*Official* Road to the 2025-26 Ashes

[TheJediBrah]

Chennai

Cruel and unusual punishment I see

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Might not be a whole lot of opportunities to play decent quality first-class cricket in those conditions in the coming years though. Fair enough to give him a taste of it when it's available, even if it's a bit soon

I guess that brings me to another, probably more important point, the more cricket various Australia A teams get to play the better. Individual selections matter less than the fact this series is happening in the first place, which is undoubtedly a good thing

 

[Molehill]

With no back to back tests until MCG, I would try play Archer in tests 1-3. Rest him at MCG, and only bring back for SCG if fully fit and it's not a dead rubber.

Play Leach at Adelaide and prob rest of the series tbh. He actually got wickets in Pakistan ffs. Why would you discard him now. 4 seamers + Stokes doesn't seem like a good idea. You're just putting out a whole bunch of nothingness.

Batting wise I can't see anyone except Duckett, Brook, or Stokes having a big series. Maybe Root plays good (but unlikely to be great) which would turn it into a somewhat competitive series. English fans had a hardon for Bethel in the India thread before they saw him play at the Oval. Maybe that's the solution to all the batting problems

Any spinner would've got wickets on those doctored pitches in Pakistan, hardly the same as Australia where Leach has a poor record from his 3 Tests.

And your comments on Bethell are not really what happened. We all noted how he'd only faced 200 balls all Summer in all forms of cricket and was basically set up to fail, which unsurprisingly, he did. He does have a better technique than Pope, but whether you can select a bloke without a FC ton to bat at 3 for the Ashes is questionable.

 

[trundler]

Any spinner would've got wickets on those doctored pitches in Pakistan

Except Bashir who still averaged over 40

 

[Molehill]

Except Bashir who still averaged over 40

(Only 35 on the doctored pitches). And anyway, he's going to get wickets in Australia. It's why they've invested all this time in him, it's utterly foolproof.

 

[trundler]

(Only 35 on the doctored pitches). And anyway, he's going to get wickets in Australia. It's why they've invested all this time in him, it's utterly foolproof.

He was still utterly terrible. Warrican averaged 9 on those wickets. Bashir's test record is indefensible.

 

[Starfighter]

No I agree that Peake getting that sort of experience this A tour will provide is a good thing in of itself, but I would 100% prefer players who have a higher chance of playing Tests in the short/medium term there instead

Who would you pick then? Off the top of my head there's no one jumping out from the known quantities in the Shield. May as well invest in the future.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Who would you pick then? Off the top of my head there's no one jumping out from the known quantities in the Shield. May as well invest in the future.

Jono Merlo

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Who would you pick then? Off the top of my head there's no one jumping out from the known quantities in the Shield. May as well invest in the future.

Sangha as I mentioned, Jack Clayton, maybe Tim Ward even though he is more of a top order guy. All are pretty clearly better cricketers than Peake is at the moment, even if he does appear to have a real high ceiling

That isn't even including those north of 30 (someone like Cartwright has been going damn well in the Shield, but I can't see him getting anywhere near the Test team again)

Planning for the future is one thing, trying to force it too soon is another entirely

 

[Molehill]

He was still utterly terrible. Warrican averaged 9 on those wickets. Bashir's test record is indefensible.

I wouldn't say it's that bad. He's only 21 and has played on some pretty flat pitches that have offered him little. And to be honest, much like Crawley, he's not exactly being attacked from all sides for his position. Dawson blew his opportunity and I just don't see Leach getting the gig now.

Bashir for all his rubbish, can produce some very good deliveries (like the spin version of Tongue). Leach is just too predictable. And as Ponting pointed out, with Starc to provide some rough and Aus having a number of lefties, he might just get some more assistance than usual. He'll play the first couple of Tests I'm sure (so long as Stokes is fit to bowl).

 

[TheJediBrah]

the spin version of Tongue

Knew a girl that was a master at this

 

[Starfighter]

Sangha as I mentioned, Jack Clayton, maybe Tim Ward even though he is more of a top order guy. All are pretty clearly better cricketers than Peake is at the moment, even if he does appear to have a real high ceiling

That isn't even including those north of 30 (someone like Cartwright has been going damn well in the Shield, but I can't see him getting anywhere near the Test team again)

Planning for the future is one thing, trying to force it too soon is another entirely

I don't think any of those have a ceiling that would make it worth it.

 

[honestbharani]

Agree. Considering that he is only 18 and most likely still a virgin, can't think of many better places to become a man than India (Chennai). @honestbharani will attest to that

Hey it worked for McGrath.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I don't think any of those have a ceiling that would make it worth it.

Honestly I just don't even see things in line with that at all, not disputing that Peake has promise but I am a far bigger fan of batsmem who have actually shown the ability to play numerous quality innings at either Shield or other FC cricket than those who have yet to do so. If at the end of the season he has absolutely gunned it at Shield level (something that Konstas apart from one game hasn't done) then I would reconsider, but not yet

Peake being seemingly so much in the conversation so early has more than a slight with of Greg Chappell youth uber alles about it, and that is something I can never get around

 

[Chin Music]

I wouldn't say it's that bad. He's only 21 and has played on some pretty flat pitches that have offered him little. And to be honest, much like Crawley, he's not exactly being attacked from all sides for his position. Dawson blew his opportunity and I just don't see Leach getting the gig now.

Bashir for all his rubbish, can produce some very good deliveries (like the spin version of Tongue). Leach is just too predictable. And as Ponting pointed out, with Starc to provide some rough and Aus having a number of lefties, he might just get some more assistance than usual. He'll play the first couple of Tests I'm sure (so long as Stokes is fit to bowl).

Bashir actually bowled quite well at Headingley and I didn't think he was terrible in the other two test this series just gone. He appears to at least be more consistent than he was last year, but whether that is enough is obviously another matter. I do think he is better suited to Australia than Leach/Dawson for the reasons you set out.

 

[the big bambino]

I've never seen Peake bat and only know anything about him from what I've read on CW and I'm all in favour of his selection for the A side tour.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

I heard Green is going to drop down the order when he returns to bowling, which probably means no Beau Webster

 

[GoodAreasShane]

I've never seen Peake bat and only know anything about him from what I've read on CW

So therefore anything you have to say is completely and utterly irrelevant

 

[Gob]

I heard Green is going to drop down the order when he returns to bowling, which probably means no Beau Webster

That's not good

Actually it was bj who said that and he lost his marbles a long time ago

 

[govinda indian fan]

Any spinner would've got wickets on those doctored pitches in Pakistan, hardly the same as Australia where Leach has a poor record from his 3 Tests.

And your comments on Bethell are not really what happened. We all noted how he'd only faced 200 balls all Summer in all forms of cricket and was basically set up to fail, which unsurprisingly, he did. He does have a better technique than Pope, but whether you can select a bloke without a FC ton to bat at 3 for the Ashes is questionable.

Bashir is crap. You will only realize after ashes