India's tour of Australia - December/January 2015

[Spickery]

two shit teams

australia apparently now rely on two of their batsmen and all of their bowlers to score runs...

I hope that is tongue in cheek buddy.

 

[namin96]

The problem carries forth from Test matches abroad to ODIs abroad. His field placements are pathetic and the same carries itself over to ODI tournaments wherein we lose. ODIs in the subcontinent is a different ball game altogether. But just compare his captaincy during the Tri-Series of 2011-12 and you will undertsand why we need a different leader.

Btw, for all those who think we are capable of defending this Cup, you surely have high hopes. Its an almost impossible task for our team to go beyond the QFs.



Good field placements ?

Who instructs the bowlers to bowl short and pepper Johnson with bouncers ?

I can bring up instances from the past that this guy has ruined India's chances in many matches by simply relaxing and allowing the opposition to pile on runs,when we ideally should have gotten rid of them quickly.

His continued persistence of turning to his part-timers when he should really be tossing the ball to his strikes bowlers is a recurring phenomenon.

You talk about Lords, I can give you 15+ Test matches that this guy has lost for us. MSD is spineless when it comes to attack and IMO he deserves the boot. Watch the first Test at Adelaide and you will see what kind of energy we carried onto the ground under Virat. That is something that is missing under MSD.

Btw, Apart from the last series in England he hasn't really been able to bail out our team with his batting as well.

Well maybe bowling short was right but he didn't tell the bowlers to bowl 4 consecutive short pitched deliveries in an over they could've got them to drive atleast twice in an over. That's on the bowlers to mix it up, we saw him go to Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron a couple times to get it right. I haven't see him go up to the bowler and have a chat in a long time in test matches. Also, he hasn't ruined India's chances in many matches its simply because our batsman collapse when it matters the most and our bowlers let us down. It is unfair and ridiculous to blame Dhoni just because he is the captain. He is forced to turn to part timers to look for wickets because our main bowlers get smacked everywhere in crucial moments like we saw when Johnson was batting. Also, I think bowling short was right but maybe they should have refrained from sledging Johnson when he came out. 2-3 mixed in short balls was right to keep him in check but the bowlers over did it. The bottom line is that our bowlers can't consistently bowl good line and lengths to allow him to be aggressive. Blaming Dhoni is just unfair as it's a team game, the bowlers let Virat Kohli down too in Adelaide, why don't you blame him there? Dhoni has already said that both of them are different captains and we can't just blame him. I think Dhoni is our best captain in all formats, also if you say Ganguly could captain really good in tests overseas let me provide you with the reasons for that. When Ganguly was our test captain he had bowlers like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan who could get wickets on even flat surfaces and he had the best batting lineup in the world at that time. This is why we performed really well everywhere and Ganguly didn't even get the chance to be criticized because his bowlers would always get him wickets.

 

[IceAgeComing]

I hope that is tongue in cheek buddy.

A little bit: but I do think that in relation to that Australia team I have a bit of a point. You have Smith, and Warner at the moment playing really very well. You probably could add Rogers there as well: but he's not really been in fantastic form since the 13/14 Ashes and apparently they were looking at someone else to replace him especially since he's getting quite old... Then you have Haddin who's a really good keeper (although one getting on) and should get picked for that alone but has really struggled batting since the last Ashes: his average of 13 in the UAE is his highest in the last three test series (although he might pull something out against India, he's good at home). But then you have Shane Watson (who's averages below thirty in the last three years if you take out England; and is far from good enough to bat at 3), Smarsh (nuff said tbh) and Mitchell Marsh who's a bowling all-rounder who didn't really fit in that Australian team since they didn't really need a fifth pace bowler enough to weaken their batting that much unless they break their bowlers (although he's out for the next test. When you have your number 3, 5 and 6 batsmen as either someone who should have been dropped a fair bit earlier; a person who has no business playing test match cricket who's only there because "daddy's a selector" and someone who really doesn't fit in an Australian side that's pretty weak on batting as it is. It is helped by the fact that Australia possibly have the best tail in world cricket (MJ is someone who at times looks like an all-rounder, and him being able to smash 80 and then bowl better because of it is a huge asset) which usually increases their score.

The loss of Clarke has left a huge hole in Australia's batting side: and not being an expert on Australian cricket I can't think of anyone who can easily fill it. Its definitely not Shaun Marsh though...

 

[icyman]

Blaming Dhoni is just unfair as it's a team game, the bowlers let Virat Kohli down too in Adelaide, why don't you blame him there? Dhoni has already said that both of them are different captains and we can't just blame him.

I think Dhoni is our best captain in all formats, also if you say Ganguly could captain really good in tests overseas let me provide you with the reasons for that.

I am not blaming Virat for the fact that he has not captained India in 11 Tests abroad (and lost them all,unlike MSD). He has simply lost one test ,which happens to be his only one in charge. If Kohli leads India for the next 11 Tests and makes the same blunders, I'd criticize him as well. Also, note my earlier point about the team morale being way different in Adelaide than in Brisbane. The Dhoni-Srinivasan angle probably is the reason why MSD is still leading India. Any other cricket nation would have made certain changes post 2 consecutive overseas whitewashes.

Secondly, you are bringing up irrelevant points like Ganguly's captaincy, which isn't even the point of discussion. Never once in my post have I mentioned Ganguly's name. So, lets drop that that, shall we ?

 

[lion100lion]

Want Raina in and Rohit out...

 

[abhi_jacko]

Icyman, please we don't need that guy Gambhir back. He just sucked and his technique is trash. I don't even want to see him back he's just as bad as Rohit Sharma.

WOW. That is really insulting.

Gambhir has to rank amongst one of our most valuable openers. He was really good when he played within himself and around his weaknesses. Just offlate, he has been unable to fix/control his technical flaws and has deemed himself unfit for National team selection. Nothing like Rohit though

 

[PokerAce]

Any other cricket nation would have made certain changes post 2 consecutive overseas whitewashes.

Look one has to recognise the issues. Honestly if I felt that MSD was the only one holding India back I would support sacking him all day long. Sadly the situation is no matter who leads, we just don't have a team that can win series in Australia and SA right now.

Look at Clarke's record in Asia. I don't think he has ever won a test match in Asia, EVER !! What is more has led Australia to two horrific whitewashes in Asia, against Pakistan now and then 4-0 last year in India. Clarke's record in Asia is as bad as it gets. However Australia recognise the realities that sometimes its not about the leader, regardless of how poor his record could look in isolation.

 

[Ahmad94]

Want Raina in and Rohit out...

Raina hasn't played an international test in 2 and a half years. He doesn't even have a good First record to boast off. Better to get an actually test player to replace Rohit Sharma

 

[Alberts]

It's great to see Burns into the side finally. Given the chance he's the kind of batsmen who could have a long career, and maybe even finally be that missing number 3. Will be interesting to see what happens from here.

 

[midgetwars]

2 batsmen per team is good enough for most.

De Villeiers and Amla carries South AFrica for example.

And it sure beats the hell out of Clarke single handedly carrying Australia for years.

 

[Umair7]

For an Oz note , Joe Burns replaces injured Mitchell Marsh.
That may be a Burning News for if You are an Oz supporter but Coach Darren Lehmanna has some faith in the Queensland Player as he quoted that he had coached Burns Himself and sees a Long Run Horse in Burns as a Test Cricketer.

Adam Voges Ryan Carters Joe Burns

But Watto is save now which is bad news!

 

[Alberts]

Adam Voges Ryan Carters Joe Burns

But Watto is save now which is bad news!

I'm a big fan of Carters, it will be interesting to see if he can push for selection as a wicket keeper though. There's a lot of competition there though. '

Voges is an odd one. His chance at Test level has surely passed, I doubt that the selectors are going to want to build a side around players over 35. Rogers is the standout of the age group, and even he has quite a stock of detractors, despite solid performances. He's one of a clutch of players people are bigging up at the moment though, and to be honest Cowan is probably a better option, though the only role he'd have at this time is number 3, and he's not proven himself there.

Watson is safe because the selectors like having that 4th seamer option, and feel that big scores are coming. We're still waiting though.

It's brilliant to see Burns in the side though.

 

[Yuvi.]

An In-Form Ozil has replaced Injured Jadeja for the 3rd Test.
Won't be surprised rather be anxious if he gets selected in the Playing XI too.

 

[Spickery]

A little bit: but I do think that in relation to that Australia team I have a bit of a point. You have Smith, and Warner at the moment playing really very well. You probably could add Rogers there as well: but he's not really been in fantastic form since the 13/14 Ashes and apparently they were looking at someone else to replace him especially since he's getting quite old... Then you have Haddin who's a really good keeper (although one getting on) and should get picked for that alone but has really struggled batting since the last Ashes: his average of 13 in the UAE is his highest in the last three test series (although he might pull something out against India, he's good at home). But then you have Shane Watson (who's averages below thirty in the last three years if you take out England; and is far from good enough to bat at 3), Smarsh (nuff said tbh) and Mitchell Marsh who's a bowling all-rounder who didn't really fit in that Australian team since they didn't really need a fifth pace bowler enough to weaken their batting that much unless they break their bowlers (although he's out for the next test. When you have your number 3, 5 and 6 batsmen as either someone who should have been dropped a fair bit earlier; a person who has no business playing test match cricket who's only there because "daddy's a selector" and someone who really doesn't fit in an Australian side that's pretty weak on batting as it is. It is helped by the fact that Australia possibly have the best tail in world cricket (MJ is someone who at times looks like an all-rounder, and him being able to smash 80 and then bowl better because of it is a huge asset) which usually increases their score.

The loss of Clarke has left a huge hole in Australia's batting side: and not being an expert on Australian cricket I can't think of anyone who can easily fill it. Its definitely not Shaun Marsh though...

Warner, Smith and Rogers is more than two players that you stated we rely on in your previous post and they are all in form. Michael Clarke is another batsman to go with those three that should be included as he is an automatic selection in Australia's team when fit. Mitch Marsh isn't a bowling all-rounder. He made something like a score of 75 runs in the UAE in his second Test match for Australia. He also average 37 with the bat so far in his Test career, so calling him a bowling all-rounder is not justified at all. Mitch Marsh will most likely end up replacing Watson as the sole all-rounder in the Test team once Watson retires.

I agree with you on the fact that Watson, Haddin and Shaun Marsh are not making enough runs with the bat to justify their selection in the team. If it was up to me they would have all been replaced by different players in this series. Shaun Marsh's inclusion in the team isn't because his Dad is a selector though because he is not related to Rod Marsh in any way. If these three players were replaced with the correct players Australia would have a much stronger batting lineup.

You do make some good points IceAgeComing, our batting lineup is not as strong as it could be, but saying we rely on two players in the team to make runs is incorrect.

 

[PokerAce]

Bhuvneshwar Kumar promoted to a Grade A contract by the BCCI for 2014-15. No contracts for Gambhir, Yuvraj.