Australia Tour Of India 2012/13

[shravi]

For me, Watson has to open. His record in other positions is below average and doesn't warrant selection as a batsman alone. However, as an opener, he has scored enough runs to justify playing as a batsman alone.

 

[Fenil]

Rather than giving the nod to someone like Ashton Agar or Glenn Maxwell they should try someone like Steve O'Keefe or Fawad Ahmed. Both of them have looked good. O'Keefe in particular, has a better FC bowling record than most spinners back in Australia. He might do the trick for the Australians. He is a decent bat too so can be a good replacement for Glenn Maxwell or inexperienced Ashton Agar.

 

[angryangy]

I wouldn't be surprised in England change their pitches.

If the Oval and Old Trafford are crumbly, I wouldn't even regard it as a drastic change.

 

[midgetwars]

Seems like Clarke wants to move up. Would it make a difference? Spin doesn' change much through the innings, swing does. Right now swing isn't a problem

 

[aussie1st]

Might as well see how it goes, we need to do something as what we are doing ain't working and I doubt the two reserve batters will suddenly turn the batting around. In saying that it is time to put to bed the stuff about Khawaja and give him a go.

 

[Biggy]

We need look no further than the selectors here, making a joke of the baggy green imo. India more than likely would have beaten our best team but we keep looking for that hail mary 11 rather than picking our best (and most deserving 11) and accepting that there are actually teams better than us at the moment after we had it so good for so long.

Let's be honest here. Warner, Cowan, Maxwell, Henriques, Doherty and possibly even Wade looking at his keeping so far should have never been near a Test match side. Granted Warner has made a decent dig of it and Henriques did well last Test, how are they there when people like David Hussey, Chris Rogers, George Bailey, Adam Voges, O'Keefe, even Chris Hartley (best keeper in AUS for years!) miss out on wearing a baggy green. It was bearable when I felt they had FINALLY picked a spinner and were going to back him all the way, then they go and pick Doherty and Maxwell to replace Lyon and Starc (what did Starc do wrong!?). My only fear now is that they've kerplucked it too much to turn back.

As for next Test they have to back Lyon, and SOK should be there..Watson to open and Clarke should have been at 3 as soon as Ponting moved to 4. I'd stick with Hughes too.

 

[Satan666]

Congrats to India, a comprehensive victory for them here. Australia are disappointing, stupid selections is the main cause. India havent won, instead Australia have lost. Get your act together AUS!

 

[midgetwars]

Interesting thing about moving Clarke up is that if he fails he can move back down and being the captain and the most experienced his confidence probably won't be shot. Just look at 2010/11 ashes, he hardly scored a run and in that year he became a legend.

Can't say the same for Hughes though. He looks absolutely clueless.

 

[Aalay]

I don't understand why people are suddenly blaming selection now? Yes, Australia could have brought George Bailey and Steve O' Kefee but still, It would not have made any big difference because both of them have no experience of playing in India. They might have played in couple of odd T20 but this is totally different.

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They might have shown a little more fight but to say the result would have been totally different is just insane.

 

[icyman]

With George Bailey, you seem to have that 'reliable feeling', especially since Hussey's retirement. I'd like the Australians to bring in Usman Khawaja in place of Shane Watson- who seems to be more of a liability on the team given that he doesn't bowl these days.

As for India, yes, there is every chance of sticking to the winning combo, but it might just be tough for Harbhajan to maintain his place in the side here. Then again, we are playing in Mohali, a leggie might just get lucky.

 

[War]

I don't understand why people are suddenly blaming selection now? Yes, Australia could have brought George Bailey and Steve O' Kefee but still, It would not have made any big difference because both of them have no experience of playing in India. They might have played in couple of odd T20 but this is totally different.

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They might have shown a little more fight but to say the result would have been totally different is just insane.

I'm pretty sure no AUS poster on this forum went so far to say that.

 

[Satan666]

I don't understand why people are suddenly blaming selection now? Yes, Australia could have brought George Bailey and Steve O' Kefee but still, It would not have made any big difference because both of them have no experience of playing in India. They might have played in couple of odd T20 but this is totally different.

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They might have shown a little more fight but to say the result would have been totally different is just insane.

The inexperience of the Aussies in Indian conditions also is a reason for their bad showing in the first two tests, hopefully they have some grasp of the surroundings and can win the remainder of the series!

 

[SaiSrini]

With George Bailey, you seem to have that 'reliable feeling', especially since Hussey's retirement. I'd like the Australians to bring in Usman Khawaja in place of Shane Watson- who seems to be more of a liability on the team given that he doesn't bowl these days.

As for India, yes, there is every chance of sticking to the winning combo, but it might just be tough for Harbhajan to maintain his place in the side here. Then again, we are playing in Mohali, a leggie might just get lucky.

From where do we pick a leggie? Don't tell me you are referring to Chawla...

Comprehensive win! Gives some satisfaction after the recent horrid times, but this should not let us bloat. I also wish this does not extend Fletcher's time with the team. As far as Sehwag goes, the victory might probably give him breathing space, but ideally if we want to find an opening pair for SA, I would drop Sehwag and pick Dhawan or Rahane for Mohali. Trying them out at Mohali which can be more seamer friendly will be a decent idea! And Dinda for Harbhajan.

 

[Gurjot95]

There is Amit Mishra as well..

BTW Is Umesh Yadav still injured? because I don't see any other reason for him not playing Tests. Zaheer should definitely come in place of Ishant, at least he can't bowl any worse than Ishant. Also what about Ojha? Why he isn't playing too?

 

[Fenil]

From where do we pick a leggie? Don't tell me you are referring to Chawla...

Amit Mishra may be. Rahul Sharma is out of question.

Comprehensive win! Gives some satisfaction after the recent horrid times, but this should not let us bloat. I also wish this does not extend Fletcher's time with the team. As far as Sehwag goes, the victory might probably give him breathing space, but ideally if we want to find an opening pair for SA, I would drop Sehwag and pick Dhawan or Rahane for Mohali. Trying them out at Mohali which can be more seamer friendly will be a decent idea!

I too would have done the same. In fact, I'd have had Shikhar Dhawan in from the first game itself. Murali Vijay saved his place with that knock in the last test so I'll go with Dhawan-Vijay combination. Rahane haven't had good outings in ODIs and his confidence will be a bit low at the moment.

And Dinda for Harbhajan.

No more Dinda please. All he can do is bang the ball in short with better pace than normal Indian pacers. Aussies will make the most of him. Would like to see Shami Ahmad or Ishwar Pandey, though he had a bad Irani Trophy match in the test side soon.

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BTW Is Umesh Yadav still injured? because I don't see any other reason for him not playing Tests. Zaheer should definitely come in place of Ishant, at least he can't bowl any worse than Ishant. Also what about Ojha? Why he isn't playing too?

Umesh Yadav is fit again and is practicing at the National Cricket Academy. He was not feeling any pain when reports came in a couple of days back. Shows his injury has healed nicely. Should be trying in the NCA to regain 'match fitness'. As far as Ojha is concerned, he is perfectly fine. Its just that Dhoni has given the nod to Harbhajan over Ojha in the final line-up.