***Official*** India in Australia

[Richard]

No, and in fact its completely the opposite when you're talking about Australia. Australia play Murali much much better than they play Kumble. He averages 27 vs. them overall, and though he averages 40 against them in Australia, he averaged 29 on the last tour.

Australia have played Kumble better than Murali in the past - honestly, it's not the same bowler and same batsman every single time. How they played them previously doesn't have to have any impact on how the two of them would go this summer.

Murali is a better bowler than Kumble, by a long way, simple as. Their chances when facing Australia hence depend on this. "Playing him well" doesn't explain an average of 100 in Australia, as he's caused them plenty of problems in Sri Lanka. Murali simply hasn't bowled anywhere near as well in his 4 Tests in Australia as he has for most of the rest of his career.

 

[Richard]

as far as i know no attack has done that for in the last 14 test...and if indian bowlers are able to do that then it is not becuse of any luck........it would be because they bowled well

It could be because of either, though, that's the point. You can't unequivocally say it's one or the other.

In any case, even England's attack(!), another one far inferior to the Lankans', caused more trouble than they did.

 

[pasag]

Do you really think I haven't watched him? He's better than he was, for sure, but Chaminda Vaas posseses (yes, possesses, not possessed) skills Zaheer never has and never will.

What's more, Zaheer has gone up and down more than once in his career so far and to presume this latest one will last all that long is presumptious in the extreme. It's very possible he'll go back to being mediocrity personnified again sometime soon.

Not sure what you're watching tbh, don't think it's the same thing as the rest of us though.

 

[Top_Cat]

Murali is a better bowler than Kumble, by a long way, simple as. Their chances when facing Australia hence depend on this. "Playing him well" doesn't explain an average of 100 in Australia, as he's caused them plenty of problems in Sri Lanka. Murali simply hasn't bowled anywhere near as well in his 4 Tests in Australia as he has for most of the rest of his career.

Only on one tour, really. The last ones, despite taking a number of wickets, Murali only really troubled them in one inning. Other times, Murali would start his 40th over with 1 or 2/120 or something like that, clean up the tail and end with 5/140. Was just surprisingly ineffective against Australia even in SL.

 

[AKkAz]

Test cricket: long.

Getting India off to a quick 50 run start: priceless
(Australia does it with their openers)
+ Why shouldn't Gambhir be opening?? With Karthik or Sewhag

 

[Prince EWS]

Getting India off to a quick 50 run start: priceless

Lies.

+ Why shouldn't Gambhir be opening?? With Karthik or Sewhag

To put it as simply as you state everything: he's dire.

 

[Perm]

Getting India off to a quick 50 run start: priceless
(Australia does it with their openers)
+ Why shouldn't Gambhir be opening?? With Karthik or Sewhag

Getting India off to a solid start and not losing a wicket before lunch: priceless.

Australia have quality openers and due to that quality they are able to score at a relatively good rate. Gambhir shouldn't be opening because he isn't good enough. Also, Jaffer and Karthik are the established openers while Sehwag, Gambhir and Chopra are all competing for the third openers spot.

 

[Pratters]

Team for first test in Australia:

Jaffer
Karthik (or Chopra or Yuvraj for one of the openers)
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Laxman/Yuvraj
Dhoni
Zaheer
Kumble
RP
Munaf

Other people:

Irfan Pathan, Sehwag - underdog for a place.
Harbhajan, Sreesanth - likely to miss out.

 

[Perm]

Team for first test in Australia:

Jaffer
Karthik (or Chopra or Yuvraj for one of the openers)
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly
Laxman/Yuvraj
Dhoni
Zaheer
Kumble
RP
Munaf

Other people:

Irfan Pathan, Sehwag - underdog for a place.
Harbhajan, Sreesanth - likely to miss out.

I'd say Kumble will bat at #8 and Laxman will get the middle order berth before Yuvraj. I know Yuvraj has opened twice in Test cricket, but has he done much of it in domestic cricket? It seems as though people are suggesting him to be an opener just so he's in the side.

 

[Pratters]

I'd say Kumble will bat at #8 and Laxman will get the middle order berth before Yuvraj. I know Yuvraj has opened twice in Test cricket, but has he done much of it in domestic cricket? It seems as though people are suggesting him to be an opener just so he's in the side.

Laxman getting the middle order birth before Yuvraj is not certain right now. If Laxman isn't that successful in the tests v Pakistan, he can lose the birth to Yuvraj.

On Yuvraj opening - opening in domestic cricket is not necessary to force into an opener's slot in the Indian test side. History shows that this is a wrong approach more often than not but I am not as apprehensive about Yuvraj opening if it comes to that. Yuvraj has been in tremendous form and if the one of other openers doesn't perform while Yuvraj keeps piling the runs, Yuvraj can place a stronger contention to the side, particularly with Kumble speaking positively about Yuvraj yesterday.

 

[Perm]

Laxman getting the middle order birth before Yuvraj is not certain right now. If Laxman isn't that successful in the tests v Pakistan, he can lose the birth to Yuvraj.

On Yuvraj opening - opening in domestic cricket is not necessary to force into an opener's slot in the Indian test side. History shows that this is a wrong approach more often than not but I am not as apprehensive about Yuvraj opening if it comes to that. Yuvraj has been in tremendous form and if the one of other openers doesn't perform while Yuvraj keeps piling the runs, Yuvraj can place a stronger contention to the side, particularly with Kumble speaking positively about Yuvraj yesterday.

It's not certain, but I'd say it's likely. It does depend on Laxman's performances against Pakistan, aswell as any FC cricket these two will play between now and the 1st Test.

While it may not be necessary, as can be witnessed with Dinesh Karthik, I feel that opening domestically is always preferrable for somebody wishing to stake a claim as a Test opener. It just allows them the experience of facing the swinging ball, very attacking fields and generally the best fast bowlers in the side. If they can do this sucessfully, then I feel they have a better chance to stake a claim in the side, as opposed to a middle order batsmen who has been in tremedous ODI form. I'm a big fan of Yuvraj, but I wouldn't like to see him opening the batting in Test cricket. If he is going to play Tests, then it should be in the middle order, hopefully at #6.

 

[Pratters]

It's not certain, but I'd say it's likely. It does depend on Laxman's performances against Pakistan, aswell as any FC cricket these two will play between now and the 1st Test.

I would say it is 60 Laxman 40 Yuvraj.

I feel that opening domestically is always preferrable for somebody wishing to stake a claim as a Test opener. It just allows them the experience of facing the swinging ball, very attacking fields and generally the best fast bowlers in the side. If they can do this sucessfully, then I feel they have a better chance to stake a claim in the side, as opposed to a middle order batsmen who has been in tremedous ODI form.

Which is why I said - history shows that this is not the right way to go. That said, I am not as apprehensive about Yuvraj opening if it comes to that.

 

[Perm]

I would say it is 60 Laxman 40 Yuvraj right now for the number 6 slot.

70-30 in favour of Laxman for me. Has been good in India's last few Test series without being spectacular.

Which is why I said - history shows that this is not the right way to go. That said, I am not as apprehensive about Yuvraj opening if it comes to that.

Indeed, that's why I feel Chopra or Sehwag would be better choices than Yuvraj for opening. Gambhir too probably, just because he's done the business in FC cricket and Yuvraj hasn't.

 

[biased indian]

i also feel the same 2 down in the series ...we might see yuvraj opening in the third test...or may be even pathan ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

its indian cricket and openers are not that important factor

 

[Perm]

and openers are not that important factor

Uh, yes they are.

 

[biased indian]

Uh, yes they are.

you should have quoted the whole line,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

i was just saying the way our selectors...........handle the side

 

[Pratters]

I feel... Sehwag would be better choices than Yuvraj for opening. Gambhir too probably, just because he's done the business in FC cricket and Yuvraj hasn't.

The thing is, I would be more confident of Yuvraj doing good than Sehwag or Gambhir. Sehwag, okay has a good test record but he has been ordinary in the cricket he has played in recent times - so he isn't in any form. Gambhir would have very little chance of succeeding v Australia right now.

 

[Perm]

you should have quoted the whole line,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

i was just saying the way our selectors...........handle the side

I see, thought you meant something else .

 

[Perm]

The thing is, I would be more confident of Yuvraj doing good than Sehwag or Gambhir. Sehwag, okay has a good test record but he has been ordinary in the cricket he has played in recent times - so he isn't in any form. Gambhir would have very little chance of succeeding v Australia right now.

I'd back Sehwag to score more runs than Yuvraj, purely as an opener, but I'm just not sure about Gambhir. I get the feeling that both Gambhir and Yuvraj would really struggle opening against Australia for different reasons. Has Sehwag played any FC games lately? AFAIK the only cricket he has had is limited overs stuff, and a couple of ODIs. Not really enough to gauge what kind of form he is currently in, although his last few performances in Test cricket have been abysmal.

 

[adharcric]

The thing is, I would be more confident of Yuvraj doing good than Sehwag or Gambhir. Sehwag, okay has a good test record but he has been ordinary in the cricket he has played in recent times - so he isn't in any form. Gambhir would have very little chance of succeeding v Australia right now.

Yuvraj will become a quality test batsman but he doesn't play the leave as well as a top-drawer opener should IMO. Jaffer and Karthik are a solid pair right now and Chopra would be my reserve option. I'd like to avoid Sehwag for now but he's always a wild card so you never know.