Australia's tour of India 2019

[LiveLoveABD]

I just posted about Jadeja's fielding did I? The guy is just lightning!

 

[SaiSrini]

Vijay Shankar given the ball and is asked to defend 11 runs off the last over! And he gets Stoinis first ball! This is drama of the highest level! Its unbelivable that Shankar got into a place where he has to bowl the last over.

 

[SaiSrini]

And Vijay Shankar wins it for India!! Manic, absolute manic!! It was a tough ask for him when his bowling has been trolled mercilessly and he gets the 2 wickets to win it!

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

But he would be overlooked for Hardik Pandya. If Hardik bowled this well it would've been justifiable but having said that it was just once he did the job it isn't that unfair

 

[LiveLoveABD]

And Vijay Shankar wins it for India!! Manic, absolute manic!! It was a tough ask for him when his bowling has been trolled mercilessly and he gets the 2 wickets to win it!

Where?

 

[LiveLoveABD]

I'll just add- It's a bit frustrating that Rayudu is in pole for no.4. I think all this Dhoni bashing (a lot of it is correct) would not exist if he batted at 4. I think Jadhav is absolutely vital and the best bloke at 5. He has to play. DK would be the finisher and the impact which is clearly missing with Pandya and Jaddu to support.

I'm happy for Shankar. I think his batting looks really good. I still think he's a part timer. He has some useful cutters and slower one's but he's not a 5th bowler. The ball Stoinis missed was right in the slot. The skills will develop. He has the temperament for international cricket without doubt.

If we select well, we're unbeatable.

 

[Aalay]

Just to mess a little more with selection committee? How about Vijay Shankar at 4 in place of Raydu? Gives us one more bowling option and based on what I saw from Shankar today, he looks pretty good. Just a thought.

 

[SaiSrini]

Just how did we get into this mess with Rayudu? He looked extremely good in the IPL but that probably was a combination of "having the license to go for the kill plus much lesser quality of bowling in IPL". I just hope we do not lose the WC because of Rayudu.

I agree with kushal (LiveLoveABD) that a line up of "Rohit, Dhawan, Kohli, Dhoni, Jadhav, Hardik, DK, Jadeja" looks real good. Dhoni batting at No. 4 gives us that cushion where we can load up on the finishers after him like Jadhav/Hardik/DK (I feel DK should come in after Hardik as DK is a different beast in the last 3-4 overs). Rahul would be the opening backup and that's it for the batsmen in the WC squad. If Rayudu is picked in the squad, he is the opening backup for Rohit or Dhawan.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Just how did we get into this mess with Rayudu? He looked extremely good in the IPL but that probably was a combination of "having the license to go for the kill plus much lesser quality of bowling in IPL". I just hope we do not lose the WC because of Rayudu.

I agree with kushal (LiveLoveABD) that a line up of "Rohit, Dhawan, Kohli, Dhoni, Jadhav, Hardik, DK, Jadeja" looks real good. Dhoni batting at No. 4 gives us that cushion where we can load up on the finishers after him like Jadhav/Hardik/DK (I feel DK should come in after Hardik as DK is a different beast in the last 3-4 overs). Rahul would be the opening backup and that's it for the batsmen in the WC squad. If Rayudu is picked in the squad, he is the opening backup for Rohit or Dhawan.

To be honest, I would not take Rayudu in the squad. But, that's just me.

My squad would honestly be-

Rohit
Dhawan
Rahul

Kohli
Dhoni
Jadhav
DK
Pandya
Jadeja

Kuldeep
Chahal
Shami
Bhuvi
Bumrah

I honestly don't see the point of taking Rishabh Pant. I feel it's a huge gamble and now there are only 3 games left. I personally can't think of a bloke or what exactly we need. I don't have anything against Rayudu, but objectively speaking, Dhoni will and should play because he can do anything that Rayudu can with the bat and his keeping and leadership is gold dust. Specially with a baboon leadership team like we have right now. And, if Dhoni plays, Rayudu is rendered useless. I don't think we need another fast bowler. I think we have our spin bowling covered. We have two keepers. We have three openers. It leaves one middle order slot open and I am utterly clueless who it should be. Believe it or not, I'm leaning towards Vijay Shankar. Jadhav is a brittle fellow and we have 0 backups for him. Shankar can come in as the sixth bowler.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Just to mess a little more with selection committee? How about Vijay Shankar at 4 in place of Raydu? Gives us one more bowling option and based on what I saw from Shankar today, he looks pretty good. Just a thought.

Shankar's not had enough opportunity to warrant that position for a big tournament like this. I personally think, like I said above, he can go in the reserves as backup for Jadhav. Also, in case Pandya breaks down on the morning of a game, he can come in like for like without upsetting the balance although I feel he's not as effective a bowler as Hardik, but there's Jadhav to make up for it.

 

[SaiSrini]

To be honest, I would not take Rayudu in the squad. But, that's just me.

My squad would honestly be-

Rohit
Dhawan
Rahul

Kohli
Dhoni
Jadhav
DK
Pandya
Jadeja

Kuldeep
Chahal
Shami
Bhuvi
Bumrah

I honestly don't see the point of taking Rishabh Pant. I feel it's a huge gamble and now there are only 3 games left. I personally can't think of a bloke or what exactly we need. I don't have anything against Rayudu, but objectively speaking, Dhoni will and should play because he can do anything that Rayudu can with the bat and his keeping and leadership is gold dust. Specially with a baboon leadership team like we have right now. And, if Dhoni plays, Rayudu is rendered useless. I don't think we need another fast bowler. I think we have our spin bowling covered. We have two keepers. We have three openers. It leaves one middle order slot open and I am utterly clueless who it should be. Believe it or not, I'm leaning towards Vijay Shankar. Jadhav is a brittle fellow and we have 0 backups for him. Shankar can come in as the sixth bowler.

I agree too (about not taking Rayudu for the WC). Rahul despite his mental issues, is a better bet than Rayudu. For Vijay Shankar gives a 6th bowling option that Rayudu can’t give and Shankar with his batting has proved that he is as adept and even better at strike rotation.

Right now, Rayudu looks the week link that needs discarding. But will the selectors see it? I feel they’ll keep Rahul out and take Rayudu.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

I think Shankar will prove a lot of people otherwise in the upcoming IPL. I might be wrong, but from what I have seen in the short sample size, he's not just someone who can rotate better but he also has the ability to hit a boundary when most needed. A talent, we could much do with considering the lull in the middle we have going. As Sai and a lot of us have pointed out to death, the matter gets complicated when Dhoni and Rayudu both combine.

Also, Dhoni receives a lot of hate over here (I am guilty as much as anyone else) but when I see a full match I totally see the value he brings. I was just seeing how much Kuldeep was looking at Dhoni when he was being clattered around. When the world's best limited overs spinner does that, the value of such a thing cannot be ascertained in petty terms like strike rate and runs. I also overheard him on the stump mic immediately have a man on the sweep for Handscomb and I think the ball went there 5 times in 2 overs. Now, people will immediately turn around and say 'hey, after 2 shots even Kohli would have a man there' but to be two steps ahead of the game and not have a conventional sweeper but one in between deep square and fine leg just goes to show how astute and wise he is. There was also an occasion where Jadeja was bowling darts and Handscomb kept slog sweeping him and Dhoni was on the button asking him to slow it down. To add to this, Handscomb tried lapping Jadeja or Kuldeep and Dhoni almost pulled off a catch that only happens while playing PlayStation. I think we need to look at it objectively that we have the bowling to restrict anyone to 270 and that is right down Dhoni's alley. He is a must and it is a must to do away with him in T20's.

I also feel picking Rayudu over Rahul will be a massive error. Again, Rohit takes time and if Dhawan's form is going to continue like this, Rahul is an easy fit. Also, he's a far far better fielder. We don't have many spring chickens if we have the likes of Bumrah, Chahal, Kuldeep and Shami in the field. Rayudu isn't fast, neither is Jadhav and nor is Dhawan. They're all safe catchers but not athletes who will save runs. I might be wrong, but Rohit seems to have become nicely fat and I have lately seen him also not be at his best.

Excellence is about plugging gaps, keeping options and at the same time respecting people for their achievements. Safe to say, we don't have a support staff with any of these qualities. This team however is the best limited overs team India has ever produced in a given era.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Only four odd overs and I get the feeling that this is a 300-325 wicket.

I hope the Aussies get 320 plus as we will be seeing those kind of totals in the World Cup.

I don’t like this team selection at all. There’s no need to play Shami and Bumrah so much. Also, we need to get Bhuvi some game time. Also, the small matter of giving KL and Pant a run if they’ve been picked?

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Brilliant comeback by India in the bowling at one stage Australia look like getting more than 350.Death bowling has really good for us ever since we had Bumrah in the squad the likes of Bhuvi and now Shami supporting him at the other end to restrict opponents to much lesser scores.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

I think Bhogle aside, there are 3-4 people here that understand the game far better than the 'experts' on Star.

Everything I said last night was vindicated in terms of fielding. Score was expected to be this much. This is a brilliant batting wicket and much akin to the stuff we will get in England. Hope now we lose 2 up top and see if we can get these.

I think Shankar has done his chances no harm. Good to see Jadhav come back to earth as well. Jadeja was unlucky with Dhawan's catch who fielded atrociously. Same goes for the whole side basically. Rohit Sharma cannot be passing this fancy yo yo test. He has become fat as hell and the ball he missed which went to the boundary was him just being lazy to bend enough.