Australia vs India - Test Series

[The True King]

Economy rates of the Indian bowlers say it all, they have been magnificent.

For all the media drivel in recent days about our bowling attack being the greatest ever, the Indian bowlers have absolutely dismantled us... and it's not even their first choice attack.

Have to say Rahane has really impressed me too and not just with the bat. Field settings and bowler rotations have been perfect, he's a real lead by example captain. To me it says a lot about India's mentality to bounce back from that 1st test capitulation despite losing their best quick and captain Rat.

 

[Bull Shark]

Economy rates of the Indian bowlers say it all, they have been magnificent.

For all the media drivel in recent days about our bowling attack being the greatest ever, the Indian bowlers have absolutely dismantled us... and it's not even their first choice attack.

Have to say Rahane has really impressed me too and not just with the bat. Field settings and bowler rotations have been perfect, he's a real lead by example captain. To me it says a lot about India's mentality to bounce back from that 1st test capitulation despite losing their best quick and captain Rat.

It also continues a bad habit this Australian team has of taking the foot off their opposition.

But at the end of the day, so much would be solved with a strong top order.. I don’t know where or how it’s gone wrong in this country but our red ball batting has been so brittle and thin in recent years

 

[Galah]

It also continues a bad habit this Australian team has of taking the foot off their opposition.

But at the end of the day, so much would be solved with a strong top order.. I don’t know where or how it’s gone wrong in this country but our red ball batting has been so brittle and thin in recent years

Too much attention given to that shit 20/20 stuff.

 

[Alec]

It's probably going to get even worse in 10-15 years. Zoomers growing up with smartphones and instant gratification stuff will have even less patience to go 5 days.

 

[The True King]

Too much attention given to that shit 20/20 stuff.

Spot on. With all the money around the world in t20 comps our young guys are more incentivised to change their mentality and techniques to suit the shorter formats.

Unless our next gen are motivated by the baggy green it will be really tough to shift our culture back to prioritising test cricket.

 

[1910]

Green reminded me of his match saving effort again at the Bulls 12 months ago. 7/53 and he comes in and gets them to stumps and a draw with 121. I thought he’s a chance here to bat well again with the tail and he showed some of those same qualities again today.

 

[Bull Shark]

Agree with above points re ‘fast food’ cricket.. however India seems to have few issues adjusting.
I’d like to see CA create a pathway for players to devote themselves solely to red ball cricket.. obviously this would need to include financial incentives to ensure players who went that way wouldn’t feel like they’re missing out on potential IPL income

 

[Fernando]

Our batsmen look like a joke compared to Gill on debut lol. He plays straight and drives down the ground. Our guys nurdle it around and play square and turn it off the hip etc. Warner should help.

 

[Fernando]

Agree with above points re ‘fast food’ cricket.. however India seems to have few issues adjusting.
I’d like to see CA create a pathway for players to devote themselves solely to red ball cricket.. obviously this would need to include financial incentives to ensure players who went that way wouldn’t feel like they’re missing out on potential IPL income

I think the IPL helps India at test level. Earning a huge amount of money in the IPL has to free you up a little when it comes to test cricket. In a good way I mean, it must help knowing you’re financially secure and have a backup option and you’re not playing for your life when you go out to bat in a test. They aren’t any less competitive, just slightly less pressure so you can play your game.

And their production line of batsmen is so much better than ours.

 

[LockyersLeftBoot]

Well I hope that was the rocket Australian Cricket needs.

Can't blame the bowlers, and can't offer blame the fielding, but for a long time now Australian batting has been soft as **** and has relied on Warner and Smith.

I know times are different now and at the risk of sounding like an old fuddy duddy, I'd give a fucking nut to have a few tough ***** in the mould of Border, S.Waugh, Boon in the lineup. Value your wicket and take pride in playing for your country for ****'s sake.

Loved what I saw in the second innings from cam green. Burns has done his dash but he's terribly out of form and should never have been picked, but Travis Head can just **** right off and Steve Smith needs to figure out where his head is at in a hurry.

 

[Sproj]

Apparently Pucovski is possible to play according to 7 news.

 

[The True King]

Apparently Pucovski is possible to play according to 7 news.

There would be a line of thinking that says throwing Pucovski into this series would be a bad idea right now. Kid is coming off concussion issues and probably has a fair bit of self-doubt, so throwing him into a side that's just been crushed and lacking confidence may not be wise. India will 100% be bowling him non-stop bouncers if he plays.

I'd be going Warner and Harris personally. Wade to 5. Depending on where the test is, maybe rest one of the quicks for either Patto or a spinner.

 

[Unbreakable]

BATTING AVERAGE AFTER 19 TEST MATCHES -

Travis Head — 39.75
David Warner — 39.46
Matthew Hayden — 38.74
Michael Clarke — 38.10
Steve Smith — 37.60
Mark Waugh — 34.60
Justin Langer — 32.25
Steve Waugh — 27.56

Certainly still an option to ride it out with Head if we want to. Plenty of careers have come good after a rocky start.

 

[Sproj]

BATTING AVERAGE AFTER 19 TEST MATCHES -

Travis Head — 39.75
David Warner — 39.46
Matthew Hayden — 38.74
Michael Clarke — 38.10
Steve Smith — 37.60
Mark Waugh — 34.60
Justin Langer — 32.25
Steve Waugh — 27.56

Certainly still an option to ride it out with Head if we want to. Plenty of careers have come good after a rocky start.

The talent with Head has never been the problem, it’s obvious that he oozes class, the problem is the lapses in concentration and throwing his wicket away. Persisting with him will reap rewards but right now, Wade seems the better bat.

 

[The True King]

BATTING AVERAGE AFTER 19 TEST MATCHES -

Travis Head — 39.75
David Warner — 39.46
Matthew Hayden — 38.74
Michael Clarke — 38.10
Steve Smith — 37.60
Mark Waugh — 34.60
Justin Langer — 32.25
Steve Waugh — 27.56

Certainly still an option to ride it out with Head if we want to. Plenty of careers have come good after a rocky start.

You must really like head!

 

[Bull Shark]

Apparently Pucovski is possible to play according to 7 news.

Just don’t see how you can risk him given the state he’s in with his concussion issues and given the state of the series.. he will literally have a target on his head from ball one and what happens if / when he cops one on the lid? He’s off retired hurt and probably out of the match.
I don’t know what they’re going to do about Pukovski’s situation..hopefully people with the ability to help can do so and he can have a career at the top level..

 

[The True King]

Just don’t see how you can risk him given the state he’s in with his concussion issues and given the state of the series.. he will literally have a target on his head from ball one and what happens if / when he cops one on the lid? He’s off retired hurt and probably out of the match.
I don’t know what they’re going to do about Pukovski’s situation..hopefully people with the ability to help can do so and he can have a career at the top level..

100% agree. With the quality and accuracy of India's bowling attack this is definitely not the series to throw him in.

Unfortunately it means he's probably not in contention for the Ashes either but after the treatment Smith and Labu got from Archer that is not the worst thing.

The kid is only 22yo, I think he goes on ice for the next 12 months and hopefully in the interim he can get the help he needs.

 

[1910]

100% agree. With the quality and accuracy of India's bowling attack this is definitely not the series to throw him in.

Unfortunately it means he's probably not in contention for the Ashes either but after the treatment Smith and Labu got from Archer that is not the worst thing.

The kid is only 22yo, I think he goes on ice for the next 12 months and hopefully in the interim he can get the help he needs.

He has been on ice since 2016/2017 if he doesn’t play again this summer that’s five seasons with little cricket and hasn’t seen out a full season.

I completely understand duty of care but at what point is he just not going to be able to play Test cricket?

18 Shield games since 2016/2017.