India in Australia

[sohum]

You're living in the past chump.

I'll bet VVS wouldnt have seen much of Clark, Johnson, Hilfenhaus and Bracken or Tait.

Likewise, Clark, Johnson, Hilfy, Bracken or Tait wouldn't have bowled to Laxman either.

If we're going into squad selections, I would pick the following XV:

Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Karthik, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Santhakumaran Sreesanth, Rudra Singh

Our bowling looks a little weak, but we would have to drop Sharma/Sehwag to accommodate more bowlers. Will be tough decisions.

 

[Cricket_god]

You're living in the past chump.

I'll bet VVS wouldnt have seen much of Clark, Johnson, Hilfenhaus and Bracken or Tait.

VVs has played bracken and do not forget the hammering he got in that test
and after that he has not played a single test

He has played better bowlers than clark johnson these bowlers could be easy

Likewise, Clark, Johnson, Hilfy, Bracken or Tait wouldn't have bowled to Laxman either.

If we're going into squad selections, I would pick the following XV:

Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Karthik, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Santhakumaran Sreesanth, Rudra Singh

Our bowling looks a little weak, but we would have to drop Sharma/Sehwag to accommodate more bowlers. Will be tough decisions.

Munaf patel should be picked ahead of pathan he was bowling in the high 130
and picking wickets in the irani trophy game ,if he improves and bowls in the 140 region he is by far our best bowler ,also he was throwing and fielding well

 

[angryangy]

I say 2-1 India.
Don't underestimate us. We've been top in form in tests for the past 5 or 6 years now, steadily improving.
Kumble will rip through ya.

Jaffer
Karthik
Dravid
Tendulkar
Ganguly/Yuvraj
Laxman
Dhoni
Irfan/Sreesanth
Anil
RP
Zaheer

You can't separate a good opening partnership. If any I'd bring Sehwag maybe for Jaffer, simply because he looks weaker then Karthik. I know most of you know that KKD is my favorite, but i'm pretty sure that's a just conclusion.
It's going to be a lot closer then people say it is. Trust me.
The only bowler you guys got that look threatening in tests is Lee. No one else looks like they'd trouble India.
I know some bloke will say McGill-This is India. We're the best players of spin in the world.

Some good points.

While India have been in good form, it is important to remember Australia haven't lost a home series in almost 15 years. The 2005 Ashes was their only lost series in the last five years. I know, Warne and McGrath have been integral to that form, but in times without, Australia have still managed a draw.

I agree that MacGill will face a mean challenge against India, but on the other side of the coin is Kumble, who hasn't been in the best form (bowling form, at least) and shouldn't find much assistance from Australian pitches for his style. I do not think either side possesses an advantage, unless a pitch calls for a second spinner, a situation in which there is much potential.

Surely Lee isn't the only threat. I'd remind you that Stuart Clark has 47 wickets at an average of 17.81 and if Lee looks threatening, then Clark must already have eaten someone.

While we're discussing bowlers, how certain are you that India's pace threatens Australia? If the batting is considered equal, having just one threatening bowler is going to beat having none. Zaheer Khan is most certainly a key. He hasn't in past been his strongest against Australia and so it remains to be seen if he can carry his form. Australia isn't an easy place to practice swing bowling so all of India's prospects should consider work hard on 'plan B'.

Mind you just as we are looking at players like Clark with 9 Tests, Bracken with 5, to Sreesanth with 11 and RP Singh with 7, the burden is on both sets of selectors to make the right choices with so little data. This is what I meant in my earlier post about organisation. After a single bad match, selectors might be tempted to drop a player, but they might stick with him. Either could be a mistake and as you said, it stands to be closer than a lot of people realise.

As the numbers stand...

Hayden
Jaques (Rogers will need to show some big form early in the season)
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Symonds (other contenders here don't seem to be offering enough)
Gilchrist
Lee
Johnson (selectors' favourite, although Bracken and Tait should be in front)
Clark
MacGill (selectors' whipping boy, I wouldn't be surprised if they omit him for an extra paceman)

 

[Cricket_god]

Some good points.

While India have been in good form, it is important to remember Australia haven't lost a home series in almost 15 years. The 2005 Ashes was their only lost series in the last five years. I know, Warne and McGrath have been integral to that form, but in times without, Australia have still managed a draw.

I agree that MacGill will face a mean challenge against India, but on the other side of the coin is Kumble, who hasn't been in the best form (bowling form, at least) and shouldn't find much assistance from Australian pitches for his style. I do not think either side possesses an advantage, unless a pitch calls for a second spinner, a situation in which there is much potential.

Surely Lee isn't the only threat. I'd remind you that Stuart Clark has 47 wickets at an average of 17.81 and if Lee looks threatening, then Clark must already have eaten someone.

While we're discussing bowlers, how certain are you that India's pace threatens Australia? If the batting is considered equal, having just one threatening bowler is going to beat having none. Zaheer Khan is most certainly a key. He hasn't in past been his strongest against Australia and so it remains to be seen if he can carry his form. Australia isn't an easy place to practice swing bowling so all of India's prospects should consider work hard on 'plan B'.

Mind you just as we are looking at players like Clark with 9 Tests, Bracken with 5, to Sreesanth with 11 and RP Singh with 7, the burden is on both sets of selectors to make the right choices with so little data. This is what I meant in my earlier post about organisation. After a single bad match, selectors might be tempted to drop a player, but they might stick with him. Either could be a mistake and as you said, it stands to be closer than a lot of people realise.

As the numbers stand...

Hayden
Jaques (Rogers will need to show some big form early in the season)
Ponting
Clarke
Hussey
Symonds (other contenders here don't seem to be offering enough)
Gilchrist
Lee
Johnson (selectors' favourite, although Bracken and Tait should be in front)
Clark
MacGill (selectors' whipping boy, I wouldn't be surprised if they omit him for an extra paceman)

Kumble prefers bounce so in australia he would get more assistance than england and indi amay play piyush chawla

I agree clark is a bigger threat than lee .Johnson is better than bracken for tests.

Zaheer if you remember in the first test he played in australia played a crucial part in drawing the first test he broke the australian middle order in brisbane.do not see his record in india any bowler who bowls in india is going to get hammered on those flat pitches.outside india he is a match winner against any team.

also sreesanth,munaf patel,ishant sharma,r.p if they get picked are tall blokes who can extract good bounce at sharp pace so

Australia 1st innings R M B 4 6
JL Langer lbw b Agarkar 121 325 194 17 0
ML Hayden c Laxman b Khan 37 81 52 6 0
RT Ponting c Patel b Khan 54 125 88 7 1
DR Martyn run out (Harbhajan Singh/Patel/Ganguly) 42 122 79 5 0
*SR Waugh hit wicket b Khan 0 9 4 0 0
SM Katich c Patel b Khan 16 41 25 4 0
+AC Gilchrist c Laxman b Khan 0 7 4 0 0
AJ Bichel c Laxman b Agarkar 11 16 10 2 0
JN Gillespie run out (Harbhajan Singh/Agarkar) 8 19 11 0 0
NW Bracken not out 6 18 13 0 0
SCG MacGill c Chopra b Agarkar 1 11 3 0 0
Extras (b 4, lb 7, w 2, nb 14) 27
Total (all out, 78.1 overs, 391 mins) 323

FoW: 1-73 (Hayden, 15.2 ov), 2-162 (Ponting, 41.4 ov),
3-268 (Langer, 66.4 ov), 4-275 (Martyn, 67.2 ov),
5-275 (Waugh, 67.4 ov), 6-276 (Gilchrist, 69.1 ov),
7-302 (Bichel, 72.3 ov), 8-310 (Katich, 75.2 ov),
9-317 (Gillespie, 76.1 ov), 10-323 (MacGill, 78.1 ov).

Bowling O M R W
Khan 23 2 95 5 (12nb)
Nehra 15 4 51 0 (2nb)
Agarkar 25.1 5 90 3 (2w)
Harbhajan Singh 14 1 68 0
Ganguly 1 0 8 0

 

[aussie_ben91]

I don't think you can justify anything by India's series' win over England as relevance to anything. I think it would've been interesting to see how the series' had've panned out had England won that first game.

Nevertheless, these are Test matches, not ODI's or Twenty20's. So I don't see us losing a match although with the bowling attacks going up against the batting lineups, a few draws might be on the cards.

Nevertheless.

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Clark
Bracken / Tait
MacGil

 

[Cricket_god]

I don't think you can justify anything by India's series' win over England as relevance to anything. I think it would've been interesting to see how the series' had've panned out had England won that first game.

Nevertheless, these are Test matches, not ODI's or Twenty20's. So I don't see us losing a match although with the bowling attacks going up against the batting lineups, a few draws might be on the cards.

Nevertheless.

Hayden
Jaques
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds
Gilchrist
Lee
Clark
Bracken / Tait
MacGil

I do not see this australian team troubling india in tests specially in
adelaide and sydney we should win atleast one of those ,i am worried about perth though but have read some reports saying it is turning so i think india should win the series 2-1 or 1-0

 

[evertonfan]

I do not see this australian team troubling india in tests specially in
adelaide and sydney we should win atleast one of those

That's the mistake England made. England's team that toured Australia is better than this Indian team i'd say and look what happened there. I honestly can't see India winning a match, and i'm amazed by some people's predictions that India will win the series. Australia - despite the loss of McGrath and Warne - are still far and away the best team in the world.

 

[baburao]

That's the mistake England made. England's team that toured Australia is better than this Indian team i'd say and look what happened there. I honestly can't see India winning a match, and i'm amazed by some people's predictions that India will win the series. Australia - despite the loss of McGrath and Warne - are still far and away the best team in the world.

They still have to play a big series without them for the first time.

 

[Animator!]

 

[Hooper]

^ Great picture. That sums up the whole tour!

 

[Animator!]

Australia's the crippled ginge, and Indian can be the kid on crutches.

Either way. This arguement is retarded.

 

[Cricketman]

If we're going into squad selections, I would pick the following XV:

Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Karthik, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Santhakumaran Sreesanth, Rudra Singh

Dude, I think it's a bit harsh on Ganguly and absolutely lucky on the Part of Rohit to get in the Test squad so early.

That's the mistake England made. England's team that toured Australia is better than this Indian team i'd say and look what happened there. I honestly can't see India winning a match, and i'm amazed by some people's predictions that India will win the series. Australia - despite the loss of McGrath and Warne - are still far and away the best team in the world.

We'll see.
Dravid+Laxman=Australia's Nightmares.

You're living in the past chump.

I'll bet VVS wouldnt have seen much of Clark, Johnson, Hilfenhaus and Bracken or Tait.

Ooh, Sub-Par Australian bowlers!
I'm quaking in my socks!

 

[Cricket_god]

That's the mistake England made. England's team that toured Australia is better than this Indian team i'd say and look what happened there. I honestly can't see India winning a match, and i'm amazed by some people's predictions that India will win the series. Australia - despite the loss of McGrath and Warne - are still far and away the best team in the world.

England team was not better than the indian team england missed vaughan
and there batting was average and they made so many mistake in selections
.if they had not made some blunders they should have drawn atleat 2 test matches.

India have been doing well in test cricket for last 5-6 years and should have won the last series in australia.

There are not far away for other team with out warne and mcgrath.

 

[SaiSrini]

You're living in the past chump.

I'll bet VVS wouldnt have seen much of Clark, Johnson, Hilfenhaus and Bracken or Tait.

I dont find them greater than McGrath or Warne. VVS is more experienced, and has had success in Australian conditions. Even Gilchrist has expressed dismay that VVS has done so well against them, and yet he is not a permanent member in the Indian side. Its all in the past, but there is no conclusive evidence whatsoever that it will not happen again (i have beaten this line to death in my Statistics class!).

That's the mistake England made. England's team that toured Australia is better than this Indian team i'd say and look what happened there. I honestly can't see India winning a match, and i'm amazed by some people's predictions that India will win the series. Australia - despite the loss of McGrath and Warne - are still far and away the best team in the world.

The depth in batting that we have, and Kumble should should be enough to give us a single test win in the tour.

@ others : Zaheer has been in very good form in the test matches. His last tour to Australia was a pretty good one with the Brisbane effort standing out. And he has improved a lot from that tour and is now India's spearhead and can handle the attack in the tests well. Sreesanth supports him quite well in the fast bowling and they did well in that test in South Africa. Sreesanth bowls a good pace, extracts bounce and has an excellent seam position. The third seamer's spot will be the trickier one. Swing wont work too well in Australia. Pathan and RP will fight it out. Pathan's batting will be useful and his much improved bowling after his recent comeback should place him as the favorite for that slot. Kumble should be the lone spinner unless India decide on 4 pace bowlers or 2 spinners.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Australia haven't lost a Test Match in well over 2 years.

I think it'll be 1-0 or 2-0 in Australia's favour.