Australia Vs India poll

[SJS]

England did go down 5-0 last season, so I think there may be a chance of 4-0

Two big differences - the first being the bigger of the two.

1. Australia had McGrath and Warne who took 44 wickets between them. They are missing this time.

2. Indian batting is stronger than England's​

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[SJS]

So that people may not whinge and discredit India's performance if they happen to do well. Last time, India almost won the series and there is a small minority which cried about the tracks. Fact is, tracks have been flattish for last 5-7 years and Australia have been dominant in those tracks. People don't blame the tracks when Australia wins in the same tracks but when another team competes, the small minority cries about the tracks.

Thats a very valid point.

 

[tooextracool]

Our bowling will not be good enough to win a test IMO, but hopefully I'm proven wrong.

2-0 Australia.

Not even if Zaheer Khan bowls like he can? Or rather, not even if Zaheer khan bowls like he did in England or SA? I think if he does, he will be overwhelmingly better than any bowler on either side in this series. I am yet to be convinced about RP Singh, but i feel that there is potential in an RP Singh, Zaheer, random, Kumble attack. In fact, in the unlikely scenario that the conditions favor swing, there might be a few surprises for Australia yet.

I do not know how to react to those that seem fully confident about an Australian whitewash. I do not think there is much evidence of this Australian attack being able to take 20 wickets either. Mitchell Johnson for all that he has shown is yet to prove himself in test match cricket. Brett Lee has had one test series where he has managed to consistently bowl well, by and large he blew hot and cold in the ashes (mostly the latter until the trophy was regained) so im still very much divided on him. Stuart Clark who i do think will cause problems in this series hasnt exactly set the world on fire recently. Sangakkara showed that the Aussie bowling attack can easily be taken apart and there is enough quality and experience in this Indian batting lineup to take apart the Australian bowling attack on what will presumably be another summer filled with tracks that wouldnt even offer much for the farmers. For me the most important question is not "Can india take 20 wickets", because if there is a turner, i have no doubt that Kumble can run through Australia on a crumbline 5th day pitch, but the question for me really is" Can Dravid bat like the way we know he can", because he has the potential to be the difference between the 2 sides. If Dravid does not fire in this series, i do not expect India to stand any chance.

 

[archie mac]

Two big differences - the first being the bigger of the two.

1. Australia had McGrath and Warne who took 44 wickets between them. They are missing this time.

2. Indian batting is stronger than England's​

.

Both very true, but I think if the Indian bowlers turn into canon fodder and the Australians score at a very rapid pace, even the strong Indian batting line up may struggle to hold out for draws

It should be said I have suggested 2-0

 

[SJS]

Both very true, but I think if the Indian bowlers turn into canon fodder and the Australians score at a very rapid pace, even the strong Indian batting line up may struggle to hold out for draws

It should be said I have suggested 2-0

I have voted for the same option but thats very different, very very different, from a 4-0 white wash.

 

[archie mac]

So that people may not whinge and discredit India's performance if they happen to do well. Last time, India almost won the series and there is a small minority which cried about the tracks. Fact is, tracks have been flattish for last 5-7 years and Australia have been dominant on those tracks. People don't blame the tracks when Australia wins in the same tracks but when another team competes, the small minority cries about the tracks.

Well I was one of those people

I thought the pitches in that series were the worst we have seen for the last 20 years, but that may just have been that the Australian attack did not have Warne or McGrath

 

[archie mac]

I have voted for the same option but thats very different, very very different, from a 4-0 white wash.

Well I thought the Aussies would win 3-1 last season, so I may well be due for a correct selection

 

[tooextracool]

I've been optimistic about this and decided to go for a drawn series. I do think Australia are firm favorites, but i do expect to see some surprises from India this series.

 

[Pratters]

Well I was one of those people

I thought the pitches in that series were the worst we have seen for the last 20 years, but that may just have been that the Australian attack did not have Warne or McGrath

Warne and McGrath not being there was not as big a problem as not having a good bench strength. India had the problem of Srinath retiring just before the series as well and while Srinath is not comparable to Warne plus McGrath, it was a significant blow to India for the series.

Australia's bench strength issues would come to haunt them in a bigger way later on during Ashes 2005 of course. This is one of many reasons why I rate the West Indies at their best much higher than Australia at their prime. While West Indies had a battery of fast bowlers with many waiting in the ranks, Australia was terribly exposed where bench strength is concerned.

 

[SJS]

Well I thought the Aussies would win 3-1 last season, so I may well be due for a correct selection

India could lose 4-0 only if both Dravid and Tendulkar have horrendous tours and two out of the other four have ordinary ones.

I dont see that happening on Australian tracks (which suit Indian style of batting) and with this bowling line up.

People seem to talk a lot of Australian wickets in relation to the bowling sides. I think Australia suits India most from a batting pint of view. Most Indian batsmen like to play through the line, hit lots of boundaries, like the ball coming on the bat and all this happens in Australia. Indian batsmen look their best playing on Australian wickets in my opinion. I am really looking forward to India's batting show. The only worry at present is Dravid. Fingers crossed.

Of the Australian bowlers, I worry most about Clark. How well Indian batsmen tackle him may decide the margin of the series result.

 

[archie mac]

Warne and McGrath not being there was not as big a problem as not having a good bench strength. India had the problem of Srinath retiring just before the series as well and while Srinath is not comparable to Warne plus McGrath, it was a significant blow to India for the series.

Australia's bench strength issues would come to haunt them in a bigger way later on during Ashes 2005 of course. This is one of many reasons why I rate the West Indies at their best much higher than Australia at their prime. While West Indies had a battery of fast bowlers with many waiting in the ranks, Australia was terribly exposed where bench strength is concerned.

No doubt India played great in that series. I would love to watch Aust V WI of the 80s, although even they may struggle on the flat tracks atm

Viv to score 800+ in the series

 

[archie mac]

I've been optimistic about this and decided to go for a drawn series. I do think Australia are firm favorites, but i do expect to see some surprises from India this series.

Good to have you back mate, I can never work out if you support India or England

 

[Burgey]

India could lose 4-0 only if both Dravid and Tendulkar have horrendous tours and two out of the other four have ordinary ones.

I dont see that happening on Australian tracks (which suit Indian style of batting) and with this bowling line up.

People seem to talk a lot of Australian wickets in relation to the bowling sides. I think Australia suits India most from a batting pint of view. Most Indian batsmen like to play through the line, hit lots of boundaries, like the ball coming on the bat and all this happens in Australia. Indian batsmen look their best playing on Australian wickets in my opinion. I am really looking forward to India's batting show. The only worry at present is Dravid. Fingers crossed.

Of the Australian bowlers, I worry most about Clark. How well Indian batsmen tackle him may decide the margin of the series result.

What happens when it gets above waist height, Dravid and Tendulkhar aside?

I think the tracks we've seen out here recently have suited Indian batting, and the fact there's no test at the Gabba this time will help. Depends if Melbourne gets some pace in it - certainly appears that Perth is getting it back, which is good imo.

 

[Nishant]

1-0 or 2-1 to india!!!! India are not expected to do well in this series....as u can see frm the poll results! Thats wen india perform well....expect a shock guys...

 

[tooextracool]

Good to have you back mate, I can never work out if you support India or England

Thanks, its good to be back. I always have and always will support England. However, i think i am part of a not-so-elite group that is interested in seeing the end of Australian domination of international cricket, hence I will be supporting India for this series. Not too hard to do so as i do have a significant affiliation with India anyways.

 

[Johnners]

I simply can't see there being anyway for Australia to whitewash this series given the strength of the Indian batting lineup, and the fact that there is sure to be some dead pitches. IMO 2-1 is the most probable outcome. If the WACA is as lively as it was in the T20 match vs. NZ I can see that being a big advantage to Australia, and a test match that we should be able to win if our bowlers step up and bowl as well as we know they can.

I also think we'll have a rather large advantage going into the MCG test given the fact that India has just finished a gruelling test series vs. pakistan, and they will have had so little time to adjust to Australian conditions, with only the one, 3-day warmup game. I'd expect to see the Adelaide test match being a draw, and theres every possibility that Singh & Kumble will be the difference between the 2 sides in Sydney.

 

[SJS]

What happens when it gets above waist height, Dravid and Tendulkhar aside?

I think the tracks we've seen out here recently have suited Indian batting, and the fact there's no test at the Gabba this time will help. Depends if Melbourne gets some pace in it - certainly appears that Perth is getting it back, which is good imo.

It doesn't do that on its own. You need bowlers to do that and at pace. Lee is the one who can in the Austalian attack. He was there in the last series also and I don't recall great discomfort caused to Indian top order batsmen by him. His 8 wickets cost him 60 runs each ! He may do better this time but not because of the short pitched stuff he may bowl.

I disagree that only Dravid and Tendulkar amongst Indians can handle short pitched stuff. Laxman is very good at it too. Three very good players of short pitched bowling in the middle order is very good by any standards. In addition, in Jaffer they have a very competent player of short stuff.

The players who have real problems handling short stuff aimed at their bodies in the Indian line up are Ganguly and Yuvraj and of late Sehwag. Only two and maybe just one of them will make the playing eleven. That doesn't justify saying that Indians cant handle short pitched stuff.

I do agree that Australia has better bowling attack (pace and medium pace) than the Indians by far but they will get their wickets by moving the ball in the air and off the wicket rather than by scaring the Indians with short pitched stuff.

 

[Jono]

Not even if Zaheer Khan bowls like he can? Or rather, not even if Zaheer khan bowls like he did in England or SA? I think if he does, he will be overwhelmingly better than any bowler on either side in this series. I am yet to be convinced about RP Singh, but i feel that there is potential in an RP Singh, Zaheer, random, Kumble attack. In fact, in the unlikely scenario that the conditions favor swing, there might be a few surprises for Australia yet.

Zaheer's a very good bowler when he's on, and he's shown lately how good he can be, but I still think he GENERALLY needs another supporting seam bowler. That's where RP comes in.

I remember talking up RP Singh in 2005, and you (correctly at the time I may add) saying he was far from a good bowler. He definitely took a turn for the worse from 05 - 07 and I was very disappointed, but since his England tour I have been pretty impressed. At the very least he can be very consistent and be a good foil for Zaheer and RP.

I wish Sree was fit for this tour. Don't care what people say about his volatility, he is an attacking bowler at test level and that's what we need against Australia. Hopefully his replacement will be able to take some wickets because 3 pacers is required IMO considering how Harbhajan is bowling.

 

[Jono]

What happens when it gets above waist height, Dravid and Tendulkhar aside?

Laxman's a back foot player and Jaffer can play the bounce well IMO. Has one of the best hook and pull shots in the team.

So that's 3 of our 7. Sehwag likes the bounce, but not at the body. Then again he may not even play.

Ganguly's woes are obvious but hopefully he'll handle it better. Yuvraj and Dhoni are the obvious worries.

EDIT: Just saw SJS' post addressing this topic.

 

[Migara]

Yuvraj is very good with pace. The one to trouble him will be Hogg. Yuvraj is absolutely clueless against good spin.