Katich ? I know some people don't like the idea of him at 6 but who are the alternatives ?
I suspect Katich will be retained because he provides an extra bowling option.
I don't think the Aussies will risk McGrath even if he's bowling for NSw again. How about Inness though ? After all the MCG is his home ground and the selectors may wish to bring in some fresh bowling talent for the future.
After all Mcgrath is 34(in February), Bichel is 33, Williams himself is 29.

India
Form India's point of view, it is vital they take the Australia A game seriously and iron out some problems with key players.
Tendulkar must play at Hobart -- he needs to rediscover his touch.
Laxman, Dravid and Agarkar should be rested.
Zaheer probably should play to see how his hamstring has recovered.
Kumble's probably first choice for Melbourne. But Karthik should play to get used to Aussie conditions -- if he turns in a decent performance he may even play in Melbourne but he certainly has a chance at Sydney.

Patel probably should play to work on his batting and his stumping skills.

But I fancy that Irfan and Nehra are effectively competing for the 3rd seamers spot at Melbourne. So It may be a better idea to rest Parthiv and play these two.

My Indian X1 to face Australia A
Chopra
Sehwag
Ramesh
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Dasgupta
Irfan
Balaji
Nehra
Karthik
Zaheer

12th Parthiv

I'd like to hear what others think....

[age_master]

for mine Katich will keep his spot, he played well.

the bowling is the interesting part, gillespie, Macgill and Lee pick themselves. but after that.

bichel is the obvious -bowled well in periods but really lacked his usual consistancy - if his form doesn't pick up again i would drop him to 12th man

Inness - out with Glandular fever apparently

McGrath - playing for NSW on friday apparently, would be great to have in the side but i doubt he will be ready

Williams - bowled quite well in the 2nd innings but did nothing at all in the first

Bracken - fit, and took wickets in the first test, however he is considered a new ball bowler and wouldn't get the new ball over lee and gillespie

Noffke - would be good but he didn't even make the Aust A side so i dont think hes in the selectors minds

Nicholson - well he made the Aust A side and has played before, bowling quite well this season

Clark - or the stuart variety, bowles similar style to McGrath, in pretty descant form spose hes a chance too

Rofe - in the Aust A side, bowling well, young - my pick for the 3rd pace bowling spot (but i dont think that they will pick him)

likley

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
Martyn
S Waugh
Katich
Gilchrist
Lee
Bichel
Gillespie
Macgill

[ReallyCrazy]

i agree with you james. Murali Kartik and Tendulkar SHOULD play that tour match and Dravid/Laxman and Agarkar should be rested.

As for the Aussie team for the next match, I'm pretty there's only going to be one change and that they will drop Williams and bring in Lee.

[bennyr]

If Australia want to give themselves the best chance to win this series they must play Glenn McGrath in the next test if they possibly can. The Australian selectors are in the habit of not taking any risks whatsoever in the belief that they have backups that can do the job.

This is not looking as wise as it was five days ago. Glenn McGrath is Australia's best bowler, and Australia must win the next two tests if they wish to continue calling themselves the worlds best test cricket team. And he should come in for MacGill in Melbourne (with Lee in for Williams).

And India must get rid of Patel. I have no idea who can keep wickets at test standard in the Indian squad, but he cannot.

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Aren't there already two threads where this topic can be discussed?

[Gaijin-san]

Originally posted by jamesryfler
What about Katich ? I know some people don't like the idea of him at 6 but who are the alternatives ?

I can think of at least one.

[Rik]

Originally posted by jamesryfler
Obviously Lee will come in given India's traditional weakness against extreme pace

I thought Brad Williams was Australia's 2nd fastest bowler behind Lee, and he and Gillespie (who is hardly slow) didn't seem to find any weakness from the Indians in that department.

[Rik]

Originally posted by furious_ged
I can think of at least one.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Kenny]

Originally posted by Rik
I thought Brad Williams was Australia's 2nd fastest bowler behind Lee, and he and Gillespie (who is hardly slow) didn't seem to find any weakness from the Indians in that department.

Actually Williams used to be a tearaway, but now bowls in the 130-140kmh bracket.
Gillespie is about the same, but does get up into the 140+ pace area........on that somewhat 'Indian - like' pitch, it was going to be very difficult to intimidate anyone, with the ball coming off the pitch like a tennis ball!!
I thought Gillespie did bowl some useful bouncers, however, which Dravid took hasty (and effective) evasive action from.

There is a young fellow playing for Queensland by the name of Mitchell Johnson, who is supposedly up near Lee's pace. And he's a left armer........:O

My Aussie side for Melbourne:

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Waugh
Katich
Gilchrist
Lee
Bichel
Gillespie
MacGill

(Insert Bracken for Gillespie if he is unfit)

McGrath may be back for 4th test, I don't think he will be back before.

[mavric41]

Originally posted by Kenny
Actually Williams used to be a tearaway, but now bowls in the 130-140kmh bracket.
Gillespie is about the same, but does get up into the 140+ pace area........on that somewhat 'Indian - like' pitch, it was going to be very difficult to intimidate anyone, with the ball coming off the pitch like a tennis ball!!
I thought Gillespie did bowl some useful bouncers, however, which Dravid took hasty (and effective) evasive action from.

There is a young fellow playing for Queensland by the name of Mitchell Johnson, who is supposedly up near Lee's pace. And he's a left armer........:O

My Aussie side for Melbourne:

Langer
Hayden
Ponting
Martyn
Waugh
Katich
Gilchrist
Lee
Bichel
Gillespie
MacGill

(Insert Bracken for Gillespie if he is unfit)

McGrath may be back for 4th test, I don't think he will be back before.

Mitchell Johnson is a special talent IF he can stay on the field. He is out injured again. I watched him take 4/23 in an ING cup match and the batsmen struggled to put bat on ball. He could have a huge career if he plays consistently.

My 12 would be the same 12 as yours but I would like Michael Kasporwicz be given a go. He has been the top wicket taker in domestic cricket for a number of years and apparently bowled well in India. It won't happen, but it would have been nice.

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

As I said before, is this thread really necessary?

[Langeveldt]

How many wickets did MacGill take in the end? Because from the highlights he appeared to bowl awfully, his length was shocking... is he still the number one available spinner in Oz?

[Neil Pickup]

No, it's not, post it in the other thread please - these things are focused on one thread for a reason, so that we can keep an eye on them better.

Cheers