Yeah, granted we haven't played on a turner for a while but the only times the Australian batsman have looked poor in the past year have been against the pace of Sharma and Edwards and I reckon they'd be much more afraid of anything that helps the seamers more than the spinners, especially as they're pretty confident against spin on the whole.
What makes a pitch turn and what makes it bounce are completely different, though, with the weather coming into the former far more than the latter. For a bouncy pitch, the water content, clay type and how much it gets rolled means, yeah, no matter the weather it'll probably bounce (although for the last few years, the WACA has flattened out considerably due to our drier weather so has become flatter). For a pitch to spin, the clay content/type (softer in India from what I've read), rolling, etc. come into it, sure. But above all, it needs to be dry and getting to pitches to dry enough at the time of year the Aussies are headed there will be damn-near impossible.
Yes this. God damn, richest cricket board in the world should be able to do anything to get the pitch we want.
Disagree. Australians are good players of spin, but if you have a track that is tailor made for Kumble and Harbhajan, and doesn't suit the seamers, I'll back the Indians vs. McGain a lot more than then Australians vs. Harbhajan/Kumble.
I'll just take a series victory! Against other teams, maybe it'd feel better, but vs. Australia, a win is a win.
Quite possibly. For me to rate him among the top three all time great Aussie batsmen (he is close), he absolutely has to show he can play in India. Fourteen scores under 20 in 15 innings is absolutely shocking for someone of his talent, especially since it includes six scores under 10 and three ducks. It doesn't do justice to his ability, and it's a huge red mark: 14, 13, 18, 2, 60, 9, 16, 0, 6, 0, 0, 11, 11, 12.
), because I think it'll be real exciting if he can try to put his past behind him. Plus, he is just much too talented a player to retire with that type of record in India.
Yeah, point was only in reference to the Aussie batsman though. Obviously on the whole turning tracks would suit India more.
Fair enough. With Australia, I don't think you can expect to prepare a spinning track and simply expect a win. But it would be a travesty if the curator didn't do his best to prepare a spinning track. I might get into the effigy business if I see another Ahmedabad, that track pissed me off, though obviously nowhere near the first track which was designed so that you could play five consecutive Tests and not get a result on a single one. Actually, what annoyed me the most was that the third track - which produced a gripping, result oriented track - was reported by the ICC for not being suitable for Test cricket, and yet the first track that produced the worst five days of cricket imaginable was deemed acceptable. Tracks like the one in Ahmedabad are a bit unfortunate from a fan's point of view, but it's all part of the game. Tracks like the first Test shouldn't be part of the game.
See, I've often said his record in India has nothing to do with spinning tracks or being in India at all. He's basically been dismissed by two bowlers in India; Kumble in 1998, Harbhajan in 2001. His record at home and away against Murali, Mushtaq, Saqlain, etc. shows he can play spin in spinning conditions. He just happened to face them in series' when they were absolutely at the top of their games, I reckon, and was positively wrecked by them. Rarely have I seen such a class player look utterly clueless as I did with Ponting in 2001.Quite possibly. For me to rate him among the top three all time great Aussie batsmen (he is close), he absolutely has to show he can play in India. Fourteen scores under 20 in 15 innings is absolutely shocking for someone of his talent, especially since it includes six scores under 10 and three ducks. It doesn't do justice to his ability, and it's a huge red mark: 14, 13, 18, 2, 60, 9, 16, 0, 6, 0, 0, 11, 11, 12.
I think he realizes this and probably desperately wants to do well. I actually want him to do well too (as long as Aussies lose
Playing in Sri Lanka and Pakistan is different from playing in India. It really is, even though at a superficial level, both are playing in 'spin friendly' conditions. There are a lot of things about India that are unique, and not all of them are necessarily on the pitch - though I would still maintain that playing a good tandem of spinners in India is harder (and quite different in terms of skillset/temperament, etc) than playing a sole Murali in Sri Lanka or Mushy/Saqi in Pakistan.
AWTA. But he seems to have got Bhajji into his head. Even in Australia, but for the Adelaide, he was put under pressure by Bhajji. More mental than technical i'd say.Disagree. Australians are good players of spin, but if you have a track that is tailor made for Kumble and Harbhajan, and doesn't suit the seamers, I'll back the Indians vs. McGain a lot more than then Australians vs. Harbhajan/Kumble.
And I'm not taking anything away from the Australians, but in home conditions, where the pitch suits the Indian team, I think India are about as unbeatable as you can reasonably expect a team to be. It's a very rare thing indeed to see them lose on that, even when they bat last. On the other hand, on a pitch like Ahemdabad, sometimes they see green, see someone like Lee on the other side, and lose heart before the game starts.
I'll just take a series victory! Against other teams, maybe it'd feel better, but vs. Australia, a win is a win.
Quite possibly. For me to rate him among the top three all time great Aussie batsmen (he is close), he absolutely has to show he can play in India. Fourteen scores under 20 in 15 innings is absolutely shocking for someone of his talent, especially since it includes six scores under 10 and three ducks. It doesn't do justice to his ability, and it's a huge red mark: 14, 13, 18, 2, 60, 9, 16, 0, 6, 0, 0, 11, 11, 12.
I think he realizes this and probably desperately wants to do well. I actually want him to do well too (as long as Aussies lose
AWTA. I don't think there's much doubt he has the capacity to play him, as he plays most other spinners so well. Definitely a mental thing IMO.
AWTA. Captain runs are worth more than others to team spirits.
It's a bit funny that you mention that innings from Adelaide.
He better - or the good judges at CW.net will deign him not an all-time great and I don't think he could live with that.
