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

[Robelinda]

Bracken did play a test again in 2005.

 

[aussie1st]

Also interesting that a Twenty20 International will be played at ANZ Stadium (The Sydney Olympic Stadium) An experiment of a sign of things to come?

There was an article which mentioned the changing of the times with the T20 being played at the two biggest stadiums in Australia while the ODI finals for the first time weren't being played there but the crowds would more than make up for it. It's nice having a massive stadium in Sydney for cricket but the dimensions are so wrong for it.

 

[sifter132]

Bracken did play a test again in 2005.

Haha - whoops. Need a fact checker... I just remember that 2003/04 summer as one where India murdered our patchwork attack ie. Brad Williams, Bichel, Bracken. Gillespie and Lee played a couple of games each, and at least MacGill was there. But man, we certainly could have used a certain duo...

 

[angryangy]

The selections were so weird; I suppose it was a bit much not only to lose McGrath and Warne but also struggle to keep Gillespie and Lee fit. Players like Fleming, Reiffel and Julian retired in the early 2000s and so it may well have snuck up on them. I suppose there were also some interesting youngish bowlers like Ashley Noffke, Mat Inness and Stuart Clark or perhaps even Shane Harwood, who might have snuck in if they'd been fit at the right time.

Bracken went on to become a notable bowler, but he was more a young bowler with potential at the time and that series evidently ruined his chances of getting picked for an Ashes tour that would have been a better chance to showcase his style of bowling.

Brad Williams was a mongrel punt, neither a youngster nor a really proven pro. He had talent and experience, but never really delivered. Bichel would have been right at the end of his tenure. He deserved his status as a cult hero and he had his moments, but I don't think anyone argues that he was a truly great bowler. He definitely wasn't in his element trying to lead the attack against really epic batting.

They eventually turned to Kasper not long after and subsequently Brett Lee spent a year as the waiter for an attack that was nothing if not robust. However, Kasprowicz had been the paragon first class bowler for some time and they could easily have played him that summer. He was already in his 30s and although he had played a few Tests before then, they had probably missed the best of him.

In terms of the rookies, well it was the period in which a 20 year old Shaun Tait was setting fire to the four day game; if memory serves, he too went to Sri Lanka along with Kasprowicz, but didn't get a look in until the following year. It could have been a very interesting selection if he'd managed to get a game against India while seemingly at his best. At the very least, it wouldn't have been an "I don't know what they see in him" choice.

 

[War]

The selections were so weird; I suppose it was a bit much not only to lose McGrath and Warne but also struggle to keep Gillespie and Lee fit. Players like Fleming, Reiffel and Julian retired in the early 2000s and so it may well have snuck up on them. I suppose there were also some interesting youngish bowlers like Ashley Noffke, Mat Inness and Stuart Clark or perhaps even Shane Harwood, who might have snuck in if they'd been fit at the right time.

Julian wasn't anywhere close test match contention circa 04 really. He was finished in the AUS test set-up since the mid 90s.

But yea outside of the quicks that were used in that 03/04 series i think Noffke and Inness had the best chances of probably getting picked. But not Clark or Harwood at the time.

Bracken went on to become a notable bowler, but he was more a young bowler with potential at the time and that series evidently ruined his chances of getting picked for an Ashes tour that would have been a better chance to showcase his style of bowling.

Brad Williams was a mongrel punt, neither a youngster nor a really proven pro. He had talent and experience, but never really delivered. Bichel would have been right at the end of his tenure. He deserved his status as a cult hero and he had his moments, but I don't think anyone argues that he was a truly great bowler. He definitely wasn't in his element trying to lead the attack against really epic batting.

They eventually turned to Kasper not long after and subsequently Brett Lee spent a year as the waiter for an attack that was nothing if not robust. However, Kasprowicz had been the paragon first class bowler for some time and they could easily have played him that summer. He was already in his 30s and although he had played a few Tests before then, they had probably missed the best of him.

If you remember before that test series Bracken/Williams bowled brilliantly in that TVS Cup tri-nation ODI series in India, just a month before those test began. So you had a situation in the absence of McGrath/Lee/Dizzy these two young bowlers owning a much vaunted Indian batting line-up in their own conditions & by rights the selectors really had to pick him, regardless of the fact that had average FC form (in the case of Bracken). Any selector would have fast-tracked their young bowlers after they had done something like that.

But then that summer of 03/04 had some really flat pitches, Bracken didn't swing the new red ball as expected (like he did in that ODI series, when he had Sehwag LBW a few times), MacGill struggled against those top players of spin and the attack struggled.

In Kasprowicz's case, before his recall in Sri Lanka 04. I wouldn't say AUS missed the best of him, but rather we saw the best of him during that year of his between SRI 04 - Ashes which was the best he ever bowled for AUS.

In his initial first 5 years for AUS between Brisbane 96 - Kolkotta in which he was in & out of the team, was because he just was horribly inconsistent @ international level, although he tended to always bowl well domestically. So during the 03/04 series, the selectors probably remembered that & decided not to pick him for the tests.

In terms of the rookies, well it was the period in which a 20 year old Shaun Tait was setting fire to the four day game; if memory serves, he too went to Sri Lanka along with Kasprowicz, but didn't get a look in until the following year. It could have been a very interesting selection if he'd managed to get a game against India while seemingly at his best. At the very least, it wouldn't have been an "I don't know what they see in him" choice.

Although Taity did go on the SRI tour as a injury replacement for Lee. I dont think he would have seriously got a chance to play during the IND series. That was more of a tour for experience for Tait ATT.

When he broke the domestic bowling record the next season in 04/05 & eventually made the Ashes tour, was when his credentials for a potential test birth was seriously thought about.

 

[IanG]

There was an article which mentioned the changing of the times with the T20 being played at the two biggest stadiums in Australia while the ODI finals for the first time weren't being played there but the crowds would more than make up for it. It's nice having a massive stadium in Sydney for cricket but the dimensions are so wrong for it.

Yeah hope they revert back to how it was before and have it long ways as oppose to what would be across the football field as they had in the big bash last summer.

 

[angryangy]

When he broke the domestic bowling record the next season in 04/05 & eventually made the Ashes tour, was when his credentials for a potential test birth was seriously thought about.

The point being that it's hard to argue Brad Williams' Test credentials were ever seriously thought about.

 

[Gurjot95]

If rankings remains same i.e Australia topped the ODI rankings that time as well then it will be series between World Champions and No. 1 Team. It doesn't get any better, does it?

 

[War]

Johnson is a pretty fine bowler but in the last few months he has gone through a rough patch. Harris has some seriously good pace but then again, as I mentioned earlier, he's way too inconsistent. He can prove to be dangerous for India but then that's only if he is consistent enough with his line and length. He hasn't played enough test matches either to be judged. Copeland? He has just played one test so far and on the Australian tracks, I doubt that whether he will be useful for Australia or not, his pace is not dangerous at all. I really don't see the Australian bowling attack having a upper hand when compared to the Indian bowling attack but obviously they're playing at home and they will be benefited. The most dangerous bowler for India can be Bollinger. His bowling form in the last few months has been pretty good and his pace as well all know, is very good.

Harris inconsistent?. My friend in none of 7 test Ryan Harris has played thus far for AUS has he every displayed the bowling acumen of "inconsistency".

Harris along with Bollinger since the Lee/Clark new-ball combination declined after 2008, have been the only two AUS bowlers to show consistently over any length of time in test matches.

Copeland is very similar to Praveen Kumar, he is slow but he swings the ball and is very accurate. In AUS conditions where he has dominated in first-class cricket i see no reason why he cant be dangerous against an ageing and vulnerable Indian batting line-up when they come to AUS in December.

All the AUS fast-bowlers are better than every IND fast-bowler except a fit Khan.

 

[Themer]

I disagree War.

41 wickets at 16 in ODIs and 31 wickets at 20 in Tests is very inconsistent...

 

[Aalay]

All the AUS fast-bowlers are better than every IND fast-bowler except a fit Khan.

I am sorry but Copeland is not better than Praveen. Again he can be similar to praveen as I have written in a post 3 or 4 pages ago but he can't be better than Praveen.

If Khan is fit than as you said, he is better than all aussie bowlers.

And you have seen Ishant Sharma on his last Australian tour. You do know that how lethal he can be, too right?

Plus there is a secret weapon in Varun Aaron, who has pace and bounce and he just played in Australia in the Emerging trophy and did pretty good.

There are ups and down in both side in bowling department but at the end of the day I would never say that Current Aussie fast bowlers are better than Indian fast bowlers. Of course Harris and Bollinger are my personal favorite bowlers but Johnson hasn't done much in longer formats of game. Copeland is still pretty new to this format. I don't think Lyon will cause any trouble for Indian batsman. So I can't see any reason why India can't beat Australia in that series.

 

[1iram1]

I am sorry but Copeland is not better than Praveen. Again he can be similar to praveen as I have written in a post 3 or 4 pages ago but he can't be better than Praveen.

If Khan is fit than as you said, he is better than all aussie bowlers.

And you have seen Ishant Sharma on his last Australian tour. You do know that how lethal he can be, too right?

Plus there is a secret weapon in Varun Aaron, who has pace and bounce and he just played in Australia in the Emerging trophy and did pretty good.

There are ups and down in both side in bowling department but at the end of the day I would never say that Current Aussie fast bowlers are better than Indian fast bowlers. Of course Harris and Bollinger are my personal favorite bowlers but Johnson hasn't done much in longer formats of game. Copeland is still pretty new to this format. I don't think Lyon will cause any trouble for Indian batsman. So I can't see any reason why India can't beat Australia in that series.

I would like to disagree on Praveen vs Copeland. Sure Praveen has more experience but stats show Copeland is better.

I agree on Khan, but Ishant? He would've been dangerous if he had 20 kph more pace like in 2008.

Don't really think they will pick the over-hyped Varun anyway.

You will need a good spinner to really trouble the Aussie batsmen who can't really play spin very well, apart from Hussey that is.

Plus, you have to take the opposition seriously, or you will end up being whitewashed again.

 

[Aalay]

I would like to disagree on Praveen vs Copeland. Sure Praveen has more experience but stats show Copeland is better.

I agree on Khan, but Ishant? He would've been dangerous if he had 20 kph more pace like in 2008.

Don't really think they will pick the over-hyped Varun anyway.

You will need a good spinner to really trouble the Aussie batsmen who can't really play spin very well, apart from Hussey that is.

Plus, you have to take the opposition seriously, or you will end up being whitewashed again.

Copeland better? Not at all. Praveen provides experience and he is surely better than Copeland. And which stats are you talking about? Copeland is playing his very first series currently, so IDK how you are comparing their STATS?

I think you have not watched the Ind vs WI series. When Ishant gets those bouncy pitches, he can be as lethal as he was back in 2007/08.

I am pretty sure Varun Aaron/Umesh Yadav will get picked if Khan is still injured at that time of tour but I heard the news that Khan is recovering fast enough to get in that tour.

Harbhajan has 400 wickets. I think he does get in a "Good Spinner"'s list. Yes I am aware that past 18 months have not been ideal for him but than again do I need to tell you how much he loves playing against Aussies?

 

[SaiSrini]

Copeland better? Not at all. Praveen provides experience and he is surely better than Copeland. And which stats are you talking about? Copeland is playing his very first series currently, so IDK how you are comparing their STATS?

I think you have not watched the Ind vs WI series. When Ishant gets those bouncy pitches, he can be as lethal as he was back in 2007/08.

I am pretty sure Varun Aaron/Umesh Yadav will get picked if Khan is still injured at that time of tour but I heard the news that Khan is recovering fast enough to get in that tour.

Harbhajan has 400 wickets. I think he does get in a "Good Spinner"'s list. Yes I am aware that past 18 months have not been ideal for him but than again do I need to tell you how much he loves playing against Aussies?

Harbhajan is a lucky chap that we are going to tour Australia which is our next big assignment. If it was South Africa or someone else, he would/should have been thrown out and asked to recoup himself back in domestic cricket. His battle with Aussies is what will help him get a ticket Down Under. And Ashwin wont get his chance because Harbhajan is an offie.

I am sure India will be serious enough when they face Australia. After the humiliation served up here in England, they have to and they most likely will.

 

[SaiSrini]

Nice that my posts have been moved to this thread.

Considering that the Indian bowling attack is deflated heavily without Zaheer and our board doesn't want to give the team enough preparation for the tour, I am not optimistic about this tour as I was for the England tour which has ended up in humiliation. Even if Zaheer makes it to this tour, he most likely is going to push it very hard which could make him vulnerable for more injuries (probably during the tour itself). If I was Srikanth, I would not pick Zaheer for this tour and invest in our other bowlers and build a life without Zaheer. Who cares if we lose? We have already seen major humiliation in England. Can't get worse than that (England are a better team than Australia in tests right now).

Praveen will be battered if he plays in Australia. Ishant and Sreesanth should be easy picks (inspite of Sreesanth being temperamental, let him play against his foes Australia just like how Harbhajan gets a ticket just because its his favorite foes Australia). I would take RP Singh on this tour because he has played in Australia before. And I would chose one among either Aaron or Umesh Yadav and blood him. No Munaf, no Nehra, no Praveen. Harbhajan and Ojha would be my spinners.

Edit: Just saw on Cricinfo that India will last play an ODI against england on October 29th and then we straight go to Australia in December for the tour? No games inbetween? Do we really have a 2 month break there? Or does Cricinfo have insufficient details? I thought West Indies was going to tour us or something? Having such a long break before the Australia series would be excellent actually. India can have camps and practice hard before they reach Australia