Border-Gavaskar Trophy (India in Australia) Dec-Jan 2011/12

[aus_maestro]

Great results so far. The bowlers have been brilliant. The huss is back. Clarke is finally finding his groove as a captain. Looking good for us. Pattinson and his rants are funny when picked up on the stump mic, what a find.

When can we officially start calling India minnows?

 

[viraj agarwal 3]

indiawill lose they r ****ngchickening basterds and idots i hate dem

 

[SaiSrini]

indiawill lose they r fried chickenngchickening basterds and idots i hate dem

Go onto the field and play for India. Maybe a genius like you has not been unearthed yet and the real bastards must be the Indian selectors for not unearthing geniuses like you

 

[puddleduck]

indiawill lose they r fried chickenngchickening basterds and idots i hate dem

Insightful...

Like a young Agnew.

 

[sifter132]

I have nothing against Dravid. He is a world class player. I have no problem if Dravid keep playing because he is awesome and you can't throw any of our senior players out like that because they have done so much for India for last decade. But then when will the young players will get chance?

Even though there is no World cup in Test, we still have to look at the future. This is the last series for our senior players in Australia. They are not coming back to play here. So it's better to give some young player chance who are coming to play in Australia again. So they can get some experience on this kind of pitch.

Since, we can't drop any of the senior players. We can give them some rest and bring a young player . Because if someone is not performing than you can not just sit there and watch them getting out in the same fashion. You have a player who is in form and sitting on the bench. So we have to try something new, otherwise another 4-0 is on the way.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. What is Indian cricket gaining by keeping the big 3 in the team? Obviously crowds and TV viewers, but I would argue they could keep those by retaining only Tendulkar. Prior to this series you would have argued that they bring quality, but that won't be so important from here on, because India has just finished their 3 most important tours: to SA, Eng and Aus. Now that those are finished (and none have been won), what do the big 3 have to play for? I would expect them all to be thinking about retirement after this series just because there is nothing obviously big on the horizon to aim for. They will probably play on for revenge against England (they tour India end of this year) and Australia (who tour in early 2013), but anything after that I think would be unhealthy for Indian cricket. If I were a selector I'd be trying to get them to retire ASAP, particularly Dravid and Laxman, because those 2 series I mentioned would be great places to blood new players, against good opposition, but in home conditions.


And in other news, James Pattinson is out for the series, with some near stress fractures in his toe that they want to nip in the bud:
India in Australia 2011-12: Injured James Pattinson out of series | Cricket News | Australia v India | ESPN Cricinfo

Starc is into the squad, and might even play in Perth ahead of Lyon. Harris is sure to get Pattinson's spot.

 

[Cricketdude]

I just checked Starc's stats. His stats are good enough to be an allrounder

 

[mrtwisties]

Bit worried that people are counting their chickens here, fried or otherwise. If Australia are batting at the WACA and the right sort of cloud cover comes over, Khan and the rest of that mob will have us all out before you can say "Australian batsmen still haven't conquered their weakness against the swinging ball".

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Also, whether it's Starc or Lyon, at least one of our bowlers at the WACA will essentially just be there to help the Indian batsmen get their eye in.

 

[SaiSrini]

I agree wholeheartedly with this. What is Indian cricket gaining by keeping the big 3 in the team? Obviously crowds and TV viewers, but I would argue they could keep those by retaining only Tendulkar. Prior to this series you would have argued that they bring quality, but that won't be so important from here on, because India has just finished their 3 most important tours: to SA, Eng and Aus. Now that those are finished (and none have been won), what do the big 3 have to play for? I would expect them all to be thinking about retirement after this series just because there is nothing obviously big on the horizon to aim for. They will probably play on for revenge against England (they tour India end of this year) and Australia (who tour in early 2013), but anything after that I think would be unhealthy for Indian cricket. If I were a selector I'd be trying to get them to retire ASAP, particularly Dravid and Laxman, because those 2 series I mentioned would be great places to blood new players, against good opposition, but in home conditions.

Dravid and Laxman have to start the retirement process immediately. Sachin will obviously be favored because he is in very good form and also his presence gives the team a big psychological feeling that they have a stalwart in their side. Pujara and Rohit Sharma should be given a permanent run of atleast 10 matches in the XI before decision is taken about their future. I would not want Dravid/Laxman to stay beyond 2012. This is their final year IMO!

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

since laxman is primarily the aussie slayer there really is very little point persevering with him after this, especially if he fails. not that i'll be happy about that as he's my favourite of the the 3. the home series' against england and australia are definitely the end though, it's a huge wait until their next series after that and who the hell wants to take another trip to south africa to get bombed by steyn and co. on green seamers if it can be avoided?

 

[midgetwars]

Bit worried that people are counting their chickens here, fried or otherwise. If Australia are batting at the WACA and the right sort of cloud cover comes over, Khan and the rest of that mob will have us all out before you can say "Australian batsmen still haven't conquered their weakness against the swinging ball".

----------

Also, whether it's Starc or Lyon, at least one of our bowlers at the WACA will essentially just be there to help the Indian batsmen get their eye in.

Don't forget the wind. That's what made Johnson a king at the Waca.

 

[formula1man]

I have nothing against Dravid. He is a world class player. I have no problem if Dravid keep playing because he is awesome and you can't throw any of our senior players out like that because they have done so much for India for last decade. But then when will the young players will get chance?

Even though there is no World cup in Test, we still have to look at the future. This is the last series for our senior players in Australia. They are not coming back to play here. So it's better to give some young player chance who are coming to play in Australia again. So they can get some experience on this kind of pitch.

Since, we can't drop any of the senior players. We can give them some rest and bring a young player . Because if someone is not performing than you can not just sit there and watch them getting out in the same fashion. You have a player who is in form and sitting on the bench. So we have to try something new, otherwise another 4-0 is on the way.

Dravid and Laxman have been coming here for a decade and still dont have a clue so what mamkes you think the youngsters will?

 

[mrtwisties]

Don't forget the wind. That's what made Johnson a king at the Waca.

I know that's what some of commentators said, but I don't think they were right. I was at the WACA when Johnson tore through England and the Fremantle Doctor didn't start blowing until towards the close of the day's play. There was a gentle breeze going in the opposite direction, but nothing extreme.

On the other hand, before the start of the day's play, the local cricketers who got me into the ground all looked at the clouds and agreed that the "ball is going to swing enough to bend back and hit the bowler". They were dead right, too.

So who should we believe, the commentators who mistook a gentle breeze for the Fremantle Doctor or the locals who predicted exactly what eventually happened?

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It's not just any cloud cover, though. It's a sort of flat scraping of cloud across the sky, with just a hint of grey in it.

 

[formula1man]

well its been blowing a gale recently.

 

[Hooper]

well its been blowing a gale recently.

True that.

Its amazing how people go on about the 'Fremantle Doctor' so much. It makes me laugh every time I watch a cricket game over here, nearly every second sentence is mentioning the Freo Doctor.. Bil Lawry is one of the worst.

One of the most over exaggerated conditions in Australia.. Everybody from the Eastern States gets lost on this whole idea of the Fremantle Doctor... I'm sure every capital city near the ocean gets a fookin sea breeze!

 

[mrtwisties]

I've lived near beaches in a few Australian cities, and I'd have to say the Doctor is pretty strong. But to claim that the afternoon sea breeze is blowing at midday is just stupid. Did these guys not pay attention during primary school geography?

Oh, right.