India's tour of Australia - December/January 2015

[aditya123]

I hope we get the first innings lead down to two digits. If we can manage that, Australia would have to do all the running in order to make a match out of it. The second new ball is the key now. We cannot afford to lose any more wickets today.

 

[PokerAce]

Virat Kohli, regular service has been resumed. Brilliant knock, he likes batting in Adelaide. He was also the only centurian (at Adelaide) on India' previous tour to Australia.[DOUBLEPOST=1418281200][/DOUBLEPOST]Just seeing is top 5 100s and 4 of them have come in Aus, SA and NZ. One bad tour and ppl had labelled him all kind and manner of things. Flat Track Bully, One Day Specialist, Slogger and what not. Where have all those ppl fked off to now?

 

[PokerAce]

Did I mention a 100 on his debut as Captain ... well Done. Did I mention wat a fine knock it is.

 

[aditya123]

Virat Kohli, regular service has been resumed. Brilliant knock, he likes batting in Adelaide. He was also the only centurian (at Adelaide) on India' previous tour to Australia.[DOUBLEPOST=1418281200][/DOUBLEPOST]Just seeing is top 5 100s and 4 of them have come in Aus, SA and NZ. One bad tour and ppl had labelled him all kind and manner of things. Flat Track Bully, One Day Specialist, Slogger and what not. Where have all those ppl fked off to now?

Its a quality knock irrespective of the conditions. Had he failed here, we would be really staring down a pile of shit. As it stands now, we are one full session of batting away from being on top here, even if we finish 30 runs behind. The reason I say this is because once Australia come out to bat with the first innings almost even (say a lead of 50 to Aus), they would`nt risk setting India anything less than 400 with a full day left to play as each day has produced more than 350 runs on this track. So its either Australia who has to force the play and attack or play out till safety.

Either way, if India can bat till lunch tomorrow, Australia would be the side under pressure here. One spell of good bowling from someone and weird stuff could happen. I don`t know why but I feel we will bowl a lot better in the 2nd innings. This game could be in for an exciting finish.

 

[Aalay]

I haven't seen Pujara's dismissal but I think he needed that 100 today to boost up his confidence. Nathan Lyon as you guys pointed out was bowling really well and was getting sharp turn with some bounce. Rahane was just unlucky because that was just a brilliant delivery. It is good to see Kohli back in runs and I think captaincy has helped him do that. Rohit needs to do well here if he wants to stay in the team for the next match. Channel 9 commentary is so shit except Ian Chappel and Mark Taylor.[DOUBLEPOST=1418282015][/DOUBLEPOST]Rohit Sharma is struggling against Nathan Lyon. Rohit needs to hang in there till the stumps somehow.

 

[Aalay]

Oh he has thrown it away.

 

[aditya123]

We somehow need to eek out another 100 runs from here on. Lets hope Saha can notch a fighting 40-odd here.

 

[PokerAce]

Its a quality knock irrespective of the conditions. Had he failed here, we would be really staring down a pile of shit. As it stands now, we are one full session of batting away from being on top here, even if we finish 30 runs behind. The reason I say this is because once Australia come out to bat with the first innings almost even (say a lead of 50 to Aus), they would`nt risk setting India anything less than 400 with a full day left to play as each day has produced more than 350 runs on this track. So its either Australia who has to force the play and attack or play out till safety.

Either way, if India can bat till lunch tomorrow, Australia would be the side under pressure here. One spell of good bowling from someone and weird stuff could happen. I don`t know why but I feel we will bowl a lot better in the 2nd innings. This game could be in for an exciting finish.

When ever two sides bat and take the first innings into the 4th day with not that big a lead any which way, then the third innings is the defining one as only one side could then lose. When into the 4th day its unlikely that 20 wickets will fall quickly on a good batting track. but that 10 will fall is far more likely. If India were to bat out till lunch tomorrow, and there is no reason why they shouldn't. No reason for 5 wickets to fall in one session, then India would be not more than 40 runs or so behind. In that case there is no kind of target Aus can set for India. What is far more likely is that Aus have a collapse and India chase for the win.

Thats the most likely scenario when both first innings go well into the 4th day. The team that batted first is the only one that could have a collapse and lose.

Not that an Aus collapse is a given or something to bank upon, however should India get to within 40 runs of Aus total, there would be only two results possible - Draw or an Aus collapse and Ind win.

 

[Aalay]

One of the frustrating thing with Kohli is that he gets out quickly after making a century in tests. He does not carry on like he does in ODI's. His highest score in test is 119 which is surprising for a player of his quality. That wicket just gave some relief to Australia but still a pretty decent day for India.

 

[aditya123]

When ever two sides bat and take the first innings into the 4th day with not that big a lead any which way, then the third innings is the defining one as only one side could then lose. When into the 4th day its unlikely that 20 wickets will fall quickly on a good batting track. but that 10 will fall is far more likely. If India were to bat out till lunch tomorrow, and there is no reason why they shouldn't. No reason for 5 wickets to fall in one session, then India would be not more than 40 runs or so behind. In that case there is no kind of target Aus can set for India. What is far more likely is that Aus have a collapse and India chase for the win.

Thats the most likely scenario when both first innings go well into the 4th day. The team that batted first is the only one that could have a collapse and lose.

Not that an Aus collapse is a given or something to bank upon, however should India get to within 40 runs of Aus total, there would be only two results possible - Draw or an Aus collapse and Ind win.

Although its been a decent day for us, we could`ve just pressed home the advantage.
Having Nohit in there can work both ways for us. Either we might get quick runs in the morning session with him slogging around or get bowled out for another 50 or so runs. What we have ensured by fighting today is that we are`nt way behind in this test. If you look at it in the context of this game, 140 runs is`nt a huge deficit. We are one session of batting away from safety here. Tomorrow morning would be interesting.

 

[midgetwars]

I feel like the match would've been much different if Johnson didn't hit Kohli first up. He didn't bowl a good bouncer since but since Kohli got out, he's been good again.

 

[PokerAce]

Channel 9 commentary is so shit except Ian Chappel and Mark Taylor.

How were u listening to Chanenl 9 commentary. I am assuming you are based in India. I ask for I actually like to listen to the commentators from the other camp, in addition to listening to the Star Commentary which naturally leans to the Indian side just as I am sure 9 commentary leans to the Aus side. It helps get a good overall perspective. So how does one listen to Channel 9 commentary in India?

 

[PokerAce]

If you look at it in the context of this game, 140 runs is`nt a huge deficit. We are one session of batting away from safety here. Tomorrow morning would be interesting.

No need to be pessimistic about tomorrow. Nothing to suggest a side could lose 5 wickets in a session, even if those 5 are the Indian tail

I think Ind should be able to bat out one session scoring 70 or so at the least. That gives Aus at roughly 70 run lead. With two session to set a target. I am sure they would like all of day 5 to bowl India out. So in two sessions even if they score say 100 runs each, the target would still be 270, which in one day is gettable, even keeping into account the 5th day pitch. Aus thus cannot realistically set India a target, which means Ind cannot lose.

Also I remember at some point they showed the avg scored at Adelaide for the past 15 matches, and the first and second innings were high averages, but the third innings was very low (215 if I remember right) indicating sides in the third innings usually collapse. Even the avg of 4th innings at 255 was higher than 3rd.

 

[Aalay]

How were u listening to Chanenl 9 commentary. I am assuming you are based in India. I ask for I actually like to listen to the commentators from the other camp, in addition to listening to the Star Commentary which naturally leans to the Indian side just as I am sure 9 commentary leans to the Aus side. It helps get a good overall perspective. So how does one listen to Channel 9 commentary in India?

I live in Canada and I get Sky sports here. Trust me, you really don't want to hear channel 9 because apart from when Ian Chappel and Mark Taylor are on, I basically watch it on mute. Guys like Ian Healy, James Brayshaw, Mark Nicholas are so bad, it's like listening to Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar on star sports. To add to that misery, they have no Indian commentator for the series which is even more ridiculous.

India in Australia 2014-15 : Dhawal Kulkarni called up as cover for Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Cricket News | Australia v India | ESPN Cricinfo

So it is highly unlikely that they will play Bhuvi in test series because of the WC. This is a pretty big blow for India because as we saw in the first inning, the bowlers we have right now are high on potential but are too raw for test level yet. Let's hope they come up with a better performance in the second inning.

 

[SaiSrini]

Decnt replacement. Dhawal Kulkarni is a lot more faster. Though, I wish they had picked Ishwar Pandey who is a tall guy that can extract good bounce. Pandey has not been given enough chances.

Knew Kohli would do well here in Australia. When the movement on the ball is less, he looks totally different. And Australia is not going to give you the kind of pronounced movement that you see in England. Expecting Kohli to have a good series. Wish Pujara had also taken advantage after scoring 73. India need to bat further and if they can bring the deficit down to 50, Australia will be under the pump. Remember 2003 Adelaide? India conceded a lead there of 33 runs (523 as opposed to Australia's 556) and then Sir Agarkar ran through Australia's lineup to set an easy target for India to chase, and then Dravid completed the formalities. Too early to say, but such a possibility is not impossible.