Australian Tour of India, October 2010/11

[AkshayS]

^Who the hell needs him over Raina, not surely in my team.

What has Raina done wrong to be dropped to give his position to Pujara.
I don't think he'll even get a game in the series.

 

[SaiSrini]

This was coming. Yuvraj has done nothing to improve his chances and he deserved this. On the other hand, Raina took the opportunity with both hands and cemented his spot. Pujara selection is a great one. No matter even if he remains on the benches, his selection is very good. My team

V Sehwag
G Gambhir
R Dravid
S Tendulkar
S Raina
VVS Laxman
MS Dhoni
H Singh
Z Khan
P Ojha
I Sharma

Pujara can come in if Raina doesnt play upto potential or if someone gets injured (not the openers, coz Murali Vijay will replace the injured opener).

 

[pcfan123]

Can't wait for this to start. Cricket needs a very competitive and high profile series to detract from the Pakistan mess.

Hoping for good pitches :upray

 

[subversive]

I don't see Pujara getting a Test debut till either Raina starts failing or someone retires... Still hoping for a last-minute injury to a batsman (anyone except Sehwag ), so Pujara can get his chance :laugh

 

[Dare]

Hoping for good pitches :upray

you should know better.

 

[pcfan123]

Well hopefully the BCCI realize that this series has taken on a whole new meaning now that the Pakistan thing happened. The number 1 ranked team vs Australia, that should on paper be the most competitive and riveting Test series possible today. It will be a crying shame if they kill it with the tradition Indian pancakes.

 

[used2bcool]

Hoping for good pitches :upray

I'm with you on this one, Mark, but I have a sinking feeling we'll just keep on praying.

Well hopefully the BCCI realize that this series has taken on a whole new meaning now that the Pakistan thing happened. The number 1 ranked team vs Australia, that should on paper be the most competitive and riveting Test series possible today. It will be a crying shame if they kill it with the tradition Indian pancakes.

I have little faith in BCCI to realize anything for the greater good. The BCCI understands only one thing - BCCI. They will still prepare pitches that should last all 5 days, which means they will be pretty close to the pancakes that you are dreading. The two tests are in Mohali and Bangalore, so at least that's a positive. The pitches in Mohali traditionally had pace and Chinnaswamy pitches tend to take turn later, so there's a chance for results; but I can't help but think that the only way you could guarantee a result would be for a bowler to turn in an extraordinary performance.

On a personal note, I don't mind a traditional Indian Pancake, especially if it starts taking turn from late day 3 onwards. That way we can unleash the MAGIC OF OFFSPIN~ on the Aussies (something the poor chaps have yet to learn to play convincingly apart from a couple of exceptions) and win.

 

[aussie1st]

First I've heard of him but his stats are top notch, some players have good averages in one format but hes got them in all 3.

 

[sifter132]

That way we can unleash the MAGIC OF OFFSPIN~ on the Aussies (something the poor chaps have yet to learn to play convincingly apart from a couple of exceptions) and win.

I call BS on this. I think you are living back in the past where Harbhajan did well against Australia IN ONE SERIES. 2004 was he pretty good too, but he hardly dominated. Australia's traditional weakness has been against left arm orthodox.

Anyway, to prove my point here is a list of spinners against Australia in the last 5 years:
Australia v spin

Mishra and Rafique are the only guys to average under 30 and the only 2 with a strike rate under 65, and that's in 3 and 2 Tests respectively - hardly convincing evidence. Neither are offies.

Harris, Benn, Vettori and Harbhajan have been respected by the Aussies but none have been particularly threatening recently as seen by their awful strike rates, but decent economy. But thinking about it, Harris got a fair few wickets because he was seen as the weak bowler and was underestimated too often. That's 3 SLA and one offie.

Everyone talks about Swann bowling Ponting through the gate, but for most of the 2009 series the Aussies played him pretty easily, particularly the right handers (10 of his 14 wickets were lefties). And Murali hasn't done anything against Australia for a long time. So the 2 best offies in the last 5 years have been handled well by Australia.

 

[used2bcool]

^
You are right, of course, and with compelling evidence. I was just extending the stereotypes. And of course I can argue that left-arm orthodox is just left-hander's offspin, and hence basically offspin

Anyway, I'm looking forward to a good series, pitches permitting. And I don't mind blatant dustbowls either, but given BCCI's Tests-must-last-5-days policy, it seems highly unlikely. Unless Australia dominate the first Test, then expect the Chinnaswamy pitch designed to last no more than four days. It happened to South Africa when they toured here last time - they won the first Test, and then got a dustbowl at Kanpur and were duly spun to defeat.

 

[SciD]

Bhajji is useless and should have been thrown boot along with Sharma.

 

[TumTum]

Should be a great and controversial series, hopefully no flat pitches.

 

[SciD]

Pitches will be flat. It will be up to Aussie batsman to loose the series.

 

[shripathee]

I am interested to see the strategy of the australian pacemen against Sehwag. Will they go the aggressive way , with three slips and close-in fielders (the method that the English and the South Africans tried) or the "Sri lankan way", with fielders in the deep and bowling wide outside off?
Sehwag's wicket will be crucial because if he bats even for a couple of sessions the game will be severely tilted in India's favour.

 

[SciD]

With our bowling line up even 600 runs are not safe.