*Official* India in Australia Thread

[Jono]

That's my point. One day of the first test match and you're so used to the Australians dominating summer after summer you just assumed you'd dominate this one as well.

It's a 4 match series, and only after 1 day in the first test was the bragging already occurring here in Melbourne. Thankfully it was quickly shut up the next day and then in the next test match.

The only time I ever saw Australia winning the series was after Boxing Day when the Indians had played poorly in the field, but ironically the roles reversed and the Aussies dropped everything and anything

 

[The Argonaut]

Some selection headaches ahead I think for the Australian team. The bowling line up will be far from settled and Martyn not being able to get a big score must be of concern. Gilchrist also needs a break at some stage. he seems tired.

The Australian bowlers need to have a look at themselves. Sure the Indian batting line up is a great one and the pitches have been flat but when a 19 year old quick from India swings the old ball better than the more experienced Aussie pace attack then something is wrong.

Lee should not have played. he was there to give some chin music and he wasn't fast enough to trouble them. It's the only string he has to his bow and if the pace wasn't there then why bother. MacGill seemed to be troubled mentally early in the series and never recovered.

The fielding also was a worry. The Indians outcaught the Aussies and who thought that could ever happen. With Mark Waugh retiring and Warne suspended it has meant that Ponting and hayden have moved in. Most of the catches have gone down between third slip and gully. Langer, Martyn and Katich have had to move in there and have not looked comfortable. Warne coming back will help but I hope that Love will be considered for his slip fielding as well as his batting.

Katich had a great game in the last test but I thought he was there as the fifth bowler. He seemed to be underused especially as he was striking better than MacGill. Why put him in ahead of Love because fo bowling and not use him better.

I think that a squad of 14 will be chosen for Sri Lanka and mine would be:

Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Martyn, Katich, Lehmann, Love, Gilchrist, Warne, MacGill, Gillespie, McGrath (Nicholson), Williams, Bichel

No Lee or Bracken, and no Clarke.

 

[Mister Wright]

Some selection headaches ahead I think for the Australian team. The bowling line up will be far from settled and Martyn not being able to get a big score must be of concern. Gilchrist also needs a break at some stage. he seems tired.

The Australian bowlers need to have a look at themselves. Sure the Indian batting line up is a great one and the pitches have been flat but when a 19 year old quick from India swings the old ball better than the more experienced Aussie pace attack then something is wrong.

Lee should not have played. he was there to give some chin music and he wasn't fast enough to trouble them. It's the only string he has to his bow and if the pace wasn't there then why bother. MacGill seemed to be troubled mentally early in the series and never recovered.

The fielding also was a worry. The Indians outcaught the Aussies and who thought that could ever happen. With Mark Waugh retiring and Warne suspended it has meant that Ponting and hayden have moved in. Most of the catches have gone down between third slip and gully. Langer, Martyn and Katich have had to move in there and have not looked comfortable. Warne coming back will help but I hope that Love will be considered for his slip fielding as well as his batting.

Katich had a great game in the last test but I thought he was there as the fifth bowler. He seemed to be underused especially as he was striking better than MacGill. Why put him in ahead of Love because fo bowling and not use him better.

I think that a squad of 14 will be chosen for Sri Lanka and mine would be:

Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Martyn, Katich, Lehmann, Love, Gilchrist, Warne, MacGill, Gillespie, McGrath (Nicholson), Williams, Bichel

No Lee or Bracken, and no Clarke.

I agree although I think they may take 15 with the extra quick perhaps Nicholson or Noffke, Kaspa or Inness.

 

[Blewy]

I think if Inness shows signs of form in the Pura Cup games leading up to the squad selection he is a MUST....

Although i would love to see Nicholson get another crack...

 

[Top_Cat]

I haven't heard anyone mention it so far (in the press or here) but didn't anyone else notice that the pitches this season were unusually flat? The only deck which had any movement was in Brisbane and that was only because it rained an ocean for the week before. Other than that, the pitches have had NOTHING for the pace bowlers. I mean a series in which 4 double hundreds and a few hundreds are scored says a bit about how flat they were.

It's of concern because it just gives the side batting first such an enormous advantage. When the game's result is dependant so heavily upon who wins the toss, well maybe that needs to be looked into (other than the freak result in Adelaide where 550-odd SHOULD have been more than enough). Time and time again I saw good fast bowling being dispatched to the fence just because there was no movement.

I don't think it makes for hugely entertaining cricket. Let's face it, although both Australia and India had their collapses, it was mostly due to incompetant batting rather than outstanding movement bowling. A lot of dismissals this series came about due to rash shots and when a series is so heavily in favour of either batting or bowling (in this case batting), it makes the cricket (dare I say it) boring. Sachin's double ton and Katich's ton were simply outstanding and both hundreds in Brisbane were great but other than that, the run-feasts were a bit yawnsome.

 

[Kenny]

I think if Inness shows signs of form in the Pura Cup games leading up to the squad selection he is a MUST....

Although i would love to see Nicholson get another crack...

I would have thought Inness might have been picked by now if he was going to be picked........he's still crook though isn't he?
Shaun Tait or Mark Cleary might be roughies.......Bichel's time may be up.
I think Clarke will definitely go.......he just keeps scoring runs, and taking wickets.

 

[Blewy]

I was saying that to Bugs the other day on the phone, maybe it has something to do with the lack of rain/water restrictions around the country but i think that the test series could've been played on the Hume Highway and nobody would have known any different...

 

[Blewy]

I would have thought Inness might have been picked by now if he was going to be picked........he's still crook though isn't he?
Shaun Tait or Mark Cleary might be roughies.......Bichel's time may be up.
I think Clarke will definitely go.......he just keeps scoring runs, and taking wickets.

Inness has been selected in the Vic Pura Cup side to take on NSW next week...
Tait maybe a chance i don't think cleary is as yet...
IMO Clarke is a definate... If he don't go on tour then there is something wrong, even if its to blood him in other countries conditions.. Personally i think he should be in the side, I have changed my mind over the past month, after his innings against India in Hobart as well as his Innings last night against the Zimboks...

 

[mavric41]

my test team for Sri Lanka - Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Martyn, Katich, Gilchrist, Bichel, Gillespie, McGrath (kasprawicz), Williams, MacGill, Warne, Lehmann, Love. If Clarke continues to impress I think that he will be picked ahead of Love. There seems to be a real push for him by a lot of people. If Love's season is less than stellar Clarke will be in (looks to be a good player of spin too)

 

[Craig]

I haven't heard anyone mention it so far (in the press or here) but didn't anyone else notice that the pitches this season were unusually flat? The only deck which had any movement was in Brisbane and that was only because it rained an ocean for the week before. Other than that, the pitches have had NOTHING for the pace bowlers. I mean a series in which 4 double hundreds and a few hundreds are scored says a bit about how flat they were.

It's of concern because it just gives the side batting first such an enormous advantage. When the game's result is dependant so heavily upon who wins the toss, well maybe that needs to be looked into (other than the freak result in Adelaide where 550-odd SHOULD have been more than enough). Time and time again I saw good fast bowling being dispatched to the fence just because there was no movement.

I don't think it makes for hugely entertaining cricket. Let's face it, although both Australia and India had their collapses, it was mostly due to incompetant batting rather than outstanding movement bowling. A lot of dismissals this series came about due to rash shots and when a series is so heavily in favour of either batting or bowling (in this case batting), it makes the cricket (dare I say it) boring. Sachin's double ton and Katich's ton were simply outstanding and both hundreds in Brisbane were great but other than that, the run-feasts were a bit yawnsome.

I agree. I answered it in a different thread.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Not if last tour was an indication!

I can see it now.......short leg, leg gully.........Lee around the wicket, rising balls up into the ribcage/armpit/throat.......Dravid will not handle it.

Tendulkar may do ok, I think he scored 1 century last time, but Laxman will get blasted out as well.

Needed quoting.

Ranks around the same level as "Drop Vaughan", IMO

 

[Craig]

Lol.

I think everybodies prediction of Laxman, Ganguly fail;ing was made to look sil;ly.

 

[Mister Wright]

Lol.

I think everybodies prediction of Laxman, Ganguly fail;ing was made to look sil;ly.

Add to that the predictions of Lee