India tour of Australia - 2018/19

[abhi_jacko]

Superb battle between Starc and Kohli. I dont think I have ever seen Kohli stranded in late 40s for so long ... its been 4-5 overs since he got a run. Delightful to watch

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Superb battle between Starc and Kohli. I dont think I have ever seen Kohli stranded in late 40s for so long ... its been 4-5 overs since he got a run. Delightful to watch

The new ball did do a lot that too very late on the day one of which just took off from good length delivery similar to the one at perth. Not sure how the pitch will do over the next 4 days but if it is going to deteroiate batting last again will be really difficult task so getting a lead will be very much crucial.

 

[Yash.]

India's day marginally. Agarwal and Vihari started well. Hope Pujara and Kohli go on and take India to about 400

 

[Bigby Wolf]

Might have been referring to fox team here especially Warney.

 

[LiveLoveABD]

India's day. I still don't rate Vihari. I think he has a suspect technique but technique < mental strength and he looks like he has loads of that. He did a good job, but he's not cut out for that position and it's very unfair on him. I'm quite certain he will get a barrage of short stuff for the remainder of the series. I'm not for this tactic of using a floater or an umbrella man for your opener.

Pujara did his usual. He's by far the most unappreciated cricketer in this world. When Shaw was selected, I had said that it should have been Agarwal. I said that yesterday too. He had just made too many runs to be ignored.

Aussies definitely bowled poorly with the new ball. Cummins was outstanding and the highlight of the day was how Agarwal sedated Lyon. I still don't like Kohli's approach towards him. India must target 500-600. Mitchell Starc seemed to have opened up all the valves by the EOD. If he continues to bowl like that last spell, India have a mighty challenge on their hands.

 

[Neo 7]

Pat Cummins has done it again just at the stroke of the tea got the crucial wicket of Matlab Agarwal who looked very impressive on his debut.

Is that a Google Autosense ?

 

[Villain]

We usually bat really well when we bat first which is what we've seen recently, gone are the days where we couldn't rely on our bowlers while we expected our team to chase basically anything. I hope we bat first in every knockout match we play in the WC.

 

[NILAYSHAH60]

We usually bat really well when we bat first which is what we've seen recently, gone are the days where we couldn't rely on our bowlers while we expected our team to chase basically anything. I hope we bat first in every knockout match we play in the WC.

It is in ODI format and in ODIs it doesn't really matter that we bat first or second unless we have a day where we are bound to lose. India is a much better team when it comes to ODIs

 

[SaiSrini]

Yes, it was India's day but Australia also did not allow India to run away with the day and kept them down to just 215. I was constantly looking for a move on and went to sleep never getting to see the move on happen. Hope the batting flows more freely tomorrow. I have a feeling we are in for a dull and a boring draw in this test match.

 

[Velocity]

It's a decent first day for India. Agarwal batted beautifully and unfortunate that he couldn't get a century on debut. Pujara and Kohli showing their class with stylish shots taking India to a commanding position at stumps. These two need to dig in and score tons, around 400-450 will be really good for a first innings total. Even though India is in control, the Australians did not allow India to get off the hook and get a big score at stumps. Cummins IMO was the pick of the attack and unlucky. He bowled some excellent bouncers and troubled Kohli for a few balls. This time around India played Nathan Lyon well, there were a few close calls but he did not seem a huge threat today. Starc bowled quite a good spell in the last session, got Kohli and Pujara to fish at a few. The Australians were much more disciplined in post lunch, they didn't concede a big score at the end of the day.

I think this MCG track will be lethal for the next few days. There seems to be some variable bounce, it seems like it will open up and become difficult for batting. If India batted 2nd, the prospects of a series win would look bleak.

 

[Perfect Square]

I think this MCG track will be lethal for the next few days.

It needs to be. Otherwise ICC will have another look

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Yes, it was India's day but Australia also did not allow India to run away with the day and kept them down to just 215. I was constantly looking for a move on and went to sleep never getting to see the move on happen. Hope the batting flows more freely tomorrow. I have a feeling we are in for a dull and a boring draw in this test match.

I agree. Modern day captains also make test cricket move this way. In-out fields have become the norm from as early as inside the first ten overs of an innings. I rate Williamson as the best skipper in world cricket at the moment and he also goes defensive pretty early although later than his contemporaries. McCullum and Clarke were the best test skippers of this century in this regard. I personally feel that India will try and continue to bat this way for at least the first session. The 'move on' will come thereafter. If, and it's very possible Australia make the new ball count then India could even be bowled out for 300-350. For India to have a sniff, they have to bat 80 overs more tomorrow. I would say, Draw 50% India 35% Australia 15%. The one thing that makes me lean towards India's chances is the way the pitch quickened up later in the day. It's Australia, it's hot and I expect the cracks to widen and the pitch to misbehave a lot post day 3.

 

[SaiSrini]

I agree. Modern day captains also make test cricket move this way. In-out fields have become the norm from as early as inside the first ten overs of an innings. I rate Williamson as the best skipper in world cricket at the moment and he also goes defensive pretty early although later than his contemporaries. McCullum and Clarke were the best test skippers of this century in this regard. I personally feel that India will try and continue to bat this way for at least the first session. The 'move on' will come thereafter. If, and it's very possible Australia make the new ball count then India could even be bowled out for 300-350. For India to have a sniff, they have to bat 80 overs more tomorrow. I would say, Draw 50% India 35% Australia 15%. The one thing that makes me lean towards India's chances is the way the pitch quickened up later in the day. It's Australia, it's hot and I expect the cracks to widen and the pitch to misbehave a lot post day 3.

From what the people who "know MCG pitches really well" say, they are saying that if the pitch does not offer enough assistance for the bowlers on the first day, it is more likely to "not deteriorate" enough for batting to become really difficult by the end of the test. And added to that, the grass that has been left on the pitch has all possibility to hold up the pitch even though it has not offered any sideways movement whatsoever.

Let's see. A defeat for India looks most unlikely here since we have won the toss and have the batting to really plough through the next day or two (maybe). At this moment purely based on gut instinct, I would say "Draw 60% India Win 30% Australia Win 10%".

 

[LiveLoveABD]

From what the people who "know MCG pitches really well" say, they are saying that if the pitch does not offer enough assistance for the bowlers on the first day, it is more likely to "not deteriorate" enough for batting to become really difficult by the end of the test. And added to that, the grass that has been left on the pitch has all possibility to hold up the pitch even though it has not offered any sideways movement whatsoever.

Let's see. A defeat for India looks most unlikely here since we have won the toss and have the batting to really plough through the next day or two (maybe). At this moment purely based on gut instinct, I would say "Draw 60% India Win 30% Australia Win 10%".

Actually, it was hooting around a bit in the last half of the last session. The Aussie media also loves to blame the pitch the moment someone counters their bowling. I rate Nathan Lyon, but he's not this wizard of Oz that India are making him out to be. Good spinner, but once attacked he will crumble. I haven't seen any 'variation' in his armoury other than speed. Those three quicks though are pure class. They are the world's best.

The other thing I believe massively in India's favour is that I don't know off one Aussie batter bar Khawaja who can bat long under score board pressure. If those cracks open up, the rough created by Starc and the foot holes will bring Jadeja right in. India just needs to bat tomorrow. I think the pitch will begin to change from Day 3.

 

[hammadahmed88]

Always a joy to watch Kohli put in a classic innings like this, particularly when there is a lot written about him. Seems to thrive on this stuff and it's great to see from a subcontinental player. All this rubbish about whether this is in the spirit, and if an Australian did it then...blah. That's all rubbish that always happens when England and Australia are under some pressure.