Australia Tour Of India 2012/13

[War]

Hmm...I'm sensing some inconsistencies You've always been a vocal anti-Bailey guy. What if Bailey had been named in the Test squad, but had made a duck on Sunday? Bailey in Tests looks a reasonable call now AFTER that innings, but no one was pushing his barrow before that 100. Will be the same if Shaun Marsh/Aaron Finch/Callum Ferguson/Joe Burns/random young batsmen of promise makes a Shield 100 next week, straight away calls will be: why wasn't he selected? Easy with hindsight, and cricketers are not as good as their last innings.

Nah my friend, no inconsistencies or hindsight thought here. I've always viewed Bailey as solid alternative test match player based on his runs for tasmania in the past few seasons in shield cricket.

I was only recently suggesting he should have played those tests vs south africa when watson was injured, instead of quiney being picked.

My opposition to him was because he was clearly picked in t20 team & captain it based on not doing squat domestically in t20s, when they were batting in form t20 bats in australia (typical dumb t20 selection by aus). But since the 63 vs windies in t20 w-cup semi-final its clear he is getting betting @ t20 & odi's in general & i can accept his place in these teams.

So i was not jumping on the bailey bandwagon just after he scored that hundred vs windies the other day. I honestly thought he was in the test squad - thus i was astonished when i realized he wasn't. The hundred just shows what another trending selection blunder by the current panel is up to these days.

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Really, the starting XI they should be playing in India is:

1. Phil Hughes
2. David Warner (I'd prefer Chris Rogers but not much chance of that happening)
3. Shane Watson
4. Michael Clarke
5. Shaun Marsh
6. George Bailey
7. Matthew Wade
8. Nathan Hauritz/Steve O'Keefe
9. Starc/Pattinson/Bird
10. Peter Siddle
11. Nathan Lyon

Probably missed a player or two but close enough to our best squad.

And I'd also have been tempted to take Cutting to India as well.

Ye the best squad. Although i'd open with Watson & keep Hughes @ # 3.

No need to pick two spinners in the starting XI, since that not AUS strong point. AUS main source to take 20 wickets will be the 3-man quicks, which will clearly have to be starc/pattinson/siddle. The long spinners role will be support that & get cheap wickets based on the pressure the paceman will have created.

Haurtiz should be no wear near to the test team - was clear failure during his time. And, yes Rogers is one veteran that should be in this team. Too bad the selectors suddenly value all the youth players in australia & have no value for experience in any format since Hussey & Ponting have retired.

 

[Sedition]

Pattinson will only break down again. Siddle, Starc, Bird and Lyon shouldn't have too many problems. Chuck Maxwell, Johnson and/or Henriques in for the dead rubbers.

 

[hedger_14]

Yeah, I had done the squad and got down to 5 and realised I was missing Watson so I just put him at 3 but yeah, probably have him open.

And idk why you think Hauritz should be nowhere near the test team. He has a lot of international experience, can bat, can actually turn the ball (Lyon, Hauritz and Agar are the only spinners in Australia who turn the ball, a couple of others a little but none of them would even be close to the test side) and he averages 34 with the ball in tests, which isn't "nowhere near the test team quality". And just realised Clarke can bowl so probably just go with Lyon, Pattinson/Bird, Starc and Siddle.

And with the inexperience of the team, I'd much prefer Rogers in for Warner.

 

[Left_Hander]

From memory Hauritz was also leading the 09 Ashes series wicket takers until he got injured.

 

[alexczarn]

From memory Hauritz was also leading the 09 Ashes series wicket takers until he got injured.

And he got dropped for the last test on that raging turner. Dumbest selection ever.

 

[midgetwars]

I seriously think Clarke should stay at 5. They could move Watson to open and Hughes at 3.

Khawaja or Doolan needs to have a crack, it could make their career.

 

[Sedition]

Warner, Cowan, Hughes, Watson, Clarke & Khawaja rounding out the top 6 looks good to me for the first two tests. Once they're done and dusted, can afford to experiment a bit and slot Maxwell, Smith or Henriques in at 6 or 7, maybe give Clarke a rest to make things interesting. Can't see any of the latter 3 being picked as batsmen above the aforementioned top 6.

 

[Left_Hander]

And he got dropped for the last test on that raging turner. Dumbest selection ever.

Yeah, I remember that. Have to agree with you. IMO Hauritz is unlucky. Hopefully he comes back strong in Shield cricket, it would be good competition for Lyon

 

[War]

And idk why you think Hauritz should be nowhere near the test team. He has a lot of international experience, can bat, can actually turn the ball (Lyon, Hauritz and Agar are the only spinners in Australia who turn the ball, a couple of others a little but none of them would even be close to the test side) and he averages 34 with the ball in tests, which isn't "nowhere near the test team quality". And just realised Clarke can bowl so probably just go with Lyon, Pattinson/Bird, Starc and Siddle.

And with the inexperience of the team, I'd much prefer Rogers in for Warner.

The use & usefulness of hauritz as a international cricket was debated to the death on this side a few years ago in threads like these for example - http://www.planetcricket.org/forums/cricket-discussion/nathan-hauritz-role-australian-test-side-should-he-really-playing-65040.html

So i'm not really interested in re-litigating that dead argument. But to summarize its quickly, excluding double 5-wicket hauls vs the match fixing riddled touring pakistan side of 2009/10 - Haurtiz generally failed to do the main job of competent test match spinner, which was to be a potent wicket taking threat in 4th innings/4th or 5th day turners/turning pitches.



Plus while his strength (although it wasn't much of serious one) was his accuracy - that completely deserted him during his last test series in india 2010, when those batsmen totally smoked him?. Plus lets not bring him his poor efforts during his lone test @ mumbai 2004. Clearly it would no sense to serious consider again for another india tour. Axing him for the 2010 ashes, was one of the few smart decision the appalling andrew hilditch lead selection panel ever made.

He should have never played tests for australia & his 17 useless tests could have better utilized by a better player on each occasion.

 

[Sedition]

The more I think about it, the more I reckon Pattinson in for like the 3rd test makes sense to me, depending on the fitness/effectiveness of Starc and Bird.

No doubt we'll be looking at some lifeless pitches throughout the series and our pacemen especially will be feeling it after the first two tests. Throw Pattinson in, fit and ready to go and reap the rewards. Better than having him break down in the first test and wear everyone else out in the process.

As for Bailey, I imagine he'll be on standby in the event of someone getting injured and will be the first added to the squad. A couple more decent innings in the final two ODIs can't hurt his chances either. Right now I've got Khawaja back down at 6, and rather than shifting Wade and putting Maxwell or Henriques in at 7, Bailey would be an appealing #6 option for me.

 

[Aalay]

4 down.

India Cricket News: Ishant Sharma experiences discomfort in ankle | ESPN Cricinfo

Varun Aaron, meanwhile, will travel to London to get advice on treatment of his back problem. "I will be going there next week, where I will be meeting a couple of doctors and seeking their advice. They will review the state of fitness of my back and based on that I will take a call on when I should begin bowling," Aaron told theIndian Express. "I have been bowling on and off but haven't bowled flat out. After this consultation I will get a clear picture of my body."

I am just happy that they finally provided some news on Varun Aaron. Now Sreesanth will be playing for sure. I am not sure about the other bowlers. Dinda, Shami, Ishwar, Bhuvi are the options. Dinda was called as backup in England series so we might see him in the squad again.

 

[icyman]

I foresee Zaheer[sadly] and Sreesanth being the two lead fast bowlers. Add to that, you will have R Ashwin, P Ojha and RJ as the spinners.

 

[crazyrahul]

My prediction of Indian squad for AUS Test series ---

WASIM JAFFER
AJINKYA RAHANE
CHETESHWAR PUJARA
SACHIN TENDULKAR
VIRAT KOHLI (vc)
SURESH RAINA
MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI (c) (w)
RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN
BHUVANESHWAR KUMAR
ISHANT SHARMA / S SREESANTH
PRAGYAN OJHA

VIRENDRA SEHVAG
HARBHAJAN SINGH
DHAWAL KULKARNI (sorry SHAMI)
ABHISHEK NAYAR (sorry RJ)
AMBATI RAYUDU

 

[AbhishekS]

Why do people want Rahane to open when he doesn't even open in first class or list A matches!

 

[sifter132]

I foresee Zaheer[sadly] and Sreesanth being the two lead fast bowlers. Add to that, you will have R Ashwin, P Ojha and RJ as the spinners.

I think India could afford to gamble on Zaheer and Sreesanth, just because if they do fail, then the spinners can always come on and bowl big overs. If India picks 2 less threatening pacemen, I think Australia will be very happy.

Will be interesting to see what batting lineup India eventually goes with, given the whisper is that Gambhir will be dropped.

The more I think about it, the more I reckon Pattinson in for like the 3rd test makes sense to me, depending on the fitness/effectiveness of Starc and Bird.

No doubt we'll be looking at some lifeless pitches throughout the series and our pacemen especially will be feeling it after the first two tests. Throw Pattinson in, fit and ready to go and reap the rewards. Better than having him break down in the first test and wear everyone else out in the process.

Yeah, I'd be expecting some rotation for sure, especially between the 1st and 2nd Tests where there is only 3 days rest. Will be interesting to see who succeeds. I imagine reverse swing will be important (good for Starc), and getting bounce out of flat decks as well (good for Johnson, maybe Bird too). Perhaps a skiddy bowler like Siddle won't be as effective. I imagine the best combo will be one 'swinger': starc/patto; one 'bouncer': Johnson/bird; and Siddle the reliable 'line and lengther'.