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

[War]

My 3rd test review

I recall one year ago just before and the Ashes drubbing I would constantly rave about the talent i see in AUS bowling ranks and why i reckoned it was only a matter of time before guys like Siddle, Hilfenahus, Johnson etc starting bowling to obvious potential that they clearly have.

Although Johnson has been discarded it seems like a combination of McDermott's input as bowling coach and the rise of young prospects such as Cummins, Pattinson and Starc have liften Hilfy and Siddle bowling to new heights and now i would say along with England - AUS have the best fast-bowling resources in the world.

I also must agree with an article on cricinfo i saw that Warner/Cowan should continue as the opening partnership even when Watson returns.

Historically as most know some of the best opening partnerships in history in Greenidge/Haynes, Hayden/Langer, Taylor/Slater etc had that dasher/grafter combo. So given AUS battting still has it vulnerabilities to collapsing - they could do with a batsman like Cowan in the top 7 along with the fact it think its best for AUS cricket that Watson drops down the order.

Looking forward to the windies test tour, it will be interesting to see which three-fast bowlers becomes to preferable choices, since AUS have 5 strong options in Hilfy, Harris, Siddle, Pattinson, Cummins.

Haddin most certainly has one more test to save himself, failure their and either Paine or Wade have to become the new keeper in the test match in Barbados.

Best AUS test XI when all are fit:

Cowan
Warner
Ponting
Watson
Clarke
Hussey
Haddin/Paine/Wade
Lyon
Hilfenhaus
Siddle/Harris
Pattinson/Cummins

 

[ferg512]

So that sums up the horrible tour.

Team you will see shortly (When Tendulkar, Dravid retires and Dhoni, Sehwag, Laxman and Gambhir gets drop) I really hope this happens:

Rahane
Mukund
Pujara
Kohli
Rohit
Badri
Parthiv
Ashwin
Ishant
Umesh
Praveen

Reserves: Manish Pandey, Ojha, Varun Aaron, Irfan Pathan

Captain: R.Ashwin
Head Coach: Sourav Ganguly
Bowling Coach: Kapil Dev

Now even if they lose 4-0, IDC because they will actually learn from that experience.

I really like the look of that team. Its a shame that guys like Badrinath and Rohit haven't had a crack earlier. It will be a joke if Laxman plays in Adelaide, if he does hes sure to score a century (flattest pitch in Aus) and retain his place

 

[Haarithan]

This guy's just amazing!

India's debacle in Australia: Kris Srikkanth defends India selectors | Cricket News | Australia v India | ESPN Cricinfo

N Srinivasan, the BCCI President, made light of the loss, saying home conditions had helped Australia dominate in the series. "It is a case of Australians played better in their home conditions," he said. "England won 5-0 in England. They came here here within a month or two and they lost 5-0. Last time, after our loss to England, I had said that we will beat them when they visit India."

"Next New Zealand is coming to India and it will be followed by England and Australia. We will beat these three teams on our own soil. They cannot beat us here and we will feel very happy."

 

[shravi]

I would have said the same thing. The series is still not over with a test to go and an ODI series to come. Need to put on a brave face and act as if nothing is wrong while making big changes.

 

[aussie1st]

India's debacle in Australia: Kris Srikkanth defends India selectors | Cricket News | Australia v India | ESPN Cricinfo

All that needs to be said on that.

 

[midgetwars]

Oh, the Indian debating on the selection, whether future or present is better. Reminds me of last years ashes.

Fact is, FUTURE IS ALWAYS BETTER. But to choose young prospects you always need some experience with them as well.

 

[aussie1st]

We have 3 new batsmen with 3 experienced guys which is working relatively well (not including keeper). The key is the experienced guys need to be performing else it ends in a messy affair as we have seen against NZ and SA. India appear to have 2 in Sachin and Dravid although question mark is now on whether age has indeed caught up with Dravid. Gambhir maybe finding form again, one more test to show either way. Sehwag is Sehwag. If Dhoni was performing then they could probably afford to drop both openers and Laxman and keep Kohil.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

bit of a gamble that srikkanth, but what he says is sort of true, if remarkably brutal and showing no signs of remorse that the truth is a bit sad.

but if india did beat all those teams convincingly then you'll be doing the same thing, sitting round drawing up hit lists of players to be dropped.

however, he has to beat them first, and by the looks of it's going to require either a hugely inexperienced team or a worryingly aged and battered one. wouldn't put tremendous amount of money on them convincing in india.

 

[aussie1st]

bit of a gamble that srikkanth, but what he says is sort of true, if remarkably brutal and showing no signs of remorse that the truth is a bit sad.

The most stupid thing is he's referencing the ODI series, what on earth does that have to do with Test? The last time England played India in a test series they lost 4-0. No doubt India will go better at home just silly the way he has gone about his sledge.

 

[mrtwisties]

Last time we toured India the tests were thrillingly close, despite our bowling attack being in rubbish form / containing Mitchell Johnson. This time... well, I wouldn't count any chickens before they hatch, is all I'll say.

 

[Prithvi]

Indian line up for T20is:

Sehwag
Gambhir
Kohli
Raina
Sharma
Dhoni
Irfan
Ashwin
Praveen
Zaheer
Yadav

 

[mrtwisties]

Thoughtthis was interesting from Cricinfo:

There have been nine 50-plus scores in the series for each team. Australia's four best scores, though, are 329*, 180, 150* and 134. India's top four scores are 83, 80, 75, and 73.

This suggests that India's problem lies partly in their failure to go on batting once they're in, and partly in their failure to keep on bowling once we're in.

Having been conditioned by the last decade or so of watching India-Australia matches, I've been consistently terrified during this series that a well-set Indian batsman would make a big hundred and take the match away from us. But it keeps not happening for some reason. On this view, the real culprits of the tour aren't Sehwag et al - they're Tendulkar, Dravid and Kohli for failing to convert fifties!

 

[midgetwars]

Interesting article here.

BCCI 'arrogant' and 'short-sighted' | Cricket | Fox Sports

 

[aussie1st]

Having been conditioned by the last decade or so of watching India-Australia matches, I've been consistently terrified during this series that a well-set Indian batsman would make a big hundred and take the match away from us. But it keeps not happening for some reason. On this view, the real culprits of the tour aren't Sehwag et al - they're Tendulkar, Dravid and Kohli for failing to convert fifties!

TBF to Kohil he got stranded. And you will actually find Sehwag has one of those 50s. I agree with what you mean though, it's been very strange seeing set Indian batsmen getting out. Does show you how good the Aussie bowlers have been, each of them have managed to get a breakthrough when desperately needed Siddle in particular.

 

[midgetwars]

Foxsports is just dishing it up now

'Sachin Tendulkar is overrated' | Cricket | Fox Sports

Some elements of truth in the article but really unfair to pick on Tendulkar.

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TBF to Kohil he got stranded.

Didn't he get out towards the end defending?