Australia vs India - Test Series

Start picking- to fix the problem.

He would be a prime example, why has it been two years since he's played a shield game? I know injuries have played a part but would it be too much different if he was injury free?
So did we pick anyone in BBL form or not? He’s hasn’t played because he’s been unfit. Bowling 140+ and scaring the shit out of batsmen suggests he’s fit to me.
 
Probably a bit kneejerk, but this is the XI I'd be picking myself for South Africa.

1. David Warner
2. Will Pucovski
3. Marnus Labuschagne
4. Steve Smith (c)
5. Glenn Maxwell (vc)
6. Cameron Green
7. Ben McDermott (wk)
8. Pat Cummins
9. Jhye Richardson
10. Josh Hazlewood
11. Mitch Swepson

Think Paine, Wade, Starc & Lyon all need to go.

It's a tough call between McDermott, Inglis & Philippe to replace Paine.. Philippe clearly has the highest potential of the 3, but based on records in Shield as well as current form (Coming off a 100 not out for Australia A), I think McDermott deserves first crack.

Maxwell is pure talent, brings high energy in the field and a wealth of experience in a variety of conditions and formats. Happy to throw him straight in.

Richardson is a no-brainer, he's the form fast bowler in Australia besides Cummins. Dominating every single arena he's thrown in to. Just needs to stay fit.

Swepson is next in line for Australia, has been for a while. Plenty of wickets in Shield, continuing to improve every season, deserves a chance.
Looks good. New coach too please.
 
The question on the next wicket keeper becomes important after the series Pant just put in.

Looks like we need a solid run scorer at no. 6/7 ... Paine was reasonable this series averaging 40, but Pant just averaged 68 and was able to come in at 5, 6 or 7.

Gilly changed the game for keepers and now Australia is left looking for their next Gilly meanwhile Eng have Buttler, SA have QDK and India have Pant.
 
I wonder what Broncoman would think of this current team, it's been a while.
 
Great win, great series of cricket- really enjoyed that.

The problem isn't the team the problem is systemic, we take a three month break from our Domestic long form game and wonder why no one can be in form, why can't we find any batsmen getting runs?

Then we start picking guys on BBL form- well he got 50 off 18 surely he can bat for 200 balls in South Africa.

Last time India did the same thing to us, they out-Tested us and they've done it again. I know let's make the BBL longer.
So did we pick anyone in BBL form or not? He’s hasn’t played because he’s been unfit. Bowling 140+ and scaring the shit out of batsmen suggests he’s fit to me.

Again, I said then- for South Africa- suggesting what will be our fixer.

He hasn't been injured for two years. He's been injured since May.
 
I don't disagree with the sentiment but I am not sure it is the only issue (though it is an issue). I mean, India bought in guys who played IPL before this series, the limited overs series before this and then came in for the final test after sitting out in a quarantine bubble for a month, didn't affect them.

I think it's a huge chunk, once you suspend your domestic cricket then you have no pressure on the guys in the Test team- no guy making 800 runs or taking 50 wickets. You have to either bring in a guy that hasn't played anything but 20/20 for three months or make no changes.

It changes the whole direction of the team and it's harmful. If we want to make changes for SA what are we basing those changes on?

Wouldn't someone having Shield runs/wickets help those changes or force them to the front. It's guess work at the moment, just picking guys with no SS form to back up what you're doing.
 
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Probably a bit kneejerk, but this is the XI I'd be picking myself for South Africa.

1. David Warner
2. Will Pucovski
3. Marnus Labuschagne
4. Steve Smith (c)
5. Glenn Maxwell (vc)
6. Cameron Green
7. Ben McDermott (wk)
8. Pat Cummins
9. Jhye Richardson
10. Josh Hazlewood
11. Mitch Swepson

Think Paine, Wade, Starc & Lyon all need to go.

It's a tough call between McDermott, Inglis & Philippe to replace Paine.. Philippe clearly has the highest potential of the 3, but based on records in Shield as well as current form (Coming off a 100 not out for Australia A), I think McDermott deserves first crack.

Maxwell is pure talent, brings high energy in the field and a wealth of experience in a variety of conditions and formats. Happy to throw him straight in.

Richardson is a no-brainer, he's the form fast bowler in Australia besides Cummins. Dominating every single arena he's thrown in to. Just needs to stay fit.

Swepson is next in line for Australia, has been for a while. Plenty of wickets in Shield, continuing to improve every season, deserves a chance.
Hadn't actually considered McDermott with the gloves. That's an excellent shout, especially batting at 7 where he can just play the game situation. We're blessed when it comes to glovemen that can bat so I think the trigger has to be pulled with one of them. McDermott has the runs on the board in shield and Aus A so that is logical.

Big fan of the Maxwell inclusion, particularly as he can chip in with a few overs if need be. I would like to know why the selectors have seemingly put a line through him in this format considering his experience and FC stats. Look what he did in India.

I wouldn't say this is the end of Starc but it's very obvious something is either wrong with his body or with his mind. I'd give him the RSA tour off to sort out whatever the issue is and come back freshened up for the Ashes with shield games under his belt (not bloody t20/odi).

v RSA I'd be going that XI along with Pattinson, Lyon, Neser, Inglis, Head, Patterson (still averages 144 in test cricket) and one of Bancroft/Renshaw. If we need another quick then give Boland a spot too.
Wouldn't even be considering guys like Abbott, Henriques, either Marsh, Khawaja, Finch, Burns etc.
 
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What about a team of keepers?

1. Phillipe
2. Whiteman
3. Carey
4. Handscomb
5. Harper
6. Gotch (wk)
7. Paine (c)
8. Inglis
9. Pierson
10. Wade (Pace spearhead)
11. Bancroft (leg sand spin - he’s good in the rough)
 
Hadn't actually considered McDermott with the gloves. That's an excellent shout, especially batting at 7 where he can just play the game situation. We're blessed when it comes to glovemen that can bat so I think the trigger has to be pulled with one of them. McDermott has the runs on the board in shield and Aus A so that is logical.

Big fan of the Maxwell inclusion, particularly as he can chip in with a few overs if need be. I would like to know why the selectors have seemingly put a line through him in this format considering his experience and FC stats. Look what he did in India.

I wouldn't say this is the end of Starc but it's very obvious something is either wrong with his body or with his mind. I'd give him the RSA tour off to sort out whatever the issue is and come back freshened up for the Ashes with shield games under his belt (not bloody t20/odi).

v RSA I'd be going that XI along with Pattinson, Lyon, Neser, Inglis, Head, Patterson (still averages 144 in test cricket) and one of Bancroft/Renshaw. If we need another quick then give Boland a spot too.
Wouldn't even be considering guys like Abbott, Henriques, either Marsh, Khawaja, Finch, Burns etc.
Is there a reason why Kurtis Patterson has been ignored by the selectors since making a ton in test cricket?

I can acknowledge that it wasn't against the greatest of oppositions (Sri Lanka a couple years back), but he's just under 28 and has scored almost 10,000 runs in shield cricket at an average of 40
 
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Is there a reason why Kurtis Patterson has been ignored by the selectors since making a ton in test cricket?

I can acknowledge that it wasn't against the greatest of oppositions (Sri Lanka a couple years back), but he's just under 28 and has scored almost 10,000 runs in shield cricket at an average of 40

He got a bad injury and took him ages to come back from it.
 
McDermott has never kept in his 37 Shield games for Queensland or Tasmania- how would his keeping go under pressure in a Test if we are out there for day and a half?
 
McDermott has never kept in his 37 Shield games for Queensland or Tasmania- how would his keeping go under pressure in a Test if we are out there for day and a half?
Not sure will ask him next time we catch up.
 
McDermott has never kept in his 37 Shield games for Queensland or Tasmania- how would his keeping go under pressure in a Test if we are out there for day and a half?

Probably not much worse than Paine's at this point, as sad as that is.

Luckily, I think keeping is one of those things that can be taught pretty quickly, especially for someone with a fair bit of experience doing it.

Might be a bit similar to the Saha vs Pant thing - Do you go with the experienced keeper who's a below average bat (Peirson?), or the below average keeper who can bat? (McDermott, Philippe, Inglis)

Alex Carey is probably somewhere in between those 2 categories, average with the gloves and average with the bat in FC. I just don't rate him tbh.
 
Is Nathan Lyon any danger of bowling a team to victory on day 5 at home?
 
Start picking- to fix the problem.

He would be a prime example, why has it been two years since he's played a shield game? I know injuries have played a part but would it be too much different if he was injury free?
BBL is a few levels below test cricket. I wouldn't be picking based on any BBL form
 
The question on the next wicket keeper becomes important after the series Pant just put in.

Looks like we need a solid run scorer at no. 6/7 ... Paine was reasonable this series averaging 40, but Pant just averaged 68 and was able to come in at 5, 6 or 7.

Gilly changed the game for keepers and now Australia is left looking for their next Gilly meanwhile Eng have Buttler, SA have QDK and India have Pant.
Issue was Paine' s keeping was not good this series. He might be a good leader but he has never been a great tactical captain in my view.
 
Probably not much worse than Paine's at this point, as sad as that is.

Luckily, I think keeping is one of those things that can be taught pretty quickly, especially for someone with a fair bit of experience doing it.

Might be a bit similar to the Saha vs Pant thing - Do you go with the experienced keeper who's a below average bat (Peirson?), or the below average keeper who can bat? (McDermott, Philippe, Inglis)

Alex Carey is probably somewhere in between those 2 categories, average with the gloves and average with the bat in FC. I just don't rate him tbh.
I am a big believer in picking the best gloveman. I'm just not sure who that is in Domestic cricket. A good gloveman that can bat and is young enough to grow with the gloves is the next best option. However, we mainly have batsmen who are part time keepers. I don't rate Carey with bat or gloves. If not Paine McDermott/Phillipe seems the next best options so I think we have to stick with Paine for the moment.

In batting I am a big no to Maxwell. White ball only. He has the same problem as Wade. Not test quality in my view.

Our batting certainties are, Warner, Pucovski, Smith, Labuschagne, Green.

Wade, Harris and Head in my view are not good enough batsmen for test cricket. I like the idea of partnering Khawaja or Renshaw with Warner and putting Pucovski at 5. Khawaja has a good opening record and I think Renshaw has the potential to be a long term quality

In the bowling Paine badly rotated the bowlers and I think we suffered not resting our main bowlers for a test. Pattinson and Neser could have got a game and done the job.
 

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