India in Australia

[manee]

What is India going to do when we get our first-string quicks back?

Ishant Sharma is quite young and should perhaps ply his trade in the Deodar Trophy and the MRF Pace Foundation in the spring. Munaf Patel also needs some hard yards in domestic cricket as well as in the MRF Pace Foundation in the spring. Hopefully TA Sekhar can help him with his length.

Consequently, the competition of pacers should be between Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan and RP Singh. Having merely one right arm pace bowler on the scene is not adequate and based on this domestic season, I think that Praveen Kumar should be in a Test squad as the reserve pace bowler until Munaf can prove his fitness or Ishant has completed the domestic season without injury.

In India, India should play two spinners with the pace bowlers being Zaheer Khan and RP Singh. RP Singh has a good domestic record and provides the wicket taking factor, which is vital on flat pitches. Although Zaheer Khan averages 40.09 in India, he averages 2.33 wickets per match which points out that he general plays on flat pitches but bowls to a reasonable standard. Sreesanth and Pathan should be the other pace bowlers in the squad.

In Sri Lanka (February 2008), where the pitches are slow, we need bowlers who can bowl a lot of overs. Consequently, two spinners would be the way to go here, especially considering the spinning pitches. As Vaas and Hoggard showed on the recent Sri Lanka Vs England series, medium paced swing bowlers succeed. So, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan should also be the first choice bowlers here. RP Singh and Praveen Kumar (who, in my opinion, has excelled in domestic cricket in the past few seasons, bowling many overs, on Indian pitches) should be in the squad too.

 

[Leggie]

Wow Wow Wow! Thats all I can say....

Well what a performance by India, they're right in the driving seat. Ishant was looking consistently dangerous and so was RP so thats a really good sign, also nice to see Pathan in with the wickets, his wicket of Jacques was a typical Pathan wicket (draw the batsmen into the shot and get late outswing. And a big congrats to Kumble for joining the 600 crew.

For I all I care like Mob on the last page, Harbhajan can go get lost and Pathan sjould dtay, he offers bwoling and depth in batting. We don't need Harbhajan to get Ponting out anymore

 

[manee]

Wow Wow Wow! Thats all I can say....

Well what a performance by India, they're right in the driving seat. Ishant was looking consistently dangerous and so was RP so thats a really good sign, also nice to see Pathan in with the wickets, his wicket of Jacques was a typical Pathan wicket (draw the batsmen into the shot and get late outswing. And a big congrats to Kumble for joining the 600 crew.

For I all I care like Mob on the last page, Harbhajan can go get lost and Pathan sjould dtay, he offers bwoling and depth in batting. We don't need Harbhajan to get Ponting out anymore

Harbhajan is necessary for Tests in India though.

 

[Leggie]

Harbhajan is necessary for Tests in India though.

I know he's a decent bowler in India, but with the talent in the younger generation of India's Pace Bowlers, I can't see the selectors picking him. Also if he gets banned and his replacement does well then that could put him out the contention

 

[shan111]

I know he's a decent bowler in India, but with the talent in the younger generation of India's Pace Bowlers, I can't see the selectors picking him. Also if he gets banned and his replacement does well then that could put him out the contention

I dont think eventaually bhajji can be put out of contention. Kumble is probably going to retire after this sereis or a year later. Then who's going to carry India's spin attack next? Harbahajan might not be in the category of Anil but he's a decent enough bowler. I think he should be present there to help out young piyush chawla somewahat who'll be kumble's replacment I guess.
BTW, is there any big turning leg-spinner in domestic circuit of India at the moment?

 

[.Mob]

Then who's going to carry India's spin attack next?

I honestly believe Ramesh Powar is under-rated, in a Test match I think he would be a very effective player. Obviously, Chawla will end up being our future strike spinner, replacing Kumble.

In my opinion, Powar > Harbhajan, biased but hey.

 

[SaiSrini]

We need to get a lead of 600 and shut Australia out of the match.
We have a fantastic opportunity. We must be aggressive, get the runs knocked off and someone needs a BIG ton.
With the ball, knock em over for 100, and win by 500 runs.

Seeing the life on the pitch, the Australian bowlers, and our batsmen, 600 is almost an impossible proposition. India will declare even if they get to 500. Thats huge in itself (if they get there!).

But lets also not think ahead of ourselves. I expect Australia to come out blazing tomorrow. Its one of their favorite venues, they have never been in this type of a position for quite sometime (In Sydney, they were not scheduled to bat last but here they are, and that adds to the pressure).

It should be a cracker. Hope this one lasts into the fifth day and ends in a nail biting fashion (with hopefully, an Indian win that sets up the series)

I honestly believe Ramesh Powar is under-rated, in a Test match I think he would be a very effective player. Obviously, Chawla will end up being our future strike spinner, replacing Kumble.

In my opinion, Powar > Harbhajan, biased but hey.

All the good bowling that Powar does, he makes up for it with pathetic ground fielding (which is related to his burly physique). And he is not some one that has the talent to run through a side even when he is at the most destructive best.

Harbhajan is a star. At times, he might look pedestrian, but he can run through sides when he gets into the flow. And he has been working on his bowling ever since he was dropped recently from the side (and came back in the Twenty20 world cup). Harbhajan and Chawla will be India's future in the spin department. Powar can be nowhere closer until he gets rid of all those excess fat and comes in slim.

 

[.Mob]

A bit harsh, don't you think. You can only give you best, and he does that.

Plus, you can't play someone thinking if they find their flow, they can run through a side. I'm sorry, I just don't like him, I'm probably wrong to think he should be gotten rid of, but I still don't want him in the team.

 

[sohum]

I expect Australia to come up with a typically gutsy performance tomorrow. I wouldn't be surprised if the well-hyped up Tait finally comes good. I think this match is going to be far tighter than it seems at the moment. The Indians haven't yet put in a good second innings display in this series.

 

[prarara]

I think this pitch will produce a result. I can't say in which direction it will swing, but India have an upper hand. It all depends on tomorrow.

 

[zub2005]

its a hard one to say.

australia are not out of this, if they can bowl india out cheaply they will be in the driving seat. i feel that the indian team need to bat all day tomorrow. i hope pathan and shewag get good scores, and the platform being laid for the rest of the players.

 

[SaiSrini]

A bit harsh, don't you think. You can only give you best, and he does that.

Plus, you can't play someone thinking if they find their flow, they can run through a side. I'm sorry, I just don't like him, I'm probably wrong to think he should be gotten rid of, but I still don't want him in the team.

Harbhajan has been far from hurting us with his display right now. Your dislike for him seems to come from some thing else (may be his character, his aggro, etc). He has been getting wickets for us this series, and bowls very tight and checks the run flow. It will be very tough to attack Harbhajan as it would lead to the batsman making the mistake. He has accquired good control over the years. Once Kumble retires, I expect Harbhajan to stand up and take over the wicket taking role.

 

[BONED!]

its a hard one to say.

australia are not out of this, if they can bowl india out cheaply they will be in the driving seat. i feel that the indian team need to bat all day tomorrow. i hope pathan and shewag get good scores, and the platform being laid for the rest of the players.

Considering it's only the 3rd day out of 5, if Australia bowls India all out today, we have the next 2 days to bat our way to victory. So long as the top order doesn't collapse, we could tick the scoreboard over easy with a nice consistent run rate.

 

[irottev]

This game aint gonna be a draw. Either Australia will chase down 400odd and set a record or else India will coast to victory. My money is on India. (my vCash is on Australia though unfortunately. I knew it'd jinx them)

 

[Cricketman]

I have played and won in this type of situation so many times in Cricket 07 and Cricket 05. I know that one is an easy video game and one is cricket in real life, but the approach and method is the same.
My first innings is always a slog fest- IE getting all out for 300-500 on the first day.
Day two, Get the opponents out cheaply. Done.
Now, placing myself in the other team's shoes, or in the Cricket 07 perspective changing the team in which I control, I would look at it this way.
There are three for days of play left.
Take your time. Take a day and a half to bowl 'em out, and just tick of the runs slowly and steadily.

Its quite simple. I'd still say 70-30 India's favor, but that deficit could easily become 50-50 and eventually 0-100 (An Aussie win).
A draw is highly unlikely.