SA or India : The Real Challengers To Australia`s Throne.

[Cricketdude]

Australia get them all the time but you only hear Indians complaining.

 

[sohum]

Australia get them all the time but you only hear Indians complaining.

Well, we just heard an Englishman complain three posts again, didn't we?

EDIT: Or not. But a non-Indian supporter anyhow.

 

[Shri]

South Africa are a much better team than India, and the rankings say so too.

India have NEVER won a test series in Australia or South Africa, and until they do they will never be number 1.

India has also rarely performed well outside the subcontinent, don't forget the test series win in England had as much to do with rain/bad light and umpiring errors as brilliant play on the Indians part.

The player v player thing is a total waste of time, it is how the TEAM performs that matters. You could have tried matching Smith up against Gambhir instead of Sehwag, but then again that would not have supported your ridiculous argument, and Smith is a superior batsman to flat track slogger Sehwag anyway.

You dont get 5,600 runs in 66 matches at an average of 50+, a strike rate of 80 and two 300s by being a slogger. He is one of the world's best test batsmen of the decade IMO.

 

[SaiSrini]

Put Smith against Zaheer Khan, and Smith will probably pee in his pants...

I agree. India are to be tested outside the subcontinent and their real status will emerge only when they play abroad. But that doesnt mean SA are better. This is a different Indian team under a different and dynamic captain. We can judge who is the real No.1 only after India are tested overseas under Dhoni and without Ganguly/Kumble.

saisrini80 added 1 Minutes and 36 Seconds later...

India avoided certain defeat in the first test in England due to bad light and a plumb lbw against Sreesanth being turned down.

By that thing, we should have beaten Australia in Australia which is the toughest thing to do in the cricket world.

 

[venom2011]

Put Smith against Zaheer Khan, and Smith will probably pee in his pants...



By that thing, we should have beaten Australia in Australia which is the toughest thing to do in the cricket world.

Smith's not the same player though. After he failed miserably against Hoggard and Khan he changed his technique.

 

[aussie_ben91]

Australia still have a fairly decent pace bowling attack.

Clark
Johnson
Siddle
Tait

We just lack a quality spinner. However I wouldn't say Mishra is a quality spinner and Harbhajan is useless on any pitch that doesn't offer anything for him. India need to get Chawla in there - His much better then Mishra. Ishant Sharma is the big fish for India and who top orders will be mainly worried about for years to come.

South Africa mainly rely on Steyn to take wickets. He struggled in Perth and Sydney, that's why South Africa had to chase over 400 to win in Perth and why they lost in Sydney.

 

[venom2011]

I'd still pick Lee over both Johnson and Tait. I don't know how such a rubbish bowler (Johnson) even manages to pick up wickets. Lee is pure class. Good lines, lengths and a touch of swing....plus he matches Johnson for pace.

SA don't really have the luxury of picking a second wicket-taker. Morkel is undoubtedly worth a long trial purely because of his natural ability and then Makhaya Ntini is the token quota player and can never be dropped out of both forms of the game (he's already been dropped from the ODI squad)

 

[mattfb]

Dont worry Aussies wont be troubling teams in 2009 as well.

That's very arrogant of you if you honestly think that. It's kinda laughable actually.

 

[SciD]

That's very arrogant of you if you honestly think that. It's kinda laughable actually.

Its not arrogance but what I see happening.

 

[Cricketdude]

Its not arrogance but what I see happening.

Could you put more evidence into that.

 

[King Pietersen]

Australia still have a fairly decent pace bowling attack.

Clark
Johnson
Siddle
Tait

We just lack a quality spinner. However I wouldn't say Mishra is a quality spinner and Harbhajan is useless on any pitch that doesn't offer anything for him. India need to get Chawla in there - His much better then Mishra. Ishant Sharma is the big fish for India and who top orders will be mainly worried about for years to come.

Seems we agree on something else, that's 2 things, could be the start of a very special friendship

That exact 4 pronged pace attack is the attack I'd go with if I was the Aussie selectors. If you've not got a spinner as one of the top 4 bowlers in the country, then don't play them. If they're not going to offer you anything special, don't play one. It worked with the great West Indian side, and with 4 bowlers in Clark, Johnson, Siddle and Tait you've got a fantastic mix of styles and real extreme pace as well.

I really think a side of:
Hayden/Jaques
Katich
Ponting
Hussey
Clarke
Symonds/North/Hussey/Hodge/anyone else performing in FC cricket
Haddin
Johnson
Siddle
Clark
Tait

Is one that would really strike fear into the opposition. If you really need to mix things up with abit of spin you've got Clarke, Katich and Symonds, but the 4 pacers should be able to perform in most conditions. Certainly in England a 4 pronged pace attack would be very useful. Unless you've got a class spinner there's no point playing one in England, and Hauritz would really not do enough to trouble any of the batsmen in English conditions. Tait offers swing and reverse swing, Clark will be dynamite in England, Johnson's just Johnson and Siddle's got the pace and full length so will inevitably get abit of swing in England. Would definitely work brilliantly I think.

For the good of England you should probably go for Krejza though

 

[aussie_ben91]

I don't know if Tait will ever play Test Cricket again, TBH. I just mentioned his name for the ODI's. I'd give Krezja another go at Test Cricket the next time we play on a spin friendly pitch but I'd persist with Hauritz for the South African series and see how he goes.

 

[stefan]

I don't know if Tait will ever play Test Cricket again, TBH. I just mentioned his name for the ODI's. I'd give Krezja another go at Test Cricket the next time we play on a spin friendly pitch but I'd persist with Hauritz for the South African series and see how he goes.

You would be better of playing an extra seamer. Clarke can do the job hauritz will do in SA.

There's no test at centurion and the other venues favour seam. I doubt we will prepare any spinning tracks.

 

[shravi]

Could you put more evidence into that.

India beat Australia comfortably.
South Africa beat Australia at home.
India and South Africa have been making very good progress over the last year, closing in on the gap between themselves and Australia.

That's his evidence. Stop trying to argue hypothesis' because guess what, they haven't happened yet! That's why it's a hypothesis. Why don't you just wait for it to happen (or not)? Bookmark the post if you like.

 

[sohum]

Could you put more evidence into that.

You can't produce evidence for something that hasn't happened yet. You can ask for signs, which I think have been more than aptly shown by the top 2 sides in the world beating Australia in almost back-to-back series.