***Official Australia in India***

[Jakester1288]

I honestly don't know why people are calling for Jaques head. Why fix something if it ain't broken? He has done nothing wrong. He has scored close to 1000 runs in test match cricket at an average just over 47. What is wrong with that? He has scored over 11 thousand runs in FC cricket at an average over 54. What is wrong with that? He has a decent technique, and is starting to learn his game backwards. He is 29, so, injuries aside, we could get another 7 years out of him and he can be the rock at the top of the order. I honestly don't understand some of you.

Oh, and to add to that:
FC:
Jaques: 11605 @ 54.22 in 126 games
Katich: 14910 @ 54.81 in 185 games
Test:
Jaques: 902 @ 47.47 in 11 matches
Katich: 1579 @ 39.47 in 26 matches

Whilst I think Katich has a spot in the side somewhere, it is not opening. Wait until Hayden retires maybe, then he can have a crack. He will not the the allrounder position, so until then he has to wait in the wings.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

I can see both sides. There's a decent argument that Katich might be a better choice than Jaques, and I think Kat's overall test record is irrelevant because he's clearly been playing better in the last year or so than in the past.

Still though, Jaques hasn't really done much to deserve being dropped, and has incumbency on his side. Overall I'd probably be slightly more comfortable with Katich in there than Jaques, but you can't drop a guy who hasn't had the chance to prove himself just because he's unproven. Jaques hasn't exactly done poorly in test cricket so far, it's just a solid start compared to Katich who is kicking the door in.

With Watson a lock in and Jaques not really deserving a boot, I just don't see a spot for Katich until someone fails. If Jaques has a poor test in Bangalore, maybe then.

 

[Top_Cat]

I can see both sides. There's a decent argument that Katich might be a better choice than Jaques, and I think Kat's overall test record is irrelevant because he's clearly been playing better in the last year or so than in the past.

Still though, Jaques hasn't really done much to deserve being dropped, and has incumbency on his side. Overall I'd probably be slightly more comfortable with Katich in there than Jaques, but you can't drop a guy who hasn't had the chance to prove himself just because he's unproven. Jaques hasn't exactly done poorly in test cricket so far, it's just a solid start compared to Katich who is kicking the door in.

With Watson a lock in and Jaques not really deserving a boot, I just don't see a spot for Katich until someone fails. If Jaques has a poor test in Bangalore, maybe then.

If Watson is indeed a lock, I'd drop Jaques which sucks for him for the reasons you said. I'd just find it really wrong if Kat's form not be rewarded. Incumbency has its limits and in this situation, I think Jaques would understand in the team context.

Ideally, though, I'd pick Kat and Jaques and leave out Watson.

 

[aussie]

I can see both sides. There's a decent argument that Katich might be a better choice than Jaques, and I think Kat's overall test record is irrelevant because he's clearly been playing better in the last year or so than in the past.

Still though, Jaques hasn't really done much to deserve being dropped, and has incumbency on his side. Overall I'd probably be slightly more comfortable with Katich in there than Jaques, but you can't drop a guy who hasn't had the chance to prove himself just because he's unproven. Jaques hasn't exactly done poorly in test cricket so far, it's just a solid start compared to Katich who is kicking the door in.

With Watson a lock in and Jaques not really deserving a boot, I just don't see a spot for Katich until someone fails. If Jaques has a poor test in Bangalore, maybe then.

Yes Jaques has done nothing to be dropped. But picking Katich over him is basically a horses for courses selection TBH. It would be like England picking a traditional swing bowler for a Leeds test.

 

[howardj]

Any word on Navjot Sidhu commentating in this series?

Hopefully, Manjrekar, Slater and Blewett are on board.

Greig and Shastri hopefully won't get a start.

 

[honestbharani]

Dont get your hopes too high mate..


All you are going to get are Arun Lal, Sivaramakrishnan, maybe Damien Fleming and someone else thrown in there... NEO are covering the series and the likes of Shastri, Gavaskar, Manjrekar are contracted to other channels..

 

[pup11]

Clark concerned at bomb blasts.

 

[pup11]

Dont get your hopes too high mate..


All you are going to get are Arun Lal, Sivaramakrishnan, maybe Damien Fleming and someone else thrown in there... NEO are covering the series and the likes of Shastri, Gavaskar, Manjrekar are contracted to other channels..

Yeah its just a shame with such good cricket possibly on display the commentary level would be piss-poor.

 

[tooextracool]

Yeah the Aussie fascination to find an all-rounder begun since Freddie' 05 Ashes heroics and Watto looked like a decent prospect for that role and had he stayed fit he could have developed his bowling with time, because he has got the pace and rest of the technicalities of his bowling like his run-up, wrist position are also pretty decent, and he has always been a very good batsman, so if he could have remained fit he could have developed into an all-rounder in the Kallis mould (more of a batting all-rounder).

Having said that i won't just write off Watson' bowling even in Indian conditions, he can rush the batsmen with his pace and he more or less bowls wicket-to-wicket and he has a good back of the hand slower ball (ala Ian Harvey), so he could be handy with the ball too (fitness permitting) i am not saying he would win Australia any games with the ball but he would be handy nonetheless, but of course his main job is to bat well at no.6.

Watson is basically an unknown quantity at the test match level. Personally, I would be very surprised if he succeeded with the bat in India (assuming they prepare typical Indian conditions) as India is one of the toughest places to tour in the world, especially for someone who just starting his career. With the kind of inexperience that already makes up the large majority of this Australian side in Indian conditions, you'd think they would settle for someone like Katich.

 

[tooextracool]

Unless we were watching different games, Katich was in a different league to Jaques throughout the series. Ever since the SL series Jaques has looked iffy and doesn't seem to be coping too well with the pressure. I agree Katich opening isn't a long term solution and I hope we can see Jaques fill that role well for years to come, but right now for this must-win series it makes the most sense having Katich open, initially at least.

I just dont put much weight into Katich's performances in that series, because they were on very flat wickets. IMO he looked very ordinary in Jamaica when Fidel made the ball talk and he will be made to look very ordinary in India if the new ball moves around there as well. Perhaps Katich at the top might be better than Jaques at the top especially in India, but I think he would be able to make better contributions down the order rather than at the top of the order.

 

[tooextracool]

Any word on Navjot Sidhu commentating in this series?

Hopefully, Manjrekar, Slater and Blewett are on board.

Greig and Shastri hopefully won't get a start.

Meh Id much rather listen to Greig or Shastri than have to bear any of the dross that comes out of Slater's mouth.

 

[TT Boy]

Dont get your hopes too high mate..


All you are going to get are Arun Lal, Sivaramakrishnan, maybe Damien Fleming and someone else thrown in there... NEO are covering the series and the likes of Shastri, Gavaskar, Manjrekar are contracted to other channels..

Great. Lal, Sivaramakrishnan are more than decent and when you throw in the likes of Bruce Yardley (top man), Flem, Ian Bishop (unless his doing Stanford) and maybe Chappelli you’re got a decent crew going on.

 

[duffer]

Dont get your hopes too high mate..


All you are going to get are Arun Lal, Sivaramakrishnan, maybe Damien Fleming and someone else thrown in there... NEO are covering the series and the likes of Shastri, Gavaskar, Manjrekar are contracted to other channels..

Haha, Siva will be a riot as always. He is very capable of some pretty insightful stuff though. I've gotten used to Arun Lal's ineptitude so I'm looking forward to him.

Just no Sidhu please. Watching him and Jadeja's "expert" analysis at times during the IPL was horrific. Both so blinkered it's not funny, keep them away from my TV screen.

 

[pup11]

Watson is basically an unknown quantity at the test match level. Personally, I would be very surprised if he succeeded with the bat in India (assuming they prepare typical Indian conditions) as India is one of the toughest places to tour in the world, especially for someone who just starting his career. With the kind of inexperience that already makes up the large majority of this Australian side in Indian conditions, you'd think they would settle for someone like Katich.

If he can handle spin well enough then i can see him scoring quite a few runs even in Indian conditions, he averages around 50 with the bat in FC cricket and obviously anyone who averages around 50 in Australian FC cricket would be expected to do well with the bat even in international cricket, on current form leaving Katich out seems unfair but the team managment is showing faith in Watson' ability and if he could perform upto his ability without picking up any injuries than his selection would be justified, but tbh Aussies are taking bit of a punt with him.

 

[Burgey]

With limited international cricket of late, must say I'm stinging for this series (or any series for that matter) to kick off.

 

[Salamuddin]

Yea, I think he would be. This might be his last chance, maybe one more after this if he plays into his late thirties.

Nope. I think this is it for Ponting. This is going to be his last chance to rectify his poor test record in India.

 

[Speersy]

Watson is basically an unknown quantity at the test match level. Personally, I would be very surprised if he succeeded with the bat in India (assuming they prepare typical Indian conditions) as India is one of the toughest places to tour in the world, especially for someone who just starting his career. With the kind of inexperience that already makes up the large majority of this Australian side in Indian conditions, you'd think they would settle for someone like Katich.

Micheal Clarke?

 

[Top_Cat]

Micheal Clarke?

Yeah but he can play spin.....

 

[Salamuddin]

As far as Im concerned, India will seriously have to mess up to lose this series. Even one of the best Australian sides from 2001 struggled to win in India so I would be very surprised if this one which is a fly compared to the Australian sides that have toured India over the last decade can do any better.

The outcome of this series is gonna boil down to how well India bat, as John Wright correctly pointed out.

If they can consistently put big runs on the board, they are in with a real shot.

I'm hoping India do bat well for the sake of the series.

 

[pup11]

Micheal Clarke?

Clarke has always been good against spin so he obviously had an easier time than most newcomers would have while starting their careers in India, and in Watson' case its very well known that he has a definite weakness against spin bowling as he virtually plays spinners of the back-foot no matter what the length of the ball is, and with that sort of a technique he is a sitting duck against likes of Kumble and Harbhajan, so it would be interesting to see how he negates spin bowling.